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The Scottish Catholic Archives preserves, selects and makes available the archives of the Catholic Church in Scotland and abroad. Responsible for over 800 years of documentary evidence of the Catholic Church in Scotland and the wider world, the Scottish Catholic Archives is a major resource for understanding Scottish and European history. From letters of Mary, Queen of Scots; baptismal records for individuals such as Arthur Conan Doyle; and papers relating to Oscar Wilde, the collections relate to five continents and are written in at least 12 languages.

The Historic Collection is on long-term loan, and can be consulted at the Special Collections Centre of the Sir Duncan Rice Library at the University of Aberdeen.

Our holdings at Columba House include parish registers and documentary, post-1878, diocesan records which provide valuable historical and genealogical information.   Readers are welcome to consult our resources at our research centre, Columba House in Edinburgh.   To arrange an appointment for Columba House, please email archivists@scottishcatholicarchives.org.uk   Appointment times range between 10am-1pm and 2pm-4pm.

The Scottish Catholic Archives is a national agency of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland.