The

Kirk Kirk is a Scottish and former Northern English word meaning "church". It is often used specifically of the Church of Scotland. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it. Basic meaning and etymology As a common noun, ''kirk' ...

of the Canongate, or Canongate Kirk, serves the

Parish A parish is a territorial entity in many Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest, often termed a parish priest, who might be assisted by one or ...

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Old Town, Edinburgh, Edinburgh's ...

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

, in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to ...

. It is a

congregation A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship. Congregation may also refer to: *Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship *Congregation (Roman Curia), an administra ...

of the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Reformation of 1560, when it split from the Catholic Church ...

. The parish includes the

Palace of Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly referred to as Holyrood Palace or Holyroodhouse, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh ...

and the

Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyr ...

. It is also the parish church of

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

, even though the castle is detached from the rest of the parish. The wedding of

Zara Phillips Zara Anne Elizabeth Tindall (''née'' Phillips; born 15 May 1981) is a British equestrian, an Olympian, and the daughter of Anne, Princess Royal, and Captain Mark Phillips. She is the niece of King Charles III and is 20th in the line of suc ...

, the Queen's granddaughter, and former

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

rugby Rugby may refer to: Sport * Rugby football in many forms: ** Rugby league: 13 players per side *** Masters Rugby League *** Mod league *** Rugby league nines *** Rugby league sevens *** Touch (sport) *** Wheelchair rugby league ** Rugby union: 1 ...

captain Mike Tindall took place at the church on 30 July 2011. The late

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...

used to attend services in the church on some of her frequent visits to Edinburgh.

History

Background

After the Reformation the congregation of the

continued to use

Holyrood Abbey Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Ref ...

for worship. However, in September 1672 the Privy Council forbade its continuing use, such that the King might utilise the structure as a Chapel Royal. The congregation were instructed to use Lady Yester's Church while a new church was constructed.

Foundation

Detail of embroidery in Canongate Kirk explaining the origin of the church

Interior, including organ, Canongate Kirk

On 28 June 1687, James VII dispatched a letter from

Windsor Castle Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is strongly associated with the English and succeeding British royal family, and embodies almost a millennium of architectural history. The original c ...

to the

Privy Council of Scotland The Privy Council of Scotland ( — 1 May 1708) was a body that advised the Scottish monarch. In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of m ...

with an order that

be repurposed as a

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

chapel for the newly founded

Order of the Thistle The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle is an order of chivalry associated with Scotland. The current version of the Order was founded in 1687 by King James VII of Scotland, who asserted that he was reviving an earlier Order. The O ...

.Gray 1940, p. 73. The repurposing of Holyrood Abbey necessitated the removal of the

congregation, who had used the nave of the abbey as a

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

since the

Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...

. The Privy Council ordered the

Town Council A town council, city council or municipal council is a form of local government for small municipalities. Usage of the term varies under different jurisdictions. Republic of Ireland Town Councils in the Republic of Ireland were the second ti ...

to hand over the keys of Holyrood Abbey and to accommodate the congregation in Lady Yester's until a new church could be built in the

.Gray 1940, p. 74.Dunlop 1988, p. 84. The parishioners successfully petitioned the King to divert a mortification of Thomas Moodie of Sachtenhall towards defraying the costs of construction. Moodie’s arms now grace the facade of the church.Gray 1940, p. 75. Moodie,

treasurer A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The significant core functions of a corporate treasurer include cash and liquidity management, risk management, and corporate finance. Government The treasury ...

of Edinburgh and a

Covenanter Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from '' Covena ...

, had made an initial bequest of 20,000

merks The merk is a long-obsolete Scottish silver coin. Originally the same word as a money mark of silver, the merk was in circulation at the end of the 16th century and in the 17th century. It was originally valued at 13 shillings 4 pence (exactly o ...

in 1649 to construct a new church in the

Grassmarket The Grassmarket is a historic market place, street and event space in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland. In relation to the rest of the city it lies in a hollow, well below surrounding ground levels. Location The Grassmarket is located direct ...

