The church was dedicated as St John's Chapel onMaundy Thursday 1818 with construction having begun in 1816. It was designed by the architectWilliam Burn[2] the previous year, at the age of only 25.
The congregation had begun in 1792 whenDaniel Sandford came to Edinburgh to minister on Church of England lines. In 1797 theQualified congregation moved toCharlotte Chapel which was re-built on larger lines in 1811. They sold shares to fund a new church, the bankerSir William Forbes being the main figure, and Charlotte Chapel was then sold to the Baptists.
Edward Bannerman Ramsay joined St John's as curate in 1827. He succeeded Bishop Sandford as minister in 1830, and stayed until his own death in 1872, having been Dean from 1846.
The war memorial was added in 1919 to a design by SirRobert Lorimer. Lorimer also designed and oversaw the addition of faux-vaults when Lothian Road was widened in 1926.[3]
St John's holds daily services and is one of the few remaining Episcopal churches in Scotland to hold the weekly service ofMatins.[citation needed]
John Stuart Stuart-Forbes (1849–1876) (also known as J. S. Hiley; died at theBattle of the Little Bighorn in North America. His plaque can be found on the left hand side of the church as you enter) The plaque reads "In Memory of John Stuart Stuart Forbes7th Regt. United States Cavalry. Born at Rugby 28th May 1849. Killed in Action 25th June 1876."[5]
The church is also home to the Just Festival (formerly known as the Festival of Spirituality and Peace), which takes place each August alongside theEdinburgh Festival Fringe.[citation needed]
In 2017 theScottish Episcopal Church changed its marriage canon, allowing clergy (with the consent of their congregations) to opt into the Scottishsame-sex marriage legislation. The first marriage of a couple of the same gender inside anAnglican church in theBritish Isles was solemnised at St John's in September that year with the rector presiding.[9]
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