Interim Moderator: - Rev.
William Wallace (01955 603166) Church Officer: - Mr.
Robert Chalmers (01847 892883) Session Clerk: _ Mr.
Robert Nicol (01847 894441)
St. Peter's & St. Andrew's Church, Thurso, in Deferred linkage with
Olrig Parish Church, Castletown, having been vacant for the past fifteen months, has received permission to
call a Minister without restriction to this charge
The ministers of Saint Peter's Church since 1833 are listed below:
1833 - 1843 Walter Ross Taylor
1843 - 1859 William Dalziel
1860 - 1910 John Stewart Miller
1910 - 1935 George R.MacLennan
1939 - 1946 Robert M. Fraser
1946 - 1951 Andrew K.Fairlie
1952 - 1964 Dugald C. Alexander
1965 - 1988 Donald S. Riach
1989 - 2005 Kenneth M. Borthwick
Saint Peter's Church of Scotland was opened on the first
Sunday of 1833. "A neat and plain church with a tower or
spire to contain 1800 sitters and well adapted to hearing the
minister. " The fine site is apparent as one approaches the
town from the River Bridge. The interior of the church is
attractive in it's layout with the pulpit and communion table at
centre. In 1914 the present pipe organwas installed and the downstairs pews were replaced by the
present comfortable seating centre. The pews upstairs are
original. The memorial windows at either side of the pulpit are of
particular note. It is thought that the founder of the
Boys Brigade ,Sir
William Smith, born at nearby Pennyland Farm, may have worshipped
here as a boy.
Old St Peter's Church
The remains of the original St Peter's Church Thurso can be seen a
short distance along Riverside Road from the bridge near the
outlet of the River Thurso. The picturesque ruin is mainly from
the 17th century although parts of the building have been on the
site since the 12th century. An unusual feature of the church is
that the main window faces south. By 1830 the church had become
unsafe and it decided to build a new church. The last sermon in
the church was preached by the minister, Walter Ross Taylor, on
Sunday 30 December 1832.
A history of this church was previously online at Thurso High
School's website. The unknown author of this history has not been
located and the page can only be found in cached form on Google et
al. The page is reproduced
here
for any who wish to read it's history.
Saint
Andrew's Church.
The former St Andrew's Church Thurso, in Olrig Street - about
three minutes from the town centre - was originally built as the
first Free Church in the town. The Church, with it's prominent
spire, was opened for public worship in 1871. It became part of
the United Free Church in 1900 and of the Church of Scotland in
1929. In 1946 it united with St Peter's Church to form St Peter's
and Saint Andrew's Church and services were held in the two
buildings on alternate Sundays until Saint Andrew's Church was
closed in 1968. A part of Saint Andrew's Church is now used as a
Funeral Parlour.
Rev. Kenny Borthwick
A much loved minister and also a well respected speaker worldwide, Kenny Borthwick was minister of Saint Peter's and Saint Andrew's
from 1989 until
January 2005. Kenny is now minister of Holy Trinity Wester
Hailes in Edinburgh.
The remains of the original St Peter's Church Thurso can be seen a
short distance along Riverside Road from the bridge near the
outlet of the River Thurso. The picturesque ruin is mainly from
the 17th century although parts of the building have been on the
site since the 12th century. An unusual feature of the church is
that the main window faces south. By 1830 the church had become
unsafe and it decided to build a new church. The last sermon in
the church was preached by the minister, Walter Ross Taylor, on
A much loved minister and also a