St Bride's Church, South Church Street, Callander

St Bride's Church stands on South Church Street in Callander as a prominent landmark in the town and surrounding area. The church was originally built in 1844 as St Bride's Free Church, designed as a simple, gable-fronted structure of four bays. In 1861, the architect's practice Kennedy and Dalgleish of Glasgow undertook significant alterations, adding a chancel and a striking western Italianate entrance tower. Further alterations were made in 1907. The Italianate detailing is relatively unusual for a Free Church of this period.

The western gable front, added in 1861, is the most impressive elevation. A central window and flanking entrances are surmounted by a square clock tower and belfry. The clock tower rises above the pitch of the roof with a thick projecting cornice supporting the belfry stage, which is composed of three round-arched openings to each face with consoles carrying an eaves cornice, capped with a shallow pyramid roof.

In 1907 the entrance arrangement was rearranged to accommodate a centred Gibbsian round-arched door with Roman Doric columns, whilst the flanking doors were converted to bipartite windows.

The north elevation possesses a better quality of finish than the south elevation, featuring a projecting eaves cornice. This difference reflects the historical context: a row of buildings once stood along Pearl Street immediately adjacent to the south elevation, which would have obscured it from view. Pearl Street was demolished in the twentieth century.

The materials reflect this hierarchy. The west and north elevations are constructed of coursed and squared 'pudding stone' with sandstone dressings, including vermiculated voussoirs and quoins to the west gable front with quasi-strapwork forming gable parapets. Ashlar is used to the belfry stage. The east and south elevations employ random rubble. Timber panelled doors throughout include some with upper leaded lights; the main door features diamante-headed raised panelling. The roof is pitched grey slate.

The interior appears to have been refurbished in the early twentieth century to a good quality. A long central nave of four bays is flanked by side aisles. The nave is segmentally vaulted, resting on a heavy continuous cornice supported by an arcade of Corinthian columns. The vault is decorated with panelled floral frames. The aisles, set behind the columns, feature interesting tilted segmental ceilings. A first-floor gallery occupies the western gable end, with a panelled front. The chancel is set slightly above the nave floor level and contains finely carved oak choir stalls and Classical panelling incorporating an Ionic aedicule War Memorial at the centre of the east wall. A richly carved oak pulpit stands to the left, dating from 1895, brought from St Kessog's Church (now the Rob Roy and Trossachs Visitor Centre). It is decorated with carved animals representing the four apostles. The organ is by Abbot & Smith, dating from 1900. Stained glass occupies the three round-arched windows to the east, depicting Christ offering the cup of salvation to Mary and St John of the Revelation.