Scotland's Churches Trust

07/09/2026

Paisley Abbey is . 6th century Irish missionary St Mirin is said to have raised a church on a plot near the river where the town of Paisley now stands, known as St Mirin’s Croft Prior. After his death, the church became an important pilgrimage site for the Celtic Church.

Of the many churches here over the years, one abbey was virtually destroyed by the invading English army in 1307 during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The collapse of the central tower in the mid-16th century destroyed the transepts and choir.

However, a late 19th C / early 20th C restoration created one of the finest churches in Scotland.

Read more on the SCT site 👇
https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/paisley-abbey/

03/09/2026

Our friends at Sowne of Organe have shared the results of their latest Scottish pipe organ survey 👇

We are delighted to present our latest survey, of the lovely 1902 Arthur G. Hill organ at Hamilton Old Parish Church of Scotland (West Church Campus). We are especially grateful to Eilidh Harris and Damin Spritzer for their first contributions to Sowne surveys. At the time of recording, there were significant concerns about the future of both organ and building but these have been somewhat allayed in the meantime and there is now work planned on the instrument. Despite the considerable issues with the pedal pneumatics we managed to record music by Bach, Boulay, Howells and Vierne and the survey is replete with many photos and technical and historical overviews. https://sowneoforgane.com/surveys/hamilton-hamilton-west-parish-church/

02/09/2026

The gabled front of our , Houston & Killellan Kirk, has a colonnette-spoked wheel window and some lovely stained glass throughout the church by artists such as William Wilson and Douglas Strachan.

The four-bay interior has a rectangular chancel with tall cast iron columns, with bell capitals, drawing the eyes upwards to laminated timber pointed arches on the roof.

Read more on the SCT website 👇
https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/houston-killellan-parish-church/




📷Church's own

02/09/2026

"Rare stained glass windows discovered at Paisley church"

An unexpected window by the noted firm of Wailes & Strang was identified during renovation works at Holy Trinity & St Barnabas Episcopal Church.

Read the full story here 👇

A Paisley church has discovered stained glass windows it believes to be one of only three examples in Scotland.

31/08/2026

Gothic revival church, Houston & Killellan Kirk, our was constructed in 1874-5 by Glasgow architect David Thomson, replacing an earlier kirk of 1775. Thought to be the 3rd church on the site, it was built in memory of Captain Archibald Alexander Speirs of Elderslie.

Interior and exterior refurbishment in 1938, supervised by architect Arthur Forman Balfour Paul, saw the rebuilding of the west gallery and the addition of carved angels on the beam ends.

The Killellan Halls were added in 2016.

More here on the SCT website👇
https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/houston-killellan-parish-church/

📸 Church's own

31/08/2026

"Pupils discover ‘1,000-year-old Viking church’ on uninhabited island"

An archaeological field school visit to the island of Swona in the Pentland Firth has potentially uncovered the remains of a Viking era church 👇

During the excursion they stayed in an abandoned house which had not been lived in for a century

29/08/2026

Let's take a final virtual visit this week to our , Holy Rude Viewfield Church, Stirling.

This remarkable historic church has one of the few medieval timber roofs surviving in Scotland, hosted the coronation of King James VI in 1567, still bears testimony to Cromwell's siege of Stirling Castle in 1651 with musket marks visible on its walls and houses a wonderful collection of stained glass, historic objects and fine furnishings.

Do stop by and Visit The Church of the Holy Rude the next time you are in Stirling!

28/08/2026

It's time again, so here are two very striking fonts located in the Holy Rude Viewfield Church, Stirling, our .

The brightly coloured marble font was gifted to the church in commemoration of the Rev. James Paisley Lang, uncle of Cosmo Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1928-42.

The other is a richly carved medieval stone that was found in Cambuskenneth Abbey and is believed to have been used there as a holy water stoup.

In 1934, a young visitor to the church accidentally knocked the medieval font to the floor, smashing its base. He fled from the scene, only owning up to the mishap three days later following an investigation by the Stirling police who had suspected vandalism!

You can find out more about this beautiful church on our website.

28/08/2026

A local community group has been given exclusivity until the 1st Nov 2026, by the Church of Scotland, to raise £50,000 to purchase Parton Kirk in Dumfries & Galloway.

The eminent Scottish scientist James Clerk Maxwell is buried outside the kirk and, if the community bid is successful, he would be the focus of the next chapter in the story of this interesting historic building.

If you live near by and want to get involved, Parton Village, Dumfries and Galloway are hosting a community meeting this evening to discuss the community's plans and aspirations.

You can read more about this story on the BBC here 👇
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cjw5d121x9lo

Or find out more about Parton Kirk on our website directory of Scottish churches here 👇
https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/parton-kirk/

27/08/2026

It's again, so here are three lovely doorways from our , Holy Rude Viewfield Church, Stirling.

Read amore about this marvellous church on our website here 👇
https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/church-of-the-holy-rude-stirling/