Edinburgh: New Town Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Edinburgh: The New Town Church of Scotland |
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| 55°57′14.5″N 03°11′45″W / 55.954028°N 3.19583°W | |
| Location | 13 George Street, Edinburgh EH2 2PA |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Reformed |
| Website | stagw.org.uk |
| History | |
| Founded | 1781 |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Events | Disruption of 1843 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
| Designated | 13 January 1766 |
| Completed | 1784 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Edinburgh New Town |
| Presbytery | Edinburgh |
The Edinburgh: The New Town Church of Scotland is a church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It serves the city's New Town area. This church is part of the Church of Scotland. It was created on February 1, 2024. This happened when two churches, St Andrew's & St George's West and Greenside Church, joined together.
The church building on George Street was finished in 1784. It is a very important historic building. Today, it is protected as a Category A listed building. This means it is a building of special architectural or historic interest.
Contents
Exploring the Church Buildings
When the New Town of Edinburgh was planned, two main churches were designed. This was part of James Craig's plan from 1767. His plan for the First New Town used a grid pattern for streets. This design showed the classical and logical ideas of the time. Edinburgh was a famous center for new ideas during the Scottish Enlightenment.
The two churches were meant for Charlotte Square and St Andrew Square. But a rich businessman, Sir Lawrence Dundas, bought the land for his home. So, St Andrew's Church had to be built on George Street instead. Dundas House, designed by William Chambers, took its place.
St Andrew's Church: A Unique Design
The Town Council held a contest to design St Andrew's Church. Captain Andrew Frazer and Robert Kay won. The church started being built in 1781 and opened in 1784. It is special because it was the first church in Britain with an oval shape.
The land on George Street was narrow. This made the oval design a good fit. The church's style looks like old Roman buildings. For example, its front entrance has designs from Syria. The inside ceiling is also very grand. It has Roman and Pompeian designs, plus Scottish thistles.
The church has a pulpit on the north wall. There is also a gallery with old box pews. Some parts of the pews were removed in 2012. The pulpit was also changed in 1953.
The original plan for St Andrew's Church had a short tower. But the Town Council chose a tall, 51-meter steeple. It was built in 1787. This steeple holds eight unique bells. They were made in 1788 and are the oldest complete set in Scotland. The bells were fixed in 2006. Now they can be rung in a special way called change ringing.
The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. One shows "The Beatitudes" by Alfred Webster (1913). Another shows "The Son of Man" by Douglas Strachan (1934). In 1976, the space under the church was made into a room called the "Undercroft."
St George's Church: From Worship to Archives
St George's Church is on the west side of Charlotte Square. Building started in 1811. Robert Reid used an older design from 1791. It cost over £23,600 to build and opened in 1814.
However, the church had serious problems with its structure. It closed in the 1960s. The building was then taken over by the government. It was changed to hold archives. Today, it is part of the National Records of Scotland.
St George's West Church: A Grand Tower
Free St George's Church was built between 1866 and 1869. It was designed by David Bryce. The church has a Roman Baroque style. Its tower was finished by Robert Rowand Anderson in 1879–81. It is a 56-meter tall Venetian tower. It looks like the tower of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice.
In 1900, this church joined with others to form the United Free Church of Scotland. It was still called St George's Free Church. In 1929, the United Free Church joined with the Church of Scotland. After this, the church was simply called St George's West.
The building on Shandwick Place was later sold. It is now used by Charlotte Chapel.
Greenside Parish Church: A Local Landmark
Greenside Church was once part of a larger parish called St Cuthbert's. It became its own parish in 1836. The church is located near Calton Hill.
James Gillespie Graham designed the church in 1830. It took nine years to build. It finally opened on October 6, 1839.
Church History: Key Moments
St Andrew's Church was the site of a very important event in Scottish history. This was the Disruption of 1843. Many ministers were unhappy with the government interfering in church matters. About one-third of the ministers left the church's annual meeting. They then formed the Free Church of Scotland. People outside cheered them on.
In 1964, the St George's Church congregation joined with St Andrew's. They formed St Andrew's and St George's. The old St George's building is now used for national records.
Today, the church holds an annual book sale. This event raises money for Christian Aid. The first sale was in 1974. In 2006, it raised over £113,000. This included money from selling a signed script of a Doctor Who episode.
In 2010, St Andrew's and St George's joined with St George's West. They became St Andrew's and St George's West. Both buildings were used for three years. The George Street building was the main place of worship.
On February 17, 2013, St George's West church held its last service. The congregation moved back to the George Street church. The Shandwick Place building was given to Charlotte Chapel. This is another church that needed a bigger space.
Church Leadership
Many important ministers have served these churches over the years. For example, the Very Rev Dr Andrew McLellan was a minister at St Andrew's and St George's. He became the leader of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 2000.
Other ministers have also gone on to lead important groups. Some have become leaders of the Iona Community. Others have served in different churches across Scotland.
Working Together in Edinburgh
Edinburgh: The New Town Church of Scotland is part of a group called "Edinburgh City Centre Churches Together." This group includes three churches in Edinburgh's New Town. The other churches are St John's and St Cuthbert's. They work together to serve the community.
See also
- List of Church of Scotland parishes
- List of listed buildings in Edinburgh
Images for kids
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The former St George's Church, Charlotte Square (now the West Register House)
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St George's Free Church, Shandwick Place, at night
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Greenside Church
