Priory Church

The Priory Church of St Mary of Mount Carmel stands in South Queensferry, just outside Edinburgh. Built in the mid 15th century for Carmelite monks, it later served as a parish church before falling into disrepair. In 1890 the Scottish Episcopal Church restored the building and reopened it for worship. The church is the only medieval Carmelite church still in use in the British Isles and is recognised as a category A listed building. The church’s history begins with the Carmelite Friary founded in 1330. After the Reformation in 1560 the Dundas family took ownership and used the church as a burial place. The nave was demolished in 1875 and the choir now serves as the main worship space. Architects Henry Seymour and John Kinross led the 1889 restoration, and Dean James Montgomery reconsecrated the building in 1890. Visitors find a compact medieval church with a tower, choir and south transept. The choir functions as the nave, and the transept houses the baptistery. A small porch was added in 1937 on the west side of the tower. No traces remain of the original monastic buildings to the north. The interior reflects its long history while serving an active congregation today.