Kirk of the Canongate

The Kirk of the Canongate (Canongate Kirk) is a parish church on Edinburgh's Royal Mile, in the Old Town. A congregation of the Church of Scotland, it has served for more than three centuries as the place of worship for one of the capital's most distinguished districts. Beside it lies a kirkyard where several figures of the Scottish Enlightenment are buried.

What is the Kirk of the Canongate?

It is a working Church of Scotland congregation serving the Parish of Canongate. Within its bounds stand the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament. The kirk is also the parish church of Edinburgh Castle, even though the castle sits apart from the rest of the parish. That link to palace, parliament and castle gives the church a strongly ceremonial character.

How did the church come about?

Construction ran from 1688 to 1690 to a design by James Smith, although some sources give 1691 as the year of completion. Canongate parishioners had previously worshipped in Holyrood Abbey, but James VII claimed that building for his own purposes, with the abbey to become a chapel of the Order of the Thistle. A new church for the parish was therefore commissioned. Its cost was met by an earlier bequest to the Town Council from Thomas Moodie of Sachtenhall, a merchant, made for the purpose of building a church.

Who is buried in the kirkyard?

The adjoining Canongate Kirkyard is A-listed. Among those buried here are the economist Adam Smith; the poet Robert Fergusson; George Drummond, six times Lord Provost of Edinburgh and a driving force behind the New Town; and Agnes Maclehose, the "Clarinda" of Robert Burns's poems. Burns himself paid for Fergusson's headstone. Outside the kirkyard gate stands a bronze statue of Fergusson by David Annand.

Royal and public occasions

Queen Elizabeth II attended services here on some of her frequent visits to Edinburgh. On 30 July 2011 the church hosted the wedding of Zara Phillips, the Queen's granddaughter, and Mike Tindall, the former England rugby captain.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Kirk of the Canongate? In Edinburgh's Old Town, on the lower stretch of the Royal Mile, close to the Palace of Holyroodhouse and the Scottish Parliament.

When was it built? Between 1688 and 1690, with some sources giving 1691 for completion. The designer was James Smith.

Is Adam Smith buried here? Yes, in the kirkyard, alongside Robert Fergusson and George Drummond.

Is the church still in use? Yes, it is an active Church of Scotland parish, so visitors should be mindful of services and worshippers.

What else is nearby? The Palace of Holyroodhouse, the Scottish Parliament and the ruins of Holyrood Abbey are all a short walk away.