Diocese of Edinburgh explained

55.974°N -3.567°W

Jurisdiction:Diocese
Edinburgh
Local:Sgìre-easbaig Dhùn Èideann
Latin:Dioecesis Edimburgensis
Territory:Edinburgh, Lothian, Borders, Falkirk
Denomination:Scottish Episcopal Church
Province:Scotland
Bishop:John Armes
Dean:Frances Burberry
Cathedral:St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral
Congregations:53
Map:Diocese of Edinburgh.png
Map Alt:Map showing Edinburgh Diocese as a coloured area around the Lothians and the Borders
Website:edinburgh.anglican.org

The Diocese of Edinburgh is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It covers the City of Edinburgh, the Lothians, the Borders and Falkirk. The diocesan centre is St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh. The Bishop of Edinburgh is the Right Revd Dr John Armes.

History

See also: History of the Scottish Episcopal Church. A number of important events took place in the city which put the Edinburgh diocese at the centre of the formation of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Unlike the other dioceses of the Episcopal Church which were inherited from the organisation of the Catholic Church, the Diocese of Edinburgh is a relatively recent creation, having been founded in 1633 by King Charles I, the year of his Scottish coronation. William Forbes was consecrated on 23 January 1634 in St. Giles' Cathedral as the first bishop of Edinburgh.[1]

Forbes died only three months after his consecration and David Lindsay succeeded him as bishop of the nascent episcopal see. At this time, the effects of the Scottish Reformation were taking a new turn and Lindsay, along with all other bishops in Scotland, was deposed in 1638 and the heritage and jurisdiction of the church passed into the hands of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland. A period of great political and ecclesiastical turmoil ensued with the Bishops' Wars and the Wars of the Three Kingdoms engulfing Scotland and England. It was not until the Restoration of the monarchy that the Episcopacy was restored to the Scottish Church and George Wishart was consecrated as the new Bishop of Edinburgh in 1662.

Episcopal rule was short-lived. In 1689 Alexander Rose (bishop 1687-1720) found himself caught up in the Jacobite conflict following the Glorious Revolution. Scottish bishops were under pressure to declare their allegiance to William of Orange over the Stuart King James VII

During an audience with the new King William in 1690, Rose's ambiguous declaration arose royal displeasure:With Jacobite sympathies running throughout the Episcopal wing of the church, the Scottish Episcopalians were disestablished and Presbyterian polity was permanently established in the Church of Scotland. Rose departed from St Giles' Cathedral in 1689 and took with him a number of supporters from the congregation to begin a separate church. They took over a former wool store a short distance down the Royal Mile as a venue for their worship; today, Old St Paul's Church is located on this site, and claims to be the oldest Episcopal congregation in Scotland.[2]

For many years, Edinburgh (like the other Episcopal dioceses in Scotland) had no cathedral church. Gradually, as Non-Jurors and Qualified congregations were reconciled and the penal laws were repealed (1792), the Episcopal Church moved back into the mainstream of Scottish religious life; secret Episcopalian meeting houses were replaced by churches, a number of which served as pro-cathedrals for Edinburgh. By the late nineteenth century, the Diocese of Edinburgh was in a position to build its own cathedral through donations from wealthy benefactors, and in 1874 the foundations were laid for St Mary's Cathedral on Palmerston Place in the West End. This new cathedral, completed in 1879, was designed in the Gothic Revival style by Sir George Gilbert Scott and its three massive spires reaching and can be seen on the western skyline from Princes Street.[3]

The High Kirk of St Giles still stands today on the Royal Mile; while it is commonly referred to as "St Giles' Cathedral" this is an honorary title as, being a Presbyterian church, lacks a cathedra (the throne of a Bishop). Another St Mary's Cathedral also exists in Edinburgh, the Roman Catholic Cathedral which is situated on Picardy Place at the top of Leith Walk.

