St Mary

St Mary’s sits high above the town with commanding views across the Clyde to the Trossachs and Ben Lomond beyond.

The original church, founded in 1851 near the Clyde riverbank alongside Fergusson Shipyard was financed with a gift from the daughter of a local Laird, Jane Shaw-Stewart. She was a nurse who went on to accompany Florence Nightingale to Scutari in the Crimea.

St Mary’s has a long history serving the town with its former vibrant ship building industry. In the latter part of the 20th century the demise of the shipyards saw the fortunes of Port Glasgow plummet and with it the onset of deprivation and economic and social decline. The church remained active and served the community throughout this prolonged period of uncertainty and anxiety. The 1851 church was bought and demolished in 1982 to make way for the extension of the A8 road with a new distinctive design building occupying its present site. Its medium sized membership of circa 70 souls are committed to the church and congregational numbers average 40-50 each Sunday. Although ageing the congregation which includes many former shipyard families are active in social outreach and meeting many critical local needs.