A photograph, taken on 3rd February 2024, of the West Church of St. Andrews at 333 Union Street, Aberdeen. This church has also been known as the Free West Church and the Langstane Kirk.

The West Church of St. Andrew was built in 1869 by James Matthews (1819-1898), originally as a Free Church. The building is in the Gothic revival style, built of stugged ashlar with a slated roof, it has a vast galleried nave, and is set back from the street to form a small square in front.

The early history of the West United Free Church congregation, including the creation of this church building, is detailed in Alexander Gammie's Churches of Aberdeen (1909), pages 227-230. Gammie states that the church was opened on 14th February 1869 with services by the Rev. Dr. Alexander Dyce Davidson (1807-1872).

The Langstane Kirk congregation was formed in 1973 with the union of the West Church of St. Andrew and St. Nicholas, Union Grove (see Evening Express, 1st November 1983, page 3).

At 2024, the church is occupied by a bar called Soul. The bar's website states that its owner, PB Development Co Ltd., purchased the building from the Church of Scotland in 2001 and the venue was opened in 2005 (website accessed: 6th February 2024).

Location

Aberdeen City Centre

Keyword

Churches

Photographer

David Oswald