Dunblane Cathedral Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Dunblane Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Blaan and St Laurence
Dunblane Cathedral in 2017
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Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of Scotland
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	c. 7th century (site)
Founder(s)	Saint Blane
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Architect(s)	Robert Rowand Anderson (restoration)
Style	Gothic (mostly)
Years built	11th to 15th century 1889 (restoration)
Specifications
Number of towers	1
Tower height	Six storeys
Administration
Presbytery	Stirling

Dunblane Cathedral is a famous church in Dunblane, a town near Stirling in central Scotland. It is one of the main churches for the Church of Scotland in the area.

The church building has a long history. Its lower tower was built around the 11th century. This part is very old, even older than the main Gothic style of the rest of the building. Most of the cathedral was built in the 13th century. Later, in the 15th century, the upper part of the tower was added. The entire building was carefully restored between 1889 and 1893 by an architect named Robert Rowand Anderson.

History of Dunblane Cathedral
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
Burials and Memorials
Famous Events at the Cathedral
- Andy Murray's Wedding
Images for kids
See also

History of Dunblane Cathedral

The church is named after a 6th-century saint, St Blane. The town's name, Dunblane, means "hill of St Blane." The church also honored St Laurence with an altar. The oldest part you can still see is the lower four floors of the tower, built around 1100 AD. The top two floors of the tower were added much later, around 1500.

From Cathedral to Parish Church

Dunblane Cathedral used to be the main church for the bishops of Dunblane. This changed after 1689, when bishops were no longer part of the church in Scotland. Because the Church of Scotland is a Presbyterian church, it doesn't have bishops. So, even though it's called a "cathedral," it now functions as a regular parish church.

After bishops were removed, the main part of the church, called the choir, became the local parish church. However, the front part, known as the nave, was not used and its roof fell in by the 1600s.

Who Owns the Cathedral?

What's interesting is that the building is owned by the Crown (the government of the United Kingdom). It is looked after by Historic Scotland, a group that cares for historic places. This means there is no charge to enter and look around.

Building Styles and Features

Most of the cathedral was built in the 13th century. However, it includes an older bell-tower from the 11th century. This tower was originally separate from the main building. In the 15th century, the tower was made taller. You can see the difference in the color of the stones and the style of the windows in the upper part.

The choir section, built in the 13th century, has a long vaulted room on its north side. This room was used as a chapter house (a meeting room for clergy) and a sacristy (a room for church items). Inside the choir, you can find the tomb of the cathedral's founder, Bishop Clement.

The choir also has many of its original 15th-century choir stalls. These seats have special carved parts underneath called misericords. One of these carvings even shows a bat! More fancy, canopied stalls are at the west end of the nave. Dunblane has the largest collection of medieval Scottish church woodwork still existing, apart from King's College Chapel, Aberdeen.

The cathedral was restored in the late 1800s. This work was led by Rev Alexander Ritchie and overseen by architect Robert Rowand Anderson. The restoration was finished in 1912 by Sir Robert Lorimer.

Beautiful Stained Glass Windows

Dunblane Cathedral is known for its amazing stained glass windows. Many of these were added during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Each window tells a story or honors someone special.

West window: This window shows the "Tree of Jesse" design. It was put in place in 1906.
Baptismal window: Located above the font (where baptisms happen), this window shows John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It was made in 1926.
St George and Hope window: This window shows St George and a figure representing Hope. It was made in 1915 to remember a church elder.
The Barty window: This window illustrates parts of the Song of Solomon from the Bible. It was put up in 1917.
The Apostles window: Found in the south-east corner, this window remembers a local family.
John the Baptist and the Good Shepherd window: Also in the south-east corner, this window honors a former minister.
Main East Window: This large window in the choir shows scenes from the Life of Christ. It was made in 1901.
Three Holy Children window: In the choir, this window shows three characters from the Book of Daniel in the Bible.
Allegory window: This window in the choir shows four angels pointing in four directions.
Chaos window: This unusual window in the choir shows Scott's tragic journey to the South Pole and names the five men who died.
The Earth window: Another window in the choir.
The Humanity window: This choir window shows Adam and Eve with Cain and Abel.
Memorial window (Lady Chapel): This window shows St Blane and a Crusader, along with Bishop Maurice and a World War I soldier. It was made around 1922.
The Lord's Supper window (Lady Chapel): This window shows the Last Supper. It was also made around 1922.
The Healing of the Sick window (Lady Chapel): This window shows scenes of healing. It was made around 1922.
The Transfiguration window (Lady Chapel): This window shows the Transfiguration of Christ.
Christ justifying harvesting on the Sabbath window (Lady Chapel): This window shows a scene from the Bible.
Christ on the Sea of Galilee window (Lady Chapel): This window shows Jesus on the Sea of Galilee.
Ruskin window: Located over the west door, this window can only be seen clearly from outside.

Burials and Memorials

The cathedral and its churchyard are home to many important graves and memorials.

Ancient Stones

Inside the nave, you can see two very old Christian stones. One is a cross-slab, and the other might be part of an old building decoration. These stones are from an early medieval church that stood on the same site. This earlier church was founded by or dedicated to "Blane," whose name is now part of the town's name.

War Graves

The churchyard also contains two war graves. One of these is for William Stirling, a gunner who served in the Royal Marine Artillery during World War I.

Notable Monuments

Many important people are remembered with monuments inside the cathedral:

Bishop Clement (died 1258), the cathedral's founder.
Malise II, Earl of Strathearn (died 1271), an important Scottish noble.
The Three Drummond Sisters, from the 16th century.
Rev James Finlayson (1758-1808), a minister.
Sir David Russell (1809-1884), a British Army officer.
James Stirling (1690-1770), a famous mathematician.
John Stirling of Kippendavie (died 1812), a local landowner.
Jane Stirling (1804-1859), a pianist and daughter of John Stirling.

Dunblane Commemoration Stone

In the nave, there is a special standing stone created by sculptor Richard Kindersley. This stone remembers the sad events of 13 March 1996, known as the Dunblane Massacre. The stone has quotes about children and hope.

Famous Events at the Cathedral

Dunblane Cathedral has been the setting for some notable events.

Andy Murray's Wedding

In April 2015, the famous tennis player Andy Murray, who grew up in Dunblane, married his long-time partner Kim Sears at the cathedral. It was a private ceremony.