About St George’s West Church

St George’s West is a congregation of the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian and part of the worldwide communion of Reformed Churches.

"Any Church...that lives complacently upon the inheritance of accumulated experience we call its tradition is already dead; however rich and splendid its past may have been.

"But without that past and without a clear and just appreciation of its meaning for us, our future advance must be feeble, lacking in impetus and uncertain and wavering in direction."

(From the editorial in The Tradition of St George's West, 1931)

This congregation has its origins in St George’s Church, Charlotte Square, (now West Register House), which was built in 1814 as part of the development of the New Town. Following the Disruption in 1843 within the established Church of Scotland when a large proportion of ministers and members seceded to form the Free Church of Scotland, members, led by their minister, Revd Robert Candlish, broke away to form ‘Free St George’s Church’.

After the union in 1900 between the Free Church and the United Presbyterians, this congregation was known as St George’s United Free Church and when the United Free Church re-joined the Church of Scotland in 1929 the present name of St George’s West was adopted.

This was the parish church of a fashionable West End residential area and one of the most famous preaching stations in the Presbyterian Church, known throughout the English-speaking world. However, the growth of the suburbs saw the depopulation of the city centre and a decline in membership and influence. Adapting to these changes, St George’s West developed a neighbourhood ministry to people living and working in the area, a programme of midweek worship and lunchtime gatherings and a ministry to homeless people and those with mental health problems.

For over one hundred years, St George’s West and its members have contributed to the life of the city and beyond - by helping establish seven other city churches, through voluntary service with a wide range of civic and community groups and through links with partner churches, Christian Aid and other agencies, working for justice and reconciliation worldwide.

Today, through our church centre and café, we offer a seven day ministry of hospitality and care to our parish, to the local business community, to shoppers and to some of the many people who visit Scotland’s capital city each year. Our building serves as an office base and meeting place for a variety of organisations, providing practical help and support to disadvantaged and marginalised groups, and as a venue for arts events particularly in August each year as part of the Edinburgh International Festival Fringe.