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General Church History

The Free Church of Scotland was formed in 1843 when most of the evangelical ministers of the Church of Scotland left the church because of state interference in the internal affairs of the church. Under a system known as Patronage, landowners could nominate and present ministers to congregations, whether these ministers were evangelical or not and irrespective of whether or not the people wanted them. This was regarded by many as totally unacceptable. They understood the historic position of the Presbyterian Church in Scotland to be that the Church and State were independent in their own spheres, and ought not to interfere in each other's business, but rather that they should help one another for the Christian good of Scotland. The result was that in 1843 in what has become known as The Disruption a new denomination was formed , which they called the Church of Scotland, Free - a name changed soon after to the Free Church of Scotland.

The denomination currently has over 100 congregations in Scotland, as well as 2 in London and 5 in North America, and sister Churches founded by mission work in India, Peru and South Africa. The Church also has a full time college in the middle of Edinburgh for the training of Ministers and other Christian workers and is also involved in different types of missionary work at home and abroad. The Free Church is in fellowship with many other Reformed churches throughout the world and stands firmly in the tradition which accepts the Bible in its entirety as the inspired inerrant  Word of God and, therefore, derives its forms of teaching, worship, ministry and government from it. Central therefore to our worship is the preaching of the gospel - the good news of a free and sovereign salvation through Jesus Christ alone. To find out more about the denomination please visit their website.

Local History

Perth, “where the Scottish Reformation first sprang from thought into action” had five Free Church congregations immediately post Disruption.

Knox Free Church, which became the sixth Free Church congregation, began as a Mission Station Outreach to working class folk in the Meal Vennel off South Street, Perth

Through the labour of Walter Davidson, the first pastor, the congregation grew rapidly and a church building was opened on 25th March, 1857. This building, which fronted onto South Street, Perth, was in use for almost 100 years until it became  a burden to the then much reduced congregation.

After several years in a hall in North William Street, above the licensed premises known as the White Horse Inn, a new church building was opened in the Tulloch district on the site of the present church. Unfortunately due to a major design fault and inadequate foundations, this building lasted for less than twenty years. It was demolished and replaced by the present church which was opened in September 1989 by the late Professor Douglas MacMillan of the Free Church College, Edinburgh.

Ministers who have served the congregation during the past fifty years include:- Rev  Kenneth MacKay, Rev Donald Fraser, Rev John W Heenan, Rev David Paterson and the present incumbent Rev Duncan M Macleod.

In May 2002 The General Assembly united the congregation of Aberfeldy, Glenlyon and Pitlochry with the congregation of Perth under the name of Perth and Pitlochry Free Church and under the pastorate of Rev. Duncan M. Macleod, the consolidated charge to have one Kirk Session and one Deacons’ Court, with a separate Finance Committee to hold the invested funds in the name of Aberfeldy, Glenlyon and Pitlochry. All services are currently held in Perth.