. The town council obtained permission to divert the money. Suggestions for its use included a peal of bells for St Giles', a

tolbooth A tolbooth or town house was the main municipal building of a Scottish burgh, from medieval times until the 19th century. The tolbooth usually provided a council meeting chamber, a court house and a jail. The tolbooth was one of three esse ...

above the West Port, and a

stipend A stipend is a regular fixed sum of money paid for services or to defray expenses, such as for scholarship, internship, or apprenticeship. It is often distinct from an income or a salary because it does not necessarily represent payment for work p ...

for the minister of Lady Yester's.Gray 1940, p. 75. None of these proposals came to fruition and the mortification accumulated until John Paterson,

bishop of Edinburgh The Bishop of Edinburgh, or sometimes the Lord Bishop of Edinburgh is the ordinary of the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh. Prior to the Reformation, Edinburgh was part of the Diocese of St Andrews, under the Archbishop of St Andrews a ...

procured a letter from the King ordering the mortification to be diverted towards constructing an episcopal palace and chapel. Yet, on 15 May 1688, the Earl of Perth,

Lord Chancellor of Scotland The Lord Chancellor of Scotland, formally the Lord High Chancellor, was a Great Officer of State in the Kingdom of Scotland. Holders of the office are known from 1123 onwards, but its duties were occasionally performed by an official of lower s ...

presented the Privy Council with a letter from the King, informing them that money was to be diverted towards a church in the Canongate.Gray 1940, p. 76. A site was chosen at the north side of the Canongate and James Smith was engaged as architect. The congregation returned from Lady Yester's and occupied the new church from its completion in 1691. The cost of construction was estimated at 34,000 merks.Wright 1956, p. 79.

18th century

In 1741, George Whitfield preached in the church at the invitation of James Walker, the minister of the first charge. In 1748, Whitfield preached twice in the Canongate Kirk, accompanied by Ralph Erskine.Wright 1956, p. 82. In 1745, during the ministry of

Hugh Blair Hugh Blair FRSE (7 April 1718 – 27 December 1800) was a Scottish minister of religion, author and rhetorician, considered one of the first great theorists of written discourse. As a minister of the Church of Scotland, and occupant of the Ch ...

, the army of

Charles Edward Stuart Charles Edward Louis John Sylvester Maria Casimir Stuart (20 December 1720 – 30 January 1788) was the elder son of James Francis Edward Stuart, grandson of James II and VII, and the Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Scotland and ...

occupied Edinburgh and the Canongate. The session meetings were disrupted and the Jacobite army used the church to hold prisoners from the

Battle of Prestonpans The Battle of Prestonpans, also known as the Battle of Gladsmuir, was fought on 21 September 1745, near Prestonpans, in East Lothian, the first significant engagement of the Jacobite rising of 1745. Jacobite forces, led by the Stuart exile C ...

.Blair 1956, p. 83. By the late 18th century, the church had become overcrowded and, in 1792, a

chapel of ease A chapel of ease (or chapel-of-ease) is a church building other than the parish church, built within the bounds of a parish for the attendance of those who cannot reach the parish church conveniently. Often a chapel of ease is deliberately bu ...

was constructed in Leith Wynd. A further chapel of ease was constructed at the foot of New Street in 1792. The trade incorporations of the Canongate supported the construction and were rewarded with the right to nominate its minister.Gray 1940, p. 77.

19th century

Decline

During the visit to Scotland of

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from the death of his father, King George III, on 29 January 1820, until his own death ten y ...

, the commissioners to the

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body.''An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland'' by A. Gordon McGillivray, ...

met in the church before processing to meet the King at Holyroodhouse.Gray 1940, p. 81. Yet, during the 19th century, the church’s connection with royalty appeared to be in decline. From the

, the

Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...

served as one of the church's

patrons Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

; but this connection ceased shortly after the

lost its status as a separate

burgh A burgh is an autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland and Northern England, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Bur ...

in 1856.Wright 1956, p. 122. The Royal Almoner distributed alms to poor Highlanders in the church during the summer months; yet this tradition ceased during the early years of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 216 days was longer than that of any previ ...

's reign. The burgh council worshipped in the church each

Midsummer Midsummer is a celebration of the season of summer usually held at a date around the summer solstice. It has pagan pre-Christian roots in Europe. The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr ...

