Church Overview

In 1837 the ancient parishes of Barry and Panbride provided an area in the centre of the new town of Carnoustie for a new parish. The first Established Church building was built across the road from the current Carnoustie Church, on the site of what is now the Cadet Hall.

In 1843, many members of the congregation left to form the local Free Church congregation, eventually leading to the building of the St Stephen’s Church just along the road. A union between the congregations of St Stephen’s Church and the Old Parish took place in 1969 and St Stephen’s has since been demolished.

By the end of the 19th the Old Parish Church on the south side of Dundee Street had become too small for the needs of the new congregation, so a new church was built in 1902 on the opposite side of the street, designed in a Romanesque style by Peter MacGregor Chalmers, the noted church architect. Chalmers’ plans included a far taller tower, but this was never built due to a lack of available funds.

Its aisled nave has a timber gallery above the east aisle and its interior is further adorned by several stained glass windows, including the very striking war memorial windows in the south gable by Margaret Chilton and Marjorie Kemp and the chancel windows by Douglas Strachan depicting the empty tomb. The 3-manual and pedal pipe organ by H S Vincent of Sunderland was installed in 1902 and rebuilt in 1989 and 1999 by John R Lightbown & Sons.

The congregation of Carnoustie Parish Church is now united with the neighbouring congregations of Barry and Newton Panbride Churches in a cluster known as Carnoustie Trinity.

Services

Open by arrangement

Disclaimer

The information about churches in Scotland’s Churches Trust has been provided by the congregations or taken from  published sources, in particular, the Buildings of Scotland volumes and the RIAS Illustrated Architectural Guides. To contact this specific church please contact Scotland’s Churches Trust to let us know of any errors or omissions.