India, Kolkata, Bbd Bagh, St Andrew's Church

Between the 10-14th November 2008, two members of RCAHMS field staff (Clare Sorensen, buildings investigator, and Steve Wallace, photographer) formed part of a group recording the Scottish Cemetery in Kolkata, India on behalf of the Kolkata Scottish Heritage Trust. The group also included architects, James Simpson and Laura Bishop; along with archaeologists, Tom Addyman, Kenny Macfadyen and Amanda Gow from the practice of Simpson and Brown with Addyman Associates. Nick Lindsay, Highland Council Cemeteries Manager for Sutherland completed the group travelling from the UK. Using an existing 1930s plan of the cemetery, recording was concentrated in what was believed to be the earliest quadrant with selected photography of significant monuments in other areas. Condition reports for a significant number of the monuments were carried out, the exterior walls photographed and the gate lodge measured and drawn.

St Andrew's Church, built originally for the Church of Scotland, is now part of the Protestant Church of North India. The building was completed in 1818 and has distinct similarities to many colonial churches based on James Gibbs' St Martin in the Fields, London with its box shape and tall steeple. The steeple is said to be deliberately taller than the steeple of the Anglican St John's Church, Kolkata if only by the addition of the weathervane.

St Andrew's continues to have an interest in the Scottish Cemetery where many of its past parishoners are buried.

Information from RCAHMS

(CAJS) 2009