Area and population

The diocese covers the historic counties of Linlithgowshire, Midlothian, Haddingtonshire, Berwickshire, Peeblesshire, Selkirkshire, Roxburghshire and the Falkirk area of Stirlingshire.

This total population of approximately 1,082,000 gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 21,200 inhabitants and one church to every 20,000 inhabitants.

Notable people

Deans

The most senior appointed priest of the Diocese is the Dean of Edinburgh.[4] The dean fulfils a role similar to that of an archdeacon in other provinces of the Anglican Communion. The head of the diocese's cathedral is titled the Provost.

Churches

The Episcopal cathedral is St Mary's Cathedral, at the West End of the city. Notable Episcopal churches in the Edinburgh diocese include Rosslyn Chapel, popularised by Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code; the Priory Church, South Queensferry, the only medieval Carmelite church still in use in the British Isles; and Old St Paul's, the oldest Episcopal congregation in Scotland.

The diocese currently has 50 stipendiary clergy and 53 churches.Last fully updated 19 September 2018.

BeneficeNameRefClergyRef
Falkirk (Christ Church)
  • Christ Church, Falkirk (1863)
http://www.christchurchfalkirk.org.uk/
  • Rector: Sarah Shaw
[5]
Bo'ness (St Catharine)
  • St Catharine, Bo'ness (1864)
  • Rector: Willie Shaw
[6]
Grangemouth (St Mary)
  • St Mary, Grangemouth (1901)
[7]
Bathgate (St Columba)
  • St Columba, Bathgate (pre-1915)
http://stcolumbasbathgate.org.uk/
  • Rector: Christine Barclay
[8]
Linlithgow (St Peter) http://www.stpeterslinlithgow.co.uk/[9]
Livingston Local Ecumenical Partnership
  • Livingston United Parish Church (1966)
http://www.lupc.org.uk/
  • Ministers: From other denoms
[10]
Dalmahoy (St Mary)
  • St Mary, Dalmahoy (1850)
http://www.stmarysdalmahoy.org.uk/
  • Rector: Christine Downey
[11]
Balerno (St Mungo)
  • St Mungo, Balerno (1869)
http://www.stmungos.org/
  • Rector: Malcolm Round
[12]
Edinburgh (Cathedral of St Mary) https://web.archive.org/web/20150516124453/http://www.cathedral.net/
  • Provost/Rector: John Conway
  • Vice-Provost: John McLuckie
  • NSM: Paul Foster
[13] [14]
Edinburgh (Old St Paul) http://www.osp.org.uk/
  • Rector: Ian Paton
  • Hon. Curate: Charles Davies-Cole
  • Hon. Curate: Colin Reed (see below)
[15]
Edinburgh (St Margaret of Scotland)
  • St Margaret of Scotland, Edinburgh (1877)
http://stmegs.blogspot.co.uk/p/home-page.html
  • Priest-in-Charge: Colin Reed
[16]
Edinburgh (St Columba) https://www.stcolumbasbythecastle.org.uk/
  • Rector: David Paton-Williams
  • Team Vicar: Bob Gould
  • Assoc. Priest (NSM): Alison Wagstaff
[17]
Edinburgh (St John the Evangelist) http://www.stjohns-edinburgh.org.uk/
