Crown Court Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland has been active in London since the time of James VI, King of Scots, who became King James I of England in 1603. There is some evidence that courtiers of the King who had followed him from Scotland worshipped in a chapel in the precincts of the old Whitehall Palace. This site became known as “Scotland Yard” and subsequently housed the original offices of the Metropolitan Police. The first formal records of what is now Crown Court Church date from 1711. However, it is clear that the congregation existed somewhat earlier than that, possibly becoming established around the time of the Union of the Parliaments in 1707. The original congregation met in St Peter’s Court, off St. Martin’s Lane, and grew steadily as the number of Scots in London increased. In 1719 this Scottish Kirk moved to a new location in Covent Garden, where it has remained ever since, with the present building replacing the original in 1909. The title “Crown Court Church” is drawn from the name of this site, although it also looks back to the Union of the Crowns of 1603. The arms above the Communion Table are the Royal Arms of King George I, who was monarch when the first church was built in 1719. The white horse in the lower right quarter represents the house of Hanover. Below the Arms, the St Andrew’s Cross with the thistles intertwined represents Scotland and the roses represent the link with England.
