New College, Edinburgh was founded in 1846 as a college of the Free Church of Scotland, later of the United Free Church of Scotland, and currently the School of Divinity of the University of Edinburgh and a Divinity college of the Church of Scotland. It is located in the city centre at Mound Place (off The Mound), overlooking Princes Street Gardens. 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... This article concerns the Free Church of Scotland 1843-1900, for the Free Church of Scotland existing from 1900 to the present day see Free Church of Scotland (post 1900). ... The United Free Church of Scotland was formed in 1900 by the unification of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland (except for a dissident section who separated off and retained the name of Free Church). ... The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... The Church of Scotland (CofS sometimes known as the Kirk) is the national church of Scotland. ...

Prior to the 1929 reunion of the Church of Scotland, candidates for the ministry in the United Free Church studied at New College, whilst candidates for the old Church of Scotland studied in the Divinity Faculty of the University of Edinburgh. During the 1930s the two institutions came together, sharing the New College site on The Mound. Technicially, New College remains a Church of Scotland institution; the Principal is appointed by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. Following a recent reorganisation, the University's Faculty of Divinity was renamed the School of Divinity. The Head of the School of Divinity is appointed by the University. In practice, the University's School of Divinity and New College are now barely distinguishable as institutions, sharing the same buildings and staff. Not all the students are candidates for the ministry in the Church of Scotland; some are studying for ministry in other churches and others may be aiming for very different careers. 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The Church of Scotland (CofS sometimes known as the Kirk) is the national church of Scotland. ...

The New College library is the largest theological library in the United Kingdom. The main hall of the library was originally built as the sanctuary of the Free High Kirk, a congregation which broke from St Giles' Cathedral (the High Kirk) during the Disruption of 1843. Following the reunion of the Church in 1929, this congregation was "transported" to the south side of the city in the 1930s, becoming the Reid Memorial Church. St Giles Cathedral A prominent feature of the Edinburgh skyline, St Giles Cathedral decorates the midpoint of the Royal Mile with its rounded hollow-crown tower. ... In one sense the Free Church of Scotland dated its existence from the Disruption of 1843, in another it claimed to be the rightful representative of the national Church of Scotland as it was reformed in 1560. ... 1929 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ...

As well as the teaching facilities and the library, the New College complex also includes the General Assembly hall of the Church of Scotland. This was used as a temporary home for the debating chamber of the Scottish Parliament, from its establishment in 1999 until the completion of the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood in 2004. When the annual General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was held, the Parliament was required to move out. The Scottish Parliament (Pàrlamaid na h-Alba in Gaelic, Scots Pairlament in Scots) is the national unicameral legislature of Scotland. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Scottish Parliament building in January 2005 The Scottish Parliament Building is now the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Edinburgh. ... 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External Link

• The University of Edinburgh School of Divinity, New College website