The Old Kirk Of Edinburgh, 24A Pennywell Road, Edinburgh

The Old Kirk of Edinburgh, built in 1951, is an extension hall church for the Church of Scotland, designed by Stanley Ross-Smith of Gordon and Dey. It is a rectangular building with lower, projecting sections and a taller chancel, reflecting a Modernist Northern European design. The exterior is predominantly harled brick with concrete dressings, and a black painted brick base course.

The west elevation features a prominent entrance porch that sweeps upwards from a lower height vestibule. A low, double flight of concrete steps, semicircular in plan, leads up to the large entrance, which is formed by a concrete mullion and transom creating a cross shape with a square window framed by a concrete architrave at each corner. Boarded timber doors are set beneath a concrete lintel. A recessed bay is on the right side of the vestibule, and a small lean-to section adjoins the main body of the church; a pair of tall, narrow windows are in the gable of the nave under a low-pitched roof.

The north elevation shows the projecting entrance porch (as seen on the west elevation) to the right. The double-pitched roof of the vestibule becomes a single-pitched roof for the porch, sloping upwards to the right. The wall below curves slightly in plan and has five closely-grouped windows. To the left of the porch, three bays of banded windows are divided by strip pilasters along the nave. A narrow belltower divides the slightly taller chancel to the left, with the bell suspended in a square opening on a face perpendicular to this elevation. An entrance porch projects forward to the left of the belltower, with steps leading up to a segmental arch with a concrete lintel pierced by a row of circular openings. A curved roof is carried forward on concrete eaves, and the jambs angle forward from the base. Two-leaf timber doors are set back within the recess of the porch. A lean-to with three regularly-spaced windows is set back slightly to the left; the chancel wall beyond is blind. A later single-story hall adjoins the north side.

The other elevations include a later hall adjoining the north side (with a blind end wall of the chancel behind). A single-story linking passage to a manse adjoins the south elevation, with three bays of banded windows separated by strip pilasters, identical to those on the north side. An identical window is at a higher level. A slight recess is to the right.

Inside, the nave is divided by a pin-jointed portal frame open to the roof, with a stage to the west end. The chancel, to the east end, is divided from the nave by a metal shutter. A circular timber pulpit depicts the articles of faith, and fixed bench seating is arranged around the altar. A wrought iron Celtic-design cross is positioned behind the altar, flanked by louvred lights suspended on chains. The organ is located on the north side of the chancel, separated from the passageway by a bowed, glazed timber screen. Four stained glass windows depicting birds are above the door to the main entrance porch. The flooring is parquet, and timber doors are fitted with glass panels.