Polmont North Parish Church

1844 to 1969

THE CHURCH HALL
FROM the minutes of the Kirk Session it is obvious there grew a clamant need for a Church Hall. There are frequent references for the use of the "public school", as the school was then known, for congregational meetings, socials and other functions. The church itself was used on occasion for sacred concerts, as in one case in March 1897, when the Kirk Session granted its use for such a purpose in aid of expenditure for Shieldhill and Blackbraes Church.

The first real steps towards building the hall were taken at the same meeting when the Session unanimously agreed to accept the offer of Mr James McKillop, MP, of Polmont Park, who had offered the Old Bowling Green as a site. The decision taken, the Session embarked on the business of raising £400 towards the expense of erecting the hall. The original proposal was ambitious - accommodation for 300 in the main hall with two side rooms with accommodation for 50 and 30 respectively. But plans had to be considerably modified as the Heritors were reluctant to commit themselves concerning their financial contribution.

Mr James Strang, Falkirk, was appointed architect and new plans were submitted for the hall which was now to cost £1,087 6s 7d, exclusive of the painting, heating and lighting, a cost which was viewed by the Session as "being thus considerably in excess of what was originally contemplated". The Kirk Session and the congregation must have been extremely enthusiastic for in less than three months an appeal for funds had realised £388 5s 4d, and a sale of work realised £150.

A second site, offered by Mr Mitchell of Millfield, was considered at the beginning of 1898. The site, "adjoining Polmont Library", was accepted by the Session, and the plans were revised. The hall was now to cost £1,030. But the architect considered "that there would not be much gained by adopting this new site, besides there is some room of extension on the original site which is not in this". The Kirk Session accepted his opinion and reverted to the site offered by Mr McKillop. The plans were revised again - the hall was now to cost £1,025 - and the decision to proceed was taken.

Some 14 months after the hall was first mooted it was officially opened and dedicated on Thursday, May 11, 1899, at a congregational meeting. Rising costs were known then too, according to one minute of the Kirk Session, which noted a letter from the contractor asking the Session to grant him an addition to the contract price for the hail in consequence of a rise in wages and in the price of stone during the progress of the work.