Canongate Kirk
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Kirk of the Canongate | |
---|---|
Canongate, Edinburgh | |
Country | Scotland |
Denomination | Church of Scotland |
History | |
Status | Parish church |
Architecture | |
Functional status | Active |
Years built | 1688–1691 |
Clergy | |
Minister(s) | The Revd Neil N. Gardner |
The Kirk of the Canongate, or Canongate Kirk, serves the
History
Background
After the Reformation the congregation of the
Foundation
On 28 June 1687,
The parishioners successfully petitioned the King to divert a
18th century
In 1741,
By the late 18th century, the church had become overcrowded and, in 1792, a chapel of ease was constructed in Leith Wynd. A further chapel of ease was constructed at the foot of New Street in 1792.[14] The trade incorporations of the Canongate supported the construction and were rewarded with the right to nominate its minister.[15]
19th century
Decline
During the
The church's loss of royal and civic status paralleled a decline in the status of its parish. By the early 19th century, the construction of the Regent and London Roads had diverted the main thoroughfare into Edinburgh away from the burgh and many inhabitants had moved to the New Town.[19] and Walter Buchanan, minister from 1789 to 1832, described his parish thus:
"The stoutest heart may well be appalled in looking upon the dismal abounding of iniquity, the unveiled and unmitigated vileness, the black and disgusting crimes, which by day and by night deform the sinning myriads of a populous and polluted city,"[20]
By the mid-19th century, migration of
Revival
At the
Andrew R. Bonar was presented to the first charge in 1849. Alongside John Marshall Lang and Robert Lee, he was a leader of the liturgical revival in 19th-century Scottish Presbyterianism. Bonar introduced hymn-singing and a choir to the Canongate Kirk; a pipe organ, one of the first in the Church of Scotland, was introduced in 1874.[24] In 1863, fire damaged the church and probably destroyed the Canongate records, which had been organised and bound during the ministry of John Lee.[25][26]
When James McNair arrived as minister in minister in 1869, the church claimed 500 members and 200 communicants in a parish of 10 thousand. McNair oversaw a revival in the church's fortunes: four years after his arrival, membership had doubled and the number of communications had more than trebled. At the
20th and 21st centuries
McNair died in 1888 and was succeeded the following year by Thomas White, who ministered in the Canongate until his demission in 1936.
White died shortly after his demission and was succeeded by
The interior renovation began in 1947 with the visit of
At the turn of the 20th century, Grey Graham had described the Canongate as "the centre of dirt and poverty and squalor".[38] Yet, from the 1950s, the area was sympathetically redeveloped, culminating in the opening of the Scottish Parliament Building in 2004; the presence of the University of Edinburgh in the area also increased.[39] The church responded with the opening of Russell House in 1964 as student residences and the opening of Harry Younger Hall as a hall and gymnasium in 1967.[7]
Building and kirkyard
Architecturally, the Kirk has a Dutch-style end gable and a curious, small doric-columned portico over the entrance. The end gable is topped with a golden cross inside a pair of antlers, the now obsolete coat of arms of the
A Royal Pew, as well as a Castle Pew, can be found in the front row of the church.
The
Current work
The Kirk has an active congregation, with a service each Sunday morning at 10:30 plus a monthly evening service. This service lasts just under an hour and follows a set liturgy. The Sacrament of Holy Communion is usually celebrated on the last Sunday of the month during the service. The building is also regularly used for concerts. During the annual
Ministry
Canongate Kirk has been served by several well-known former ministers, two having also served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Very Rev Thomas Wilkie (1645-1711) was the first minister of the Kirk[40] and was twice Moderator - in 1701 and 1704. A long family tradition started in the 18th century with three generations of minister taking the ministry, all Rev. John Warden the family changed its name to Macfarlan in the later 18th century following a marriage. The most notable, Rev John Warden (Macfarlan) (1740-1788) was minister 1762 to 1788 and co-founded the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1783.[44]
Rev Hugh Blair was second charge from 1743 to 1753.
