St Peters Seminary
St Peters was built when the need for a new priest training centre arose due to the destruction by fire of the old one. It was commissioned in 1958 and finished in 1966 designed by architects Isi Metzstein and Andy McMillan, who ran Gillespie, Kidd and Coia.
Totally modernist in its design it was recently hailed as Scotland's Best building. As you enter the site the first thing you see is the 5 storey block with the curved end which housed the trainees and the lower floor which was the refectory and chapel with the high alter still in situ. From this is a curved walkway that leads down to what looks like a sanctuary for reading and learning and also contained what looked like the remains of dressing areas for putting on robes before services etc?
There were two more sections one which seemed to be a mix of concrete and wood was the teaching rooms which through many years of dereliction has collapsed on itself and is almost impossible to get into... and probably not the safest thing to do either!
The seminary was doomed from its conception due to changes in the way that priests were taught. It was never filled to capacity and there were frequent complaints about the building itself. A lot of the walls were made completely out of glass as this was supposed to give a feeling of peace and tranquility, in reality the glass was thin as there was no double glazing and was extremely cold to the point where the trainees did not want to sit he closest to the glass. There was under floor heating but it was too deep to be effective.
In 1979 there were only 21 priests training there and the decision to close it followed soon after with its deconsicration and final closure in 1980!
Despite being listed in 1992 it stands now as a very sorry shadow of its former self while planing wrangles and discussions take place on what should happen to it and who will pay.
I found the Seminary to have a peaceful and relaxing quality about it despite the very obvious vandalism and arson. I would love to visit again one day and see it how it was or even just in use again... I think a building this unique deserves saving.