St John the Evangelist
Portobello, City of Edinburgh
A beautiful Gothic church set in the heart of Edinburgh's seaside suburb of Portobello
RCCG King of Glory Edinburgh was formerly St Christopher’s church.
Built in 1938, this striking red-brick church was originally known as St Christopher’s Church, created to serve the growing suburb of Craigentinny in Edinburgh. Designed by architect James McLachlan, a former assistant to Robert Rowand Anderson, it is a fine example of an interwar suburban church in a Neo-Romanesque style.
The building showcases decorative brickwork, including distinctive bonding patterns, brick eaves courses, and small gable openings, reflecting the design quality encouraged by the Church of Scotland’s Church Extension Scheme of the 1930s. The church and its boundary walls are now Category C Listed for their architectural and historical interest.
Inside, much of the original timber structure and pews remain in place, along with an impressive pipe organ that was rebuilt in 1975 by Ronald K Smith, having been transferred from St Catherine’s Argyle church.
The original stained-glass windows from the triple lancet chancel window are now preserved by Willowbrae Parish Church, while some of the original leaded-light windows survive at the rear.
Since 2016, the church has been home to The Redeemed Christian Church of God – King of Glory Edinburgh, which continues to use the building for worship and community activities, keeping this historic 1930s landmark alive at the heart of Craigentinny.