Gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

472
GLASGOW.
The Tron, or Lakjh Church, situated on
the south side of the Trotigate, a little east of
King Street, was founded and endowed by the
community in 1484, and dedicated to the Vir-
gin. After the Reformation, its altars being
removed, it was adapted as a place for reform-
ed worship in 1592. In 1792, it was destroy-
ed by fire, and in 1 794 was rebuilt as a plain
edifice. An old steeple remains projecting
into the street, in which it presents a striking
feature.
The North West, or Ramshorn Church, now
more elegantly styled St. David's, situated in
Canon Street, was originally erected in 1720,
and remodelled in 1824, in an elegant style,
after a design by Messrs. Rickman and Hut-
chin of Birmingham. Underneath this edifice
is a range of burial vaults, which were sold for
L.4000, and defrayed a considerable part of
the expense of the building.
St. Andrew's Church, situated in the centre
of St. Andrew's Square, finished in 1756, and
nearly a copy of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields,
Westminster, is allowed to be as complete a
specimen of the composite order of architec-
ture as is to be found in Scotland. On the
west front is a grand portico, with a lofty spire,
the form and properties of which are not in
unison with the church.
St. Enoch's Church, situated on the south
side of a small square, called St. Enoch's
Square, fronting Buchanan Street, built in
1780-1, and rebuilt, except the spire, in 1829,
from designs by Mr. Hamilton. It is esteem-
ed exceedingly beautiful.
The Wynd Church was originally erected
by a party of Presbyterians during the time
of Episcopacy in 1687, but being in latter
times found inadequate in point of accommo-
dation, the congregation, in 1807, was trans-
lated to St. George's Cfiurch, erected on the
west side of Buchanan Street, fronting George
Street. This is considered one of the finest
churches in Glasgow. Great attention has been
paid to the rearing of the spire, which in the
variety, as well as the proportion of its parts,
is uncommonly beautiful.
St. John's Church, situated in the eastern
district of the city, an elegant building, with a
Gothic front and a spire. The other places
of worship may be noticed as follows : —
The New Barony Church, built in 1798, to
accommodate the congregation which till then
sat in the crypt of the cathedral, is situated
near that ancient place of worship. The
architecture is a clumsy mixture of the Gre-
cian and Gothic styles.
The Gorbals Church, situated in Carlton
Place, on the south side of the river. The
centre of this structure projects with insulated
columns, and terminates in a well-proportioned
spire, 174 feet in height. The effect from
the Clyde is pleasing.
Ckapeh of Ease — In Glasgow and its su-
burbs, within the bounds of the twelve pa-
rishes, there .are nine chapels of Ease, four
of which are in the Barony parish, and in
three of which flie service is one half of the
day in Gaelic.
In the whole twenty-one places of public
worship thus connected with the establishment,
there are 24,890 sittings, which is accommoda-
tion for only about an eighth part of the inha-
bitants, the remainder being either infants or
dissenters, or else such persons as are not in
the habit of frequenting places of worship.
The total amount of stipend for the clergy of
these churches and chapels is L.6270. The
stipend of each of the nine city clergy is L.425.
The stipends of the ministers of the Inner
High Church and Barony arise from the teinds,
the former having twenty- five, the latter twen-
ty-three chalders, which, with the produce of
glebe feus, averages L.500 a-year. The town
council has the curatory of the churches and
chapels with the letting of the seats, and it is
understood that the sums they thus levy liqui-
date the amount of stipends, &c. There are
no extra assessments for the church. In com-
parison with the vile system pursued in Edin-
burgh of assessing the inhabitants in six per-
cent, on their rental for the clergy, yet charg-
ing seat-rents at the same time, Glasgow ap-
pears to be every way better managed. The
average rent of each seat in the foregoing places
of worship necessary to pay the ministers' sti-
pends is 6s. 7d. and a fraction, while in Edin-
burgh it is 16s. 2d. and a fraction, independent
of the assessment, to the extent of, in most
cases, about L.2 on householders in the mid-
dling ranks. The citizens of Glasgow have
thus much reason for gratulation on the light-
ness of their ecclesiastical burdens. The num-
ber of dissenting places of worship is very con-
siderable in Glasgow, being as follow :
Episcopal Chapels. — There are three places
of public worship of this nature, all now be-
longing to the Scottish episcopal communion •