St John's Church, Inverkeithing

Historic site in Church Street, Inverkeithing

LocationChurch Street, Inverkeithing

Built1752

St John's Church
St John's Church building (2009)
Interactive map of St John's Church
Location	Church Street, Inverkeithing
Built	1752

Listed Building – Category B
Official name	58, 60 Church Street, Inverkeithing Parish Church (St John's building; Church of Scotland) including adjoining hall and offices, boundary walls and railings
Designated	19 December 1979
Reference no.	LB35113

St John's Church is a former church building in Inverkeithing in Fife, Scotland. Originally built in 1752 as a Burgher chapel, it is a Category B listed building, noted by Historic Scotland as playing "a significant part in the development of Inverkeithing's socio-religious history".^[1]

Incarnations

In 1752 a split occurred within the congregation of Inverkeithing Parish Church over the choice of Andrew Richardson as minister by right of patronage; the dispute became known as the Inverkeithing Case. Following Richardson's eventual appointment as minister, 127 parishioners left, and St John's Church was built as a Burgher chapel.^[2]^[3]

With growing attendance, in 1799 the building was widened, heightened, and had galleries added. By the 1830s, the congregation at St John's Church comprised roughly half the burgh's population.^[2] The church was renovated in 1882.^[4]

The longest serving minister of St John's church was Reverend Ebenezer Brown, who served from 1780 to 1835.^[3]

In 2006, St John's church was united with Inverkeithing Parish Church. The building was sold to a private buyer in 2022.^[1]^[5]

Founded as a Burger chapel, by 1779, a protracted dispute over the first minister of the Church led to a large part of the church becoming Cameronian.^[1] Later incarnations of the church are as follows:

Associate Congregation c. 1786 - 1820
United Associate (Secession) Congregation 1820 - 1847
United Presbyterian Church 1847 - 1900
United Free Church in 1900 - 1929
Church of Scotland in 1929 - 2022.^[1]

Listed Status

In December 1979, St John's Church was awarded category B listed status by Historic Scotland. In their statement of special interest, they note the church: "... plays a significant part in the development of Inverkeithing's socio-religious history, with particular relevance to its status as a royal burgh and reflects the staunchness of its citizens." and also that "apart from some internal improvements, this church has not changed significantly since its major additions of the late 18th century."^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 5 "58, 60 CHURCH STREET, INVERKEITHING PARISH CHURCH (ST JOHN'S BUILDING; CHURCH OF SCOTLAND) INCLUDING ADJOINING HALL AND OFFICES, BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS (LB35113)". portal.historicenvironment.scot. Archived from the original on 2025-01-30. Retrieved 2026-02-26.
1 2 "St John’s, Church Street, Inverkeithing". sacredlandscapesoffife. tt27@st-andrews.ac.uk. 1750. Retrieved 2026-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
1 2 "St John's Church in Inverkeithing has its origins in an eighteenth-century burgher congregation. In 1847 the congregation of St John's joined the United Presbyterians. The congregation later became Church of Scotland. The building now serves as the parish church for Inverkeithing. (Credit: Graeme Smith / Wikimedia)". fifecoastalzone.org. Bess Rhodes. Retrieved 2026-02-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
↑ J Gifford, BUILDINGS OF SCOTLAND: FIFE (1988) p247. HISTORY OF ST JOHN'S CHURCH BUILDINGS, INVERKEITHING, notes compiled by C Morris, Church Elder (1990s)
↑ "St. John's Church And Halls, Church Street, Inverkeithing, KY11 1LJ | Property history | Terraced | ESPC". espc.com. Retrieved 2026-02-26.

56°02′02″N 3°23′49″W / 56.0338°N 3.3970°W / 56.0338; -3.3970

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