; but this too had ceased by the early 20th century. 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 New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

.Wright 1956, p. 93. and Walter Buchanan, minister from 1789 to 1832, described his parish thus: By the mid-19th century, migration of

s from Ireland had further changed the character of the Canongate. The Canongate's minister between 1845 and 1867, Andrew R. Bonar, calculated that, in the parish, there were 411 families, of whom only 45 were attached to any Reformed communion, 70 were Roman Catholics, and 296 were unconnected with any church.

Revival

At the

Disruption of 1843 The Disruption of 1843, also known as the Great Disruption, was a schism in 1843 in which 450 evangelical ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland to form the Free Church of Scotland. The main conflict was over whether the Church of S ...

the minister and almost all of the congregation of the Canongate Kirk remained within the established church.Dunlop 1988, p. 55. The minister and most of the congregation of the Leith Wynd Chapel, which had been erected a parish quoad sacra in 1834, joined the

Free Church A free church is a Christian denomination that is intrinsically separate from government (as opposed to a state church). A free church does not define government policy, and a free church does not accept church theology or policy definitions fro ...

and the chapel closed. The New Street chapel was erected a parish quoad sacra in 1867 but no minister was appointed and the church was abolished in 1884. 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 Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. ''Liturgy'' can also be used to refer specifically to public worship by Christians. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and partic ...

revival in 19th-century Scottish

Presbyterianism Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their n ...

. Bonar introduced hymn-singing and a choir to the Canongate Kirk; a

pipe organ The pipe organ is a musical instrument that produces sound by driving pressurized air (called ''wind'') through the organ pipes selected from a keyboard. Because each pipe produces a single pitch, the pipes are provided in sets called ''ranks' ...

, one of the first in the Church of Scotland, was introduced in 1874. In 1863, fire damaged the church and probably destroyed the Canongate records, which had been organised and bound during the ministry of John Lee.Wright 1956, p. 91. 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 session's request, the American evangelists,

Ira D. Sankey Ira David Sankey (August 28, 1840 – August 13, 1908) was an American gospel singer and composer, known for his long association with Dwight L. Moody in a series of religious revival campaigns in America and Britain during the closing decades o ...

and Dwight L. Moody, held a series of meetings in the church during their 1874 visit to Scotland. Despite the protests of the Canongate's session, the area of the parish was reduced in 1882, when the Old Kirk congregation, who had vacated St Giles' in 1869, erected a new church at the foot of St John Street. The Old Kirk congregation was transported to Pilton in 1940 and the historic parish of the Canongate was restored.

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.Dunlop 1988, p. 58. White's ministry encompassed the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, during which, every available man on the Canongate signed up and 90 members of the congregation lost their lives.Wright 1988, p. 137. White died shortly after his demission and was succeeded by Ronald Selby Wright in 1937. The same year,

George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of I ...

gave the church a

Christmas tree A Christmas tree is a decorated tree, usually an evergreen conifer, such as a spruce, pine or fir, or an artificial tree of similar appearance, associated with the celebration of Christmas. The custom was further developed in early modern ...

from Balmoral: the monarch has given a Christmas tree to the Canongate Kirk every year since.Wright 1956, p. 141. At the church's 250th anniversary in 1938, Wright announced plans to renovate the church. These plans were interrupted by the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. During the War, Wright served as a military chaplain. Locum ministers and their assistants were provided from the

Iona Community The Iona Community, founded in 1938 by George MacLeod, is an ecumenical Christian community of men and women from different walks of life and different traditions within Christianity. It and its publishing house, Wild Goose Publications, are hea ...

George MacLeod George Fielden MacLeod, Baron MacLeod of Fuinary, (17 June 1895 – 27 June 1991) was a Scottish soldier and clergyman; he was one of the best known, most influential and unconventional Church of Scotland ministers of the 20th century. He ...

, who set up a mainland headquarters for the community in the Canongate

manse A manse () is a clergy house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist and other Christian traditions. Ultimately derived from the Latin ''mansus'', "dwelling", from ' ...