During these early years ministries were shared due to demand. Concurrently with Rev John Warden (from 1764 to 1783) Rev William Lothian DD (1740-1783) was First Charge. The Rev. Robert Walker was minister from 1784 to 1808. He campaigned to end the slave trade and is famous for the painting by Henry Raeburn The Skating Minister which shows Walker skating on Duddingston loch.[45]
The Very Reverend Dr
The current minister (since 22 June 2006) is the Reverend Neil N. Gardner MA BD (who was previously minister at Alyth and an Army Chaplain in the Black Watch Regiment).[48] The organist and Director of Music is Simon Leach FISM GMusRNCM . The Kirk Secretary and Events Administrator is Imogen Gibson who works from the Manse office.
Other notable ministers were Rev John Warden (1709-1764), his son, Rev John Warden of Balancleroch
Succession since Reformation
- 1561 to 1564 - John Craig
- 1564 to 1600 - John Brand, formerly Canon Brand of Holyrood Abbey therefore a familiar face to the congregation
- 1601 to 1622 - Henry Blyth MA
- 1621 to 1623 - Robert Seymour
- 1624 to 1635 - James Hannay
- 1635 to 1645 - Matthew Wemyss (1603-1645)
- 1646 to 1656 - George Leslie MA (d.1656) buried in the "Easter Kirk of Holyrood" on the Canongate
- 1657 to 1662 - James Nairne MA
- 1663 to 1673 - James Kid MA
- 1673 to 1676 - James Inglis MA
- 1676 -to 1685? - Robert Scott
- 1687 to 1689 - Robert Burnet, second charge from 1685
- 1689 to 1711 - Thomas Wilkie, Moderator in 1701 and 1704
- 1713 to 1752 - James Walker MA
- 1753 to 1763 - James Watson
- 1764 to 1783 - William Lothian DD
- 1784 to 1808 - Robert Walker
- 1808 to 1810 - Andrew Grant DD
- 1811 to 1820 - Henry Garnock
- 1830 to 1821 - Alexander Stewart
- 1823 to 1825 - Rev Prof John Lee DD LLD
- 1825 to 1849 - John Gilchrist DD
- 1849 to 1867 - Andrew Redman Bonar (1818-1867) a cousin to Andrew Bonar
- 1867 to 1869 - Daniel McFee (1811-1899)
- 1869 to 1888 - James MacNair
- 1889 to 1936 - Thomas White
- 1937 to 1977 - Ronald Selby Wright
Second Charge
From 1592 to 1867 Canongate was populous enough to merit a "second charge" who would give a later service within the same church: notable second charge ministers were:
- 1592 to 1595 - John Davidson MA
- 1595 to 1601 - Henry Blyth MA moved to first charge
- 1611 to 1615 - Oliver Colt MA
- 1630 to 1635 - Matthew Wemyss, moved to first charge
- 1636 to 1639 - John Watson MA
- 1639 to 1646 - George Leslie MA moved to first charge
- 1646 to 1653 - John Hog MA translated to South Leith Parish Church
- 1656 to 1657 - James Nairne moved to first charge
- 1658 to 1673 - Alexander Hutchison
- 1663 to 1680 - Patrick Hepburn, translated to St Cuthberts Church
- 1680 to 1681 - Archibald Calderwood
- 1682 to 1685 - John Lumsden
- 1685 to 1687 - Alexander Burnet, translated yo first charge
- 1687 to 1694 - James Craig MA, translated to Duddingston Kirk
- 1695 to 1708 - William Mitchell later 5 times Moderator
- 1709 to 1741 - John Walker
- 1743 to 1754 - Hugh Blair (see above)
- 1755 to 1764 - John Warden MA
- 1765 to 1788 - John Warden jr aka John Warden MacFarlan
- 1789 to 1832 - Walter Buchanan DD
- 1833 to 1844 - John Clark MA
- 1845 to 1848 - Andrew Redman Bonar, translated to first charge
- 1850 to 1867 - Daniel McFee moved to first charge on death of A R Bonar
See also
Bibliography
- Drummond, Andrew Landale (1934). The Church Architecture of Protestantism. T. & T. Clark
- Dunlop, A. Ian (1988). The Kirks of Edinburgh: 1560-1984. Scottish Record Society. ISBN 0-902054-10-4
- Gifford, John; McWilliam, Colin; Walker, David (1984). The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-071068-X
- Gray, William Forbes (1940). Historic Edinburgh Churches. The Moray Press.
- Hay, George (1957). The Architecture of Scottish Post-Reformation Churches: 1560 to 1843. Oxford University Press.
- Scott, Hew (1915). Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (1951). An Inventory of the Ancient and Historical Monuments of the City of Edinburgh with the Thirteenth Report of the Commission. His Majesty's Stationery Office.
- Wright, Ronald Selby(1956). The Kirk in the Canongate. Oliver and Boyd.
References
- ^ a b "Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall set wedding date". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ McKenzie, Lewis (30 June 2019). "Queen attends Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh on Scottish visit". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; by Hew Scott
- ^ Gray 1940, p. 73.
- ^ Gray 1940, pp. 73-74.
- ^ a b Gray 1940, p. 74.
- ^ a b c Dunlop 1988, p. 84.
- ^ a b Gray 1940, p. 75.
- ^ Gray 1940, pp. 75-76.
- ^ a b Gray 1940, p. 76.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 79.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 82.
- ^ Blair 1956, p. 83.
- ^ a b c Dunlop 1988, p. 55.
- ^ Gray 1940, p. 77.
- ^ a b Gray 1940, p. 81.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 122.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 122-123.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 93.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 91-92.
- ^ Scott 1915, pp. 27-30.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 121-122.
- ^ Dunlop 1988, p. 460.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 117-118.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 91.
- ^ a b "A History of Canongate Kirk". canongatekirk.org.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 125-126.
- ^ Scott 1915, p. 77.
- ^ Wright 1940, pp. 129-130.
- ^ Dunlop 1988, p. 58.
- ^ Wright 1988, p. 137.
- ^ "The Royal Family at Christmas". royal.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 141.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 139-140.
- ^ Wright 1956, pp. 140-141.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 144.
- ^ "Royal Visits". canongatekirk.org.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ Wright 1956, p. 135.
- ^ "The Canongate". ed.ac.uk. Retrieved 5 October 2020.
- ^ a b McKee, Kirsten (March 2018). "Edinburgh Graveyards Project: Documentary Survey For 1. Canongate Kirkyard" (PDF). Edinburgh World Heritage.
- ISBN 9781445694245.
- ^ Clifford, Suzanne (20 July 2016). "The Five Most Haunted Venues At Edinburgh Festival Fringe". Scottish Woman Magazine. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Staff. "The Regimental Kirk - Canongate Kirk (The Kirk of Holyrood House and Edinburgh Castle)". The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment). Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
- ^ Barr, Russell (16 October 2018). "Modern slavery would have appalled Skating Minister". Edinburgh Evening News. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Dalyell, Tam (26 October 1995). "Obituary: The Very Rev Ronald Selby Wright". The Independent. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Staff (7 March 2012). "History". Canongate Kirk. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ^ Staff (20 January 2011). "Royal role for minister?". East Lothian Courier. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
- ISBN 0-902-198-84-X. Archived from the original(PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 25 June 2017.
External links
- Canongate Kirk
- Church of Scotland
- Kirk's captain boldly goes after 27 years (Retirement of the Reverend Charles Robertson) - The Scotsman, 20 Sept 2005
- Profile of the Revd Neil Gardner - Edinburgh Evening News, 18 April 2006
- Venue 13 (The Harry Younger Hall)
- Venue 13 (BBC Wales news)
- Canongate Kirk's pipe organ - Th. Frobenius og Sønner Orgelbyggeri A/S (in Danish)
- Edinburgh Architecture - The Royal Mile (with original drawing of Canongate Kirk) Archived 6 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine