St John the Evangelist
Portobello, City of Edinburgh
A beautiful Gothic church set in the heart of Edinburgh's seaside suburb of Portobello
Musselburgh Congregational church, originally known as Fisherrow Congregational because it was in the centre of the fishing community, is one of the oldest and most historic Congregational churches in Scotland.
It's beginning, in the latter half of the 18th century was, in part, due to an unusual incident. One of the famous Wesley brothers, founders of the Methodist church, was travelling from London to Edinburgh when his carriage broke down in Musselburgh. He had to stay the night in Musselburgh while his carriage was being repaired. Never one to miss an opportunity he invited the local people to a revival meeting. That was the beginning.
When the church opened in 1798 the people used the premises of another church in Millhill and then, as the congregation grew, they moved to a barn in Fisherrow, owned by a Mr McGuire, for the rental sum of £12.00 a year, which was a huge amount at the time. The church was built in 1801 using stones and sand from the local beach on land purchased from Blackhall Farm for the sum of £160.00. This is the same building that is in constant use today. The hall was added in 1912.