The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 2/3MacGibbon, David
History
The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 2/3
MacGibbon, David
Church architecture -- Scotland
The relative lengths of the nave and choir have already been referred
to;[12] but attention may be drawn to the remarkable fact that in the
monastic churches, which were constructed chiefly for the use of the
monks, the choir, or portion set apart for the ecclesiastics, is small,
and the nave is large; while in the cathedrals, which were intended for
the use of the community, the choir is large as compared with the nave.
During the first pointed period attention seems to have been chiefly
directed to the erection of large cathedrals and monastic churches--the
number of parish churches constructed at this period being comparatively
small.
This, no doubt, partly arose from the large number of parish churches
built during the Norman period. Several examples of small churches of
the first pointed period, however, are illustrated, which show that the
style extended to all departments of ecclesiastical structures.
ST. ANDREWS CATHEDRAL, FIFESHIRE.
The ancient city of St. Andrews, formerly the ecclesiastical metropolis
of Scotland, is now reduced to a small, but interesting, town, full of
the remains of its former grandeur.
Situated at the eastern point of Fifeshire, on level ground, raised a
considerable height above the sea, and surrounded with a rocky coast,
there is little in the nature of the site to impress the beholder; but
as seen in approaching from the west, the remains of the ancient
edifices, with their ruined towers standing out against the sky, produce
an impression of departed greatness which accords well with the
venerable and stirring history of the place.
There are vague traditions of the site having been occupied by an
ancient hermit at a very early period;[13] but St. Andrews was not
recognised as the see of a bishop till about 950, when Cellach, the
first bishop, was appointed. After him there followed ten Culdee
bishops, the last being Fothad, by whom the marriage of Malcolm Canmore
and Queen Margaret was celebrated.
The dedication of the cathedral to St. Andrew is involved in fable; but
Dr. Skene[14] thinks that the church was founded between 736 and 761,
and that portions of the relics of St. Andrew were brought to the place
at that time, probably, as tradition has it, by Acca, Bishop of
Northumbria, who was banished from that country in 732, and is believed
to have founded a church amongst the Picts. The author of _Celtic
Scotland_ points to the similarity of the events which succeeded one
another in Northumbria and in Southern Pictland in the eighth century.
In the former country the Columban Church was expelled and secular
clergy introduced; the Church of Hexham was dedicated to St. Andrew, and
his relics were received there. In the latter country, sixty years
later, the Picts expelled the Columbans and introduced the secular
clergy, while at the same time they received part of the relics of St.
Andrew, and founded a church in his honour, St. Andrew afterwards
becoming the national patron saint.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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