Stunning church in the centre of London

Located a 4 minute walk from Covent Garden tube, and a 6 minute walk from Holborn Tube, Crown Court Church of Scotland is a unique space with an impressive sanctuary, featuring traditional pews, balcony seating and stunning stained glass windows. The sanctuary can be hired separately or with the church hall below for a wide variety of uses in accordance with our terms and conditions.

The Sanctuary space consists of seating for up to 200 people (130 in the lower sanctuary and 70 in the gallery), with a raised platform at the front measuring 7m x 5m. The choir pews at the front of the church can be removed to create an additional space of 7.2m x 4m, suitable for rehearsals and concerts.

The space has excellent lighting, with options for performance lighting at the front of the sanctuary. There is also a high-level sound system, supporting microphones placed around the space, which can be used in conjunction with recently installed equipment for live streaming on our 5G Wifi network.

The use of a good upright piano and a newly restored (2019) three manual organ by Bevington are included in the hire charge.

Our Church Hall is a bright and flexible space below the church itself. Within the space, there is a sectioned off area with counters, which can act as a serving station for tea/coffee or pre-prepared drinks and nibbles. There is a full-size grand piano available for rehearsal use, as well as tables and chairs for meetings or presentations. High speed 5G wifi is also available in the hall space.

Hire Charges

We charge for both spaces in blocks of four hours, and the Church Hall can also be booked on an hourly basis. Please contact us for our rates for the hire of both spaces together. A discount may be available for charitable or community use.

Sanctuary

One morning/afternoon/evening session (10-2pm/2-6pm/6-10pm): £200

All day use (all three sessions): £550

Church Hall

Hourly rate: £40/hr

One morning/afternoon/evening session (10-2pm/2-6pm/6-10pm): £150

All day use (all three sessions): £400

Crown Court Church of Scotland is the oldest surviving Scots Kirk in London, although there were once eight or more in London and the South East. 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. The first formal records of what is now Crown Court Church date from 1711, but the congregation likely 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 Crown Court site was obtained from the Duke of Bedford at a peppercorn rent for the first year and then £14 per year for sixty years. The original building was completed at a cost of £611.10s.11d, raised by public subscription, and consecrated as the new Kirk on 4 March 1719.

Today, Crown Court church is an inclusive church and a diverse bunch of people, seeking to learn what it means to be people of faith in a modern world, in the heart of London's theatreland.