During the 2011 census, the majority of responses from Nairn indicated a religious association, with the largest group belonging to the Church of Scotland, although this group was smaller than those who indicated that they followed no religion.
Christianity (from a 1906 book) Nairn was included traditionally within the
diocese of Moray, believed to be formed in the reign of
Alexander I of Scotland around 1122, which extended from Spey to the
River Beauly. A writ in the time of
William the Lion shows the Bishop of Nairn had given possession of lands in Nairn to King William for the building of Nairn Castle, implying that much of the land of Nairn and the castle had previously belonged to the church or the bishop himself. Possession of
Auldearn was provided in compensation. There are two
Church of Scotland congregations in the town. The Old Parish Church, commonly known as Nairn Old Parish Church, is on Academy Street. It was erected in 1811 and contains 902 sittings. A second working building is on the High Street. Nairn St Ninians opened in 1881 as a
Free Church of Scotland and is of an Early French Gothic design, costing £7000 and containing 1200 sittings. In 1900 The Free Church and The United Presbyterian Church united, becoming Nairn High Church. In 1974 The High Church united with The Rosebank Church, and the new congregation took the name
St. Ninian's, the Patron Saint of the Burgh and one preeminent in bringing the Gospel to Scotland. This parish extends across most of the town and out towards Auldearn. St Columba's Episcopal Church is on Queen Street; it was built of sandstone with a slate roof in 1857 and is still in use. There is also St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Academy Street, founded as a result of Gaelic-speaking Roman Catholics who moved from the island of Barra to Nairn in the second half of the 19th century. Other worshipping communities include Nairn Baptist Church, Nairn Free Church, and The Pentecostal Church of God.
Islam Islamic practice within the area dates to before World War II, with nine Muslim graves for the fallen veterans in nearby Kingussie. Lady Zainab, also known as Lady Evelyn Cobbold and Zainab Cobbold, is a local figure of note and daughter of the 7th Earl of Dunmore. Born in 1867, she is the first known British woman to complete the
Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca in 1932 and continued to practice her faith until her death in Inverness in 1963. She was buried in Glencarron in 1963 and in accordance with the principles of Islam. The number of Muslims noted in the 2011 Census of Scotland is reflective of the lack of mosques in Nairn. The nearest mosque is Inverness Mosque, west, and the next
Elgin Mosque, east. In the north of Scotland prayers times can start as early as 02:00 for Fajr and 11:00 for Isha.
Paganism Paganism, Wicca, or Witchcraft has a long history in Scotland and in Nairn. In nearby
Elgin, east of the cathedral exists the Order Pot, a deep pool of water used to test the witches of Nairn up to 1560. Over fifty people were tried and killed within of Nairn, including Issobel Nicoll, Margaret Wilsone and Allexander Ledy in the 16th and 17th century as witches and warlocks. In 1662 a woman living in Auldearn, from Nairn,
Isobel Gowdie, was accused and confessed to four counts of Witchcraft and is immortalised in
The Confession of Isobel Gowdie, an orchestra piece by composer
James MacMillan. Practices continued into 1848, as a corps creagh was discovered on the bank of the
River Nairn near the town—a life-sized clay figure filled with needles placed in such a way that water dipped over its heart. It was said that when the clay dissolved, the man the clay represented would die. Modern pagans have formed online groups such as the Scottish Pagan Federation, Highland Pagan Open Circle and East Scotland Heathen Moot which hold Nairnshire residents within their members. ==Sports and athletics==