Is Portobello's best building the best in Edinburgh?

Kieran Gaffney · Post by **Kieran Gaffney** » 10 Jun 2009, 22:31

The Edinburgh Architectural Association (EAA) is celebrating its 150th Anniversary and is hosting a poll on Edinburgh's best buildings over the last 150 years.

The list includes some fantastic buildings such as The National Portrait Gallery, the Scottish Parliament (I know some people hate it), Gala Faiydean rugby club and of course Portobello's very own St John’s Church on Brighton Place.

I'm an architect, member of EAA Council and Porty resident. Without wanting to prejudice the vote St John's Church is not in the lead!

Please vote here: http://www.eaa.org.uk/poll.php?id=3&id2=gfjbtsrfzo

Bob Jefferson · Post by **Bob Jefferson** » 10 Jun 2009, 22:43

I'm sure we are all delighted that St John's is in the running.

Here is what they have to say about it:

St John’s Church
Brighton Place, Portobello
1906
Architect: JT Walford

St. John the Evangelist RC Church by J.T.Walford is one of Edinburgh’s most unusual and distinctive buildings. A curious mixture of Gothic and Art Nouveau, it replaced an earlier church on the same site which had become too small for the growing congregation. Its rocket-like tower has four octagonal corner turrets surmounted by a fifth, rising in the centre in a unique and idiosyncratic composition. The tower was built by four mason brothers whose details are contained in a tin box sealed into the stonework. The interior is not as distinctive but has an interesting feature of carved angels leaning out from the tops of each pier.