About Us
St Bride's is a community of Christians of all ages and from all walks of life, who share their faith in God together in Glasgow's west end. Above all, we are committed to making St Bride's a warm, welcoming and friendly place for everyone who visits us, for whatever reason. People with faith, people with none, and those who are exploring aspects of their spiritual life - we want all of you to be a part of our community. We welcome everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, sexuality, colour or creed, and hope to see you in person soon!
Prayerfulness is a fundamental part of what St Bride's is all about; services of reflection and prayer are offered in the church throughout week, not just on Sundays. The church is an oasis of calm in the bustling, lively west end of the city. Come inside to just sit and enjoy the quietness, pray, have a look at the architecture and stained glass windows, or listen to beautiful music.
We try to help others wherever we can. This could be by simply offering a listening ear, collecting items for a foodbank or knitting clothes for babies living in deprived areas of the world. There are lots of opportunities for you to get involved!
Music is a vital part of life at St Bride's, and underpins our worship from week to week. Our choir sings a range of beautiful music for all services throughout the year. We always welcome new members, and Choral Scholarships are available; see our Choir page to find out more. St Bride's, with its excellent acoustic, is used frequently for concerts and occasionally for recordings.
St Bride's Episcopal Church is part of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway, one of the seven historic Dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC). The SEC is part of the world-wide Anglican Communion, an association of churches in full communion with the Church of England, and specifically with its Primate, the Archbishop of Canterbury. The SEC has also entered into several formal agreements with churches across Europe, such as the Porvoo Agreement (with Nordic and Baltic churches), and has close links with other British denominations.
Brief History
In 1891, Bishop William Harrison agreed to a proposal by a group of business and professional men for the creation of a church in the Kelvinside area of Glasgow. An arrangement was made for them to have the use of a small wooden chapel which had been in the grounds of Douglas Castle, South Lanarkshire. A plot of land was provided for the church, in Beaconsfield Road.
Between 1891 and 1893, this mission was served by curates from St Mary's Cathedral, but by 1893 it was ready to support its own priest-in-charge. Fr Theodore Younghughes was appointed and the church was dedicated to St Bride of Kildare, patron saint of the Douglas family.
On 5 November 1899, the wooden church of St Bride was moved by a traction engine to a new site on the Hyndland Estate. Plans for a permanent church were commissioned from the well known church architect George Frederick Bodley. Work on the chancel began in 1903 and on the nave in 1906. The church was dedicated in 1907. Work on the rest of the church, however, was hampered by a lack of funds and a growing dissatisfaction with the workmanship of the original contractors.
With the appointment of Fr Edward Reid in 1910, St Bride's fortunes were reversed. The son of a successful locomotive engineer, Reid funded necessary repairs to the nave and the construction of the tower and the north aisle. The church was finally consecrated on 1 February 1915, but the proposed south aisle was never built. This gives the interior of the church today a distinctive shape, with the Lady Chapel at the left and the main nave to the right.