A Monument to Love on Undercliffe Rd.
The Lost “English Church”
We’ve recently colourised these wonderful old photographs of the church that once stood right on the shoreline at Wemyss Bay. Seeing them in colour really brings the building back to life, but the story behind its construction is perhaps even more beautiful than the architecture itself.
Many of us know it simply as the “English Church” that used to stand on Undercliffe Road, but it was actually built as a heartbreaking curious devoted memorial by a husband for his late wife.
A 55-Year Romance
The church was commissioned by Sir George Burns, 1st Baronet—the wealthy shipping magnate and a founder of the Cunard Line who lived at Wemyss House. He was devoted to his wife, Jane Cleland, and they were married for 55 years until her passing in 1877.
Ten years after she died—when Sir George was in his 90s—he commissioned this church specifically so he could look out from his home at Wemyss House and see a monument to her. It was a final, lasting gesture of devotion.
The “English” Church
Built circa 1887, the building was formally known as the Inverclyde Church. You might wonder why it was locally called the “English Church.” In the 19th century, a distinction was often made between the Scottish Episcopal Church and “English Episcopal” chapels, which adhered more strictly to the Church of England’s liturgy.
No expense was spared for Jane’s memorial; it was designed by the prestigious Scottish architect Sir John James Burnet, the same man who designed the extension to the British Museum.
The End of an Era
Sadly, unlike our famous station, this piece of local history didn’t survive. After the Burns family (Lords Inverclyde) left the area and the estate was broken up, the church fell into disuse. It was demolished in 1970, and the site on Undercliffe Road was redeveloped for housing.
It is a shame it is gone, but hopefully, these colourised photos give us a glimpse of what it was like to walk past it on a windy day by the water.