Records of St Andrew's Episcopal Church, St Andrews

The records include registers of baptisms, marriages, burials and services, minutes of meetings, membership rolls, financial material, letter books, printed material, plans, photographs and printed illustrative material as well as papers relating to the life of the congregation. There are also papers relating to the daughter congregation of St Saviour's, Guardbridge.

There was a persistent adherence to the Episcopal order within St Andrews after 1690. However, the association with Jacobitism meant that there were restrictions imposed on Episcopal worship until 1792. It was not until 1825 that the St Andrews Episcopalians were able to build a small chapel in North Street, designed by William Burn and embellished in 1853 with and ornate gothic front by Gilbert Scott. In 1867-1869 this church was superseded by a larger building, also called St Andrew's Church at the foot of Queen Street. This was a dignified neo-gothic design by R Rowand Anderson of Edinburgh, often described as a cathedral in its early days and intended to have a lofty tower and spire. The tower was added in 1892 but was demolished as structurally unsafe in 1938. Associated with the congregation was a fishermen's mission (All Saints, St Andrews), in North Castle Street. The congregation remains the largest in the diocese of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is run by a Rector , currently assisted by a Curate and various honorary clergy.

Source: R.G. Cant, 'Public Buildings of St Andrews, 1790-1914, Churches, Schools and Hospitals', in Three Decades of Historical Notes, (St Andrews, 1991), p. 121.

Register material includes: fragmentary baptisms, 1772-1740, 1748-1787; baptisms, marriages and burials 1823-1861, 1860-1915; services 1863-1894, 1905-1976. Minute books include those of vestry committee including relating to new church building, 1862-1868, 1867-1919; vestry 1919-1980; guild of St Ninian 1905-1907, 1914-1916; Committee for youthwork, 1935-1943; Finance committee 1877-1904; Congregational committee, 1896-1935, Men's Society 1909-1916 and Choir Committee 1878. Financial material includes fragment of record of subscriptions for behoof of minister, 1747-1772; vestry account book 1861-1876l offertory books 1883-1907, 1929-1964; Accounts 1876-1922; Pew rent books, 1931-1945; Cash books 1925-1942. Other material includes papers relating to buildings including demolition of tower, communion rolls, congregational returns and lists of members, addresses, roll of honour 1914-1918, constitutions 1862, 1870, inventories of furnishings, 1946-1975 and title deeds, 1935; letter books 1870-1920 other correspondence; Plans of rectory, 1939 and 1944, church ground 1951, proposed church extensions 1901-1902, church 1824; The Net church magazine (first edition - [ongoing]).

St Saviour's, Guardbridge: Registers of services, 1896-1972; Minute book 1908-1917; Financial material 1912-1935, 1955-1972.

By appointment with the Archivist. Access to unpublished records less than 30 years old and other records containing confidential information may be restricted. Special conditions apply to photographs.

Deposited by the Vestry between 1983 and 2000.

Description compiled by Rachel Hart, Archives Hub Project.

A brief handlist is available in the Reading Room, however, a re-listing is currently in progress.

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist. Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents.

Expected.