Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland Parish
Based at Dornoch Cathedral and including former parishes of
Creich (Bonar Bridge), Kincardine (Ardgay), Croick and Edderton
The 13th century Dornoch Cathedral is the worship centre for Dornoch Firth Church of Scotland, an inclusive faith community, welcoming visitors and serving those communities which lie within Dornoch Firth parish from Croick in the west to Embo in the East and from Cambusmore in the north to Edderton in the south.
The area has a population of 4000 approximately 1/2 living in Dornoch (a population that more than doubles in the summer).
Worship
11:00am Dornoch Cathedral Sunday morning services and other service and communion information across the parish.
News & Events
We maintain an active Facebook Page. Other news and Cathedral related stories are in our news page.
Activities & Groups
Activities for all age groups are supported by the Cathedral.
Parish History
In 2024 the Churches of Kincardine in Ardgay and Creich in Bonar Bridge and Croick and Edderton merged with Dornoch Cathedral to form the new Parish of Dornoch Firth.
A short history of these churches is below and the Cathedral’s history is here.
History of Dornoch Firth Churches
Original Parish Churches | Kincardine | Croick | Edderton | Dornoch Cathedral | Creich Church
Croick Church History
A brief History. Croick Church is 12 miles from Ardgay in the magnificent landscape of Strathcarron. It is an unaltered example of a Parliamentary Church. A single storey T-plan layout built in 1825-27 following the 1823 Act of Parliament to provide places of worship for rural communities. Thomas Telford was charged with overseeing this ambitious programme which saw 32 churches being built.
In the Disruption of 1843 when ministers broke away from the Church of Scotland and formed the Free Church of Scotland most families followed their minister, Rev Gustavus Aird, joining the Free Church leaving only two families attending Croick Church.
On 24th May 1845 tenant families were forcibly evicted from their homes in Glencalvie as landlords and factors made way for a large sheep farm. A make-shift camp was created in the Church grounds with some 80 people including children and elderly sheltering. A reminder of this time is visible with names scratched on windows.
Worship continued with a series on unions and linkages. It was 1980 before electricity was installed when major repairs to the structure were carried out. By 2018 the future of the church was uncertain and then in 2020 COVID saw the doors locked for the first time in living memory. A decision was taken to close the Church but fortunately in April 2025 the General Trustees of the Church of Scotland passed the care of Croick Church to Historic Churches Scotland.
The building has been made safe and weathertight. The bellcote was taken down and can be seen inside the Church. There is much work to do and planning and funding will take time.
The plan that HCS has is to maintain Croick Church and to ensure it is open for people to visit and to be used for occasional services. At a time when churches are being closed and sold we in the Dornoch Firth Parish greatly appreciate the work of Historic Churches Scotland to preserve Croick Church and allow us to hold services and also remember the history and heritage of the people of Glencalvie.
Creich Church History
Creich Church, in Bonar Bridge, is a category C listed building and was built on land gifted by Andrew Carnegie in 1913. However, historical records show that people have worshipped in the Parish from 1585 and it is noted that in 1790 there was a “clay cottage” beside the old Kirk where a preacher stayed. Old and young then walked to services from all corners of the Parish: Invershin in the West, Sleastry at the back of Bonar, Ospisdale in the East and a bus brought worshippers from Edderton across the narrows of the Kyle near Midfearn. It has impressivestained glass windows, some of which reflect the Carnegie connection.
Edderton Church History
There has been Christian worship in Edderton since Pictish and Viking times. There is an unusual stone with a Celtic Cross and carvings on one side and a Roman Cross on the other. This stands in the graveyard around the interesting pre-reformation church, “Edderton Old Church”, in the care of a local trust.
The new church building used until 2024 went through troubled times as a result of the Disruption until after the reunion with the United Free church just before WW2, becoming the place of worship of the united congregations. It was renovated in 1962 with a vestry added on the east side to conserve heat and improve the acoustics.
Kincardine Church History
The main building in Ardgay was originally built by the United Free Church in 1909 and after the UF re-joined the Church of Scotland in 1929 there were two churches until 1947, Kincardine East and Kincardine West. The West church was closed in 1955 and is now a Heritage Centre in the care of the Kyle of Sutherland Heritage Society.