Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church

Hillhead Parish Church is the most overlooked building in the west end. I can’t believe I am only the third person to review it when nearby Oran Mor has, at the moment, eight reviews and Glasgow University has five. Even the flagpole in Queens Park has three and it’s just a flagpole!
Tucked inbetween Saltoun Street, Observatory Road and Grosvenor Terrace, the church is literally a stone’s throw from Byres Road but has a hidden feel. The architecture is simply stunning; modelled on Sainte Chapelle in Paris and completed in 1876, the imposing stained glass windows circle the building, illustrating different events in Jesus’ life.
Restoration work is being carried out on the church’s roof caused by wind damage following a storm. A blog on its process can be found on the church’s website.

Despite lying just off one of the busiest retail stretches in the city, Byres Road, this category A listed building is rarely seen by visitors on account of its partially-​hidden location on leafy Observatory Road. A great pity; given it’s one of the m
ost beautiful the city has to offer, particularly when it’s lit at night. With a small but loyal congregation, this church is beautifully maintained and also offers facilities to several groups in the surrounding areas of Hillhead and Dowanhill.
The recently restored stained glass windows are breathtaking and, alone, are well worth visiting for when the church opens it doors on Saturday and Sunday mornings.

I must admit, I’ve only ever attended this Church for playgroup purposes, in order to fufill my duties as a babysitter whilst making them easier at the same time, so can only judge the place by its child-​friendly qualities.
That being said, it is a beautiful building, tucked away just off Byres Road, and the playgroup is only one of many activities that go on in the Church — service, obviously, Brownies and Jumble sales go on reguarly and it’s quite a busy little place.
The playgroup itself is very relaxed and is run by volunteer mums, with a system of a little rota to make sure the jobs get adequetly shared around. It’s £2 for an morning — running from 10−12÷1 but is very relaxed and you can arrive at any point, and there’s toys in abundance that’ll please any child, so perfect to keep them occupied while you have a sit down and a coffee. There’s snacks put on for the kids at 11, and festive parties arranged again in a informal manner when the appropriate one comes around. The people there are friendly and welcoming, and it’s a very good way to keep your toddlers occupied and sociable on a wet or windy morning. Sometimes theres even song singing — what a treat!