Brechin Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brechin Cathedral |
|
|---|---|
The Cathedral and Round Tower
|
|
| Location | Church Lane, Brechin, Angus DD9 6JS |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Churchmanship | Reformed |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th Century |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Past bishop(s) | Bishop of Brechin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
| Designated | 11 June 1971 |
| Style | Gothic |
| Closed | 2021 |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Presbytery of Angus |
Brechin Cathedral is a very old church building in Scotland. It was built in the 13th century, which means it's over 700 years old! It used to be a Roman Catholic cathedral, but it stopped being one after the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century.
The cathedral is built in a style called "Pointed," which is part of Gothic architecture. Over the years, it has been repaired and changed. Some parts, like the big western wall with its fancy window and strong square tower, are still from the original building. The beautiful stained glass windows inside are considered some of the best in Scotland.
This historic building is very important. It is a "Category A listed building," which means it's protected because of its special history and architecture. The old Round Tower next to it is also a "scheduled monument," meaning it's a nationally important archaeological site.
The Amazing Round Tower
Right next to Brechin Cathedral is a unique building called the Round Tower. It was built around the year 1000, making it even older than the cathedral itself!
This tower is about 26 meters (86 feet) tall. At its base, it's about 15 meters (50 feet) around and 4.9 meters (16 feet) wide. A cool hexagonal (six-sided) spire was added to the top in the 14th century.
Round towers like this are quite common in Ireland. However, in Scotland, the only other one like it is in Abernethy. This makes the Brechin Round Tower very special!
The way the tower was built, with its stones fitted together, is very impressive. The small, narrow doorway is raised above the ground, which was common for these types of towers. This doorway is also beautifully decorated. It has carvings of two bands of small round shapes.
Above the door, there's a carving of the Crucifixion. On the sides of the doorway, there are carvings of church leaders. One holds a crosier, which is a special staff shaped like a shepherd's crook. The other holds a "Tau"-shaped staff, which looks like the letter T.
Inside the cathedral, there are two other important stone carvings from the 11th century. One is called the 'Brechin hogback.' It's a stone shaped like a house or a hog's back, with carvings that mix Celtic and Viking art styles. It's a rare example of Ringerike style in Scotland.
The other carving is 'St. Mary's Stone.' It's a cross-slab with a picture of the Virgin Mary and Child in the middle. The circular border around this picture is similar to a design found on the Round Tower.
What Happened to the Cathedral?
From 1999 to 2009, Scott Rennie was the minister at Brechin Cathedral.
In February 2020, a decision was made by the local church group, the Presbytery of Angus, to close the cathedral. Ownership of the building was given to the main trustees of the Church of Scotland. The plan was to close the building and sell it.
Even with this news, a group called the Brechin 2020 committee wanted to celebrate the cathedral's 800th anniversary on June 7, 2020. However, this celebration could not happen because of the Covid restrictions at the time.
The Cathedral held its last church service on November 28, 2021. After this, it officially closed its doors as a place of worship.
Now, a new group of people, led by Caroline Carnegie, Duchess of Fife, has taken over the care of the Cathedral. Their goal is to bring the cathedral back to life. They want it to become a central place for the community and for visitors to enjoy.
See also
- Bishop of Brechin
- Brechin
