Orkney Islands Church of Scotland
On 1 October 2024, all the former parish churches in Orkney united to create a single Orkney Islands Church of Scotland staffed by a team ministry. It is part of the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of the North East and the Northern Isles ("NENI").
The former Presbytery of Orkney was split into the three presbyteries of Cairston, Kirkwall and North Isles in 1725.[1] It is not known when they reunited. Orkney Islands Church of Scotland includes the former parish churches of:
| Names of former parish (before October 2024) | Population | Buildings | Founded |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birsay, Harray & Sandwick | 2,224 | Milestone Community Church, Dounby | 2012 |
| Flotta l/w Orphir & Stenness l/w Hoy & Walls | 1,566 | Flotta Church* | |
| Orphir Church* | Medieval | ||
| St Columba's, Longhope, South Walls* | 1832 | ||
| Stromness | 2,286 | St Peter's, Stromness* | |
| Graemsay (meetings in hall) | |||
| Evie l/w Rendall l/w Rousay l/w Firth | 1,877 | Evie Church, Stenso* | |
| Rendall Church* | |||
| Firth Church, Finstown* | |||
| Rousay Church, Brinian* | |||
| Eday | 160 | Eday Church* | |
| North Ronaldsay | 72 | North Ronaldsay Church (meets in school) | |
| Sanday | 494 | Sanday Church, Broughtown (Burness)* | |
| Papa Westray l/w Westray | 678 | St Ann's, Papa Westray* | |
| Westray Church* | |||
| Stronsay Moncur Memorial | 353 | Moncur Memorial Church, Stronsay* | |
| Kirkwall East l/w Shapinsay | 8,575 | North Church, Shapinsay* | |
| Kirkwall East Church | 1796 | ||
| Kirkwall St Magnus Cathedral | St Magnus Cathedral, Kirkwall* | Medieval | |
| East Mainland | 1,746 | East Mainland Church, Holm* | |
| South Ronaldsay & Burray | 1,318 | St Margaret's, St Margaret's Hope, S. Ron.* | |
| St Peter's, Eastside (2 services/year)* |
Closed churches
[edit]| Church | Founded | Closed |
|---|---|---|
| St Magnus, Egilsay | Medieval | |
| St Olaf's, Kirkwall | Medieval | C17th[2] |
| St Nicholas, Stronsay* | Medieval | C18th[3] |
| St Peter's, Stronsay* | Medieval | C18th[4] |
| Burray Church* | Medieval | c. 1800[5] |
| Cross Parish Church, Sanday* | Medieval | C19th[6] |
| Hoy Parish Church* | Medieval | C20th[7] |
| Lady Parish Church, Sanday* | Medieval | C20th[8] |
| Graemsay Church | Medieval | C20th[9] |
| Deerness Parish Church* | Medieval | 1974[10] |
| St Peter's, Sandwick* | Medieval | 1984[11] |
| St Andrews Parish Church, Tankerness* | Medieval | c. 1990[12] |
| Stenness Parish Church* | Medieval | c. 2000[13] |
| St John's Kirk, North Walls | 1883 | 2001[14] |
| Birsay Church, Twatt* | Medieval | 2008[15] |
| Sandwick Church, Quoyloo | C19th | 2008[15] |
| St Michael's, Harray* | Medieval | 2012[15] |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Acts: 1725 | British History Online". british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "St. Olaf's Parish Church". www.stmagnusway.com. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
- ^ "Stronsay, St Nicholas' Church And Burial-ground | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "Saints in Scottish Place-Names – St Peter's Chapel, XSP Stronsay (Orkney)". saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "South Ronaldshay & Burray, Orkney, Scotland Genealogy". FamilySearch Wiki. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ "Sanday, Cross Parish Church | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "Hoy, Old Parish Church And Churchyard | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "Sanday, Lady Parish Church | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "Graemsay Old Parish Kirk, Graemsay | Buildings at Risk Register". buildingsatrisk.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "Deerness Parish Church – St Andrews and Deerness, Orkney – Places of Worship in Scotland | SCHR". scottishchurches.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "St Peter's Kirk, Skaill". srct.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
- ^ Stuff, Good. "St Andrew's Kirk, Tankerness, East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Orkney Islands". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "Stenness Church And War Memorial | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ "St John's Church, Hoy, Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland". undiscoveredscotland.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
- ^ a b c "Milestone Community Church | Parish Profile". orkneycommunities.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-21.