  • Rector: Markus Dünzkofer
  • Associate Rector: Rosie Addis
  • NSM: Clephane Hume
  • NSM: Eileen Thompson
  • NSM: Kenneth Boyd, Church of Scotland minister delegated from St Cuthbert's Edinburgh to St John's as part of a Local Ecumenical Partnership
[18]
Edinburgh (St Philip and St James)
  • St Philip and St James, Edinburgh (1888)
http://www.stpj.org.uk/
  • Rector: Tembu Rongong
[19]
Edinburgh (St Paul and St George) http://welcome.psandgs.org.uk/
  • Rector: Dave Richards
  • Curate: Libby Talbot
  • Curate: Paul Sawrey
[20]
Edinburgh (St Peter)
  • St Peter, Lutton Place (1807)
http://stpetersedinburgh.org/
  • Rector: Vacant
  • NSM: Robert Halliday
[21]
Edinburgh (St Cuthbert)
  • St Cuthbert, Colinton (1883)
http://stcuthbertscolinton.org.uk/
  • Rector: Nicki McNelly
[22]
Edinburgh (St Ninian)
  • St Ninian, Comely Bank (C19th)
https://www.stninians-edinburgh.org.uk/ [23]
Edinburgh (St Martin of Tours)
  • St Martin of Tours, Gorgie & Dalry (1883)
http://stmartinsedinburgh.org.uk/
  • Rector: Yousouf Gooljary
  • NSM: David Warnes
[24]
Edinburgh (Holy Cross)
  • Holy Cross, Davidson's Mains (1898)
http://www.holycrossedinburgh.org/
  • Rector: Douglas Kornahrens
[25]
Edinburgh (St Fillan)
  • St Fillan, Buckstone (1894)
http://stfillans.org.uk/
  • Rector: Ruth Innes
[26]
Edinburgh (St James the Less)
  • St James the Less, Leith (1863)
http://www.stjamesleith.org/
  • Rector: Stephen Butler
  • NSM: Michael Northcott
  • NSM: Jane MacLaren
  • NSM: Jolyon Mitchell
[27]
Edinburgh (St Barnabas)
  • St Barnabas, Edinburgh (1950)
  • Priest-in-Charge: David Dixon
  • NSM: Alice Anderson
[28]
Edinburgh (Christ Church)
  • Christ Church, Morningside (1876)
http://www.christchurchmorningside.org/ [29]
Edinburgh (Good Shepherd)
  • Good Shepherd, Murrayfield (1899)
http://www.goodshepherdmurrayfield.org.uk/
  • Rector: Dean Fostekew
  • Curate: Rosie Addis
[30]
Edinburgh (St David of Scotland)
  • St David of Scotland, Edinburgh (1941)
http://stdavidepiscopal.org.uk/
  • Rector: Ruth Green
[31]
Edinburgh (St Mark)
  • St Mark, Portobello (1826)
http://stmarksportobello.org/
  • Rector: Sophia Marriage
[32]
Edinburgh (St Salvador)
  • St Salvador, Edinburgh (1934)
http://stsalvadors.org.uk/
  • Priest-in-Charge: Vacant
  • Curate: Mariusz Wojciechowski
[33]
Edinburgh (St Vincent)
  • St Vincent's Chapel, Edinburgh (1857)
http://www.stvincentschapel.org.uk/
  • Priest-in-Charge: Allan Maclean
  • Curate: William Mounsey
Edinburgh (St Michael and All Saints) http://www.stmichaelandallsaints.org/
  • Rector: Martin Robson
  • Curate: John Penman
[34]
Edinburgh (Emmanuel)
  • Emmanuel, Clermiston (1988)
http://www.emmanuelclermiston.org.uk/
  • Rector/Priest-in-C: Terence Harkin
  • NSM (Queensf): Iain MacRobert
