North Leith Parish Church: Difference between revisions

'''North Leith Parish Church''' iswas a [[:wikt:congregation|congregation]] of the [[Church of Scotland]], within the [[Presbytery of Edinburgh]]. It is servesserved part of [[Leith]], formerly an independent [[burgh]] and since 1920 a part of the city of [[Edinburgh]], [[Scotland]].

The current building in Madeira Street (atopposite 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]]), above which is a clock tower surmounted by a slender [[spire]]. A [[pipe organ]] (by Wadsworth of [[Manchester]]) was added in 1880. The building was damaged by bombing during [[World War II]] (in 1941), but was repaired by 1950. It is a category A [[listed building]].<ref name=lbr>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB27134|desc=51 Madeira Street, North Leith Parish Church with Burial Enclosure, Hall and Beadle's House, (1a Madeira Place) Gates, Railings and Boundary Wall; EH6 4AX|cat=A|access-date=18 March 2019}}</ref> The church was designed to accommodate 1300 people.<ref>1854 OS map</ref>

The associated manse (presumablybuilt alsoin by1825 Burnwhen 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]].<ref>OS maps 1845 to 1945</ref>

[[File:St Ninian's Manse.jpg|thumb|250px|St Ninian's Manse incorporates the tower of the 17th-century former parish church.]]

The church connection dates to 1128, when King [[David I of Scotland]] granted lands for the construction of [[Holyrood Abbey]]. In 1493 Robert Bellenden, [[Abbot of Holyrood]], built St Ninian's Chapel on the north-west bank of the [[Water of Leith]], on lands owned by the Abbey.<ref name=ninian>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB27395|desc=3-9 Quayside Street, Quayside Mills (Mcgregor & Co) incorporating former Manse, remains of St Ninian's Church, Tenement, Granary and Mill; EH6 6EJ|cat=A|access-date=18 March 2019|fewer-links=yes}}</ref> The small chapel was subsequently rebuilt after the [[Scottish Reformation|Reformation]]. The replacement church opened in 1586, and later became the parish church of North Leith, which was created a ''[[Quoad sacra parish|quoad omnia]]'' parish, i.e. a civil and sacred [[parish]], by a resolution of the [[Parliament of Scotland]] 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.<ref name=ninian/> In the old churchyard of St.Ninians stands the altar tomb of [[Thomas Gladstones]] (1732 - 1809), a prosperous Leith merchant, and the grandfather of the famous Prime Minister [[William Ewart Gladstone]]. Thomas Gladstones was a church elder for the 'Hill' district of Leith for over 40 years.<ref>Russell, John, ''The Story of Leith'', Edinburgh, 1922, p.177.</ref>

*[[Andrew Fairfoul]] 1641 to 1652 -– became [[Archbishop of Glasgow]]

*[[John Knox (rebel minister)|John Knox]] 1653 to 1662 (preached at the nearby Citadel when displaced by Cromwell's soldiers)

*[[Thomas Wilkie]] 1672 to 16871682 translated to [[St Giles Cathedral|Tolbooth, St Giles]]

*Reverend Dr Kenneth S. Baird (2003–2009).<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

*Reverend Alexander McAspurren (2011-20192011–2019), who was previously minister of one of the two Church of Scotland congregations in [[Corby]], [[Northamptonshire]].,<ref name="ReferenceA">Church of Scotland Yearbook 2010-2011 edition, {{ISBN|978-0-86153-610-8}}</ref> demitted his charge in early 2019 to become minister of the linked parishes of [[Craigmillar Park Church]] and Reid Memorial, Edinburgh.

[[Category:Rebuilt churches in the United KingdomScotland]]