St Columba's Roman Catholic Church, 7 Upper Gray Street, Edinburgh

St Columba's Roman Catholic Church, located at 7 Upper Gray Street in Edinburgh, was designed by R M Cameron and completed in 1888. This Italian Renaissance church features a combination of single and two-storey elements, with a three-bay pedimented front and a single bay entrance block to the north. The principal elevation is made of cream sandstone polished ashlar, with a channelled finish at the ground level, while the sides and rear are constructed from squared and snecked rubble. Notable architectural details include a dividing band course, egg and dart architraves around the round and segmental-arched windows, dentilled eaves, and a deep cornice.

The entrance elevation has a recessed entrance bay on the outer left, featuring a round-arched doorway with a two-leaf panelled door. This is flanked by panelled pilasters and a keystone that includes a carved cross on the doorpiece. Above the doorway is a single round window with an advanced architrave. The central bay of the church has three small windows that provide light below the organ gallery, topped by a carved architrave and a panelled mullion leading to a three-light, segmental-arched window. Above this is a pediment adorned with a carved stone Latin cross finial. The outer bays are advanced above ground level and feature single pedimented windows with scrolled aprons and a fluted eaves course.

The southern elevation consists of four bays, each with single segmental-arched windows, while the northern elevation has five bays, including the entrance block with a single round window on the outer right and segmental-arched windows in the remaining bays. The church is adorned with small-pane, leaded stained glass windows and has a grey slate pitched roof.

Inside, the church boasts a fine interior with many original features still intact. The eastern sanctuary is top-lit and semi-domed, accessed through a moulded, segmental chancel arch. A central tripartite marble reredos with exquisite classical carving is located on the eastern wall, flanked by Ionic pilasters. The sanctuary platform features a carved white marble altar, and there are decorative mouldings around the segmental-arched doorways that flank the chancel arch. Access to the balustraded organ gallery to the west is provided by a stone dog-leg stair to the north, which leads to the original organ with painted and gilded pipes. The seating is simply carved oak, and the windows to the north and south have segmental-arched moulding and flanking pilasters, complemented by a decorative cornice and an open timber ceiling.

The boundary walls consist of a low, coped, coursed rubble wall along the street, accompanied by replacement railings.