Scots Kirk, Kandy Explained

Presbyterian Church, Kandy
Other Name:Scots Kirk
Pushpin Map:Sri Lanka
Pushpin Label Position:right
Coordinates:7.2961°N 80.6372°W
Location:127 D. S. Senanayake Street, Kandy, Sri Lanka
Denomination:Church of Scotland
Status:Church
Functional Status:Active
Architectural Type:Gothic
Heritage Designation:Archaeological protected monument
Diocese:International Presbytery
Priest:Saman Perera
Website:https://scotskirk.lk/

Scots Kirk (Sinhala; Sinhalese: ස්කොට්ලන්ත කර්ක්) or Presbyterian Church, Kandy, is Presbyterian church, located at 127 D. S. Senanayake Street (formerly Trincomalee Street), Kandy.[1]

The church was established by the Church of Scotland in 1845.[2] [3] The construction of the church was funded from donations collected by Scottish planters and managers from surrounding coffee estates.

Robert Smith was the chaplain of Scots Kirk from 1856[4] and was replaced by George Washington Sprott, who served from 1857 to 1864.[5] Sprott was succeeded by John Watt,[6] who was followed by Edmond Steuart Russell, the chaplain from 1903 to 1909[7] and then John Faulds from 1909 to 1920.[8] [9] The chaplain from 1927 to ?? was John Macara.

On 15 April 1863 the church combined with St. Andrew's Scots Kirk in Colombo, to form the Presbytery of Ceylon. In 1954 both churches formed the Presbytery of Lanka. The Scots Kirk continues to operate as part of the Church of Scotland, under the jurisdiction of the International Presbytery.[10]

On 8 July 2005 it was formally included as an 'Archaeological Protected Monument' by the government.[11]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Book: A Guide to Kandy, with Maps: A Handbook of Information, Useful Alike to the Visitor and the Resident. Skeen, George J. A.. A. M. & J. Ferguson. 1909. 40.
  2. Web site: Presbyterian Church (Kandy). Ministry of Justice (Sri Lanka). 21 September 2021.
  3. Web site: Sri Lanka - (Asia). Reformed Online (Reformiert). 21 September 2021.
  4. Allen's Indian Mail and Register of Intelligence for British & Foreign India, China, & All Parts of the East. 14. William H. Allen. London. 1856. 306.
  5. Book: George Sprott and the Revival of Worship in Scotland. The Church Service Society .
  6. Book: The Church of Scotland Year Book. Church of Scotland. General Assembly. 1885. 166.
  7. Book: Ceylon Blue Book. Ceylon Registrar-General's Department (Ceylon). Government Printer. South Africa. 1907. Q2.
  8. Book: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ: The Succession of Ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation. 7. Scott, Hew. Oliver and Boyd. 1928.
  9. Book: Ceylon Blue Book. Ceylon Registrar-General's Department (Ceylon). Government Printer. South Africa. 1915. Q2.
  10. Book: The Scottish Experience in Asia, c.1700 to the Present: Settlers and Sojourners. Devine, T. M.. McCarthy, Angela. Springer. 2016. 202. 9783319430744.
  11. Gazette. 8 July 2005. The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. 1401.