St Salvador’s Church was founded in 1934 and, initially, made use of the hall building on the corner site for worship and other activities. This building has now been sold off and demolished to make way for sheltered housing.
The foundation stone for the present building was laid in December 1937. The architect, Sir M Ochterlony, based his design on the medieval church of St Monans in the East Neuk of Fife. The building was consecrated in 1938 by the then Bishop of Edinburgh, the Right Reverend Harry Seymour Reid.
Some of the fixtures and furnishings from the hall were incorporated into the present building. Many of these, including the stained glass window in the Lady Chapel and the font (a replica of the medieval font in St Margaret’s Chapel at Edinburgh Castle) originally came from the private chapel of Saughton Hall which once stood within the area now known as Saughton Park – currently used for community recreation purposes.
Over the years, the church and hall played a significant role within the local community as the base for local groups and activities and, during the war, the tower was an important look out post for enemy aircraft.
As a congregation we would like to continue and develop the church’s involvement in local community life and would welcome the opportunity to act as a centre for local community history. In addition, we are keen to increase the use of the building, which has a modern kitchen and other facilities, as a resource for local and special interest groups.
More about the church building can be found in this leaflet: