Mayfield Salisbury Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mayfield Salisbury Church |
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| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
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| Parish | Mayfield Salisbury |
| Presbytery | Edinburgh |
Mayfield Salisbury Church is a parish church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It belongs to the Church of Scotland. You can find it in the Newington area, about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) south of the city centre.
The church building was designed by Hippolyte Blanc. It was built between 1875 and 1879. In 1969, a big fire damaged the roof, so the church had to be repaired. This church is famous for its beautiful stained glass windows.
Today's Mayfield Salisbury Church is the result of several churches joining together. The most recent merger happened in 1993, when Mayfield Church and Salisbury Church became one.
Contents
Church History
The church started in 1875 as Mayfield Free Church. It was created to serve the many people moving into the Newington area of Edinburgh. At first, services were held in a school room.
Soon after, a good spot for a permanent church building was found. It was at the corner of what is now Mayfield Road and West Mayfield. The land was bought from Duncan McLaren, who was a local Member of Parliament.
In January 1876, plans for the church building were chosen. They were designed by Hippolyte Blanc. Work started quickly on the church hall, which was finished by December of that year.
On October 5, 1878, the Lord Provost (a city leader), Sir Thomas Boyd, laid a special stone for the main church building. A time capsule was placed inside this stone. It held newspapers from that day and plans of the church.
The community had no trouble raising money for the church. The hall cost £1,300, and that money was collected by the time it opened. Half of the £8,000 needed for the main church was raised by the time the stone was laid. The church officially opened in 1879.
Changes to the Church Name
Over the years, the church's name changed several times. In October 1900, Mayfield Free Church became Mayfield United Free Church. This happened when two Scottish church groups joined together.
In 1929, the church became part of the Church of Scotland. At this point, its name changed to Mayfield North Church.
In 1958, Mayfield North Church joined with Fountainhall Road Church. The new church was first called Mayfield and Fountainhall Church. In 1968, the name was made simpler to Mayfield Church.
The Fountainhall Road Church building was later taken down. A public library was built on that site instead.
Fire and Mergers
In 1968, the church hall was made much bigger. A large new entrance hall was built between it and the main church.
On January 11, 1969, a big fire destroyed the church's roof. It also caused a lot of damage inside the building. This meant long and expensive repairs were needed. During the repairs, church services were held in the newly expanded hall.
In 1993, Mayfield Church merged with Salisbury Church. Salisbury Church had also been formed from earlier church mergers. Its building was built in 1863. It is now used for shops, but you can still see much of its original inside design.
In 1998, the Mayfield Church building was made even bigger. New offices, a meeting space, and a day care centre were added.
Church Design
The church was designed by Hippolyte Blanc in the French Gothic style. Many people think it is one of his best buildings.
The church has a cross shape when viewed from above. The entrance is at the west end, and a long main hall (called the nave) leads to a five-sided area at the east end. The side sections (transepts) have double-gabled roofs.
The nave is about 88 feet (27 meters) long and 42 feet (13 meters) wide, including the aisles on each side. The roof is a long, curved plaster ceiling. This ceiling is a simpler version of the original wooden roof that was destroyed in the 1969 fire.
The church has many beautiful stained glass windows. They show scenes from the Bible and other stories. Luckily, these windows were not damaged in the 1969 fire.
From the outside, the most noticeable part of the church is its square clock tower. A stone spire with tall, pointed decorations was added to the tower in 1894.
The building was officially recognized as a Category B listed building in 1970. This means it is an important historic building.
Important Ministers
- Very Rev William J. G. McDonald (1924–2015) was the minister of the church from 1959 to 1992. He was chosen as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1989. This is a very important leadership role in the Church of Scotland. He also presented a radio show called Thought for the Day for many years.
- Very Rev James A. Whyte (1920–2005) was a minister at the church from 1954 to 1958. He later became a professor at St Mary's College, St Andrews, which is part of the University of St Andrews. He also served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1988 to 1989.
What's Happening Now
As of 2022, the church has about 450 members. Since January 2021, the minister has been the Rev Dr Sandy Forsyth.
The church usually holds three worship services on most Sundays. It also has many other activities throughout the week. From September to June, the church choir provides music for Sunday services and other events. The choir is made up of people who love to sing and a small group of special student singers. It is led by Walter Thomson.
See also
