The Churches of Britain and Ireland

  Edinburgh: Old Town

Edinburgh Old Town on Wikipedia.


Augustine United Church on George IV Bridge. NT 2571 7338. © Bill Henderson. This must surely be the same church as that listed in Pevsner as Augustine Bristo Congregational Church - it's certainly labelled as Congregational on older maps. Another view, © Steve Bulman (2022). Link.

Canongate Church (1691, CoS, open daily in summer). © Steve Bulman. Two interior view - 1, 2, both © Charles Clegg (2012). Link.

Carrubbers Christian Centre (non-denominational) on High Street. © Alan Craxford. Link.

The ruins of the Chapel Royal, better known today as Holyrood Abbey. From an old postcard in Steve Bulman's Collection. A modern view, and another view, both © Alan Craxford.

The former Charlotte Street Baptist Chapel on Rose Street. Pevsner dates it to 1908, on the site of a Georgian predecessor. It's now in use as a theatre (Wikipedia article). The congregation moved to the former St. George West (re-named as Charlotte Chapel), for which see the main Edinburgh page, Western New Town section. NT 2482 7378. © Steve Bulman (2022).

The former Cowgate Free Church (1859-60), now a nightclub. It has also been a theatre. © Janet Gimber (2012).

The former Cowgatehead Free Church (1861- date-stone) on Cowgate, now in use as a clinic. NT 2557 7342. Both © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

Cranston House, on the Royal Mile, was formerly the Canongate Christian Institute. © Alan Craxford. Link.

The former Edinburgh Canongate Salvation Army Hall, now the Museum of Childhood, on the Royal Mile. © Rob Brettle.

Built as the Free High Church (1845-50), the building on Mound Place is now the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland, and Theological College. © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

Greyfriars Church (1614 and 1718, CoS, open daily) on Candlemaker Row. NT 2564 7327. © Bill Henderson. Interior view, © Charles Clegg (2012). Two more views - 1, 2, the grave marker of Greyfriars Bobby, two interiors - 1, 2, and two windows - 1, 2, all © Steve Bulman (2022). Link.

Holyrood Free Church (now a gallery). © Steve Bulman.

The former Lady Yester's Church (1805) on Infirmary Street, now used by the university as its carpentry division. It stands near to the site of the original church (1647) which was built on the site of the Blackfriar's Monastery. The 1647 building was damaged by Cromwell's army in 1650. Janet suspects that the building at the left of the photo was a New Jerusalem Church - can you confirm? © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

Magdalen Chapel on Cowgate. Built in 1541 as an almshouse and guild chapel, it is now the HQ of the Scottish Reformation Society (link). Restored in 1992-3. Interior view. The panels around the walls records gifts of charity. All © Janet Gimber (2012). Link1. Link2.

The former Martyr's United Free Church on George IV Bridge, now a pub. Pevsner in 1984 lists it as Elim Pentecostal Church, originally Reformed Presbyterian of 1859. NT 2567 7335. © Janet Gimber (2012).

New North Free Church (now a theatre) stands at the junction of Bristo Place and Forrest Road. NT 2574 7322. © Steve Bulman. By 2022 it had  benefitted from a clean. © Steve Bulman (2022).

Old St. Paul's (Episcopal), Jeffrey Street. NT 25966 73767. © Bill Henderson. Two additional views - 1, 2, both © Steve Bulman (2019). Link1. Link2.

Baden Powell House on Victoria Street is a former Primitive Methodist Chapel, of 1866 (source). The same source mentions that the congregation had previously met in Phoenix Hall, but I haven't been able to locate it. Circa NT 2560 7351. © Steve Bulman (2022).

Quaker Meeting House on Victoria Terrace, © Alastair Cameron. Another view, taken from West Bow. © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

The former Robertson Memorial Church on Grassmarket, now in secular use. NT 2529 7335. © Steve Bulman. Category B listed, wherein it's dated to 1884.

A distant view of the long ruinous St. Anthony's Chapel at NT 2755 7370, above St. Margaret's Loch. © Howard Richter (2013). Link1. Link2. A sketch (on the Tate website) by Turner dated 1834 shows it little different to how it appears today.

St. Columba (Free Church,1845) on Johnston Terrace. © Bill Henderson. Two further views - 1, 2, both © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

St. Columba's-by-the-Castle on Johnston Terrace (Scottish Episcopal). © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

The former St. Francis (R.C.) on Lothian Street. Now Jericho House, a care home run by the Jericho Benedictine Society. According to Pevsner, the frontage dates from 1834, though the church itself dates from a re-build of 1937. © Janet Gimber (2012).

St. Giles, from an old postcard in Steve Bulman's Collection. A modern view. © David Nicholson. Another view. © Alan Craxford.

The former St. John (CoS, 1838-40) on Victoria Street, now in commercial use. Severely damaged in a fire in 2009 (link). NT 2555 7348. © Janet Gimber (2012). Another view, © Steve Bulman (2019). Link. Canmore entry. Grade B listed.

St. Patrick (R.C.) on Cowgate. © Steve Bulman.

Former Salvation Army Slum Post on Johnston Terrace (the blue door and the floor above the Castle Arms). © Rob Brettle. Rob advises that this is a rare survival - most Slum Posts having been demolished along with the slums they were intended to serve.

The former Tolbooth Church (1842-5) on Castlehill. Designed by J. G. Graham, and A. W. N. Pugin, it was built as Victoria Hall to house the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meetings, and as a church for the Tolbooth congregation. It ceased to be used by the General Assembly in 1929 but continued in use as a church. From 1956 until the 1980's it was known as the Highland Tolbooth St. John's Church. Now used as offices and a cafe, and for performances during the Edinburgh Festival, it was re-named "The Hub" in 1999. © Bill Henderson. Another view, © Janet Gimber (2012). Link.

Tron Church on High Street, now disused and serving as a visitor's information centre. NT 2593 7363. © Steve Bulman (2006). By 2022 it was housing a number of art and craft stalls. Two interior views - 1, 2, both © Steve Bulman (2022). Link.

The Vennel, the former Salvation Army Hall in Grassmarket, is now part of the Edinburgh School of Art. © Rob Brettle.

This former church building is on Holyrood Road. Jean Walker advised that it has a plaque on it identifying it as the "Old Kirk". Glen Jones has further added that it is also known as the Great Kirk, and was built in 1881 for a congregation which had previously used St. Giles. It ceased use as a church in 1944, when the church and its adjacent hall were purchased by Moray House (part of Edinburgh University) who converted it to use as the Music and Educational Handwork departments in 1949. It has also served to house Moray House's Building Services, but has stood empty for some years.

 

 
 

Home

04 March 2023

© Steve Bulman

Contact Details