St Stephen's Church, Edinburgh facts for kids
Saint Stephen's Church is a famous building in Edinburgh, Scotland. You can find it in the city's New Town, on Saint Vincent Street. A well-known architect named William Henry Playfair designed it. The church was built a long time ago, between 1827 and 1828.
Early Days of the Church
The first minister, or leader, of the church was William Muir. He was very dedicated to helping people. He even started an evening school in the church's large basement rooms. This school was for people who couldn't read or write.
In 1956, the inside of the church was changed. Fewer people were attending services then. The minister at the time, Revd A. Ian Dunlop, led a big effort to raise money. This project divided the large building into different areas. The main church area moved to the upper level, like a balcony. Below it, new halls and meeting rooms were created. These new spaces have been used for many events, including shows during the famous Edinburgh Festival Fringe. During these changes, some original parts of the church were kept. These included fittings designed by architect David Rhind and the organ by Willis. The organ was rebuilt on the upper level.
New Owners and New Plans
In 2014, a video game producer named Leslie Benzies bought the church. He was the president of Rockstar North, a company that makes popular video games. He bought the church for over 500 thousand pounds. His plan was to protect the building. He also wanted to create a group of community members to help manage it.
However, in 2017, the Benzies Foundation decided not to continue with the project. On July 12, 2017, a famous ballet dancer named Peter Schaufuss bought the church. He is known for starting the English National Ballet School. Mr. Schaufuss announced exciting plans for the building. He wanted to turn the main hall into a world-class theatre. This theatre would host amazing shows from companies around the world. The ground and basement areas would be used for different things. These include businesses, cultural events, and community activities.
Since Peter Schaufuss took over, Saint Stephen's has been greatly improved. The main hall is now called Ashton Hall. It is one of the largest performance spaces in Scotland. The building is now home to the new Edinburgh Festival Ballet and its school. It also hosts the Scottish theatre school MGA Academy. Many other cultural activities happen there too. The church plays an important role in the local community. It is also a popular place for events during the yearly Edinburgh Festival.
The Clock Tower
Saint Stephen's Church has a very tall tower. It is about 162 feet (49 m) high. This tower has a special clock. The pendulum inside this clock is the longest in all of Europe!
A Place for Performances
Saint Stephen's has been a popular venue for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe for many years. From 2001 to 2007, it hosted a venue called Aurora Nova. This space was known for its dance shows. Aurora Nova stopped using the space in 2008. This was because of high costs and losing sponsors. The space was not used for the festival that year.
However, the performance space came back in 2009. It was then known as The Arches at St Stephen's. Before this, in 1963, the church also hosted the festival for the Scottish Community Drama Association.
In 2014, when the building was for sale, many people hoped it would become an arts center. They imagined it having spaces for live music, dance, and theatre. Today, it continues to be a vibrant hub for arts and culture in Edinburgh.
