St Andrew's Orthodox Church, Edinburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Orthodox Church |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| 55°56′37″N 3°11′07″W / 55.94361°N 3.18528°W | |
| Location | Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English Slavonic Romanian Greek |
| Denomination | Greek Orthodox |
| Previous denomination | Church of Scotland (1756–1969) |
| History | |
| Former name(s) | St Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease (1756–1834) Buccleuch Parish Church (1834–1969) |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Events | 1969: Buccleuch Parish Church closed and building sold to University of Edinburgh 2013: Building purchased by Orthodox Community of St Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Scottish Vernacular Gothic revival |
| Groundbreaking | 1755 |
| Completed | 1756 |
| Construction cost | £642 (£66.7 thousand in 2025) |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain |
St Andrew's Orthodox Church is an Orthodox church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located in the area called the Southside. Edinburgh's Orthodox community started in 1948. Since 2013, they have used the building that was once the Buccleuch Parish Church. This church began in 1756 as a smaller chapel for St Cuthbert's. It closed in 1969.
In the mid-1700s, the area around Edinburgh was growing. The original St Cuthbert's Parish was very large. To help with this, a new church opened in January 1756. It was first called St Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease. In 1834, it became a full parish church. It was then known as Buccleuch Parish Church. The church also started a school in 1839.
A big event called the Disruption of 1843 affected many churches. Buccleuch Parish Church was also impacted. But it was helped to grow again by people like Archibald Charteris. By the mid-1900s, fewer people lived in the Southside. This meant fewer people attended the church. In 1969, Buccleuch Parish Church joined with other churches. The building was then sold to the University of Edinburgh. They used it to store furniture.
The Orthodox Community of St Andrew began in 1948. It was started by a Russian chaplain named Archpriest John Sotnikov. Later, under Maitland Moir, the community moved. In 2003, they moved into the old Buccleuch Parish School. Then, in 2013, they bought the larger former Buccleuch Parish Church building.
The church building has a simple cross shape. It was changed a lot in 1866 by MacGibbon and Ross. They updated it in the Gothic style. Since 2007, it has been a protected building. This means it is important for its history. Many notable people are buried in the churchyard. These include the poet Thomas Blacklock and Deacon Brodie, a well-known figure from Edinburgh's past.
Contents
History of Buccleuch Parish Church
Starting the Church
In the mid-1700s, the West Kirk Parish was very large. It covered most of the area around Edinburgh. The population was growing, especially south of the Old Town. This area is now known as the Southside. To help serve these new residents, the West Kirk decided to build a smaller chapel.
They started collecting money in 1754. They bought land near Crosscauseway. People who gave £5 or more could help choose the church's minister. Building smaller chapels like this was new for the Church of Scotland at the time. St Cuthbert's Chapel of Ease was one of the first in Scotland. It was designed to hold 1,200 people. It cost about £642 to build.
Early Years and Growth
The chapel opened for services in January 1756. At first, ministers from the West Kirk took turns preaching. But this was too much work. So, James Roy became the first dedicated minister in 1758. When it opened, the church was in a mostly rural area. But soon, fancy homes were built nearby. These included George Square and Buccleuch Place. The church attracted many wealthy people from the city.
Later, under minister John Touch, the famous Lord Cockburn attended the church. After Touch left in 1808, fewer people came. Some thought about closing the chapel. But the West Kirk ministers decided to keep it going. Under Henry Moncrieff-Wellwood, the church became popular again. In 1810, a new section was added to hold more people.
In 1834, the church became a full parish church. It was renamed Buccleuch Parish Church. The West Kirk also worked to create a school for the southern parts of the city. The Buccleuch Parish School opened in 1839. It was located near the Meadows.
The Disruption and Revival
Several ministers from Buccleuch, like Henry Grey and Robert Gordon, became important in the Free Church. In 1843, a major event called the Disruption of 1843 happened. Many people left the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church. Patrick Clason, the minister at Buccleuch, led many members of his congregation to join the Free Church.
This left the church with very few members. It was at risk of closing again. But the Edinburgh University Missionary Association helped save it. They used the church for their mission work. Led by Archibald Charteris, they quickly brought in many new members. By 1857, the church could afford a full-time minister again.
During the time of Finlay Mathieson (1863-1875), the church was renovated. It was updated in the Gothic style. A choir was started, and a harmonium (a type of organ) was bought. Later, electric lighting was added, and a pipe organ was installed in 1899.
20th Century Changes
The church continued to grow in the early 1900s. By 1911, it had many groups. These included youth work and a foreign missionary association. In 1928, the church's membership reached its highest point, with over 2,000 members.
