Newington Trinity Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Newington Trinity Church |
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| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
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| Parish | Newington Trinity |
| Presbytery | Edinburgh and West Lothian |
Newington Trinity Church is a church that belongs to the Church of Scotland. It is located in the Newington area of Edinburgh, Scotland. The church is about 2.4 kilometers south of the city center.
The building was designed by an architect named Hippolyte Blanc. Construction happened between 1875 and 1879. In 1969, a big fire damaged most of the roof. After the fire, the church was repaired and updated. The church is also known for its beautiful stained glass windows.
The church's name has changed over time. It was once called Mayfield Salisbury Church and Mayfield North Church. People also sometimes called it Mayfield Church. The current church community is a mix of several older churches that joined together. Most recently, in January 2025, Mayfield Salisbury Church joined with Priestfield Parish Church and Craigmillar Park Church.
Contents
The Church's Story
How the Church Started
The church community, first known as Mayfield Free Church, began in 1875. It was created to serve the growing number of people in the Newington area of Edinburgh. At first, church services were held in a school room. Soon after, a good spot was found for a permanent church building. This spot was at the corner of St. Andrew's Terrace and West Mayfield. The land was bought from Duncan McLaren, who was a local politician.
Building the Church
After a design competition, plans from architect Hippolyte Blanc were chosen in January 1876. Work on the church hall started almost right away. The hall was finished in December of that same year.
On October 5, 1878, a special stone was laid for the main church building. This was done by the Lord Provost, Sir Thomas Boyd. A time capsule was placed inside the stone. It held newspapers from that day, a church plan, and other papers. The church officially opened in 1879.
Changes Over Time
In October 1900, Mayfield Free Church became Mayfield United Free Church. This happened when two other Scottish churches joined together. Then, in 1929, it became part of the Church of Scotland. At this time, 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 shortened to Mayfield Church. Fountainhall Road Church had a long history, starting in 1828. After it merged with Mayfield North Church, the Fountainhall Road building was taken down. A public library was built there instead.
Fire and Repairs
In 1968, the church hall was made much bigger. A new entrance hall was built between it and the main church. On January 11, 1969, a large fire destroyed the church's roof. The fire also caused a lot of damage inside the building. This meant long and expensive repairs were needed. During this time, church services were held in the newly expanded hall.
More Mergers
In 1993, Mayfield Church joined with Salisbury Church. Salisbury Church had also been formed from several 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. Since 1992, this building has been a Category B listed building. This means it is an important historical building.
In 1998, the Mayfield Church building was made bigger again. New offices, a meeting space, and a day care center were added.
In January 2025, the church joined with Craigmillar Park and Priestfield churches. The Mayfield Salisbury building was chosen as the main place for worship for the combined church.
Church Design
The church was designed by Hippolyte Blanc in the French Gothic style. Many people say it is one of his best buildings.
The church has a cross shape when viewed from above. The entrance is at the west end. A long main hall, called the nave, leads to a five-sided area at the east end. The side sections, called transepts, have double-gabled roofs. The nave is about 27 meters long and 13 meters wide. It has 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. These windows show scenes from the Bible and other stories. Luckily, they were not damaged in the 1969 fire.
From the outside, the most noticeable part is the square clock tower. A stone spire was added to the tower in 1894. It has tall, pointed decorations at each corner.
In 1970, the building was named a Category B listed building by Historic Environment Scotland. This means it is an important historical building.
Important Ministers
- Very Rev William J. G. McDonald (1924–2015) was the minister from 1959 to 1992. He was the leader of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1989. He also spoke on Radio Scotland's Thought for the Day for many years.
- Very Rev James A Whyte (1920–2005) was a minister from 1954 to 1958. He later became a professor at St Mary's College, which is part of the University of St Andrews. He also served as the leader of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland from 1988 to 1989.
Today's Church
As of 2022, the church has about 450 members. Since January 2021, the minister has been Rev Dr Sandy Forsyth. The church usually holds three worship services on most Sundays. It also has many other activities during the week. From September to June, the church choir provides music for Sunday services and other events. The choir is made up of volunteers and a few music students. It is led by Walter Thomson.
See Also
