St. John's Church, Inverness

St. John's Church, Inverness

ID: PC_STAND_CATH_54 DESCRIPTION: St. John's Church, the second Inverness church to bear this name, was originally situated on the east side of Church Street, between the junctions with Union Street and Queensgate. The church was opened on 29 September 1839. Designed by William Robertson, the roof of the church was modelled on that of Henry VII's Chapel in Westminster Abbey. The foundation stone had been laid in 1837 by the Rev Charles Fyvie, who in February 1839 was appointed as Dean of the Diocese. Costing £2000 to build, St. John's was demolished in 1903, although the tower still remained in Church Street until 1958. From 1903, the site was used by Messrs. Chapman as a garage. This engraving, which may date from the mid 19th century, shows a proposed design for completing the tower, a scheme that was never carried out. St John's is the oldest Scottish Episcopalian congregation in Inverness. According to the records, the Reverend Hector Mackenzie, Minister of the Parish from 1688, was "a staunch upholder of Episcopacy, and declined to accept the new system (Presbyterianism) at the Revolution, but continued to perform his duties as Parish Minister". On 14 October 1691, Hector Mackenzie, along with his people, was thrown out of the Parish Church. For many years, Episcopalians worshipped in secret. At the end of the hundred years' persecution which followed the 1688 Revolution, Episcopalians were meeting in a small Meeting House on the Maggot. The first St John's Church was erected in 1801 at the northern end of Church Street. The present St John's Church in Southside Road is the third to bear this name in Inverness and incorporates some architectural features taken from the second church of that name. PLACENAME: Inverness OLD COUNTY/PARISH: INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona CREATOR (AV): Mackenzie & Matthews SOURCE: Scottish Episcopal Church, Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness COLLECTION: Scottish Episcopal Church, Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness Asset ID: 30050 KEYWORDS: