Elgin Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Elgin Cathedral |
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| Location | Elgin, Moray |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Authorising papal bull | 10 April 1224 |
| Founded | 1224 (in present position) |
| Founder(s) | Bishop Andreas de Moravia |
| Dedication | The Holy Trinity |
| Dedicated | 19 July 1224 |
| Events |
Pre-Reformation
Post-Reformation
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| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Ruin |
| Architectural type | Cathedral |
| Style | Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Elgin Inverness Strathspey Strathbogie |
| Diocese | Moray (est. x1114–1127x1131) |
Elgin Cathedral is a famous old ruin in Elgin, Moray, a town in north-east Scotland. This cathedral was built to honor the Holy Trinity. It was started in 1224 on land given by King Alexander II. The land was just outside the town of Elgin, near the River Lossie.
Before this, the main church was at Spynie, about 3 kilometers north. That church had only a small group of eight priests. By 1226, the new Elgin Cathedral had 18 priests, and by 1242, it had 23.
A big fire in 1270 badly damaged the cathedral. This led to a much larger building being constructed. Even though the Wars of Scottish Independence didn't harm it, another fire in 1390 caused huge damage. This fire was started by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch, who was King Robert III's brother. In 1402, the cathedral area was attacked by followers of the Lord of the Isles, who also set fires.
As the cathedral grew, more priests and skilled workers joined. After the fires in 1270 and 1390, the building was made much bigger. The choir area was doubled in length. New outer aisles were added to both the nave and the choir.
Today, some walls still stand tall, while others are only at their base. But you can still see the cross shape of the building. A nearly complete eight-sided chapter house was built after the 1270 fire. The wall above the main entrance, between the two west towers, was rebuilt after the 1390 fire. It has a large window opening that once held a beautiful rose window.
The transepts (the arms of the cross shape) and the south aisle of the choir have tombs with statues of bishops and knights. The grassy floor covers old graves marked by flat stones. The homes of the church leaders and priests, called the chanonry, were also burned in the fires. Only the precentor's (choir leader's) house is mostly whole today. Two other houses are now part of private buildings.
The two west front towers are mostly complete. They were part of the first building. A huge protective wall once surrounded the cathedral area. Only two small parts of this wall remain. The wall had four gates, but only one, the Pans Port, still stands.
By 1560, when the Scottish Reformation happened, there were 25 priests. After the Reformation, the cathedral was no longer used. Its services moved to St Giles' Church in Elgin. In 1567, the lead was taken from the roof to be sold. After this, the cathedral slowly fell apart.
In 1615, the building was still mostly whole. But a winter storm in 1637 made the roof over the eastern part collapse. In 1711, the central tower fell, destroying the nave. The Crown took ownership in 1689, but the building kept getting worse. It wasn't until the early 1800s that efforts began to save it. The work to make the building stable continued until the late 1900s. The two western towers were greatly improved.
Contents
Early Church in Moray
The Diocese of Moray was a church region, different from the main Scottish church in St Andrews. It's not clear if there were bishops of Moray before about 1120. The first known bishop was Gregory, around 1120-1128. He signed important documents for King Alexander I.
After a rebellion in 1130, King David I wanted a bishopric in Moray to keep the area stable. But the next bishop, William (1152–62), was often away. He was King David's helper and likely didn't do much for the church in Moray.
Felix was bishop from about 1166 to 1171. Not much is known about his time. He appeared as a witness for King William the Lion in Elgin.
After Felix, Simon de Toeni became bishop. He was King William's relative. Bishop Simon was the first to actively work in his diocese. He is thought to be buried near Elgin, though this idea came much later.
Richard of Lincoln followed Simon. He was a royal clerk and tried to increase the church's money during a time of trouble. Richard is seen as the first important bishop who actually lived in the area.
In these early years, the bishops didn't have a fixed place for their main church. It moved between Birnie, Kinneddar, and Spynie. In 1206, Pope Innocent III allowed Bishop Brice de Douglas to set his main church at Spynie. This church opened between 1207 and 1208. It had a group of five leaders and three regular priests.
Elgin became an important town under King David I. He probably built the first castle there. This castle offered better safety. This might have made Bishop Brice ask the Pope to move the church from Spynie to Elgin before 1216.