. Forty members of the congregation died during the war. The interior renovation began in 1947 with the visit of

Queen Elizabeth Queen Elizabeth, Queen Elisabeth or Elizabeth the Queen may refer to: Queens regnant * Elizabeth I (1533–1603; ), Queen of England and Ireland * Elizabeth II (1926–2022; ), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms * Queen ...

and

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth ...

on 17 July. Although the church had always had a royal pew, this was the first ever visit by royalty to the church. This royal connection was cemented on 25 June 1952, when the Queen visited the church during her first visit to Scotland as monarch. This was the first ever visit to the church by a reigning monarch and the Queen and other senior royals have since paid regular visits to the church for worship.Wright 1956, p. 144. On 30 July 2011, the church hosted the wedding of the Queen's granddaughter,

to Mike Tindall. At the turn of the 20th century, Grey Graham had described the Canongate as "the centre of dirt and poverty and squalor".Wright 1956, p. 135. Yet, from the 1950s, the area was sympathetically redeveloped, culminating in the opening of the

Scottish Parliament Building ; sco, Scots Pairlament Biggin , native_name_lang = , former_names = , alternate_names = Holyrood , image = Scottish Parliament building - geograph.org.uk - 2469654.jpg , image_alt = , caption ...

in 2004; the presence of the

University of Edinburgh The University of Edinburgh ( sco, University o Edinburgh, gd, Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann; abbreviated as ''Edin.'' in post-nominals) is a public research university based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Granted a royal charter by King James VI in 1 ...

in the area also increased. 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.

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

, first placed on the apex of the roof in 1824 and replaced by those from a stag shot at Balmoral by

King George VI George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...

in 1949. The Kirk's interior has a cruciform layout (highly unusual for a post-Reformation, pre-Victorian Church of Scotland building). The Kirk's interior was extensively remodelled in 1882, with the inclusion of a pipe organ and a central pulpit. These unsympathetic alterations were removed in the early 1950s, along with the galleries. The resulting reordering considerably increased the levels of light; the original dignified simplicity of the Kirk was able to be appreciated once more. The Kirk was further restored in 1991 by the Stewart Todd partnership, followed by the installation of a new Danish-built Frobenius

in 1998, in memory of the late Very Rev Dr Ronald Selby Wright. This was the 1000th organ to be built by the Frobenius company. RoyalPew

A Royal Pew, as well as a Castle Pew, can be found in the front row of the church. Adam Smith outside the Canongate Kirk

The

Canongate Churchyard The Canongate Kirkyard ( en, Churchyard) stands around Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland. The churchyard was used for burials from the late 1680s until the mid-20th century. The most celebrated burials at the kirkyard are ...

is the resting place of several Edinburgh notables including the economist

Adam Smith Adam Smith (baptized 1723 – 17 July 1790) was a Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the thinking of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment. Seen by some as "The Father of Economics"——� ...

, the philosopher and Smith's biographer

Dugald Stewart Dugald Stewart (; 22 November 175311 June 1828) was a Scottish philosopher and mathematician. Today regarded as one of the most important figures of the later Scottish Enlightenment, he was renowned as a populariser of the work of Francis Hut ...

, Agnes Maclehose (the "Clarinda" of Robert Burns), by tradition David Rizzio, the murdered private secretary of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of S ...

, and the poet Robert Fergusson, whose statue in bronze by

David Annand David (; , "beloved one") (traditional spelling), , ''Dāwūd''; grc-koi, Δαυΐδ, Dauíd; la, Davidus, David; gez , ዳዊት, ''Dawit''; xcl, Դաւիթ, ''Dawitʿ''; cu, Давíдъ, ''Davidŭ''; possibly meaning "beloved one". w ...

stands outside the kirk gate. Bishop James Ramsay is also buried here.

Current work

The Kirk has an active congregation, conducting two worship services each Sunday. A family service at 10am lasting about half an hour is conducted from the King David aisle, the right hand side of the Kirk. During this service, children of all ages enjoy their own stories and activities in the Sunday School. The more formal Parish Worship begins at 11:15am. 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 at the Parish Worship service. The building is also regularly used for concerts. During the annual

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh F ...

, the Kirk is extensively used as a venue for music, as is the Kirk's nearby hall - the "Harry Younger Hall" (which is known as "Venue 13" for the duration of the annual

Edinburgh Festival Fringe The Edinburgh Festival Fringe (also referred to as The Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, or Edinburgh Fringe Festival) is the world's largest arts and media festival, which in 2019 spanned 25 days and featured more than 59,600 performances of 3,841 dif ...

