We
want to share St.John's Kirk with as many people as possible. There
are information sheets, for use inside the Kirk, in the following
languages :- French, German, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, Norwegian,
Russian, Japanese, Czech and Polish.
Click here for opening times and access arrangements. We do not charge an entrance fee, but we ask visitors to give a donation of £1. The responsibility of looking after the Kirk falls on the congregation and this money helps to meet some of the expenses of having the Kirk open for visitors. You will sometimes find a volunteer who is there to welcome visitors. They are not experts on the history of the building, but will try to answer any questions you may have.
The Kirk was restored 1923 - 26 as the War Memorial to the Dead of Perth and Perthshire and the Shrine, with the Golden Book, is the focus of a visit for many people. Other visitors will enjoy the rich history, the stained glass windows, the wood carving or the variety of our other treasures - click here for more. Some people appreciate the stillness of the building and use it for private prayer - or just sitting and thinking.
Since we are a 'working congregation' and not just a historic building, there will be times when it is not convenient for visitors to look round. If a morning service, funeral or a wedding is in progress, visitors will be asked to wait until these services are finished.
We are also pleased to welcome visitors to our Services each Sunday, at 9.3Oam when Holy Communion is celebrated, and at 11am which includes a choral anthem. However, we would point out that the time between the Services on a Sunday is not a good time for groups to look round - they are welcome to call after 12 noon.
There is a table inside the Kirk which has publications for sale, including `A History of Saint John's Kirk' by Richard Fawcett. This table is organised by the Friends of St. John's Kirk - a group of people who are not necessarily members of the congregation, but who wish to be involved with the preservation of the Kirk's heritage.
Perth and surroundings -
St. John's has a history stretching back 800 years,
but Perth has more to offer. The Kirk has a strong association with
the Black Watch, and the Regimental Museum at Balhousie Castle is
within walking distance -click here
for more information.
In the Fair Maid of Perth, Sir Walter Scott wrote "Perth,
so eminent for the beauty of its situation, is a place of great
antiquity" and the web-site of the Perthshire Tourist Board
describes its current attractions. Click here
for that site.
An outstanding attraction is Scone Palace, for hundreds of years the
family seat of the Earls of Mansfield, which houses the original site
of the Stone of Destiny. Click here
to visit the Palace web-site.