East Church, Inverness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids East Church, Inverness |
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East Church, Inverness
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| 57°28′49.06″N 4°13′34.97″W / 57.4802944°N 4.2263806°W | |
| Location | Inverness |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| Weekly attendance | 250+ |
| Website | invernesseast.com |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category B listed |
| Groundbreaking | 1798 |
| Completed | 1898 |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Inverness |
East Church, Inverness is an important old building in Inverness, Scotland. It used to be a church for the Church of Scotland. It is also a "Category B listed building," which means it's a special building protected for its history.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The East Church first opened its doors in 1798. Back then, it was a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a smaller church built to help people who lived far from the main parish church. The building was later rebuilt between 1852 and 1853. Its front, which faces the street, was added much later, from 1897 to 1898. This part was designed by architects Ross & Macbeth.
Changes Over the Years
The East Church went through many changes in its history. In 1843, a big event called the Disruption of 1843 happened in the Church of Scotland. Many churches, including East Church, left the main church. It then became known as Inverness East Free Church.
Later, in 1900, it joined with another church group, the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Together, they formed the United Free Church of Scotland. So, East Church became a United Free church.
However, in 1929, many of these United Free churches decided to rejoin the Church of Scotland. Inverness East Church was one of them. It returned to being part of the Church of Scotland.
Helping the Community
The church's local area, called its parish, included parts of Inverness city centre. It also covered areas like Longman, Drakies, and Raigmore.
In the Raigmore area, the church had a special outreach place called 'The Shack'. This building used to be an office where people paid rent. The church used it as a place where people in need could drop in for help. It was also a base for many of the church's activities in that part of the community.
The Church's Final Chapter
In 2022, plans were made to combine the East Church's parish with another church, Inshes Church. This meant that East Church would close its doors. The very last church service was held on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Reverend A. T. B. McGowan was the final minister of the congregation. He retired from his role on February 1, 2019.
In 2024, a new chapter began for the building. A charity called Cultarlann Inbhir Nis bought the East Church. This charity plans to turn the building into a centre for Gaelic culture.
