North Leith Parish Church 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 ...

, within the Presbytery of Edinburgh. It is serves part of

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by ''Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

, formerly an independent

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 ...

and since 1920 a part of the city of

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 ...

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 ...

Building

The portico at North Leith Parish Church

The current building in Madeira Street (opposite the junction with Prince Regent Street), Leith, was designed by the architect William Burn and was completed in 1816. It has a notable neo-classical portico (with four large

Ionic columns The Ionic order is one of the three canonic orders of classical architecture, the other two being the Doric and the Corinthian. There are two lesser orders: the Tuscan (a plainer Doric), and the rich variant of Corinthian called the composite o ...

), above which is a clock tower surmounted by a slender

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires a ...

. 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' ...

(by Wadsworth of

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The ...

) was added in 1880. The building was damaged by bombing during

World War II 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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

(in 1941), but was repaired by 1950. It is a category A

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...

. The church was designed to accommodate 1300 people. William Burn was also responsible for several other notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the

Edinburgh Academy The Edinburgh Academy is an independent day school in Edinburgh, Scotland, which was opened in 1824. The original building, on Henderson Row in the city's New Town, is now part of the Senior School. The Junior School is located on Arboretum Ro ...

and John Watson's College (now the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art). The associated manse (built in 1825 when the old manse on Quayside Street was abandoned) and known as "Leith Mount", stood on a substantial plot to the south-east of the church, on Ferry Road. The manse and its gardens and orchards were removed in 1920 to provide the site for Leith Theatre.

History

The church connection dates to 1128, when King

David I of Scotland David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later King of Scotland from 1124 to 1153. The youngest son of Malco ...

granted lands for the construction of

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 ...

. In 1493 Robert Bellenden,

Abbot of Holyrood The Abbot of Holyrood (later Commendator of Holyrood) was the head of the Augustinian monastic community of Holyrood Abbey, now in Edinburgh. The long history of the abbey came to a formal end in July 1606 when the parliament of Scotland turned th ...

, built St Ninian's Chapel on the north-west bank of the Water of Leith, on lands owned by the Abbey. The small chapel was subsequently rebuilt after 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 replacement church opened in 1586, and later became the parish church of North Leith, which was created a '' quoad omnia'' parish, i.e. a civil and sacred

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 ...

, by a resolution of the

Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of Scotland ( sco, Pairlament o Scotland; gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland from the 13th century until 1707. The parliament evolved during the early 13th century from the king's council o ...

in 1606. A Dutch-style tower was added in 1675. The discovery of rot in this building in the 18th century led to extensive renovation and the construction of galleries within the building, but the church remained too small for the congregation, leading to its replacement by the current building in 1816 (then in fields just outside the built-up part of Leith). The Dutch-style tower of the old church still stands, although it was later incorporated into a mill. In the old churchyard of St.Ninians stands the altar tomb of

Thomas Gladstones Thomas Gladstones (3 June 1732 – 12 May 1809) was a Scottish flour merchant and philanthropist. He was the father of Sir John Gladstone and the grandfather of the British prime minister William Ewart Gladstone. Early life Born at the farm of ...

(1732 - 1809), a prosperous Leith merchant, and the grandfather of the famous Prime Minister

William Ewart Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-con ...

. Thomas Gladstones was a church elder for the 'Hill' district of Leith for over 40 years. At the point of 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 ...

North Leith parish was "vacant" (having no fixed minister) which seemed an encouragement to many to leave. North Leith Free Church was built on the corner of Coburg Street and North Junction Street, east of the church. 600 members of the congregation left, together with all the elders. The first minister was Rev William MacKenzie. The church could hold 1000 people. In 1857 Rev Robert MacDonald replaced MacKenzie. He organised the building of a magnificent new free church on Ferry Road, south of the original church. This was completed in 1859 and could hold 1100 people. The 1844 site was redeveloped as tenements. The 1859 church was demolished in 1981. A datestone was salvaged and re-used in the current church halls. North Leith Free Church no longer exists in any form. Rev Robert MacDonald served as

Moderator of the General Assembly The moderator of the General Assembly is the chairperson of a General Assembly, the highest court of a Presbyterian or Reformed church. Kirk sessions and presbyteries may also style the chairperson as moderator. The Oxford Dictionary states t ...

for the Free Church in 1882. North Leith Parish Church united with Bonnington Church in 1968, creating Leith North & Bonnington Church (using the Madeira Street building). In 1982, Leith North & Bonnington Church further united with Leith St Ninian's Ferry Road Church, creating the current congregation with the historic name North Leith Parish Church.

Parish

The parish largely consists of the north-west part of Leith, including the Fort housing scheme, Leith Docks, including the Ocean Terminal shopping centre, the

Royal Yacht Britannia Her Majesty's Yacht ''Britannia'', also known as the Royal Yacht ''Britannia'', is the former royal yacht of the British monarchy. She was in service from 1954 until 1997. She was the 83rd such vessel since King Charles II acceded to the thr ...

and the Scottish Government offices at Victoria Quay.

Ministry

No Presbyterian minister was appointed until 1598 (but there may have been some continuation of the original priests after 1560). The manse was built in 1600 to accommodate the minister. *James Murehead 1598 to 1612 *David Forrester 1613 to 1620 *

Henry Charteris Henry Charteris the younger (1565–1628) was a Scottish minister and Principal of the University of Edinburgh from 1599 to 1620. Life He was the eldest son of Henry Charteris, Printer to the King in Scotland (this status allowed printing of Bibl ...

