Orkney Islands Church of Scotland

On 1 October 2024,[1] almost all of 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"). As of January 2025, the parish churches of Evie & Rendall are not yet part of this new structure, but all other formerly separate parishes in Orkney have joined.

The former Presbytery of Orkney was split into the three presbyteries of Cairston, Kirkwall and North Isles in 1725.[2] It is not known when they reunited.

The parish has a congregation of approximately 1800, and is allocated 7FTE staff.

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 Orphir Church Medieval
St Columba's, Longhope, South Walls 1832
Stromness 2,286
Evie l/w Rendall l/w Rousay l/w Firth

(as of June 2026 Evie & Rendall are not yet part of the recently-united Orkney Islands Church of Scotland, but Rousay and Firth have joined)

 1,877 Rendall Church
Firth Church, Finstown
Eday 160 Eday Church
North Ronaldsay 72 North Ronaldsay Church (meets in school)
Sanday 494
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. Ronaldsay

Closed churches

Church Founded Closed
St Magnus, Egilsay Medieval
St Olaf's, Kirkwall Medieval C17th[3]
St Nicholas, Stronsay* Medieval C18th[4]
St Peter's, Stronsay* Medieval C18th[5]
Burray Church* Medieval c. 1800[6]
Cross Parish Church, Sanday* Medieval C19th[7]
Hoy Parish Church* Medieval C20th[8]
Lady Parish Church, Sanday* Medieval C20th[9]
Graemsay Church Medieval C20th[10]
Deerness Parish Church* Medieval 1974[11]
St Peter's, Sandwick* Medieval 1984[12]
St Andrews Parish Church, Tankerness* Medieval c. 1990[13]
Stenness Parish Church* Medieval c. 2000[14]
St John's Kirk, North Walls 1883 2001[15]
Birsay Church, Twatt* Medieval 2008[16]
Sandwick Church, Quoyloo C19th 2008[16]
St Michael's, Harray* Medieval 2012[16]
Flotta Church
Stromness Church 2026
Evie Church
Rousay Church 2022
North Ronaldsay Church
Sanday Church
Broughtown (Burness)

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Historic Union of 17 Congregations Forms Orkney Islands Church of Scotland | Church of Scotland Presbytery of the North East & Northern Isles". nenipresbytery.org.uk. Retrieved 2024-12-13.
  2. ↑ "Acts: 1725 | British History Online". british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  3. ↑ "St. Olaf's Parish Church". www.stmagnusway.com. Retrieved 17 April 2024.
  4. ↑ "Stronsay, St Nicholas' Church And Burial-ground | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  5. ↑ "Saints in Scottish Place-Names – St Peter's Chapel, XSP Stronsay (Orkney)". saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  6. ↑ "South Ronaldshay & Burray, Orkney, Scotland Genealogy". FamilySearch Wiki. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  7. ↑ "Sanday, Cross Parish Church | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  8. ↑ "Hoy, Old Parish Church And Churchyard | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  9. ↑ "Sanday, Lady Parish Church | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  10. ↑ "Graemsay Old Parish Kirk, Graemsay | Buildings at Risk Register". buildingsatrisk.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  11. ↑ "Deerness Parish Church – St Andrews and Deerness, Orkney – Places of Worship in Scotland | SCHR". scottishchurches.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  12. ↑ "St Peter's Kirk, Skaill". srct.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-30.
  13. ↑ Stuff, Good. "St Andrew's Kirk, Tankerness, East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Orkney Islands". britishlistedbuildings.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  14. ↑ "Stenness Church And War Memorial | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  15. ↑ "St John's Church, Hoy, Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland". undiscoveredscotland.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
  16. 1 2 3 "Milestone Community Church | Parish Profile". orkneycommunities.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
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