However, by the mid-1900s, the Southside area started losing residents. Many church members moved away. The University of Edinburgh was also expanding in the area. By 1960, the church's membership had dropped to 824.
The church halls were used for different activities. These included a mothers' clinic and performances during the Fringe. In the 1960s, Buccleuch Parish Church began sharing services with other local churches.
In 1969, Buccleuch Parish Church decided to join with two other churches. These were Nicolson Street and Charteris-Pleasance. The new combined church was called Kirk o' Field. They met in the Charteris-Pleasance building. The Buccleuch church building was then sold to the University of Edinburgh. They used it as a furniture storage place.
St Andrew's Orthodox Church
An Orthodox community started in Edinburgh in 1948. It was founded by Archpriest John Sotnikov. He was a Russian chaplain in the Polish Army. Most of the first members were Polish soldiers. Services were held in Slavonic.
In 1984, Maitland Moir took over. He was a Scottish person who had converted to Orthodoxy. Under him, English became the main language for services. In 2003, the community bought the old Buccleuch Parish School buildings. They had outgrown their previous location.
By 2012, about 250 people attended services regularly. The community had outgrown the school building too. So, they put it up for sale. They then bought the larger former Buccleuch Parish Church building. The purchase was completed on April 17, 2013.
Since it started, the community has been part of the Archdiocese of Thyateira. Most services are in English. But the church also holds services in Greek, Slavonic, and Romanian.
The Church Building
Building Design
This church is the oldest religious building still standing in Edinburgh's Southside. Today, it looks like a simple Gothic building. It has a cross-shaped layout. In the north-east corner, there is a short tower with a small spire. The outside walls are made of rough stone with smooth stone details.
The front of the church, facing east, is balanced. It has a small porch with two windows on each side. Above the porch, there is a stone with a date. It says: "ERECTED 1755: RESTORED 1866". Above this are three pointed windows and a clock. The south side of the church has a curved section. The north side has a square section.
Inside, the building still has two floors. Many of the original features are still there. These include the pulpit, the organ area, and the balconies. There are also wooden and glass screens at the entrance. These screens have fancy art nouveau door handles and stained glass.
Architectural History
When it was built in 1755, the church was a plain, local style building. One writer called it "a plain genteel building". But another, James Grant, described it as "hideous" before its 1866 renovation. In 1763, a three-story bell tower was added to the front. A bell from St Cuthbert's was put in the tower in 1791.
In 1810, a new section and balcony were added to the north side. The church was greatly renovated in 1866 by David MacGibbon. The outside was changed to the Gothic style. A clock was added to the east wall. The old tower was removed and replaced with a shorter spire on the north side. A curved section was also added to the south side.
Beautiful stained glass windows were installed. One window was given by the Marquess of Bute. It remembers his ancestor, Flora Mure Campbell, who is buried nearby. Another window remembers Alexander Adam, also buried in the churchyard. In 1899, a large organ was installed. After the church was no longer used for worship, the inside was divided into two floors. In 2007, the building was made a protected historic building.
The church once had two tall black boards from the late 1700s. They displayed the Lord's Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments in gold letters. These boards were given to a nearby church in 1950. They are still there today.
Buccleuch Kirkyard
.jpg)
The land around the church was opened for burials in June 1763. On June 25, 1764, an Episcopal bishop officially blessed the churchyard. This was unusual for a Church of Scotland property. The church leaders who asked for this were later told off. The land was not officially given to the West Kirk until 1768.
The churchyard includes the site of an old windmill. This windmill used to pump water from the Boroughloch to the town. The windmill was taken down around the time the chapel was built. But it gave its name to Windmill Street and Windmill Lane, which are next to the churchyard.
Many important people are buried in the churchyard. These include:
- The doctor Andrew Duncan
- The writer David Herd
- The educator Alexander Adam
- The poet and minister Thomas Blacklock
- Deacon Brodie, a well-known figure from Edinburgh's past, is buried against the north wall.
- A plaque remembers Alison Cockburn, who wrote the song Flowers of the Forest.
- Charles Darwin, the uncle of the famous scientist Charles Darwin, is also buried here.
By 1820, the churchyard was very full. No new burial plots were available. So, St Cuthbert's Parish opened a new burial ground in Newington. In 1904, the church bought a large metal hall from Glasgow. They put it in the churchyard. This meant moving all the gravestones from the middle to the boundary wall.
Soon after, the church thought about renting out the hall for roller skating. The idea of people roller skating over graves caused a lot of debate. People wrote letters to local newspapers complaining. The church quickly dropped the idea.
