THE entrance of a historic church in Glasgow has been sealed off after part of the building’s columns collapsed.
The Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church closed off its main entrance over the weekend after the discovery that part of the building had corroded and collapsed.
A stone decoration post fastened to an exterior wall near one of the entrance doors of the A-listed Victorian church fell off the building after the metal pins holding it in place corroded in the early hours of Friday morning.
It is understood that despite the entrance being closed off while a stonemason prepares their report to fix the column, the church's Sunday service was still able to be held.
A sign outside the main door of the Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church reads: “Due to falling masonry, access to the church must be via the side (vestry) door.
“Please ring the bell, thank you for your cooperation!”
Designed by the architect James Sellars and completed in 1876 the building is modelled on Sainte-Chapelle in Paris.
Pictures show a pile of rubble from one of the building’s columns had crumbled and collapsed.
The front entrance to the building, located just off Byres Road, was closed over the weekend.
A Church of Scotland spokesperson confirmed that local office bearers and the Presbytery of Glasgow are awaiting a report from a stonemason to see what further action is needed for the building.
They said: “A small stone decoration post fastened to an exterior wall near one of the entrance doors of Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church came loose sometime in the early hours of Friday morning and fell to the ground.
“The superficial decoration is not part of the structure of the building, which dates back to the late 1800s, and it appears that the metal pins holding it in place have corroded.
“No one was injured and as soon as the discovery was made, local office bearers took immediate action to close off the main entrance with fencing for health and safety reasons.
“A stonemason was called in to assess the building and local office bearers and the Presbytery of Glasgow are awaiting a report to see what further action, if any, is required.
“The congregation accessed the church via another entrance on Sunday and the service went ahead as usual.”
