Dornoch Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Dornoch Cathedral
Dornoch Cathedral
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Location	Dornoch
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Church of Scotland
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
Website	dornoch-cathedral.com
History
Founded	1224
Founder(s)	Gilbert Murray
Dedication	St Mary and St Gilbert
Architecture
Heritage designation	Category A listed
Designated	18 March 1971
Administration
Parish	Dornoch
Presbytery	Sutherland

Cathedral interior

The north wing and the organ

Dornoch Cathedral is a church in the small town of Dornoch, located in the Scottish Highlands. It belongs to the Church of Scotland. Even though it's called a "cathedral," it's not the main church for a bishop today. It keeps the name because it used to be the home church for the Bishop of Caithness a long time ago.

Next to the cathedral is Dornoch Castle. This castle was once the palace for the Bishops of Caithness. Dornoch Cathedral was originally a Catholic church before it became part of the Church of Scotland.

History of Dornoch Cathedral
- Fires and Renovations
- Royal Visits and Modern Changes
Important Burials
The Organ
Images for kids
See also

History of Dornoch Cathedral

The cathedral was built in 1224. It was founded by Gilbert de Moravia, who later became known as Saint Gilbert of Dornoch. He dedicated the church to himself and St Mary.

The church was built during the time of King Alexander II. It became the main church for the diocese of Caithness. The first Earl of Sutherland, William de Moravia, was buried here in 1248.

Fires and Renovations

In 1570, the cathedral was badly damaged. It was burned down by the Mackays of Strathnaver during a local conflict. The church remained damaged for a long time.

Major repairs finally happened between 1835 and 1837. An architect named William Burn led this work. The Duchess of Sutherland, Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, paid for these renovations. It cost a lot of money, about £15,000 at that time.

During these repairs, the old part of the church, called the nave, was taken down. A new, narrower nave was built in its place. In the 1600s, Dornoch stopped being the main church for bishops. This was because the Church of Scotland changed its structure. However, the name "cathedral" stayed because of its long history.

Royal Visits and Modern Changes

In 1866, important guests visited the cathedral. The Prince and Princess of Wales attended a church service. The Duke of Edinburgh was also there.

More changes were made to the inside of the church between 1924 and 1926. This work was led by Rev. Charles Donald Bentinck. Old plaster was removed to show the stone walls. A special area for the Sutherland family burials was created. They added large marble memorials there.

The church has had several important ministers. The Very Rev Dr James Simpson was a leader in the Church of Scotland in 1994. From 1998, the Rev Susan Brown served as minister. She was chosen to be a top leader for the Church of Scotland in 2017. She held this position for one year starting in May 2018.

Important Burials

Many important people have been buried at Dornoch Cathedral. These include:

Adam of Melrose - his body was moved here in 1239.
William de Moravia, 1st Earl of Sutherland - buried in 1248.
Saint Gilbert of Dornoch - the person who founded the cathedral.
Richard de Moravia - buried here after a battle in 1245.
George Leveson-Gower, 1st Duke of Sutherland
Elizabeth Leveson-Gower, Duchess of Sutherland

The Organ

The first organ in the cathedral was built in 1893. It was a gift from Andrew Carnegie, a famous businessman. This was the first organ in the entire county of Sutherland.

In 1909, the organ was made bigger. It also got a new hydraulic power system. Andrew Carnegie paid for this improvement too, costing £200. You can find more details about the organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.