Building the Cathedral in Elgin
Even though Bishop Brice wanted to move the church, it wasn't until Bishop Andrew de Moravia's time that it happened. On April 10, 1224, Pope Honorius III gave permission to check if Elgin was a good place. The ceremony to move the main church happened on July 19, 1224. King Alexander II had already agreed to give land for this purpose. This suggests work might have started before Bishop Brice died, but it's more likely Bishop Andrew began building on an empty site.
The cathedral was finished after 1242. A writer named John of Fordun said that in 1270, the cathedral and priests' houses were destroyed by fire. The cathedral was rebuilt much larger and grander. Most of the building you see today comes from this rebuilding. This work was likely done by 1296, when the Wars of Scottish Independence began. Even though King Edward I of England came to Elgin in 1296 and 1303, the cathedral was not harmed. His grandson, Edward III, also left it untouched in 1336.
After becoming bishop in 1362–63, Bishop Alexander Bur asked Pope Urban V for money to fix the cathedral. He said it was neglected and had been attacked. In 1370, Bishop Bur started paying Alexander Stewart, Lord of Badenoch for protection. This man was also known as the Wolf of Badenoch and was the son of the future King Robert II.
Bishop Bur and the Wolf of Badenoch had many arguments. The Wolf was even banned from the church in 1390. The bishop then sought protection from Thomas Dunbar. In response, the Wolf of Badenoch burned the town of Forres in May and Elgin, including the cathedral, in June. He also likely burned Pluscarden Priory. Bishop Bur wrote to King Robert III, asking for payment for his brother's actions. He said the church was "the particular ornament of the fatherland, the glory of the kingdom."
King Robert III gave Bishop Bur money for life. The Pope also provided income from the Scottish Church for the next ten years. In 1400, Bishop Bur complained that some churches were not paying their share for the cathedral's repair. On July 3, 1402, Elgin and the cathedral area were attacked again. This time, it was by Alexander of Lochaber, brother of the Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles. The cathedral was spared, but the priests' houses were burned. Alexander of Lochaber was banned from the church for this. He returned in September to make amends.
In 1408, money saved during a church vacancy was used for rebuilding. In 1413, money from Inverness customs was given. Many parish churches became run down because their money was used for the cathedral. This meant fewer educated priests were available. By the late Middle Ages, church care outside the main towns had declined.
Bishop John Innes (1407–14) greatly helped rebuild the cathedral. His tomb praises his work. When he died, the church leaders secretly met. They agreed that if one of them became bishop, they would give a third of their income each year until the rebuilding was done. The main changes to the west front were finished before 1435. They show the coat of arms of Bishop Columba de Dunbar (1422–35).
The north and south aisles of the choir were likely finished before 1460. The south aisle holds the tomb of John de Winchester (1435–60). The last major part rebuilt was the chapter house between 1482 and 1501. It shows the arms of Bishop Andrew Stewart.
Church Organization
The chapter was a group of church leaders and priests. Their main job was to help the bishop run the diocese. In Moray, the bishop was a regular priest in the chapter. The dean led the group. This was also true for other Scottish bishops. Every morning, the priests met in the chapter house. They would read from St Benedict's rulebook. Then they would discuss the day's business.
Bishop Brice had a small chapter of eight priests. Bishop Andrew de Moravia added two more senior roles and 16 more priests. When Andrew died, there were 23 priests. Two more were added before the Reformation. Churches in church lands or given to the diocese by landowners provided income for these priests. Bishop Andrew's family, the de Moravias, gave many of these gifts.
Local deans oversaw priests in smaller church districts called deaneries. They carried out the bishop's orders. The Moray diocese was split into four deaneries: Elgin, Inverness, Strathspey, and Strathbogie. The churches in these areas provided money for the cathedral and other religious houses. Many churches supported specific priests, and a few were shared. The bishop received income from churches for his roles as leader and priest.
The bishop had full power over the diocese, for both clergy and regular people. He appointed officials for church, crime, and civil courts. The bishop, with his chapter, created church laws. These were enforced at meetings called synods. Officials handled court cases about church taxes, marriages, divorces, wills, and other legal matters. In Moray, these courts were held in Elgin and Inverness. By 1452, the Bishop of Moray controlled all his lands as one large estate. He had courts run by bailiffs to ensure money was collected from his lands.
Cathedral Roles
Large cathedrals like Elgin had many altars in chapels. These needed priests, helped by many chaplains and vicars, to hold daily services. Bishop Andrew allowed 17 vicars to help the priests. These included seven priests, five deacons, and five sub-deacons. Later, the number of vicars grew to 25.
In 1350, the vicars' pay was not enough to live on. So, Bishop John of Pilmuir gave them income from two churches. By 1489, vicars' pay varied. Each vicar was hired by a priest, who had to give four months' notice if they ended the service. There were two types of vicars: those who worked in the choir for main services, and chaplains who held services at individual altars.
Records show that vicars were punished for not doing their duties well. Punishments included fines and even physical discipline. These happened in the chapter house. King Alexander II started a chaplaincy to pray for King Duncan I. The chapel most often mentioned was St Thomas the Martyr. It was in the north transept and had five chaplains. Other chapels were for the Holy Rood, St Catherine, St Duthac, St Lawrence, St Mary Magdalene, St Mary the Virgin, and St Michael. By Bishop Bur's time (1362–1397), the cathedral had 15 priests, 22 vicars, and many chaplains.
Not all clergy were always at Elgin Cathedral. It was common for ambitious clergy to hold positions in other cathedrals. Some priests were allowed to be present part-time. The dean of Elgin was always there. The precentor, chancellor, and treasurer were there for half the year. Non-permanent priests had to attend for three months straight. However, in 1240, the chapter decided to fine priests who were often absent. They would lose one-seventh of their income.
Most of the work fell to the vicars and a few permanent priests. They were in charge of high mass, sermons, and feast day processions. Seven services were held daily, mostly for the clergy. These took place behind the rood screen, which separated the main altar from regular worshippers. Only cathedrals and large churches had enough staff for these elaborate services. Smaller parish churches had simpler services.
Bishops made sure the cathedral had high standards. Many educated clergy acted as stand-ins for absent priests. There were also clerks and lawyers to keep records. Artisans like masons, carpenters, and glaziers maintained the buildings. Housekeepers, cooks, and gardeners supported the people living in the area. The bishop's home at Spynie also had many staff.
Chanonry and Burgh
The College of Elgin and Nearby Places
The chanonry was the cathedral and the homes of priests, vicars, and chaplains. It was called the college of the chanonry. This area was surrounded by a strong wall, over 3.5 meters high and about 2 meters thick. It was about 820 meters long. The wall had four gates:
- The west gate led to the town of Elgin.
- The south gate faced the hospital lands and joined the King's Highway.
- The east gate, or Pans Port, led to meadowland. This gate shows how the gates were defended.
- The north gate was a quicker way to the bishop's mill and Spynie Palace.
Most priests' homes were inside the wall, but not all. Bishop John Pilmuir (1326-1362) gave land outside the west wall in 1360. This was for building four homes for chaplains. The land was near the road to Elgin. The chaplains were to pray for the bishop's soul. The home of Rhynie's priest was also outside the west wall, to the north.
Bishop Andrew Stewart (1482-1501) was an important person during his nephew King James III's rule. After James died in 1488, Bishop Andrew was less favored by King James IV. This allowed him to spend more time in his diocese. In 1489, Andrew called a meeting of his priests. He made important changes to the college. He ordered repairs to the Pans Port and the west gate. He also added a new North Gate near the Botarie home. Andrew also told 13 priests to "build and repair their homes and gardens within the college of Moray."
The Duffus Manse (an earlier wooden version) hosted two kings. King Edward I of England stayed there in 1303. King James II stayed there in 1455. The precentor's home, sometimes called the Bishop's House, is partly ruined and dates to 1557. Parts of the Inverkeithny priest's home and the Archdeacon's home are now part of private buildings.
There were two friaries in Elgin. The Dominican Black Friars friary was founded around 1233. It was in the western part of town. The Franciscan Grey Friars friary was founded before 1281 in the eastern part. This one didn't last long. But another Grey Friars house was there between 1479 and 1513. This building became the town's property around 1559. It later became the Court of Justice in 1563. In 1489, the chapter started a school. It taught music for the cathedral and also reading to some Elgin children.
The hospital of Maison Dieu was near the cathedral. It was for the poor and was started by Bishop Andrew de Moravia before 1237. It was damaged by fire in 1390 and 1445. It fell into disrepair because it lacked support. Bishop James Hepburn gave it to the Blackfriars in 1520 to try and save it. After the Reformation, the Crown took it over. In 1595, James VI gave it to the town for education and charity. In 1624, an almshouse replaced it. But in 1750, a storm badly damaged it. It was torn down in the 1800s.
