Former Holyrood Free Church, Abbey Strand, Edinburgh. EH8 8BX - Bell Towers on Waymarking.com

The former Holyrood Free Church is a category B Listed building at the eastern end of the Royal Mile and was thought to have been intended to be the church attached to the school next door. The school was built by Archibald Simpson in 1846 but before he could build the church he died. The church was then completed with a much reduced budget by John Henderson in 1850. The church and school were converted in 2002 by Benjamin Tindall Architects, together with the addition of an entrance created between church and school with central round arch, to form art gallery, now the Queen's Gallery.

The church is of a T-plan, four bays to the north, and the gabled end with bell cote facing west. Of Gothic design it's on the corner of Horses Wynd and Abbey Strand, gables to Horses Wynd. Built of squared and snecked sandstone it has a slightly advanced gabled porch to the west elevation with a hoodmoulded doorway, square buttresses supporting the west front with a blocked two-light traceried window, the two recessed opening gabled bell cote, and cross finial above a circular blind window. The four two-light openings to the north have stone mullions.

Archibald Simpson (1790-1847), was one of the major architects involved in designing the expanding nineteenth century city of Aberdeen. John Henderson (1804-62) was a pupil of Thomas Hamilton and specialised somewhat in church buildings.

Address of Tower: Former Holyrood Free Church Abbey Strand Edinburgh, Scotland UK EH8 8BX Still Operational: no Number of bells in tower?: 0 Rate tower: Tours or visits allowed in tower?: No Relevant website?: Not listed

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