[35]
South Queensferry (Priory Church St Mary of Mount Carmel) http://www.priorychurch.com/index.html[36]
Penicuik (St James the Less)
  • St James the Less, Penicuik (1882)
https://stjamesthelesspenicuik.org/
  • Rector: Vacant
  • NSM (Penicuik): Neville Suttle
[37]
West Linton (St Mungo)
  • St Mungo, West Linton (1851)
http://stmungoswestlinton.org.uk/[38]
Roslin (Collegiate Church of St Matthew) http://www.stmatthews-rosslynchapel.org.uk/
  • Priest-in-Charge: Joseph Roulston
[39]
Lasswade (St Leonard)
  • St Leonard, Lasswade & Bonnyrigg (1890)
http://stleonardslasswade.org.uk/
  • Rector: Peter Harris
  • Curate: Jacqui du Rocher
  • NSM: Michael Jones
  • NSM: Elizabeth Jones
  • NSM: Jennie Godfrey
[40]
Dalkeith (St Mary)
  • St Mary, Dalkeith (1843)
http://stmarysdalkeith.org.uk/[41]
Musselburgh (St Peter)
  • St Peter, Musselburgh (1865)
http://www.stpetersmusselburgh.com/
  • Rector: Andy Reid
[42]
Haddington (Holy Trinity)
  • Holy Trinity, Haddington (pre-1770)
http://holytrinityhaddington.co.uk/
  • Rector: Vacant
  • NSM: John Wood
[43]
North Berwick (St Baldred)
  • St Baldred, North Berwick (1861)
  • Rector: Simon Metzner
[44]
Gullane (St Adrian)
  • St Adrian, Gullane (1901)
http://stadrianschurch.org.uk/[45]
Dunbar (St Anne)
  • St Anne, Dunbar (1874)
http://stannesdunbar.org.uk.websitebuilder.prositehosting.co.uk/
  • Rector: Diana Hall
[46]
Peebles (St Peter)
  • St Peter, Peebles (1836)
https://www.stpeterspeebles.org.uk/
  • Rector: Vacant
  • Asst Priest (NSM): Colin Chaplin
  • NSM: Charles Aitchison
[47]
Innerleithen (St Andrew)
  • St Andrew, Innerleithen (1904)
[48]
Galashiels (St Peter)
  • St Peter, Galashiels (1851)
http://stpetersgala.co.uk/
  • Priest-in-Charge: Vacant
  • Hon. Curate (Selkirk): David Sceats
[49]
Selkirk (St John the Evangelist)
  • St John, Selkirk (1867)
http://www.stjohnselkirk.org.uk/[50]
Hawick (St Cuthbert)
  • St Cuthbert, Hawick (1858)
[51]
Melrose (Holy Trinity)
  • Holy Trinity, Melrose (1849)
http://www.holytrinitymelrose.org.uk/
  • Rector: Philip Blackledge
  • Curate: Margaret Pedersen
  • NSM: Dennis Wood
[52]
Jedburgh (St John the Evangelist)
  • St John the Evangelist, Jedburgh (1844)
http://stjohnsjedburgh.org.uk/
  • Rector: Vacant
[53]
Kelso (St Andrew)
  • St Andrew, Kelso (1868)
http://www.standrewskelso.co.uk/
  • Rector: Bob King
[54]
Coldstream (St Mary and All Souls)
  • St Mary & All Souls, Coldstream (1872)
http://stmaryscoldstream.org.uk/
  • Rector: Jeffry Smith
[55]
Duns (Christ Church)
  • Christ Church, Duns (1854)
http://www.christchurchduns.org.uk/
  • Priest-in-Charge: Vacant
  • Curate: Grace Redpath
[56]
Eyemouth (St Ebba)
  • St Ebba, Eyemouth (c1689)
http://stebbas.org.uk/
  • Hon. Priest-in-Charge: Vacant
[57]

