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 linked with Firth 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. 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 (as of January 2025 Evie, Rendall and Firth are not yet part of the recently-united Orkney Islands Church of Scotland, but Rousay has joined)	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

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]

See also

• List of churches in Orkney

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.^{[ permanent dead link ]}
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. "Milestone Community Church | Parish Profile". orkneycommunities.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-01-21.