Gorgie Baptist Church, Dalry Road, Edinburgh

Gorgie Baptist Church, dating from 1893-4 and designed by Frank Simon & Tweedie, is an example of unaisled gothic church architecture. It incorporates gabled porches and transepts, along with a projecting three-stage tower with a spire at the east corner. The church is constructed from cream-coloured squared and snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings, thoroughly cleaned in 1991. A base course runs along the exterior.

The southeast elevation, facing Dalry Road, is gabled and features a stone porch with a deeply chamfered reveal to its pointed arch, hoodmoulded doorway. Steps lead to a studded door fitted with decorative hinges and foliate label stops. Above the porch is a five-light window combining perpendicular and curvilinear tracery, set within blind arcaded spandrels and framed by pinnacled shafts; a cill-course runs along the elevation. The porch is flanked by smaller round-headed windows. A panelled, gabletted buttress appears to the left.

The projecting tower at the east corner rises in three stages, incorporating diagonal angle buttresses. The first stage has pointed windows on its southeast and northwest faces (the southeast window being partially obscured by a notice board). A smaller version of the main entrance door is present at ground level on the northeast side. The second, reduced stage has small paired cusped windows below a mullion and between triangular shafts, which continue through the octagonal belfry stage framing chamfered lancets. A cornice and stone spire top the tower, with a wrought iron weathervane positioned above.

The northeast elevation, facing Murieston Crescent, is characterised by three bays to the right of the tower, separated by buttresses. A flat-roofed porch spans the basement area of the far-right bay, featuring a rectangular two-light window in the return wall and a plain parapet. Above this window is a two-light, curvilinear traceried window. The far-left bay contains a similar rectangular window, while the basement level features segmental windows with timber mullions and transoms. A gabled transept, set to the north, has a three-light perpendicular traceried window, with an arrow-slit positioned above. A narrow, square-headed window is flanked by round-headed windows in the basement. A further, plain lean-to entrance porch is beyond this, incorporating a door and a narrow round-headed window. A cill-course runs consistently across the entire elevation.

The southwest elevation is a four-bay design with buttresses and rectangular two-light windows, and incorporates the north transept. The northwest elevation has a projecting central gable.

The building has leaded windows and grey slate roofing, with plain stacks and skews. Very low, saddleback coped boundary walls with plain iron railings enclose the basement area.

Inside, the church has a waggon-roofed chancel. A small gallery, supported by a central column, overlooks the vestibule, and a large panelled organ is centrally located. Leaded-light doors provide access to and from the vestibule. Most of the original fittings and stained woodwork remain intact. An unusual feature, a 'Baptist's bath', is still in situ below the floorboards, to the northeast of the altar.