The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and ArchitectureDitchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
History
The Cathedrals of Great Britain: Their History and Architecture
Ditchfield, P. H. (Peter Hampson)
Cathedrals -- Great Britain; Church architecture -- Great Britain
The first church was founded by Constantin, King of the Picts, about
800 A.D., and the Culdees were established in a monastery here. In
1107 it became the seat of a bishopric, and a colony of Augustinian
canons replaced the former dwellers. A new choir was built in
1220-1250, in the Early English style. During the wars with England,
in 1380, it was burnt, but almost immediately restored. The nave was
finished by Bishop Lauder in 1465. He was a most munificent prelate,
who did much for his Cathedral, began the tower and chapter-house, and
furnished the Cathedral with gifts of much valuable church plate.
There is a curious story[21] of a Highlanders' raid, and of their
entry to the church, and of the bishop's perilous escape to the
rafters of his church, in order to escape their hands. On another
occasion the church was besieged in the time of the famous Bishop
Gavin Douglas, the translator of the _Æneid_ (1576). His election to
the see was opposed by the Stewarts, the inveterate enemies of his
house; and Andrew Stewart barred the door against him, and fought
against him from his stronghold in the tower. Douglas soon gathered
his friendly clans together, and forced an entrance. It is uncertain
when the nave lost its roof, probably when certain lairds at the
Reformation went on their base crusade, plundering and destroying
churches, and seizing their goods and valuables.
After the battle of Killiecrankie there was a great fight here, and an
asylum of refuge was found here by the people, who fortified their
position with the seats, and did much damage. The roof was destroyed,
and the nave has been ever since exposed to the storms of wind and
rain. The choir is now used as the parish church, having been rebuilt.
The nave has seven bays, and measures 120 feet by 60 feet. The piers
are of massive Norman character, and there is a somewhat poor
triforium and clerestory. The original choir was built by Bishop
Sinclair in 1350. The tower, 96 feet high, is Perpendicular, the work
of Bishop Lauder (1469), and finished by Bishop Brown in 1501, and is
a very good example of the style. The south porch was built by Lauder,
but it is now in ruins. The chapter-house is the work of the same
bishop. It contains the vault of the Dukes of Athol. Here, near the
porch, is buried Alexander Stuart, Earl of Buchan, better known as the
"Wolf of Badenoch" (1394), who burned down Elgin Cathedral and
devastated the place. Few churches have passed through such stormy
scenes as Dunkeld, and its ruined state is a melancholy testimony to
the lawlessness of the tumultuous times, which have left their mark
upon its desecrated walls.
FOOTNOTE:
[21] _Scottish Cathedrals and Abbeys_, by M.E. Leicester Addis.
ST. ANDREW'S CATHEDRAL
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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