After the Reformation
In August 1560, the Scottish parliament declared the church Protestant. This removed the Pope's power and made Catholic mass illegal. Cathedrals only survived if they were used as parish churches. Elgin Cathedral was abandoned because St Giles' Church already served the town.
On February 14, 1567, parliament ordered the lead to be removed from the roofs of Elgin and Aberdeen cathedrals. This lead was to be sold to support the army. But the ship carrying the lead to Holland sank in Aberdeen harbor. In July 1569, Regent Moray and Bishop Patrick Hepburn ordered roof repairs. But this clearly did not happen.
In 1615, a writer named John Taylor described Elgin Cathedral as "a fair and beautiful church with three steeples." But he also noted that the roofs, windows, and many tombs were broken.
The decay began. The roof of the eastern part fell during a storm on December 4, 1637. In 1640, the General Assembly ordered the rood screen to be removed. This screen separated the choir from the nave. The minister of St Giles church, Gilbert Ross, chopped it up for firewood. It is believed that Oliver Cromwell's soldiers destroyed the great west window between 1650 and 1660.
At some point, the cathedral grounds became a burial place for Elgin. In 1685, the town council fixed the boundary wall. They specifically said not to use stones from the cathedral. Even though the building was unstable, the chapter house was used for meetings by local trade groups from 1671 to 1676 and again from 1701 to about 1731. No one tried to make the building stable. On Easter Sunday 1711, the central tower collapsed, destroying the nave. After this, stones from the cathedral were taken for local building projects.
Many artists visited Elgin to draw the ruins. Their work shows how the ruin slowly continued to fall apart. By the late 1700s, travelers started visiting the ruin. Pamphlets about the cathedral's history were made for these early tourists. In 1773, Samuel Johnson noted, "a paper was put into our hands, which deduced from sufficient authorities the history of this venerable ruin."
After bishops were removed from the Scottish Church in 1689, the abandoned cathedral belonged to the Crown. But no one tried to stop its decline. The Elgin Town Council started rebuilding the outer wall in 1809. They also cleared rubbish from the area around 1815. The Lord Provost of Elgin asked the King's Remembrancer for help to build a new roof for the chapter house. In 1824, £121 was given to architect Robert Reid for this. Reid was important in saving historical buildings in Scotland. He became the first head of the Scottish Office of Works in 1827. During his time, the supporting buttresses for the choir and transept walls were likely built.
In 1824, John Shanks, an Elgin shoemaker, began important work to save the cathedral. A local gentleman, Isaac Forsyth, supported him. Shanks cleared centuries of rubbish and rubble from the grounds. Shanks was officially made the site's Keeper and Watchman in 1826. His work was highly valued then. It brought the cathedral back into public view. However, his methods were not scientific, so some valuable historical evidence might have been lost. He died on April 14, 1841, at 82. The Inverness Courier wrote about him, calling him the "beadle or cicerone of Elgin Cathedral." They said he removed "2866 barrowfuls of earth." He also uncovered tombs and figures.
Some small repairs happened in the late 1800s and early 1900s. In the 1930s, more maintenance followed. This included adding a protective roof for the vaulted ceiling of the south choir aisle. From 1960 onwards, crumbling sandstone blocks were replaced. New windows were put in the chapter house, and its roof was fixed. From 1988 to 2000, major repairs were done on the two western towers. A viewing platform was added to the top of the north tower.
Diocesan Possessions
The bishops of Moray were not just church leaders. They also had great power as important feudal lords. They owned a lot of land in the Highlands and along the Moray Firth. The bishops helped the king keep control and stability in this area, which was often unsettled. This important relationship was recognized in 1451. King James II gave Bishop John Winchester the Barony of Spynie. This combined many church lands into one large estate. In 1452, the king made this barony a regality. This gave the bishop wide powers, including holding courts for crimes that were usually the king's job. Many old documents about land grants were lost in the 1390 fire. But the remaining ones show how land was gained from royalty and nobles.
