The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity
St Andrews, Scotland
The image in our masthead is a fragment from a High Dynamic Range photograph by Stuart K Reid
Our heritage
Holy Trinity was established in the Twelfth Century.
The following charts some of the major events
1140
Holy Trinity Church built in the Cathedral grounds.
1246
The church was consecrated.
1412
Church removed to a new site in South Street.
1559
John Knox preaches in Holy Trinity. Church is reformed from Roman Catholic to
Protestantism and altars demolished.
1560
First Kirk Session meeting held.
1583
Robert Pont, minister of Holy Trinity had to leave because St Andrews Town Council
stole his stipend.
1585
John Rutherford, the minister, died of the plague.
1586
Excommunicated minister, Patrick Adamson, was due to preach in Holy Trinity when
he was told that a number of persons were going to seize him and hang him. He
took refuge in the belfry.
1587
Prayers were said for the life of Mary Queen of Scots.
1589-1590
Vacancy. The Town Council obstructed the appointment of another minister and
King James VI vetoed two candidates. The provost stalked out of the church in a
rage after hearing the sermon.
1590-1598
David Black was minister. He tried to obtain entry to the manse, which Balfour of
Burleigh occupied. Balfour made false accusations against Black and the case was
dismissed but the Privy Council had Black removed.
1593-1598
Robert Wallace, minister of the second charge, accused the Secretary of State of
bribery and rather than the Secretary of State being jailed, Wallace was removed
from the church.
1612
George Gledstanes became Archbishop of St Andrews.
1638
Alexander Gledstanes deposed for drunkenness.
1662
Robert Blair deposed by Archbishop Sharp and made to live in Dalgety.
1679
Archbishop Sharp assassinated and his funeral was held in Holy Trinity.
1690
Two ministers, Richard Waddell and John Wood, deposed for not reading the
Proclamation for William III.
1698-1700
Church modified to seat 3000 in total by addition of two large galleries.
1808
Minister John Adamson died of apoplexy after preaching.
1839-1840
St Mary’s church constructed.
1843
Disruption of the Church of Scotland: Martyrs Free Church formed.
1865
Minister John Park died during a performance of the Hallelujah chorus.
1865-1899
A K H Boyd minister and writer.
1882
Harmonium purchased.
1874
Patronage abolished and ministers chosen by congregations.
1899-1924
Patrick MacDonald Playfair Minister.
1909
Church restored to its original pattern after 2 years rebuilding.
1920
War Memorial dedicated.
1926
Fifteen bells dedicated.
1929
St Mary’s Church sold.
1929
Woman’s Guild formed.
1977
Two charges united.
In the early years, the following clergy are mentioned:
1412
William Bonar (Vicar)
1475
Sir Alexander Mathison (Curate)
1505-1509, 1511, 1514
Sir Thomas Preston (Vicar)
1526-1527
Sir John Matheson (Curate)
1531
Sir Thomas Preston (Vicar and Dean)
1538-1539
Sir William Marshall (Curate)
1539
Robert Ogilvy (Vicar)
1544
Sir William Marshall (Curate)
1540
John Bonar (Vicar)
1552-1553
Sir James Portaway (Vicar)
1566.1567
Sir Robert Smith (Curate)
Post-reformation, the former ministers were:
First Charge
1559
Adam Heriot
1560
John Knox
1560-1565
Christopher Goodman
1566-1579
Robert Hamilton
1578
George Black
1581-1583
Robert Pont
1584-1588
John Rutherford
1589-1590
Robert Wilkie
1590-1597
David Black
1597-1612
George Gladstanes MA
1612-1638
Alexander Gladstanes MA
1639-1662
Robert Blair
1662-1664
Andrew Honeyman
1665-1672
Alexander Young
1673-1679
Andrew Bruce
1680-1684
William Moore MA
1684-1689
Richard Waddell MA
1689-1690
James Rymer (Rymour)
1692-1698
Thomas Forrester
1699-1712
John Anderson MA
1712-1723
William Hardie MA
1725-1737
Alexander Anderson MA
1738-1752
John McCormick MA
1738-1764
John Hill
1768-1779
James Gillespie DD
1779-1808
John Adamson MA
1808-1820
George Hill DD
1820-1854
Robert Haldane DD
1854-1865
John Park DD
1865-1899
Andrew Kennedy Hutchison Boyd DD
1899-1924
Patrick McDonald Playfair
1925-1947
Alexander Slater Dunlop BD
1947-1967
W E K Rankin DD
1968-1977
Charles Y McGlashan CBE DD
Sole Charge
1977-2001
Charles Armour
Second Charge
1558-1593
John Auchinleck
1593-1597
Robert Wallace MA
1597-1606
David Lindsay
1606-1613
Joshua Durie MA
1614-1620
David Barclay BD
1621-1624
George Dewar MA
1626-1637
George Wishart MA
1642-1662
Andrew Honeyman MA
1664-1686
William Moore MA
1681-1686
Robert Honeyman MA
1686-1689
John Wood MA
1697-1700
Alexander Shields MA
1701-1712
William Hardie MA
1712-1718
Laurence Watson MA
1719-1738
John McCormick MA
1738-1753
John Hill
1753-1757
David Carnegie
1757-1765
James Gillespie
1765-1771
David Hunter MA DD
1772-1779
John Adamson MA DD
1780-1808
George Hill
1813-1860
George Buist
1860-1875
Alexander Hill
1875-1902
Mark Louden Anderson MA DD
1903-1906
James Wallace MA BD
1906-1913
William Harvey Lothian MA BA
1913-1916
James Alan Cameron Murray
1916-1924
William Kenneth Grant MA
1924-1925
Alexander Slater Dunlop MA BD
1925-1935
John Wilson Baird MA
1935-1947
William Eric K Rankin DD
1949-1977
Charles Armour
The Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, St Andrews (Church of Scotland) is a charity; Charity Number : SCO17173
Our heritage
