Highland Church
Highland Church | |
---|---|
Early English | |
Completed | 1851 |
Construction cost | £2,121 14s |
Closed | 1956 |
Demolished | 1989 |
Specifications | |
Capacity | 1,000 |
Administration | |
Synod | Lothian |
Presbytery | Edinburgh |
Clergy | |
Minister(s) |
|
The Highland Church was a Gaelic-speaking congregation of the Church of Scotland, based in Tollcross, Edinburgh. Formed by the union of St Oran's Church and St Columba's Gaelic Church in 1948, the congregation continued united with Tolbooth St John's in 1956.
Gaelic worship in Edinburgh began in the early 18th century, leading to the opening of the
St Columba's occupied a simple building in the
History
Foundation
The Highland Church originated in
After the newly-formed Gaelic Free congregation was expelled from the Horse Wynd chapel in 1844, they worshipped for a year in the hall of the
Cambridge Street: 1851–1929
The church's minister from 1849 to 1884 was
As the Free and
In 1900, the Free and United Presbyterian churches united to form the United Free Church. Though St Columba's minister and the majority of its office-holders and members joined the United Free Church, some members of St Columba's joined the continuing Free Church. Most would go on to form St Columba's Free Church, which met in the former St John's Free Church buildings on Johnston Terrace in the Old Town.[10][11]
The union and schism of 1900 embroiled the congregation in the legal battle over whether the United Free Church or the continuing remnant of the Free Church had rights to the former Free Church's assets. After a decision of the
In 1910, the council announced a new concert venue – the Usher Hall – would occupy a site neighbouring St Columba's. The congregation petitioned the council against the construction of the hall on the grounds it would obstruct light from the church. Although the petition was unsuccessful, the congregation gained an undertaking that no new buildings would be constructed between the church and the Usher Hall.[15][16]
33 men of the congregation died in the
Union: 1929–1948
In 1929, the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland had united. The established Gaelic congregation, St Oran's, and St Columba's were now both within the same denomination. From 1930, church authorities initiated moves to unite the two congregations.[17][18] In this period, English was also becoming the predominant language of worship. From 1931, the English service, which had been conducted in the hall was moved to church buildings on Sunday morning with the Gaelic service taking place in the afternoon.[15]
Attempts to unite St Oran's and St Columba's were often fraught. Members of St Oran's unsuccessfully proposed that both congregations leave their buildings and use the Queen Street Church or that both unite with
We represent a minority in the
Macdonalds. St Oran's were recruited mainly from Argyll, with a large predominance of Campbells, Shaws, and Macdougals. The struggle between the two congregations has been going on for at least a century. St Columba's congregation walked out in 1842, [sic] and since then there has been intermittent litigation as to the return of the funds and property. Thirty years ago we got the last of our property back. We feel we have nothing in common with the people of St Columba's.[18]
Following the General Assembly's intervention, the two congregations united on 4 July 1948.[19][20] The united congregation adopted the name "Highland Church" and used the St Columba's buildings. Like its predecessors, the united congregation had no territorial parish but a charge to all Gaelic-speakers in Edinburgh.[21]
Last years and legacy
By 1951, the English service was more popular than the Gaelic.[22] By this period, Tollcross and the Old Town were – like most of central Edinburgh – experiencing population decline and, with it, a lessening demand for church accommodation. In this context, the presbytery concluded Gaelic worship could be continued effectively if the Gaelic congregation united with an English-speaking parish church. The united Gaelic congregation continued for only 8 years before uniting with Tolbooth St John's, nearby in the Old Town.[21]
The united congregation used Tolbooth St John's building at
John MacLeod, the last minister of the Highland Church became the first minister of the united charge of Highland, Tolbooth, St John's.[21] Since Highland, Tolbooth, St John's united with Greyfriars Kirk in 1979, the latter congregation has held a weekly Gaelic service, maintaining St Oran's tradition of Gaelic worship in Edinburgh.[21][24]
Ministers
The following ministers served the Gaelic Free Church, Lothian Road Gaelic Free Church, St Columba's Gaelic Free Church, St Columba's Gaelic United Free Church, St Columba's Gaelic Church, and the Highland Church:[25][26][27]
1843–1849 James Noble
1849–1886 Thomas McLauchlan
1884–1895 Peter Macfarlane Macfarlane
1897–1930 Malcolm MacLennan
1931–1948 Angus MacMillan
1949–1956 John MacLeod
Building
St Columba's was designed in the
Ahead of the construction, Lord Breadalbane gifted 14,000 slates from Easdale and the women of the congregation raised funds for furnishings, including a clock.[28] A renovation of 1893 included the addition of extra accommodation in the gallery, a hot water heating system, and new lighting.[10] An organ was added in 1924 and extensive repairs, including the installation of electric lighting, were undertaken in 1928.[26]
Following the
Plate
Ahead of the Free congregation's move to Cambridge Street, new plate was among items purchased with funds raised by women of the congregation.[28] In 1844, the congregation was gifted a baptismal bowl, followed by two silver communion cups in 1855.[33]
References
Notes
Citations
- ^ Dunlop 1988, pp. 101-102.
- ^ Pinkerton 2019, p. 29.
- ^ a b Dunlop 1988, p. 104.
- ^ MacKay in MacLeod 1951, pp. 18-19.
- ^ Pinkerton 2019, pp. 36-37.
- ^ a b MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 23.
- ^ Pinkerton 2019, pp. 37-38.
- ^ MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 20.
- ^ "Edinburgh history". fpchurch.org.uk. Archived from the original on 27 May 2022. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ a b MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 24.
- ^ Dunlop 1988, p. 470.
- ^ McKenzie in MacLeod 1951, pp. 24, 34.
- ^ Dunlop 1988, p. 105.
- ^ Pinkerton 2020, p. 36.
- ^ a b c d MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 25.
- ^ "History". usherhall.co.uk. Archived from the original on 7 April 2022.
- ^ a b Pinkerton 2020, p. 37.
- ^ a b c "Church Feud in Edinburgh: Case Referred to General Assembly". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 5 May 1948. p. 3.
- ^ Scott 1950, p. 8.
- ^ Lamb 1961, p. 41.
- ^ a b c d e Dunlop 1988, p. 106.
- ^ MacLeod in MacLeod 1951, p. 3.
- ^ "Our History". traverse.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Gaelic Worship". greyfriarskirk.com. Archived from the original on 22 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
- ^ Ewing 1914, ii p. 9.
- ^ a b Lamb 1956, p. 27.
- ^ Lamb 1961, p. 37.
- ^ a b c MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 21.
- ^ "Edinburgh, Cambridge Street, Gaelic Free Church". canmore.org.uk. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
- ^ "Highland Tolbooth Church - WW1". iwm.org.uk. Archived from the original on 21 December 2018. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
- ^ MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 26.
- ^ MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 27.
- ^ MacKay in MacLeod 1951, p. 22.
Bibliography
- Dunlop, A. Ian (1988). The Kirks of Edinburgh: 1560–1984. Scottish Record Society. ISBN 0902054104.
- Ewing, William (1914). The Annals of the Free Church of Scotland. T. & T. Clark.
- Lamb, John Alexander
- The Fasti of the United Free Church of Scotland: 1900-1929. Oliver and Boyd. 1956.
- Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation: Volume IX: Ministers of the Church from the Union of the Churches, 2nd October 1929, to 31 December 1954. Oliver and Boyd. 1961.
- MacDonald, Donald Farquhar MacLeod (1981). Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation: Volume X: Ministers of the Church from 1 January 1955 to 31 December 1975. The Saint Andrew Press. ISBN 0715204955.
- MacLeod, John, ed. (1951). Ceud Bliadhna (A Hundred Years): Edinburgh Highland Church: Cambridge Street: 1851-1951. John Baxter & Son, Ltd.
- MacKay, W. J., "History of the Highland Church by Mr W. J. MacKay, F.S.A. (Scot.), Edinburgh"
- MacKenzie, B., "St Columba's: Reminisces by Miss B. MacKenzie"
- MacLeod, John, "Introduction"
- Pinkerton, Roy M.
- Edinburgh's Gaelic Congregations: 1769–2019. Greyfriars Kirk. 2019.
- Threads in a Tapestry: The Greyfriars Congregations. ClaroPrint. 2020.