; Venue 13 is run by the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama). The Kirk was previously the regimental chapel of The Royal Scots Regiment of the British Army and is now the regimental chapel of

The Royal Regiment of Scotland The Royal Regiment of Scotland is the senior and only Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular (formerly five) and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an indiv ...

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 The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the minister or elder chosen to moderate (chair) the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, which is held for a week in Edinburgh every year. After chairing the Ass ...

. Very Rev Thomas Wilkie (1645-1711) was the first minister of the Kirk 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 The Royal Society of Edinburgh is Scotland's national academy of science and letters. It is a registered charity that operates on a wholly independent and non-partisan basis and provides public benefit throughout Scotland. It was established i ...

in 1783. Rev

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 1784-1808. He campaigned to end the slave trade and is famous for the painting by

Henry Raeburn Sir Henry Raeburn (; 4 March 1756 – 8 July 1823) was a Scottish portrait painter. He served as Portrait Painter to King George IV in Scotland. Biography Raeburn was born the son of a manufacturer in Stockbridge, on the Water of Leith: a f ...

The Skating Minister ''The Reverend Robert Walker Skating on Duddingston Loch'', better known by its shorter title ''The Skating Minister'', is an oil painting attributed to Henry Raeburn in the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. Because the painting was passed ...

'' which shows Walker skating on Duddingston loch. The Very Reverend Dr Ronald Selby Wright, known as the "Radio Padre" for his famous wartime broadcasts, was minister from 1937 until 1977 and served as Moderator in 1972. Whilst Dr Selby Wright was away on wartime service as an Army Chaplain, the Revd

(later the Very Revd Lord MacLeod of Fuinary, founder of the

and Moderator in 1957) served as locum. Dr Selby Wright was succeeded as minister by the Reverend Charles Robertson LVO MA, who retired in 2005. The current minister (since 22 June 2006) is the Reverend Neil N. Gardner MA BD (who was previously minister at

Alyth Alyth () ( gd, Ailt) is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, northeast of Blairgowrie and about northwest of Dundee. In 2016 the town had an estimated population of 2,400. First mentioned by name in a 12th-century royal charter of William ...

and an Army Chaplain in the

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regime ...

Regiment). The organist and Director of Music is David Goodenough, also Director of Music at Fettes College in Edinburgh. The Kirk Secretary and Events Administrator is Imogen Gibson who works from the Manse office. Canongate Kirk has a small but thriving Sunday School that takes place at the 10am Family Service. Other notable ministers were Rev John Warden (1709-1764), his son, Rev John Warden of Balancleroch

FRSE Fellowship of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) is an award granted to individuals that the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Scotland's national academy of science and letters, judged to be "eminently distinguished in their subject". This soci ...

(1740-1788), a joint founder of the

, and his grandson Rev John Warden of Kirkton (1767-1846). The family changed their surname to McFarlan in 1767. A remarkable three generations in the same role.

Succession since Reformation

*1561 to 1564 - John Craig *1564 to 1600 - John Brand, formerly Canon Brand of

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 Andrew Alexander Bonar (29 May 1810 in Edinburgh – 30 December 1892 in Glasgow) was a minister of the Free Church of Scotland, a contemporary and acquaintance of Robert Murray M'Cheyne and youngest brother of Horatius Bonar. Life He was b ...

*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 William Mitchell may refer to: People Media and the arts * William Mitchell (sculptor) (1925–2020), English sculptor and muralist * William Frederick Mitchell (1845–1914), British naval artist * William M. Mitchell, American writer, minister ...

later 5 times Moderator *1709 to 1741 - John Walker *1743 to 1754 -

(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

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. * Gifford, John; McWilliam, Colin; Walker, David (1984). ''The Buildings of Scotland: Edinburgh''. Penguin Books. * 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. * *

Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS) was an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government that was "sponsored" inanced and with oversightthrough Historic Scotland, an executi ...

(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

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)

* ttp://www.scotcities.com/capital.htm Edinburgh Architecture - The Royal Mile (with original drawing of Canongate Kirk) {{Buildings and Structures in Edinburgh Churches completed in 1691 17th-century churches in the United Kingdom Church of Scotland churches in Edinburgh

Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh Listed churches in Edinburgh 1691 establishments in Scotland