Gazing upon Canongate Kirk, one might hear whispers of history and royalty. Canongate Kirk sits proudly on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. This unassuming church boasts a rich past, intertwined with Scotland’s elite. Canongate Kirk emerged from a royal decree. King James VII, in 1688, decided to transform Holyrood Abbey’s nave into a chapel for the Order of the Thistle. This displaced the existing congregation. The king then ordered that funds left by Thomas Moodie, a wealthy Edinburgh merchant, be used to build a new church. And so, Canongate Kirk was born, completed in 1691. The kirk’s design is notably “distinctively unconventional.” The cruciform layout is a rarity for a Church of Scotland building of its era. Its Dutch-style gable and Doric-columned portico add to its unique charm. Inside Canongate Kirk, the light blue pews and darker blue pulpit create a serene atmosphere. The walls, adorned with regimental colors, speak to the close ties between the church and the military. Canongate Kirk is more than just a pretty facade. It’s a living testament to Edinburgh’s history. The parish includes not only Holyrood Palace and the Scottish Parliament but also Edinburgh Castle. This explains the occasional presence of royals and parliament members in the pews. Even the castle governor has his designated seat. Canongate Kirk also played host to a modern fairytale. In 2011, Zara Phillips, granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II, married rugby star Mike Tindall here. It was the first royal wedding in Scotland in nearly two decades. Adjacent to Canongate Kirk lies the historic kirkyard. Here rests Adam Smith, the father of modern economics, author of “The Wealth of Nations.” Poet Robert Fergusson also found his final resting place here. A statue of Fergusson, coattails billowing, stands at the kirkyard gate, a tribute erected by Robert Burns.
Lt Allan Ker Stone
This Lt Allan Ker Stone stands as a testament. It honors a man who faced death. He faced it with