Window to a brighter future

Another milestone in the regeneration of a landmark building in Irvine has been reached with the reinstatement of the stunning stained glass windows in the A-listed Trinity Church.

The refurbishment of Trinity Church is being led by Irvine Bay Regeneration Company with funding from Historic Scotland and North Ayrshire Council. The building, once derelict, is being transformed to provide a stunning development opportunity.

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That took a step nearer reality this week with the reinstatement of the West Rose stained glass window – one of the building’s most distinguishing features. 

Patrick Wiggins, Chief Executive of Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, said: “The work at Trinity Church is a key part of the town centre regeneration project we are carrying out in partnership with North Ayrshire Council and other partners. Restoring the window to its former beauty is not only significant to the character of the building, but is also historically important in its own right as it was one of the first public commissions of Daniel Cottier, a highly respected stained glass artist of his time.”

The badly damaged stained glass was removed in July 2011 to stop further deterioration. The removal of the glass was a lengthy process, as the location of each piece of glass had to be recorded prior to removal, to ensure it could be reinstated in the correct position. 

Ranald MacInnes, Head of Heritage Management for Historic Scotland, said: “It is tremendous to witness this next step in this exciting project. The work at Trinity is a great example of how a conservation initiative can bring added value to the wider regeneration of an area. I look forward to seeing the restored glass within the setting of the finished building.”

Grant funding for the repairs to the building was received from Historic Scotland as part of the Irvine Town Centre Conservation Area Regeneration Scheme.