R.C. Church Of Our Lady Of Good Aid, Coursinton Road, Motherwell

R.C. Church Of Our Lady Of Good Aid, Coursinton Road, Motherwell

Designed by Pugin and Pugin in 1898, this is a gabled basilica-plan gothic church built in squared and snecked bull-faced red sandstone with ashlar margins. It features moulded eaves courses and hoodmoulds to principal openings with flowing tracery throughout.

The principal south-east elevation is a gabled end with two bays to the entrance. A traceried 5-light cusped window sits in a panelled pointed arch recess with continuous hoodmould and stone mullions and transom. Below this are paired segmentally-arched doors flanking a central niche containing a statue of Mary with child on an octagonal plinth. A 5-light lancet window sits above. The gablehead is jettied with a small cusped window and quatrefoils above and flanking, topped by a cross finial. Single-storey aisles flank the nave, with a half-gabled bay to the left containing a 3-light segmentally-arched window. An octagonal baptistery projects from the outer right bay with a piended roof and cross finial. Coped buttresses support the structure.

The north-west rear elevation has three bays with a canted apse and piended roof. Three-light segmentally-arched windows light the clerestorey bays. A single-storey, three-bay lean-to sacristy adjoins.

The north-east side elevation spans eight bays with regular fenestration to the clerestorey and aisle. Tripartite stone-mullioned segmentally-arched windows with engaged pilasters characterise the design, with an additional lancet to the outer right bay of the clerestorey. A bow end projects to the outer left of the aisle. A door occupies the far right bay, with a single-storey gabled addition containing a 4-light segmental arch window to the outer right.

The south-west side elevation mirrors the south elevation except for a door to the first right bay. Centre bays to the aisles are partially obscured by a low flat roof block with single cusped narrow windows.

Throughout the exterior, diamond-pattern leaded windows are set within graduated grey slate roofing with lead flashing. A coped parapet crowns the south-west gable, whilst a cross finial tops the north-east end of the roof ridge. Moulded and decorated cast-iron guttering and hoppers complete the external detailing.

The interior is aisled with the apse featuring exposed roof beams and rafters supported on moulded stone corbels. Pointed arch bays to the aisles are supported by plain sandstone columns with low relief carving to the neck. Some original encaustic tiles are preserved in the baptistery. Original Pugin and Pugin woodwork survives, including the pews.

The adjoining presbytery is a two-storey house with attic, of rectangular plan and four bays, built in squared and snecked red sandstone coursers with a piended roof. A prominent gabled bay projects to the right. A base course, dividing band between floors, and eaves course articulate the elevation. Windows are predominantly bipartite with stone mullions and chamfered reveals.

The principal south-east elevation features steps leading to a central-right door with bipartite pointed arch fanlight and stopped hoodmould. A bipartite window lights the upper storey, whilst a bipartite timber-framed gabled roof dormer projects above. To the right, two-storey advanced canted windows are capped by a coped parapet with a kneelered gable above containing a gablehead window and cross finial. Single and bipartite windows complete the left bays.

The north-west rear elevation has bipartite windows to the outer left bay and steps descending to a sunk basement. A large tripartite stair window with stone mullions and transom lights the upper storey right. A gabled covered passage connects to adjoining sheds at ground level. Bipartite windows occupy the outer right bay. Two gabled roof dormers project from this elevation.

The north-east side elevation contains single windows to each storey with a gabled dormer to the centre. The south-west side elevation mirrors this with single windows to each storey and a wallhead chimney to the centre.

Modern glazing has been introduced. The roof is covered in grey slates with lead flashing, whilst coped skews with gablet skewputts and coped ridge stacks complete the roof detailing. Cast-iron rainwater goods are fitted throughout.

A dwarf boundary wall of bull-faced red sandstone coursers with saddle-back coping is fronted by finalled cast-iron railings. Octagonal gatepiers with crown caps mark the entrance.