St Cuthbert
Dalmeny, City of Edinburgh
800+ years of worship, Dalmeny Kirk is a gem of Romanesque architecture, certainly the most complete in Scotland.
It was completed in 1818 and designed by the architect William Burn. Built in the Perpendicular Gothic style, it is one of his finest creations.
There have been various additions to the original structure over the years, the chancel in 1882 and most recently, a lovely side chapel to the south side in 1935.
The most dramatic element of the church must be the vaulted plaster ceiling of dark detailing against a light coloured background, which was inspired by King Henry VII's chapel in Westminster Abbey.
Apart from the ceiling, the church is filled with what many consider to be the most stunning stained glass in Scotland. The installation began between 1857 and 1861 by the Ballantyne and Allen studio in Edinburgh and was continued until 1930 by several generations of the Ballantyne family. The stained glass in the side chapel is from 1935. The colours of the glass are all the more effective due to careful cleaning and and restoration during the decade up to 1995.
