Undiscovered Scotland

 

"Churches of Glasgow" by Gordon Adams is an excellent guide to 79 of Glasgow's most notable places of worship: or in some cases ex-places of worship. As well of churches of a wide range of Christian denominations, places of worship established by people of Jewish, Moslem, Sikh and Buddhist faiths are also included. Each church has its own section with one or more colour photographs, sometimes including interior views; and in some cases old prints are also used to give a historical perspective. The quality of the images is very high and that can also be said of the quality of the research underpinning this book. The end result is a guide that we can see being of continuing value to anyone who is interested in Glasgow and its architecture. The front cover gives a flavour of what lies within, carrying a great picture of noted Glasgow architect Alexander "Greek" Thomson's first Glasgow church, Caledonia Road UP Church

The author says in his introduction: "The intention of this book is to highlight the variety of places of worship throughout Glasgow. It includes some of the most iconic buildings, some of the less well known and a few of the ruined, dilapidated and forgotten. Each one has its own story and they all form part of the heritage of religious history and architecture which enrich the city."

The rear cover blurb further fills in the background: "Glasgow has long been an important settlement on the River Clyde but it grew rapidly in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to become one of the largest cities in the world in that period. The largest seaport in Scotland, it was a major city in the Scottish enlightenment and the transatlantic trade brought wealth to the city. At the same time Glasgow was becoming an important industrial city, particularly in shipbuilding, engineering, chemicals and textiles, bringing in large numbers of people. Although many were relocated outside the city in the latter decades of the twentieth century, Glasgow’s dynamic history is reflected in its diverse architecture and the heritage of its church buildings.

"In this book author Gordon Adams surveys the historic churches of Glasgow, outlining their story through the ages and picking out interesting features of each. The churches range from the elegant eighteenth-century St Vincent Street Church, to the intimate Govan Old Parish Church with its unsurpassed collection of medieval monument stones, the unique Queen’s Cross, the only church built by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, and many more gems. This fascinating picture of an important part of the history of Glasgow over the centuries will be of interest to all those who live in or are visiting this fascinating city in Scotland."

This is a book we'd highly recommend and one we know we will be referring to ourselves for years to come.