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 current Bishop of Edinburgh is Dagmar Winter.
History
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.
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.
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.
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 Bishops
Deans
The most senior appointed priest of the Diocese is the Dean of Edinburgh. 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.
1919–1929: Harry Reid 1929–1939: William Perry 1939–1954: Roderick Mackay 1954–1961: David Porter 1962–1967: George Martineau 1967–1976: Robert Clark 1976–1982: Ernest Brady 1982–1985: Malcolm Clark 1985–1986: Ernest Brady; second time in office 1986–1991: Brian Hardy 1991–1992: Douglas Cameron 1992–2001: Tim Morris 2001–2004: Jim Mein 2004–2010: Kevin Pearson 2010–2012: John Armes 2012–2017: Susan Macdonald 2017–present: Frances Burberry
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.
BeneficeNameRefClergyRefFalkirk (Christ Church) Christ Church, Falkirk (1863) Rector: Sarah ShawBo'ness (St Catharine) St Catharine, Bo'ness (1864)Rector: Willie ShawGrangemouth (St Mary) St Mary, Grangemouth (1901)Bathgate (St Columba) St Columba, Bathgate (pre-1915)Rector: Christine BarclayLinlithgow (St Peter)St Peter's, Linlithgow (1928)Livingston Local Ecumenical Partnership Livingston United Parish Church (1966) Ministers: From other denomsDalmahoy (St Mary) St Mary, Dalmahoy (1850) Rector: Christine DowneyBalerno (St Mungo) St Mungo, Balerno (1869)Rector: Malcolm RoundEdinburgh (Cathedral of St Mary) St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (c1689) Provost/Rector: John Conway Vice-Provost: John McLuckie NSM: Paul FosterEdinburgh (Old St Paul) Old St Paul's, Edinburgh (1689) Rector: Ian Paton Hon. Curate: Charles Davies-Cole Hon. Curate: Colin Reed (see below)Edinburgh (St Margaret of Scotland) St Margaret of Scotland, Edinburgh (1877) Priest-in-Charge: Colin ReedEdinburgh (St Columba) St Columba's-by-the-Castle (1846) Rector: David Paton-Williams Team Vicar: Bob Gould Assoc. Priest (NSM): Alison WagstaffEdinburgh (St John the Evangelist) St John the Evangelist, Edinburgh (1792) 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 Edinburgh (St Philip and St James) St James, Goldenacre (1888) Rector: Jane MacLarenEdinburgh (St Paul and St George) St Paul and St George, Edinburgh (pre-1816) Rector: Dave Richards Curate: Libby Talbot Curate: Paul SawreyEdinburgh (St Peter) St Peter, Lutton Place (1807) Rector: Vacant NSM: Robert HallidayEdinburgh (St Cuthbert) St Cuthbert, Colinton (1883)Rector: Nicki McNellyEdinburgh (St Ninian) St Ninian, Comely Bank (C19th)Rector: Frances Burberry Curate: Oliver Brewer-LennonEdinburgh (St Martin of Tours) St Martin of Tours, Gorgie & Dalry (1883)Rector: Yousouf Gooljary NSM: David WarnesEdinburgh (Holy Cross) Holy Cross, Davidson's Mains (1898)Rector: Douglas KornahrensEdinburgh (St Fillan) St Fillan, Buckstone (1894)Rector: Ruth InnesEdinburgh (St James the Less) St James the Less, Leith (1863)Rector: Stephen Butler NSM: Michael Northcott NSM: Jane MacLaren NSM: Jolyon MitchellEdinburgh (St Barnabas) St Barnabas, Edinburgh (1950)Priest-in-Charge: David Dixon NSM: Alice AndersonEdinburgh (Christ Church) Christ Church, Morningside (1876)Rector: Susan Macdonald Curate: Jenny Wright Curate: Jane GreenEdinburgh (Good Shepherd) Good Shepherd, Murrayfield (1899)Rector: Dean Fostekew Curate: Rosie AddisEdinburgh (St David of Scotland) St David of Scotland, Edinburgh (1941)Rector: Ruth GreenEdinburgh (St Mark) St Mark, Portobello (1826)Rector: Sophia MarriageEdinburgh (St Salvador) St Salvador, Edinburgh (1934) Priest-in-Charge: Vacant Curate: Mariusz WojciechowskiEdinburgh (St Vincent) St Vincent's Chapel, Edinburgh (1857) Priest-in-Charge: Allan Maclean Curate: William MounseyEdinburgh (St Michael and All Saints)St Michael and All Saints, Edinburgh (1853) Rector: Martin Robson Curate: John PenmanEdinburgh (Emmanuel) Emmanuel, Clermiston (1988)Rector/Priest-in-C: Terence Harkin NSM (Queensf): Iain MacRobertSouth Queensferry (Priory Church St Mary of Mount Carmel)St Mary of Mt Carmel, Queensferry (1890)Penicuik (St James the Less) St James the Less, Penicuik (1882) Rector: Vacant NSM (Penicuik): Neville SuttleWest Linton (St Mungo) St Mungo, West Linton (1851)Roslin (Collegiate Church of St Matthew)Rosslyn Chapel (1861) Priest-in-Charge: Joseph RoulstonLasswade (St Leonard) St Leonard, Lasswade & Bonnyrigg (1890) Rector: Peter Harris Curate: Jacqui du Rocher NSM: Michael Jones NSM: Elizabeth Jones NSM: Jennie GodfreyDalkeith (St Mary) St Mary, Dalkeith (1843)Musselburgh (St Peter) St Peter, Musselburgh (1865) Rector: Andy ReidHaddington (Holy Trinity) Holy Trinity, Haddington (pre-1770)Rector: Vacant NSM: John WoodNorth Berwick (St Baldred) St Baldred, North Berwick (1861)Rector: Simon MetznerGullane (St Adrian) St Adrian, Gullane (1901)Dunbar (St Anne) St Anne, Dunbar (1874) Rector: Diana HallPeebles (St Peter) St Peter, Peebles (1836) Rector: Vacant Asst Priest (NSM): Colin Chaplin NSM: Charles AitchisonInnerleithen (St Andrew) St Andrew, Innerleithen (1904)Galashiels (St Peter) St Peter, Galashiels (1851)Priest-in-Charge: Vacant Hon. Curate (Selkirk): David SceatsSelkirk (St John the Evangelist) St John, Selkirk (1867)Hawick (St Cuthbert) St Cuthbert, Hawick (1858)Melrose (Holy Trinity) Holy Trinity, Melrose (1849) Rector: Philip Blackledge Curate: Margaret Pedersen NSM: Dennis WoodJedburgh (St John the Evangelist) St John the Evangelist, Jedburgh (1844)Rector: VacantKelso (St Andrew) St Andrew, Kelso (1868) Rector: Bob KingColdstream (St Mary and All Souls) St Mary & All Souls, Coldstream (1872)Rector: Jeffry SmithDuns (Christ Church) Christ Church, Duns (1854)Priest-in-Charge: Vacant Curate: Grace RedpathEyemouth (St Ebba) St Ebba, Eyemouth (c1689)Hon. Priest-in-Charge: Vacant
Former congregation BeneficeChurchLinkNoteRefsEdinburgh (St Thomas) Private Chapel St Thomas, Corstorphine (1844)Left the SEC in 2018.
Closed churches in the diocese ChurchFoundedClosedRefSt Michael, Edinburgh1960sSt Aiden, Niddrie MainsSt Andrew, Prestonpansc. 19102015 or laterSt Andrew, Edinburgh1855St Andrew, Niddriec. 1897St Hilda, Edinburgh2006St Luke, Wester Hailes2003
Twinning The Diocese of Edinburgh is twinned with the dioceses of two other churches:
Anglican Diocese of Dunedin (Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia) Diocese of Connor (Church of Ireland)
References