Old Saint Paul's, Scottish Episcopal church building in Old Town, Edinburgh, Scotland.
Old Saint Paul's is a Scottish Episcopal church building in Edinburgh's Old Town featuring a high altar of carved oak, wooden gargoyles adorning the hammer beam roof, and lancet windows with religious imagery. The stone structure displays craftsmanship from different periods, with spaces designed for worship and community gathering.
The congregation was founded in 1689 when Bishop Alexander Rose and his followers left Saint Giles Cathedral to establish their own place of worship, beginning in a wool store. The current structure developed from this act of religious separation during a period of significant change in Scotland.
The congregation actively practices Scottish Episcopal traditions through regular services that visitors can observe or join, maintaining customs that have shaped the space for centuries. The rituals and worship patterns here reflect how this community has kept its faith alive over generations.
Access to the church comes via Carrubber's Close or Jeffrey Street, involving a climb up the Calvary Stair with around 33 steps. Its location near Waverley Station makes it easy to reach, though expect narrow medieval streets in the surrounding area.
During Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the underground hall transforms into theSpace at Venue 45, hosting theatre productions and cultural performances that bring a different kind of energy to the historic space. This seasonal shift reveals how traditional venues adapt to serve both spiritual and artistic communities.
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