Some lands were only found when they were rented out or when there were legal disputes. Other records show church lands held by important renters who had to pay respect to the bishop. These events usually happened when a new bishop was appointed or a new heir took over land. These actions were mostly symbolic, as the lands were usually given forever. But they showed how hard bishops worked to keep their power as secular lords. The records also show lands that were once owned only by the church but were later rented out. Land transfers happened a lot during the troubled period from the mid-1300s to the early 1400s. Even then, bishops strongly defended their rights when lords tried to take church lands.
The bishops kept properties important for themselves and their households. These included high areas north of Elgin, part of the bishops' own land. This included Spynie, where the bishop's palace was, and the nearby Kinneddar estate. Outside these areas, church lands were spread out. The long River Spey flowed into the Moray Firth about 14 kilometers east of Elgin. On its east side were church lands in the uplands of Strathbogie. This included the bishops' own barony of Keith. The lands went south into the highland areas along the river's upper parts of Strathspey. They spread as far south as Logynkenny, near the border with Lochaber. West of the Spey, church lands were along the fertile coast between Elgin and Inverness. They also went down both sides of the Great Glen. The highland areas also had church holdings in Glenfiddich, Strathavon, the Findhorn Valley, Strathnairn, and Badenoch.
Barony and Regality of Spynie
James by the grace of God King of Scots, to all good men of his whole realm, cleric and laic; Greeting: Know that we to the praise and glory of the Holy Trinity, and because of thankful services by the reverend father in Christ, John Bishop of Moray, our beloved Chancellor, frequently paid in his time to our progenitor of happy memory and to be continued by him faithfully to us, gave, granted, and by this our present charter confirmed to the said reverend father in Christ, John Bishop of Moray and his successors, bishops of the Church of Moray, all and sundry the lands of the Barony of Spiny with their pertinents, dependencies and annexes, also all and whole the baronies and lands within written, viz:— the baronies of Kynnedor, Byrneth, Rothenet or Roffert, Fotherues, and Keyth, and all and whole the lands and tenements, glebes, acres, and crofts belonging to said Church of Moray, canonics, and chaplains thereof and rectors and the vicars of said diocese lying within the Sheriffdoms of Inverness and Banff, viz:— the lands of the two Kinmylies, the two Abriachans, Abertarf, Boleskin, Forthir, and the lands of the Marsh of Strathspey, the lands of Rothymurchus, the davoch of Ynche, the davoch of Lagankenzee, with the lakes and fishings of said lands, with the tower of said lake of Lagankenzee, the half davoch of Colnakewill, the lands of Auchmony and Kirkmichel, the lands of Kyncardy and Kincardin, the town of the Church of Dolesmichel, the towns of the churches of Eskyll and Duppill, Rothes, Altyre with the Ord thereof now commonly called the Bishop's Ord, the town of the Church of Kynnore, and the crofts and acres of the churches of Kingussie and Inuerelzem, Warlaw, Dyik, Dultargusy and Chapel of Rait, and the port and fishing of the water of Lossie, and the tenandries and town of the Church of Deveth, Artralze, Croy, Moy, Duldawauch, Ewan, Undist, Lochlin or Innerin now of Abbirlour, Butruthyn, Arthilldoill, and of Core of Kynnermouth, Avachy, Kyntallargyne with ly Esse and fishing on the water of Forne, Dunbennan, Ruthven, Botary, Drumdelgie, Ryne, Innerkeithny, and the lands of Rothymay, and the lands of Domus Dei, near Elgin, the tenandry of Drumreoch, with all and sundry pertinents thereof, into one pure, entire, and free barony, to be called henceforth the Barony of Spiny, which we will to be called and be, in time to come for ever the head of said Church, which all and sundry baronies and lands foresaid, with all and sundry the pertinents and annexes, we attach to, incorporate and for ever unite to said Barony of Spiny by the tenor of the present charter: To be held and had, all and sundry the foresaid lands with the pertinents, in one pure and entire barony, to be called that of Spiny for ever in time to come, by the foresaid John Bishop of Moray, and his successors Bishops of Moray, in feu and heritage for ever, by all their right marches and divisions, in woods, plains, moors, marshes, ways, byways, waters, pools, rivulets, meadows, pastures, and pasturages, with mills, multures and their sequels, with hawkings, huntings, fishings, rights of casting peats, turfs, collieries, stone-quarries, stone and lime, smithies, breweries, heaths, brooms, with courts and their exits, herzelds, bludwitis and merchet of women, with tenandries and services