Orkney Islands Church of Scotland

On 1 October 2024,{{Cite web|title=Historic Union of 17 Congregations Forms Orkney Islands Church of Scotland {{!}} Church of Scotland Presbytery of the North East & Northern Isles|url=https://nenipresbytery.org.uk/historic-union-of-17-congregations-forms-orkney-islands-church-of-scotland/|access-date=2024-12-13|website=nenipresbytery.org.uk|language=en}} 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.{{Cite web|title=Acts: 1725 {{!}} British History Online|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/church-scotland-records/acts/1638-1842/pp570-578|access-date=2021-01-30|website=british-history.ac.uk}} It is not known when they reunited. Orkney Islands Church of Scotland includes the former parish churches of:

class="wikitable"

!Names of former parish (before October 2024)

!Population

!Buildings

!Founded

Birsay, Harray & Sandwick

|2,224

|Milestone Community Church, Dounby

|2012

rowspan="3" |Flotta l/w Orphir & Stenness l/w Hoy & Walls

| rowspan="3" |1,566

|Flotta Church*

|

Orphir Church*

|Medieval

St Columba's, Longhope, South Walls*

|1832

rowspan="2" |Stromness

| rowspan="2" |2,286

|St Peter's, Stromness*

|

Graemsay (meetings in hall)

|

rowspan="4" |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)

| rowspan="4" |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)*

|

rowspan="2" |Papa Westray l/w Westray

| rowspan="2" |678

|St Ann's, Papa Westray*

|

Westray Church*

|

Stronsay Moncur Memorial

|353

|Moncur Memorial Church, Stronsay*

|

rowspan="2" |Kirkwall East l/w Shapinsay

| rowspan="3" |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*

|

rowspan="2" |South Ronaldsay & Burray

| rowspan="2" |1,318

|St Margaret's, St Margaret's Hope, S. Ron.*

|

St Peter's, Eastside (2 services/year)*

|

Closed churches

class="wikitable"

!Church

!Founded

!Closed

St Magnus, Egilsay

|Medieval

|

St Olaf's, Kirkwall

|Medieval

|C17th{{Cite web |title=St. Olaf's Parish Church |url=https://www.stmagnusway.com/resources/st-olafs-kirk |access-date=17 April 2024 |website=www.stmagnusway.com}}

St Nicholas, Stronsay*

|Medieval

|C18th{{Cite web|title=Stronsay, St Nicholas' Church And Burial-ground {{!}} Canmore|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/3356/stronsay-st-nicholas-church-and-burial-ground|access-date=2021-01-30|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en}}

St Peter's, Stronsay*

|Medieval

|C18th{{Cite web|title=Saints in Scottish Place-Names – St Peter's Chapel, XSP Stronsay (Orkney)|url=https://saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk/place.php?id=1357600562|access-date=2021-01-30|website=saintsplaces.gla.ac.uk}}

Burray Church*

|Medieval

|c. 1800{{Cite web|title=South Ronaldshay & Burray, Orkney, Scotland Genealogy|url=https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/South_Ronaldshay_%26_Burray,_Orkney,_Scotland_Genealogy|access-date=2021-01-30|website=FamilySearch Wiki|language=en}}

Cross Parish Church, Sanday*

|Medieval

|C19th{{Cite web|title=Sanday, Cross Parish Church {{!}} Canmore|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/3412/sanday-cross-parish-church|access-date=2021-01-25|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en}}

Hoy Parish Church*

|Medieval

|C20th{{Cite web|title=Hoy, Old Parish Church And Churchyard {{!}} Canmore|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/1575/hoy-old-parish-church-and-churchyard|access-date=2021-01-25|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en}}

Lady Parish Church, Sanday*

|Medieval

|C20th{{Cite web|title=Sanday, Lady Parish Church {{!}} Canmore|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/3408/sanday-lady-parish-church|access-date=2021-01-25|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en}}

Graemsay Church

|Medieval

|C20th{{Cite web|title=Graemsay Old Parish Kirk, Graemsay {{!}} Buildings at Risk Register|url=https://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/898821|access-date=2021-01-25|website=buildingsatrisk.org.uk}}

Deerness Parish Church*

|Medieval

|1974{{Cite web|title=Deerness Parish Church – St Andrews and Deerness, Orkney – Places of Worship in Scotland {{!}} SCHR|url=http://www.scottishchurches.org.uk/sites/site/id/8018/name/Deerness+Parish+Church+St+Andrews+and+Deerness+Orkney|access-date=2021-01-25|website=scottishchurches.org.uk}}

St Peter's, Sandwick*

|Medieval

|1984{{Cite web|title=St Peter's Kirk, Skaill|url=http://www.srct.org.uk/index.php/our-churches/st-peters|access-date=2021-01-30|website=srct.org.uk}}

St Andrews Parish Church, Tankerness*

|Medieval

|c. 1990{{Cite web|last=Stuff|first=Good|title=St Andrew's Kirk, Tankerness, East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray, Orkney Islands|url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200352630-st-andrews-kirk-tankerness-st-andrews-and-deerness|access-date=2021-01-25|website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk}}

Stenness Parish Church*

|Medieval

|c. 2000{{Cite web|title=Stenness Church And War Memorial {{!}} Canmore|url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/2104/stenness-church-and-war-memorial|access-date=2021-01-25|website=canmore.org.uk|language=en}}

St John's Kirk, North Walls

|1883

|2001{{Cite web|title=St John's Church, Hoy, Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland|url=https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/hoy/stjohns/index.html|access-date=2021-01-25|website=undiscoveredscotland.co.uk}}

Birsay Church, Twatt*

|Medieval

|2008

Sandwick Church, Quoyloo

|C19th

|2008{{Cite web|title=Milestone Community Church {{!}} Parish Profile|url=http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/milestone/index.asp?pageid=592944|access-date=2021-01-21|website=orkneycommunities.co.uk}}

St Michael's, Harray*

|Medieval

|2012

See also

References