St James, Leith

Sir George Gilbert Scott designed this church in 1860 and used Robert Rowand Anderson as his ‘responsible assistant’ to build it between 1861-4. Apparently building was started so quickly that they did not have detailed drawings to follow, only outline sketches. Money was provided by a bequest from William Moodie and from the local Wood family.

It is in English Pointed style with an aisled nave, narthex, transepts, tower and spire. The church is now used as a workshop. Recent discoveries about a second scheme for the church, suggest that Anderson was more involved with the design scheme in its latter stages than Scott.

Scott designed the rectory, a two storey L plan house with bay and oriel window, at the same time as he was working on the church.

Scott also designed the associated Church Officer’s House, in front of the west end of the church.

http://www.stjamesleith.org/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/St-James-History-to-1900.pdf, pp. 22-3, 25.
http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/74065/details/edinburgh+leith+119+constitution+street+st+james+church/