John Street Church Building Glasgow, Photo, Address, Architect, Rochead, 19th Century Merchant City property picture

John Street Church Glasgow

Historic Merchant City Building design by Architect JT Rochead, Scotland

post updated 26 January 2024 ; 2 December 2023 ; 6 Mar 2021

Location: John Street, off Ingram Street

Dates built: 1859-60

Architect: JT Rochead

exterior photograph © Adrian Welch

John Street Church

Highly unusual glassy facade on rusticated base.

Buildings close by to John Street Church

Hutchesons’ Hall building:
Hutchesons' Hall close to John Street Church
photo © Adrian Welch

John Thomas Rochead Architect

John Thomas Rochead (1814 – 1878) was a Scottish architect. He is most noteworthy on a national scale for having been the designer of the Wallace Monument.

He was born in Edinburgh, the son of John Rochead and Catherine Gibb. He was educated at George Heriot’s School in the Scottish capital city.

He worked for a number of years starting in 1831. He started as an apprentice of the eminent Edinburgh architect, David Bryce.

From around 1841 to 1870, Rochead lived and worked in Glasgow. During this time he was employed by David Hamilton, working alongside Thomas Gildard, who became a lifelong friend.

In 1840 he won a commission for a new Roman Catholic Cathedral in Belfast. Although the building went unbuilt it brought him to the attention of the architectural world and thereafter he was a keen competition architect.

View northwest up John Street towards Glasgow City Chambers:

photo © Adrian Welch