Welcome

SCOTLAND'S CHURCHES SCHEME is an ecumenical Charitable Trust, providing an opportunity to access the nation's ecclesiastical heritage by assisting churches in membership to:

• work together with others to make the Church the focus of the community,
• open their doors with a welcoming presence,
• tell the story of the building (however old or new), its purpose and heritage (artistic, architectural and historical),
• provide information and care for visitors, young and old.

Scotland possesses a surprising and delightful diversity in the range of buildings designed for worship, deriving in part from its complicated ecclesiastical history.

The Scheme has grown rapidly since its inception in 1994 and there are now more than 1,000 churches in membership, operating an 'open doors' policy.

These churches are spread across Scotland and across all the religious denominations. They contain a significant part of the nation's heritage (over 600 are listed buildings, a quarter being Category A). All of these are described in the guidebook 1000 Churches to Visit in Scotland.

Scotland's Churches Scheme has successfully promoted access to the nation's ecclesiastical heritage, with many of our Church buildings, large and small, urban and rural, in membership.

The Scheme's success to date, over a relatively short period, is hugely encouraging and has the potential of further raising the awareness of our ecclesiastical heritage and making it more accessible to a wider audience.