Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church

Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church is a community action group aiming to secure a future for one of Scotland's most historic churches.

We are a community action group, formed to try to save Burntisland Parish Church as a nationally important heritage asset and to keep it open for the public to visit. Burntisland Parish Church holds a distinguished place in Christian history. In 1601 it was the site of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, attended by King James VI, who authorised a new translation of the Bible – now ren

owned worldwide as The King James Version. Ever since, the church has been known as "The Kirk of the Bible". It is also a truly unique architectural and historical gem. Not only is it Scotland’s only square-shaped church, but it also thought to be one of the first built in Scotland after the Reformation

The Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church have come together to secure a future for the Category A-listed landmark, which is listed for disposal by the Church of Scotland after 2027.

We had a fantastic open day yesterday with over 130 visitors! Thank you to all who came along to learn more about our hi...
24/05/2026

We had a fantastic open day yesterday with over 130 visitors! Thank you to all who came along to learn more about our historic church, take part in activities, hear the fantastic organ and discuss the building’s future in the community.

Open day this Saturday, we’d love to see you there!
19/05/2026

Open day this Saturday, we’d love to see you there!

Join us for our upcoming open day on 23rd May to learn about the church and our work to save it for the community.

Join us for our upcoming open day on 23rd May to learn about the church and our work to save it for the community.
01/05/2026

Join us for our upcoming open day on 23rd May to learn about the church and our work to save it for the community.

The next working group meeting will be held on Wednesday 15th April at 7pm. If you are interested in the work of Friends...
12/04/2026

The next working group meeting will be held on Wednesday 15th April at 7pm. If you are interested in the work of Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church please fell free to join us, new faces are always welcome.

Survey deadline extended to 29 March - last chance to share your views on the future of Burntisland Parish Church
24/03/2026

Survey deadline extended to 29 March - last chance to share your views on the future of Burntisland Parish Church

FoBOPC has an opportunity to buy our historic Burntisland church for community use and to save it for future generations. We need your views on this.

Thank you to the many people who have completed the survey already. If you would like to contribute but haven’t yet had the chance, please take a few minutes to complete our online survey on the link below, survey closes Sunday 22nd March.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZQtZodYKtz3f41Uo8aq0upArjXRG_4m2lpUFkPUjLjzF8Dw/viewform

FoBOPC has an opportunity to buy our historic Burntisland church for community use and to save it for future generations...
18/03/2026

FoBOPC has an opportunity to buy our historic Burntisland church for community use and to save it for future generations. We need your views on this.

Thank you to the many people who have completed the survey already. If you would like to contribute but haven’t yet had the chance, please take a few minutes to complete our online survey on the link below, survey closes Sunday 22nd March.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfZQtZodYKtz3f41Uo8aq0upArjXRG_4m2lpUFkPUjLjzF8Dw/viewform

We were pleased to welcome Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, on a visit to our historic church today along...
19/02/2026

We were pleased to welcome Angus Robertson, Cabinet Secretary for Culture, on a visit to our historic church today along with local MSP Claire Baker, who has supported our group since its inception. The Cabinet Secretary recognised the importance of this unique church and is keen to seek a way to save it for the community and wider public.

18/02/2026

NEWS: Cabinet Secretary to visit historic Burntisland church following parliamentary call

Claire Baker MSP will this week meet Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture, Angus Robertson, at Burntisland Old Parish Church, amid concern at Church of Scotland plans to dispose of the building.

The Cabinet Secretary will visit Burntisland Old Parish Church this Thursday morning, following calls to safeguard the future of the historic building.

Claire Baker raised the future of the A-listed church in the Scottish Parliament, highlighting concerns about the impact of the Church of Scotland’s plans to reduce its estate and the potential loss of culturally significant buildings. During that exchange, she invited the Cabinet Secretary to visit Burntisland to see first-hand the importance of what she described as “an undervalued jewel on the Fife coast.”

The church building is one of hundreds that the Church of Scotland plans to sell to downsize its estate, but it has significant cultural and community value. Built in the 1590s, Burntisland Old Parish Church is a category-A listed building and one of Scotland’s earliest post-Reformation churches. It is known for its square-plan architecture and as the birthplace of the King James Bible.

A community group, Friends of Burntisland Old Parish Church, is working to try and secure a future for the building and will also attend the visit.

MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Claire Baker said:

“I was pleased that the Cabinet Secretary agreed to my invitation to visit Burntisland Old Parish Church. This is an extraordinary building with national significance, but it is also tells the story of our local community.

“With many historic church buildings facing an uncertain future, we need a clear plan to protect those of outstanding heritage value. I look forward to constructive discussions on Thursday about how we can work together to secure this building for future generations.”

09/02/2026

📣 The next FoBOPC Committee Meeting is at 7pm on Wednesday 11th February in the Burntisland Church halls. All members welcome to attend.

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Burntisland

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