24874: New College, Edinburgh

New College was founded following the schism in the Church of Scotland, known as the Disruption. Those training for the new Free Church of Scotland needed a new college. Initially, from October 1843, classes for trainee ministers were held at Free St George’s Church, with the foundation stone for New College itself laid on the Mound on 3rd June 1846. 

In 1900 most of the Free Church of Scotland was unified with the United Presbyterian Church to become the United Free Church of Scotland. From 1907, New College served as the college of the United Free Church. The part of the original Free Church of Scotland that remained outside the union moved to other premises and set up the Free Church College, later to become the Edinburgh Theological Seminary. 

In 1937, following the union of the United Free Church with the Church of Scotland, the premises at New College became home to Edinburgh University’s School of Divinity.

Further information about New College’s history can be found on the University of Edinburgh website.