Crown Church, Inverness

Crown Church Inverness
Crown United Free Church
Crown Church Inverness
57°28′38″N4°13′7″W / 57.47722°N 4.21861°W / 57.47722; -4.21861
Location	Inverness
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Church of Scotland [1]
Previous denomination	United Free Church of Scotland
Website	crown-church.co.uk
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect	James Robert Rhind
Style	Early English Gothic revival
Completed	20 November 1901
Construction cost	£5,000 (equivalent to £685,600in 2023) [2]
Specifications
Capacity	800 persons
Administration
Presbytery	Clèir Eilean Ì
Clergy
Minister	Rev Douglas R Robertson

Crown Church is a parish church in Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, located at the junction of Midmills Road and Kingsmills Road near the city centre. ^[3]

History

The first minister (1899–1907) was the Reverend William Todd, renowned for his fervent evangelical preaching. The foundation stone was laid on 24 November 1900 by Revd. Principal Robert Rainy, D.D., first moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland. ^[4] Jars were deposited in the foundations containing copies of local and other newspapers, current coins of the realm, Town Council minutes and United Free Church records.

Originally built for the Free Church of Scotland, the church buildings were opened in 1901. ^[5] The contractors were Mason, Alex Cameron: carpenters, Grant & Johnson: slater, Adam Taylor & Son: plumber, A.J. Russell: plasterer, Alex Fraser: painter, Thomas Tulloch: heating, Rose Street Foundry: gas fittings, Norman and Ernest Spittle, Birmingham. ^[6]

The designer of the building was Inverness born architect James Robert Rhind, a successful architect who had been trained in his father’s practice. His designs were selected for 7 libraries around Glasgow following Andrew Carnegie’s gift of £100,000 to the city in 1901. His landmark buildings were greatly enhanced by his liberal use of columns, domes and sculpted features. Rhind’s best known buildings in the North of Scotland are the Royal Golf Hotel and the Crown Church, Inverness.

By this time the building opened the congregation had become part of the United Free Church of Scotland, which in turn united with the Church of Scotland in 1929, thus reuniting Scotland's largest Presbyterian denominations.

In 2004 the congregation had 820 members, making Crown Church the largest Church of Scotland congregation in Inverness in terms of membership.

Organ

The church contains a 3 manual and pedal pipe organ. ^[7]

See also

• List of Church of Scotland parishes

External links

• Crown Church, Inverness
• Church of Scotland
• Presbytery of Inverness Archived 11 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine
• Image of Crown Church, Inverness

References

1. "Inverness Crown". Church of Scotland. Church of Scotland. Retrieved 8 November 2025.
2. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth . Retrieved 7 May 2024.
3. Gifford, John (1992). The Buildings of Scotland: Highlands and Islands. London: Penguin Books. p. 184. ISBN   014071071X.
4. "The New Crown United Free Church at Inverness" . Northern Chronicle and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland. Scotland. 28 November 1900. Retrieved 9 November 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "The Crown United Free Church Inverness" . Oban Times and Argyllshire Advertiser. Scotland. 30 November 1901. Retrieved 9 November 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Opening of the Crown U.F. Church, Inverness" . Northern Chronicle and General Advertiser for the North of Scotland. Scotland. 13 November 1901. Retrieved 9 November 2025– via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Highland, Inverness, Crown Church of Scotland [N18188]". National Pipe Organ Register . British Institute of Organ Studies . Retrieved 9 November 2025.