National Records of Scotland

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Church Records

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Church Records

Our church records are very diverse and include pre-reformation medieval church parchments and seals, important documents relating to the founding and development of the Church of Scotland and other presbyterian churches and photographs of prominent churchmen, mission work and other church activities.

Photograph of the National Covenant, 1638 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD40/12/2).

Photograph of the National Covenant, 1638 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD40/12/2)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00262

Photograph of Thomas John Dunn, elder of the United Presbyterian Church in the Parish of Melrose, Roxburghshire, 19th century

Photograph of Thomas John Dunn, elder of the United Presbyterian Church in the Parish of Melrose, Roxburghshire, 19th century century (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, CH1/5/194/53).

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00384

Photograph of group of Sunday school teachers of the Free Church of Scotland at their annual picnic in Edinburgh, circa 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,CH3/723/34/269/2).

Photograph of group of Sunday school teachers of the Free Church of Scotland at their annual picnic in Edinburgh, circa 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, CH3/723/34/269/2)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00391

Photograph of races during Sunday school picnic at Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh, 18 June 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,CH3/723/34/269/4).

Photograph of races during Sunday school picnic at Craigmillar Castle, Edinburgh. The children and teachers are from Lady Glenorchy's United Free Church of Scotland Greenside Mission, 18 June 1920 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, CH3/723/34/269/4)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00393

Photograph of Alloway Kirk, Ayrshire, no date (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD360/143).

Photograph of Alloway Kirk, Ayrshire, no date (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD360/143)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00496

Image of a charter by Thor, son of "Swan" [Sweyn], who grants in perpetual alms to Holyrood Abbey everything he has in the church of "Trevernent" [Tranent], 1162 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,GD45/13/223).

Image of a charter by Thor, son of "Swan" [Sweyn], who grants in perpetual alms to Holyrood Abbey everything he has in the church of "Trevernent" [Tranent], that is to say lands, pastures and teinds, 1162 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD45/13/223)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00816

Image of a declaration by the bishops, abbots, priors and other Scottish clergy asserting the right of King Robert I to the Scottish crown and swearing fealty and allegience to him, 24 February 1310 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland,SP13/4).

Image of a declaration by the bishops, abbots, priors and other Scottish clergy asserting the right of King Robert I to the Scottish crown and swearing fealty and allegience to him, 24 February 1310 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, SP13/4)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA00819

Photograph of St Georges Episcopal Church on the Island of Grenada, 1905 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD1/585/21).

Photograph of St Georges Episcopal Church on the Island of Grenada, 1905 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD1/585/21). Image library reference, AAA01718.

Image Gallery Reference: AAA01718

Image of a typical page from Church of Scotland Kirk Session minute book, noting parish misdemeanours and church discipline, 1711 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, CH2/384/2).

Image of a typical page from Church of Scotland Kirk Session minute book, noting parish misdemeanours and church discipline, 1711 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, CH2/384/2)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02861

Image of the Act of Separation and deed of demission from Church of Scotland, 1843

Image of the Act of Separation and deed of demission from Church of Scotland, 1843 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, RD15/32/347)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA02862

Seal of George Lauder, Bishop of Argyll, November 1454 (Crown Copyright, National Records of Scotland, GD112/1/8)

Image Gallery Reference: AAA03225

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Find out more about church records in National Records of Scotland.