St Andrew's Church, also known as Scotch Church, is a gothic-style building of a

presbyterian church Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Christianity, Reformed Protestantism, Protestant tradition named for its form of ecclesiastical polity, church government by representative assemblies of Presbyterian polity#Elder, elders, known as ...

located in

Saddar Saddar (), also known as Saddar Bazaar, is a neighbourhood in Karachi, Pakistan. The locality was developed as the primary commercial district during the period of British-era rule in Karachi. As a result, Saddar contains the large concentratio ...

Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...

, Pakistan. It is legally protected under the Sindh Cultural Heritage (Preservation) Act.

History

It was built between 1867 and 1868 under the supervision of the architect T. G. Newnham, associated with the firm

J W Poundley and D Walker (Land-surveyors and Architects) Poundley and Walker or John Wilkes Poundley and David Walker were a land surveyors and architects’ partnership with offices at Black Hall, Kerry, Powys, Kerry, Montgomeryshire and at Unity Buildings, 22 Lord Street, Liverpool. The partnership w ...

, for the Scottish

Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...

mission in

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance in South Asia. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one form or another ...

. The church's foundation stone was laid in February 1867 by commander-in-chief of the Bombay Army,

Robert Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala Field Marshal Robert Cornelis Napier, 1st Baron Napier of Magdala, (6 December 1810 – 14 January 1890) was a British Indian Army officer. He fought in the First Anglo-Sikh War and the Second Anglo-Sikh War before seeing action as chief ...

. The church is built in a blend of the Gothic and Romanesque styles, and has a large rose window over eighteen feet in diameter. The land was acquired from the British government in joint venture with the local congregation. According to the property document the land can not be sold even by the church's congregation or Pakistani government; it is totally and finally for Christian prayer services. The plot, measuring 13,723 square yards, is located opposite Jehangir Park (Regal Chowk). The church was used by foreigners till 1947. In 1969

Urdu Urdu (; , , ) is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in South Asia. It is the Languages of Pakistan, national language and ''lingua franca'' of Pakistan. In India, it is an Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of Indi ...

services were started by the Christians living in Saddar. It merged with the

Church of Pakistan The Church of Pakistan is a united Protestant church in Pakistan founded in 1970; it holds membership in the Anglican Communion, the World Communion of Reformed Churches,Database (9 February 2006)"Sialkot Diocese of the Church of Pakistan". R ...

in 1970 when Protestant churches across the country united.

References

Churches in Karachi Presbyterian churches in Asia {{Presbyterian-church-stub