St Martin an' St Ninian Catholic Church, Whithorn, Wigtownshire

St Martin an St Ninian Roman Catholic Church is in Whithorn in the historic cointy o Wigtounshire.

St Martin and St Ninian Catholic Church, Whithorn Wigtounshire consecrated 1960.

Saunt Ninian (c360-c432) also kennt as Saunt Ringan, is a Christian saunt first mentioned in the 8t century as bein an early missionary amang the Pictish fowks in Whithorn in Gallowa in Scotland.

The church wis biggit atween 1959-60 bi airchitect Harry Stuart Goodhart-Rendel an is his onlie kennt biggin in Scotland. The church includin the quadrant wa's, is listed Category C(S).[1] A possible soorce o inspiration is the church o San Julián de los Prados Oviedo, Asturias in Spain. [2] [2]

The interior wis reordered wi the altar brocht forrit fae the east wa, follaein the reforms o the Seicont Vatican Cooncil. At that time the baldacchino wis demolisht, an the decorative ironwork at the baptistry an communion rail scrapped.

The baldacchino, formerly oer the altar, demolisht when the church was reordert.

The oreeginal Creetoun granite altar wis placed ootdoors against the east elevation.

The East elevation haes a carvt stane Hew Lorimer crucifix mountit tae the Wall. [3]


The Hew Lorimer crucifix on the exterior east wall

Scots airchitect Sir Basil Spence drew up the plans for a new pilgrimage church in 1951, but thae wur nae realised.[3] Some o' his designs fur this project wur efter incorporatit in his Coventry Cathedral.

References eedit

  1. https://canmore.org.uk/site/216578/whithorn-george-street-st-martins-and-st-ninians-roman-catholic-church[deid airtin]
  2. http://aye-whithorn.blogspot.com/2011/01/goodhart-rendels-inspiration.html?m=1
  3. http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=406695