Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Trust

Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Trust was set up in 2010 by a group of local people concerned to preserve the heritage of Kirkcaldy contained in the Old Kirk, after its closure as a place of worship by the Church of Scotland on 7th November 2010.

The "B" listed church was put up for sale in August 2011 and Kirkcaldy Old Kirk Trust was successful in acquiring it to maintain it for community use as a concert hall, community resource, heritage centre and for continuing worship. This was due to the generous financial support from John Sim, whose father was Minister of the Old Kirk. It is hoped thus to preserve the heritage of continuous worship and service for over 800 years.

Kirkcaldy Old Kirk is the site of the first Christian worship in Kirkcaldy after the Celtic missionaries brought the faith here in the 7th century. The first written record of the Kirk is in 1244 when the Roman Catholic Bishop de Bernham consecrated the building to St. Patrick and St. Brisse (St. Bryce) but we know there was a Celtic church there before that. The ancient tower dates from the 15th century.

Many famous and ordinary Kirkcaldy folk are part of this church and town's history and are buried in the surrounding graveyard. Adam Smith was christened as an infant here, and Rev. George Gillespie, an author of the Westminster Confession of Faith, lies underneath the Kirk.

After over 800 years of continuous Christian worship and service to the community at the heart of the town, we in the Trust are seeking to retain this beautiful building for the benefit of the community. We want to preserve that heritage and continue that tradition.

Present and Future

After 9 years of ownership by the Trust, Kirkcaldy Old Kirk has grown into a busy centre for musical events, drama, business meetings and conferences, while retaining Christian worship by local groups every week.

For details of what's on, please consult our Latest News below. 

To hire the Kirk for an event, please leave your enquiry on the contact email form and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.

Visitors are welcome to view the magnificent stained glass windows by a range of quality artists from Burne-Jones to Crear McCartney, and to climb the 15th century tower for spectacular views of the town and Firth of Forth. Unfortunately during Covid-19 restrictions our open days are limited but contact us for access and more information.

We welcome your contribution to our efforts, whether it be financial, as a volunteer helper, as a community organisation interested in using the Old Kirk or in hiring it as a performance space. If you would like to become a Friend of the Old Kirk and receive news of the Trust's progress please support us with a donation on the Paypal button above and contact us on the link opposite.