Heritage On The Brink

Barges on the Union Canal, near Lochrin Basin in Edinburgh. In the background can be seen the former St. Kentigern's Episcopal Church. Designed by architect John More Dick Peddie (quite a mouthful), it was built in 1897. Sadly in 1941 the building ceased to be used for worship and de-consecrated, I've not been able to find out why. During intervening years the structure's been used as a nursery, then as a garage. All windows seem to have been  bricked up. Now St. Kentigern's is battling to survive as there were plans to demolish it to build yet more 'luxury apartments' by the canal, similar to the ones out of shot to the left. The Cockburn Association who campaign to preserve Edinburgh's heritage opposed the plans and four years later, the fate of St. Kentigern's is still unknown. Interesting piece of trivia, John M. D. Peddie also designed Edinburgh's Caledonian Hotel which is still very much inuse today at the west end of Princes Street. Any factual errors in this write-up are entirely my own.