Old High St Stephen's, Inverness
Encyclopedia
Old High St Stephen's Church (Scottish Gaelic: Seann Eaglais Ard) is a parish church
of the Church of Scotland
in Inverness
, the capital city of the Highlands
of Scotland
. The congregation was formed on 30 October 2003 by a union of the congregations of Inverness Old High and Inverness St Stephen's. Unusually in a union of Church of Scotland congregations, both buildings were retained for worship. Sunday services are held almost every Sunday in both buildings (at 10am at St Stephen's and 11.15am at the Old High), but both places of worship are under the jurisdiction of the one Kirk Session.
The Old High congregation was the oldest congregation in Inverness. The church- the historic town church of Inverness- mainly dates from the eighteenth century. It is on a site which has been used for worship since Celt
ic times. Thus the congregation can claim to have been founded by St Columba, the Irish monk who first brought Christianity
to Inverness. Among many notable features are a Father Willis organ, restored in 2010. The Old High Church is a category A listed building.
St Stephen's was founded as a 'daughter church' of the Old High in 1897. It is a gothic building in Morayshire freestone
, designed by WL Carruthers. St Stephens is a category B listed building.
The congregation serves a parish
area which includes the city centre, part of the Crown
area, and the southern suburbs of the city, including Drummond and Lochardil.
The first minister of the united charge was the Reverend Peter W Nimmo, who was inducted in August 2004. He had previously been minister of High Carntyne
in Glasgow
.
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, the capital city of the Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The congregation was formed on 30 October 2003 by a union of the congregations of Inverness Old High and Inverness St Stephen's. Unusually in a union of Church of Scotland congregations, both buildings were retained for worship. Sunday services are held almost every Sunday in both buildings (at 10am at St Stephen's and 11.15am at the Old High), but both places of worship are under the jurisdiction of the one Kirk Session.
The Old High congregation was the oldest congregation in Inverness. The church- the historic town church of Inverness- mainly dates from the eighteenth century. It is on a site which has been used for worship since Celt
Celt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic times. Thus the congregation can claim to have been founded by St Columba, the Irish monk who first brought Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
to Inverness. Among many notable features are a Father Willis organ, restored in 2010. The Old High Church is a category A listed building.
St Stephen's was founded as a 'daughter church' of the Old High in 1897. It is a gothic building in Morayshire freestone
Freestone
A freestone is a stone used in masonry for molding, tracery and other replication work required to be worked with the chisel. The freestone must be fine-grained, uniform and soft enough to be cut easily without shattering or splitting. Some sources say that the stone has no grain, but this is...
, designed by WL Carruthers. St Stephens is a category B listed building.
The congregation serves a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
area which includes the city centre, part of the Crown
Crown, Inverness
Crown is an area situated beside the city centre of Inverness, the capital city of the Scottish Highlands. In general, the area's housing dates back to the Victorian or Edwardian era....
area, and the southern suburbs of the city, including Drummond and Lochardil.
The first minister of the united charge was the Reverend Peter W Nimmo, who was inducted in August 2004. He had previously been minister of High Carntyne
Carntyne
Carntyne is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde, and to the east end of the city...
in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
.