1620 to 1627 *David Forrester 1627 to 1633 * George Wishart 1638 * Andrew Fairfoul 1641 to 1652 – became Archbishop of Glasgow *

John Knox John Knox ( gd, Iain Cnocc) (born – 24 November 1572) was a Scottish minister, Reformed theologian, and writer who was a leader of the country's Reformation. He was the founder of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. Born in Giffordgat ...

1653 to 1662 (preached at the nearby Citadel when displaced by Cromwell's soldiers) *James Reid 1663 to 1671 * Thomas Wilkie 1672 to 1682 translated to Tolbooth, St Giles *James Hutcheson 1682 to 1687 translated to second charge of Greyfriars Kirk * James Lundie 1687 to 1696 *John Know 1687 to 1688 (assistant to Lundie?) *Andrew Bowie 1697 to 1707 *John Wilson 1708 to 1724 *George Lindsay 1725 to 1764 *Philip Morison, briefly in 1765 * David Johnston 1765 to 1824 * Walter Foggo Ireland 1799 to 1828 (initially as assistant). Both ministers are buried in the old churchyard of St. Ninians. *

James Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...

1828 to 1840 translated to

St Giles Cathedral St Giles' Cathedral ( gd, Cathair-eaglais Naomh Giles), or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town, Edinburgh, Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended ...

*Alexander Davidson 1843 to 1858 *William Smith 1860 to 1877 *Robert Stewart 1877 to 1881 *

Andrew Wallace Williamson Andrew Wallace Williamson KCVO, (29 December 1856 – 10 July 1926) was a Church of Scotland minister who was Dean of the Thistle. He was Moderator of the General Assembly in 1913. Life He was born in Thornhill in Dumfriesshire on 29 Decemb ...

1882 to 1883 *John Hutton McCulloch 1884 to 1912 *James Robertson Sweet 1913 to 1942 *Hugh Osborne Douglas 1942 to 1951 *John Heron Gibson 1952 to 1959 *Andrew Stewart Todd 1960 to 1967 Recent former ministers include:Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ (Volume XI), T & T Clark, Edinburgh, 2000, page 11. *Reverend Douglas Clarke (1968–1979) ''– originally inducted to Leith Bonnington Church in 1965, becoming minister of the united Leith North & Bonnington Church in 1968'' *Reverend William G. Neill (1980–1986) ''– originally inducted to Leith North & Bonnington in 1980, moving to St Andrew's Church,

Ayr Ayr (; sco, Ayr; gd, Inbhir Àir, "Mouth of the River Ayr") is a town situated on the southwest coast of Scotland. It is the administrative centre of the South Ayrshire council area and the historic county town of Ayrshire. With a population ...

, in 1986'' *Reverend Alastair G. C. McGregor QC BD (1987–2002) *Reverend Dr Kenneth S. Baird (2003–2009) *Reverend David H. Logan was minister at St Ninian's Ferry Road Church from 1965 until his retirement in 1982, at which point the congregation united with Leith North & Bonnington. *Reverend Alexander McAspurren (2011–2019), who was previously minister of one of the two Church of Scotland congregations in

Corby Corby is a town in North Northamptonshire, England, located north-east of Northampton. From 1974 to 2021, the town served as the administrative headquarters of the Borough of Corby. At the 2011 United Kingdom census, 2011 Census, the built-up ...

Northamptonshire Northamptonshire (; abbreviated Northants.) is a county in the East Midlands of England. In 2015, it had a population of 723,000. The county is administered by two unitary authorities: North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire. It ...

,Church of Scotland Yearbook 2010-2011 edition, demitted his charge in early 2019 to become minister of the linked parishes of

Craigmillar Park Church Craigmillar Park Church serves Edinburgh's Newington area, in Scotland. It is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. The church building dates from 1879 and the adjacent hall was added in 1899. Building Although the church is without t ...

and Reid Memorial, Edinburgh.

Burial ground

The 1493 church appears to have made use of the ancient burial ground of St Nicholas (around 100m north) until 1656 when the ground was built over to create the Citadel fortress. Nothing survives of this. The burial ground then moved to Coburg Street in 1664 (it is not clear where people were buried from 1656 until 1664). When the new church opened on Madeira Street it had little space for burial and families preferred to be buried with their family members on Coburg Street. The Coburg Street Burial Ground used to reach to the Water of Leith. A number of graves were lost due to the creation of the Water of Leith Walkway on the inner edge of the ground in 1981. The Coburg St burial ground lies slightly detached from the old church, on Coburg Street. Notable interments include: * Robert Nicoll, poet * Rev David Johnston * Colonel Anne Mackintosh, the only female military leader in the Jacobite rebellion *

References

External links

Official website of North Leith Parish Church
{{Buildings and Structures in Edinburgh Church of Scotland churches in Edinburgh Buildings and structures in Leith Category A listed buildings in Edinburgh Listed churches in Edinburgh Protestant churches converted from Roman Catholicism Rebuilt churches in the United Kingdom Churches completed in 1816 19th-century Church of Scotland church buildings