The Kirk of Chennai

April 6th, 1818 was the day the foundation stone of St. Andrew’s Church was laid. Three years later, on 25th February 1821, the Church was consecrated. This is one of the finest churches of India and it is said have been built in Georgian style. It was built to serve the Scottish community of Madras who were working with East India Company during those days! This church is often referred to as `the Queen of Scottish Churches in the East'

The St. Andrew's Church, Egmore is popularly referred to as 'The Kirk'. Kirk is a Scottish word meaning a church, or more specifically, the Church of Scotland. St Andrew’s Kirk of Chennai is the second Kirk to be built in India, the first being in Calcutta. The cost of building this church those days was 20,000 British pounds! Kirk is a beautiful legacy of British Raj in India.

 The speciality of this Church is the Dome. The inside diameter of this dome is 51.5 feet. Sixteen fluted Corinthian columns support it. The dome was constructed using the 'Syrian masonry' technique. An architectural marvel, the dome has a framework of brick supported by an annular arch and is filled in by pottery cones. Its blue interior is formed by crushed sea shells mixed with lapis lazuli. The thickness of the dome at the crown is only nine inches and it gradually increases to nearly twice that dimension at the cornice. This is the only building in the world wherein a dome of masonry of those dimensions is supported on a colonnade of that height, the entablature of which is a straight arch, without beam or lintel. Many larger domes exist, doubtless, but they are supported on solid walls or strong arcades!

 

On the 8th May 1820 the steeple was completed and on the eleventh, only three days after, the steeple was hit by a most violent storm! The wind blew with the greatest violence for thirty hours during which period sixteen inches of rain fell at Madras. The steeple resisted the whole storm unhurt!

Under the foundation stone of this church they have placed specimens of several coins of the British and Madras currency and a brass plate containing the following inscription:

By the Grace of Almighty God,
in the Reign of GEORGE III, Father of his Country,
and during the Regency of GEORGE his Son,
the First Stone of this Edifice
appertaining to the Church of Scotlans,
was laid,
in the presence of
Robert Fullerton, David Hill, Kirkby Dalrymple,
and William M’Taggart, Esquires,
the Elders of the Church of Scotland at this Presidency,
by John Allan, D. D. and M.D,
their Minister and Moderator,
on the 6th April 1818:
The Right Honorable Hugh Elliot being Governor:
Major Thomas Ellot de Havilland. Architect.
The stained-glass windows above the altar, in warm, rich colors, are among the attractions of the church.

It seems the first time the bell of this church tolled was for the death of a pastor! So considering this inauspicious they removed that bell and replaced it by another one!