Basic Site Details

Name: Our Lady of Loretto and St Michael RC Church, presbytery and hall
Town, district or village: Musselburgh
City or county: Midlothian
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Originally Lady Mary Oswald's Chapel - converted to Our Lady of Loretto 1880. It is unclear if the presbytery dated from the 1889 building phase or that of 1903-1905

The foundation stone has just been laid of the new RC Church at Newbiggin N B which is being erected from plans by Mr Archibald Macpherson, 7 Young Street Edinburgh. The church will be cruciform and will embrace, besides nave and chancel, a double porch and baptistry at the conventional west end, which is actually the east and nearest to the street. The transepts are shallow and divided from the nave by double arcades. One of the transepts forms the Lady Chapel. Two sacristies and a sacristy hall are placed between the church and the presbytery, or priest’s house which immediately adjoins it; over the sacristy is the organ loft and choir gallery. The chief features externally are the west gable with a pair of double lights with tracery and between these a canopied niche with statue of the titular saint. There is provision for a small tower and belfry later. The extreme length of the church will be 124 feet and across the transepts about 60 feet. The building, which will be constructed of stone, is estimated to cost over £5,000. [British Architect 18 December 1903 p466]

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Church  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 1NewbiggingYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 21889  Original building
Item 2 of 219031905 New Church

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 3Alfred Edward Purdie A1903 With Archibald Macpherson? Named as sole architect in March 1903
Item 2 of 3Archibald Macpherson A19031905Rebuilding of church; alabaster altar; oak pulpit, font and stalls; proposed oak baldaquin. With Edward Purdie of Canterbury? Named as sole architect December1903
Item 3 of 3Ebenezer James MacRae A19031905As assistant to Archibald Macpherson

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1McWilliam, Colin1978Lothian (The Buildings of Scotland)  p332

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 3British Architect27 March 1903  p235. Alfred Edward Purdie, architect
Item 2 of 3British Architect18 December 1903  p466. Archibald Macpherson architect
Item 3 of 3RIAS Quarterly1928SpringRoyal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)pp15-23 Macpherson's obituary

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register38358 
Item 2 of 2RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination Papers Archibald Macpherson: F v17 p144 no1168 (microfilm reel 12); Ebenezer James MacRae: L v19 no1443