St. Peter’s Seminary, Cardross
A little history…
Following a fire in 1946 destroying the Roman Catholic St. Peters’s Seminary in Bearsden near Glasgow this site in Kilmahew woodlands was chosen many years later for the home of the new St. Peters’s seminary. Building begun in 1961 and was completed by 1966 and was designed by the architects Gillespie, Kidd and Coia in a concrete mix of Modernist and Brutalist styles. By the time they were completed the priesthood was already in decline so the buildings sadly never reached their full potential. The structures were constantly dogged with maintenance issues and reoccurring problems of water penetration which the architects and the owners blamed each other for.
It is one of only 42 post-war buildings in Scotland listed at Category A, which is the highest level of protection for a building of “special architectural or historic interest”. During the 1980’s the buildings religious uses ceased and the site became the home of a drug rehabilitation unit, but due to the ongoing maintenance problems the buildings became derelict in the late 80’s.
The site has suffered from much vandalism and fires over its years of abandonment, with all the glass and wooden structures completely ruined. Film makers and artists have used the space for various art installations and in 2008 it was added to the list in the World’s Monuments Fund’s 100 Most Endangered Sites. In 2016 the whole area underwent a professional clean up as an environmental arts group the NVA presented a sell out light and sound event for the public. The site has received offers of financial help from a grant from the Scottish Arts Council and possible redevelopment proposals from Urban Splash, but sadly the latter pulled out due to viability concerns.
I don’t know what the future holds for this strange and unique site. It appears that there are architectural groups that appreciate its presence yet its future still remains uncertain. I hope the place isn’t demolished as rumor suggests as I really enjoyed looking around its bazaar skeletal remains, despite getting drenched for the third time that day and having dry out in yet another mc ds
So on with a few pics...
_MG_8552 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8525 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8499 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8433 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8408 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8363 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8360 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Individual prayer chapels at the rear wall
_MG_8355 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8311 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
It just felt bazar being in some parts and difficult to imagine what it was like when it was in use, I love it!
_MG_8469 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8502 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
One of the individual prayer chapels
_MG_8565 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8572 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8614 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
We’ll have no mentioning of a multistory car park
_MG_8661 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8695 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8707 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8731 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8747 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8766 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8772 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
The 5 tall prayer chambers
_MG_8798 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8820 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Tops of the prayer chambers
_MG_8828 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
_MG_8856 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr
Thanks for lookin folks, hope you enjoyed having a little peek around this strange and unusual place as it definitely made me smile.
Scotland deservers to keep some of its surreal oddities, no matter how misunderstood they may appear, if they make you scratch your head with wonder or simply ask “why?” then surely that has to be good thing??...I mean they have funded and retained Nicola Sturgeon so I’m hoping this more aesthetically pleasing and far more useful relic also gets a fair chance
A little history…
Following a fire in 1946 destroying the Roman Catholic St. Peters’s Seminary in Bearsden near Glasgow this site in Kilmahew woodlands was chosen many years later for the home of the new St. Peters’s seminary. Building begun in 1961 and was completed by 1966 and was designed by the architects Gillespie, Kidd and Coia in a concrete mix of Modernist and Brutalist styles. By the time they were completed the priesthood was already in decline so the buildings sadly never reached their full potential. The structures were constantly dogged with maintenance issues and reoccurring problems of water penetration which the architects and the owners blamed each other for.
It is one of only 42 post-war buildings in Scotland listed at Category A, which is the highest level of protection for a building of “special architectural or historic interest”. During the 1980’s the buildings religious uses ceased and the site became the home of a drug rehabilitation unit, but due to the ongoing maintenance problems the buildings became derelict in the late 80’s.
The site has suffered from much vandalism and fires over its years of abandonment, with all the glass and wooden structures completely ruined. Film makers and artists have used the space for various art installations and in 2008 it was added to the list in the World’s Monuments Fund’s 100 Most Endangered Sites. In 2016 the whole area underwent a professional clean up as an environmental arts group the NVA presented a sell out light and sound event for the public. The site has received offers of financial help from a grant from the Scottish Arts Council and possible redevelopment proposals from Urban Splash, but sadly the latter pulled out due to viability concerns.
I don’t know what the future holds for this strange and unique site. It appears that there are architectural groups that appreciate its presence yet its future still remains uncertain. I hope the place isn’t demolished as rumor suggests as I really enjoyed looking around its bazaar skeletal remains, despite getting drenched for the third time that day and having dry out in yet another mc ds
So on with a few pics...
_MG_8552 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8525 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8499 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8433 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8408 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8363 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8360 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrIndividual prayer chapels at the rear wall
_MG_8355 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8311 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrIt just felt bazar being in some parts and difficult to imagine what it was like when it was in use, I love it!
_MG_8469 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8502 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrOne of the individual prayer chapels
_MG_8565 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8572 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8614 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrWe’ll have no mentioning of a multistory car park
_MG_8661 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr _MG_8695 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8707 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8731 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8747 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8766 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8772 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThe 5 tall prayer chambers
_MG_8798 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8820 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrTops of the prayer chambers
_MG_8828 by Pretty Vacant, on Flickr_MG_8856 by Pretty Vacant, on FlickrThanks for lookin folks, hope you enjoyed having a little peek around this strange and unusual place as it definitely made me smile.
Scotland deservers to keep some of its surreal oddities, no matter how misunderstood they may appear, if they make you scratch your head with wonder or simply ask “why?” then surely that has to be good thing??...I mean they have funded and retained Nicola Sturgeon so I’m hoping this more aesthetically pleasing and far more useful relic also gets a fair chance
