History
In the beginning:
In December 1903 Ayr Presbytery wrote to the Kirk Session of Monkton
and Prestwick Church (St. Cuthbert) that in their opinion additional
church accommodation was urgently required in the south end of the
Parish in Prestwick. It should be remembered that at this period of time
the Monkton and Prestwick Parish Church (St. Cuthbert) together with the
small mission hail at Prestwick Toll were the only National Church in
Prestwick, the former Free Church of Prestwick (North Church) and the
former United Presbyterian Church (South Church) only became part of the
Church of Scotland later.
The Kirk Session of Monkton and Prestwick Church (St. Cuthbert) gave
this request very careful consideration but expressed agreement that
increased church accommodation was required at the south end of their
parish due to the ever expanding town of Prestwick.
lt was realised that this was a very large undertaking but it was
enthusiastically approached through the appointment of a building
sub-committee within the Monkton and Prestwick Parish Church (St.
Cuthbert) Kirk Session.
Determining where the new church was to be situated was resolved when M.
William Weir of Adamton acquired the site of Sandfield in May 1905.
Late in 1905 the Kirk Session of Monkton and Prestwick (St. Cuthbert)
prepared a circular letter to their congregation and sympathisers
appealing for subscriptions towards the building funds of the proposed
new church at Sandfield (now the corner of Bellevue Road and Main
Street). The appeal was successful, and the building sub-committee
agreed in June 1906 to appoint Mr. Peter MacGregor Chalmers a noted
Glasgow architect of ecclesiastical buildings whose proposed ideas were
reviewed and finally agreed In March 1907.
Mr. Peter MacGregor Chalmers masterly interpreted the twelfth-century
Romanesque style to suit early twentieth-century expectations of both
worship patterns and church design. Through the cruciform design with
its centre aisled Nave together with the high set Communion Table at the
far end of the Chancel flanked by choir stalls with the pulpit at the
left side of the junction of the Nave and Chancel. The revived
Romanesque style of round-headed arches cylindrical columns with their
cushion capitals carved at their top has given us a beautiful biuilding
exposing an exceptional quality of architecture and of the stone mason’s
skill in working with Mauchline sandstone.
The building sub-committee were able to proceed to accept final
estimates in September 1907 and commenced building the new church now to
be known as St. Nicholas Church, Prestwick.
On the 7th March 1908 the Memorial Stone was laid by Mrs. Weir of
Adamton.
Following the laying of the Memorial Stone work continued apace with the
completion of the Church, Church Hall, Vestry, Session Room, Choir Room and the
toilet facilities in time for the Dedication Service (the Manse was also
complete but unoccupied until the Rev. James M. Crawford was inducted into the
Church).
St Nicholas Parish Church was solemnly dedicated on Friday 20th November 1908 by
the Right Rev. Theodore Marshall D.D. Moderator of the General Assembly. The
opening service on Sunday 22nd November 1908 was conducted by the Very Rev.
Arch. Scott D.D. of St. George’s Church Edinburgh assisted by Rev. D. Reid of
St. Cuthbert’s Church, Prestwick. As can be imagined the church was filled to
capacity at all the services.
On the 3rd December 1908 Ayr Presbytery inducted St Nicholas' first minister –
Rev. James M. Crawford.