Closed churches in the diocese

ChurchFoundedClosedRef
St Michael, Edinburgh1960s[60]
St Aiden, Niddrie Mains[61]
St Andrew, Prestonpansc. 19102015 or later[62]
St Andrew, Edinburgh1855[63]
St Andrew, Niddriec. 1897[64]
St Hilda, Edinburgh2006[65]
St Luke, Wester Hailes2003[66]

Twinning

The Diocese of Edinburgh is twinned with the dioceses of two other churches:

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of the Diocese . Diocese of Edinburgh official website . 4 October 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141009163404/http://www.edinburgh.anglican.org/index.php/who_we_are/history_of_the_diocese/ . 9 October 2014 .
  2. Web site: A History of Old Saint Paul's. Old Saint Paul’s parish website. 4 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20101007123343/http://www.osp.org.uk/index.php/about/history/. 7 October 2010. dead.
  3. Web site: History. St Mary's Cathedral website. 6 October 2012.
  4. Web site: A New Dean for Edinburgh. Diocese of Edinburgh. 7 April 2017. January 2017.
  5. Web site: The Benefice of Falkirk (Christ Church). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  6. Web site: The Benefice of Bo'ness (St Catharine). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  7. Web site: The Benefice of Grangemouth (St Mary). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  8. Web site: The Benefice of Bathgate (St Columba). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  9. Web site: The Benefice of Linlithgow (St Peter). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  10. Web site: Livingston Local Ecumenical Partnership. www.crockford.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.
  11. Web site: The Benefice of Dalmahoy (St Mary). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  12. Web site: The Benefice of Balerno (St Mungo). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  13. Web site: Edinburgh Cathedral. www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  14. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Cathedral of St Mary). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  15. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Old St Paul). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  16. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Margaret of Scotland). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  17. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Columba). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  18. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St John the Evangelist). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  19. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Philip and St James). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  20. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Paul and St George). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  21. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Peter). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  22. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Cuthbert). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  23. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Ninian). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  24. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Martin of Tours). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  25. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Holy Cross). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  26. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Fillan). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  27. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St James the Less). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  28. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Barnabas). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  29. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Christ Church). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  30. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Good Shepherd). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  31. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St David of Scotland). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  32. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Mark). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  33. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Salvador). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  34. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Michael and All Saints). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  35. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (Emmanuel). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  36. Web site: The Benefice of South Queensferry (Priory Church St Mary of Mount Carmel). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  37. Web site: The Benefice of Penicuik (St James the Less). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  38. Web site: The Benefice of West Linton (St Mungo). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  39. Web site: The Benefice of Roslin (Collegiate Church of St Matthew). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  40. Web site: The Benefice of Lasswade (St Leonard). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  41. Web site: The Benefice of Dalkeith (St Mary). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  42. Web site: The Benefice of Musselburgh (St Peter). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  43. Web site: The Benefice of Haddington (Holy Trinity). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  44. Web site: The Benefice of North Berwick (St Baldred). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  45. Web site: The Benefice of Gullane (St Adrian). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  46. Web site: The Benefice of Dunbar (St Anne). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  47. Web site: The Benefice of Peebles (St Peter). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  48. Web site: The Benefice of Innerleithen (St Andrew). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  49. Web site: The Benefice of Galashiels (St Peter). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  50. Web site: The Benefice of Selkirk (St John the Evangelist). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  51. Web site: The Benefice of Hawick (St Cuthbert). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  52. Web site: The Benefice of Melrose (Holy Trinity). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  53. Web site: The Benefice of Jedburgh (St John the Evangelist). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  54. Web site: The Benefice of Kelso (St Andrew). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  55. Web site: The Benefice of Coldstream (St Mary and All Souls). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  56. Web site: The Benefice of Duns (Christ Church). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  57. Web site: The Benefice of Eyemouth (St Ebba). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 18 September 2018.
  58. Web site: Edinburgh (St Thomas) Private Chapel. www.crockford.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.
  59. Web site: SCOTTISH ANGLICAN NETWORK: CONTENDING & LEARNING. The Revd David McCarthy. VirtueOnline.org. 20 September 2018.
  60. Web site: Ship of Fools: The Mystery Worshipper. ship-of-fools.com. 14 October 2018.
  61. Web site: Memories of olden days The Quilietti Family. www.quilietti.com. 14 October 2018.
  62. Web site: The Benefice of Prestonpans (St Andrew). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.
  63. Web site: Edinburgh, Holyrood Road, St Andrew's Episcopal Church Canmore. canmore.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.
  64. Book: Bertie, David. Scottish Episcopal Clergy, 1689-2000. 1 January 2000. Bloomsbury Academic. 9780567087461. en.
  65. Web site: The Benefice of Edinburgh (St Hilda). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.
  66. Web site: The Benefice of Wester Hailes (St Luke). www.crockford.org.uk. en. 14 October 2018.