North Leith Parish Church facts for kids
North Leith Parish Church was a church in Leith, Scotland. Leith used to be its own town but is now part of the city of Edinburgh. This church was part of the Church of Scotland. It recently joined with another church, South Leith Parish Church, to form a new church called North & South Leith Parish Church. The last service in the old North Leith building was in March 2024.
Contents
The Church Building
The church building you see today is on Madeira Street in Leith. It was designed by a famous architect named William Burn and finished in 1816. It has a grand entrance with four huge columns, like an ancient Greek temple! Above the entrance, there's a clock tower with a tall, thin spire reaching into the sky.
Inside, a large pipe organ was added in 1880. During World War II, in 1941, the building was damaged by bombs. But don't worry, it was fixed up and ready to use again by 1950. It's now a "Category A listed building," which means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected. The church was built to hold about 1300 people.
William Burn, the architect, also designed other important buildings in Edinburgh, like the Edinburgh Academy. The church used to have a house for its minister, called a manse, with gardens and orchards. This house was later removed in 1920 to make space for the Leith Theatre.
Church History
The story of this church goes way back to 1128! That's when King David I of Scotland gave land for Holyrood Abbey to be built. Later, in 1493, a chapel called St Ninian's Chapel was built on the banks of the Water of Leith.
After a big change in religion in Scotland called the Scottish Reformation, the chapel was rebuilt. The new church opened in 1586. This church became the main church for the area of North Leith. A tower was added to it in 1675. Over time, this old church became too small for everyone, so the current building on Madeira Street was built in 1816. The old tower from the 1675 church still stands today, even though it's now part of a different building.
In the old churchyard of St. Ninian's, you can find the tomb of Thomas Gladstones. He was a successful merchant from Leith and the grandfather of William Ewart Gladstone, who later became a famous Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Around 1843, some people left the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland. Many members from North Leith Parish Church also left and built their own church nearby. They later built an even bigger church on Ferry Road in 1859, which could hold 1100 people. This Free Church no longer exists today.
Over the years, North Leith Parish Church joined with other local churches. In 1968, it united with Bonnington Church. Then, in 1982, it joined with Leith St Ninian's Ferry Road Church. These mergers kept the historic name "North Leith Parish Church."
As mentioned, the church recently merged again in March 2024 with South Leith Parish Church. They now use the South Leith building. The last regular Sunday service at the Madeira Street building was a special event, celebrating over 200 years of worship there.
The Parish Area
The parish area that North Leith Parish Church served covers the northwest part of Leith. This includes places like the Fort housing area, the busy Leith Docks, the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, the famous Royal Yacht Britannia, and the Scottish Government offices at Victoria Quay.
Church Ministers
A minister is the leader of a church congregation. The first known Presbyterian minister for North Leith was James Murehead, who started in 1598. Many ministers have served the church throughout its long history.
Burial Ground
The church has a burial ground on Coburg Street. It's a place where people from the church and the local area were buried. This burial ground started being used in 1664.
Some notable people buried there include:
- Robert Nicoll, a poet
- Rev David Johnston, a former minister of the church
- Colonel Anne Mackintosh, a brave female military leader from the Jacobite rebellion
- Thomas Gladstones, the grandfather of Prime Minister William Ewart Gladstone
Images for kids
-
North Leith Parish Church at the end of Prince Regent Street
-
The portico at North Leith Parish Church
-
St Ninian's Manse incorporates the tower of the 17th-century former parish church.
See also
