St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church

St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church

St Andrew's and St George's West Church is a parish of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh’s New Town. The parish today encompasses the entire First New Town of Edinburgh, along with a small portion of the Second New Town from the early 19th century. The church was completed in 1784 and is now a listed building under UK heritage protection.

These two churches were key elements of the original plan for Edinburgh’s New Town. They were intended to be located at Charlotte Square on the west end of George Street and St Andrew’s Square on the east end. However, the wealthy merchant Sir Laurence Dundas purchased the site originally designated for St Andrew’s Church to build his mansion, Dundas House, preventing Craig’s plan from being fully realized. As a result, St Andrew’s Church had to be built along George Street instead.

The Edinburgh Town Council held a design competition for St Andrew’s Church, which was won by Andrew Frazer and Robert Kay. Construction began in 1781, and the church opened in 1784. It features a unique oval floor plan—the first of its kind in Britain—and its neoclassical Roman architectural style reflects 18th-century fashion. The original design included a shorter tower, but the Town Council opted for a steeple, which was added in 1787.

In 1964, the St George’s parish at Charlotte Square merged with the St Andrew’s parish to form the St Andrew’s and St George’s parish. The St George’s church building is now used by the National Records of Scotland. In January 2010, the St Andrew’s and St George’s parish merged with the St George’s West parish to form the St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church, with services temporarily held in both buildings.

St Andrew's and St George's West Church

Why go: One of the most important churches in Edinburgh’s New Town

Continent: Europe【Europe】

Country/Region: United Kingdom [Britain]

Province/State: Edinburgh [Edinburgh]

City: Edinburgh [Edinburgh]