Holy Trinity can trace its continuous existence since the Revolution of 1688 when the priest was the Reverend James Thornton, and known to be “a strong Episcopalian”. On 7 November 1689 he was ‘deprived of his benefice’. Ministry to the faithful continued in a number of locations by many faithful priests over the ensuing years.
It was in 1779 that Episcopalians again found a home in Keith, when a simple two roomed cottage in Bridge Street, New Keith, was used as a meeting house. In 1807 a small chapel was opened in Keith, although it was not consecrated until 1832.
In 1878 a Church Fund was opened and by 1882 the foundation stone of the present church was laid on the site next to the Parsonage in Seafield Road. This church has a unique link with the American Episcopal Church in that, in the Sanctuary is the actual chair, the “Seabury Chair”, on which Bishop Robert KiIgour (Bishop of Aberdeen, 1768-86) sat when consecrating Bishop Samuel Seabury as the first Bishop of the American Episcopal Church.
“The Seabury Chair”
The above is a photograph of the chair from which Bishop Seabury the first Bishop of the The Episcopal Church (TEC) in the U.S. was consecrated by the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1784. The chair formed part of the furniture in the Long Acre Room, Aberdeen, the place of the Consecration of Bishop Seabury and was used as the throne of the Consecrating Bishop.
It was bought in 1816 by a member of this congregation (Holy Trinity, Keith) and sold by him to the then Rector, the Rev. John Murdoch. The Seabury Chair is now the property of the Vestry of this Church.