St Anne's Church, Corstorphine

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St Anne's Church of Scotland is a daughter church of the Old Parish Church of Corstorphine and takes its name from a chapel in that ancient building. It came into being as a congregation as a result of the rapid growth of Corstorphine around 1890-1910, following the installation of fast communication with the city. The Old Parish Church could not be extended without excessive cost and technical difficulty and it was decided to establish a new church at the east end of Corstorphine. The first church built in 1903 became known as 'The Tin Kirk' from its corrugated iron roof. It had wooden walls and had seating for 392. It was situated North of the present building, partly on the site of the Hall and cost of £1500

Within ten years, after magnificent fund-raising efforts by the four heritors, the Minister and the small congregation of little more than 100, the decision was taken to brief architect Peter MacGregor Chalmers of Glasgow to prepare plans for the present church, using only the highest quality materials and furnishings. Peter MacGregor Chalmers chose a design related to the Romanesque churches of Ravenna in north-east Italy. It was originally intended to have a campanile tower over the vestibule but this Italianate feature was never erected.

Local tradesmen began work in 1912 and completed the building in 1913. We can still admire the quality of their craftsmanship. The carving on the door pillars and tympanum of the south entrance, in the vestibule and on the capitals of certain interior columns gives symbolic expression to the Word. Biblical texts in golden lettering adorn the walls and pillars, and also remind us as we leave to "be doers of the Word". Light streams in from the clerestory windows and colour filters through the sixteen stained glass windows, eleven of which were designed by Gordon Webster of Glasgow.

On 10th December, the Presbytery formally inducted the Rev. John A. Robertson MA, first minister of the new Church and Parish, and on 26th December, the first regular Kirk Session of the Parish was constituted by the ordination and admission of twelve elders, namely:

• Mr Thomas W. Beach;
• Mr George W. T. McGowan MA;
• Mr Andrew Bennett;
• Mr Robert D. Mure;
• Mr Alexander J. Dey;
• Mr Charles Orr;
• Mr Robert Dick;
• Mr Francis Petrie;
• Mr Peter Durie;
• Mr John Stewart SSG;
• Mr William Linton;
• Mr John H. J. Young