| St Oran's Church | |
|---|---|
 The congregation's last meeting-place, at Broughton Street | |
 | |
| 55°57′26.27″N 3°11′19.9″W / 55.9572972°N 3.188861°W | |
| Location | Broughton, Edinburgh |
| Country | Scotland |
| Language(s) | Scottish Gaelic, English |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| History | |
| Former name(s) |
|
| Status | Closed |
| Founded | 1769 |
| Dedication | Oran of Iona |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Architect(s) | John Dick Peddie (attributed) |
| Style | Neoclassical |
| Years built | 1843–1844 |
| Closed | 1948 |
| Administration | |
| Synod | Lothian |
| Presbytery | Edinburgh |
| Clergy | |
| Minister(s) |
|
Listed Building – Category B | |
| Official name | 24 Broughton Street (former Catholic Apsotolic Church), including railings and gate |
| Designated | 16 June 1966 |
| Reference no. | LB28368 |
St Oran's Church was a Gaelic-speaking congregation of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh. Originating in the early 18th-century, the congregation continued until 1948, latterly meeting at Broughton Street.
Gaelic public worship in Edinburgh began in the early 18th century and culminated with the opening of the first Gaelic Chapel at Chapel Wynd near the Grassmarket in 1769. This was the first Gaelic-speaking congregation in the Scottish Lowlands. A second, larger chapel opened at Horse Wynd in 1813 and the two congregations united in 1815, following which the Chaepl Wynd building was sold. In 1835, the chapel was raised to the status of a parish quoad sacra. The Disruption of 1843 saw all the church's office holders and almost all of its congregation depart the established church to join the Free Church, creating another Gaelic-speaking congregation in Edinburgh: the Gaelic Free Church. Civic improvements in the Old Town forced the congregation to vacate Horse Wynd in 1870. It settled in the former Catholic Apostolic Church on Broughton Street in 1875. In 1900, the congregation adopted the name "St Oran's". The former Gaelic Free Church – by then known as "St Columba's" – had rejoined the Church of Scotland in 1929 due to denominational unions. The General Assembly concluded the maintenance of two small Gaelic-speaking congregations in Edinburgh was unnecessary and, in 1948, St Oran's and St Columba's united to form the Highland Church, using the St Columba's buildings. Greyfriars Kirk maintains St Oran's tradition of Gaelic worship in Edinburghto the present.
The first Gaelic Chapel was a simple T-plan building with seats for 800. It was demolished in the 1830s. The Horse Wynd building stood on a rectangular plan and was executed in a plain neoclassical style. It was swept away in the public improvements that created Chambers Street. The Broughton Street building – the only building occupied by the Gaelic congregation that still stands – is a neoclassical, temple-like building of 1843–1844, attributed to John Dick Peddie. It is now in commercial use.