of free tenants, with doves and dovecots, with ancient customs, with pit and gallows, sok, sak, tholl, theme, infangtheif, outfangtheif, and with all other and sundry liberties, commodities, and easements, and their just pertinents whatsoever, as well not named as named, which belong to foresaid lands with the pertinents, or which may in future in any way just belong, as freely, quietly, fully, completely, honourably, well, and in peace, as any barony within our kingdom, is freely granted or bestowed by us or our predecessors in times past, whatsoever: Doing therefor to us and our heirs, the said John and his successors. Bishops of Moray, one suit at Inverness yearly in the chief court thereof, held there next after the Feast of Pasche (Easter), only, in lieu of every other burden, exaction, question, demand or secular service, which of said barony with the pertinents shall justly be exacted by whomsoever, or required in whatsoever manner: In testimony of which matter we have commanded our seal to be appended to our present charter; the witnesses being the reverend fathers in Christ, William and Thomas, Bishops of the Churches of Glasgow and Galloway, our dearest cousin, William Earl of Douglas and Avondale, Lord Galloway, William Lord of Crichtoun, our chancellor and very beloved cousin; our beloved cousins, William Lord Sommerville, Patrick Lord Glamis, Master John Arrous, Archdeacon of Glasgow, and George de Schoriswode, rector of Cultre. At Stirling the 8th day of the month of November, in the year of the Lord 1451, and of our reign the 15th.
James, by the grace of God, King of Scots, to all good men of our whole land, clergy, and laity, greetings. Know that to the praise and glory of the Blessed Trinity and for the exaltation of the Cathedral Church of Moray, and for the gracious services rendered by the reverend father in Christ, John, Bishop of Moray, to our late father, whose memory is to be revered, and also continued faithfully to us; and also for the welfare of our soul, and that of Mary, Queen, our consort, and the souls of our ancestors and successors, we have granted, and by this present charter we grant to the said reverend father in Christ, John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, his barony of Spynie, and the burgh of Spynie, with all and singular their belongings, dependencies, and annexes in pure and free regal or royal power. To be held and possessed by the said John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, from us and our successors, in perpetual fee and heredity, with all the conveniences and profits belonging to the said barony and burgh, with the free forest and contents, fees and forfeitures, custom dues, and church advowsons, with the ways and courts of justice, the chamber, sheriffdom, and the boundaries of the said ways and courts, amercements, exits, and escheats; with harbours and passages, and with all other and singular liberties, conveniences, and amenities, and just belongings, whatsoever, as well as those not named as those named, appertaining to the regal power, or that may legitimately pertain in the future, and as freely, quietly, fully, honourably, well, and peacefully, in all things and in all ways, as any regal power granted or donated more freely, quietly, or honourably to any church or ecclesiastical persons whatsoever in our kingdom. The said John, Bishop of Moray, and his successors, Bishops of the Church of Moray, shall render us, our heirs, and successors annually, one red rose on the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, at our Burgh of Inverness, if demanded, and the supplications of devotions only for the suits of court and for any other burden, exaction, question, demand, or secular service that may be required or demanded from the said barony and burgh. In witness whereof, we have commanded our great seal to be affixed to this present charter. Witnessed by the reverend Fathers in Christ - James and William, Bishops of St. Andrews and Glasgow; our dearest cousin George, Earl of Angus; William Lord Crichton, our chancellor and beloved cousin; our beloved cousins William Lord Somerville, Patrick Lord Glamis, Andrew Lord Gray; Masters John Arrous, Archdeacon of Glasgow, and George of Schoriswod, Rector of Cultyr, our clerk. At Edinburgh, on the fifteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand four hundred and fifty-two, and of our reign the sixteenth.
The lands listed in the charter of the Barony of Spynie include all church properties. They are listed in the order they appear in the charter:
- Kinneddar — (map ref. 1)
- Birnie — (map ref. 2)
- Rothernot (Rafford) — (map ref. 3)
- Ferness — (map ref. 4)
- Keith — (map ref. 5)
- West and South of Inverness
- The two Kinmylies west of Inverness — (map ref. 6)
- The two Abriachans on west Loch Ness side — (map ref. 7)
- Boleskine on the east Loch ness side — (map ref. 8)
- Farr (Forthir) in upper Strathnairn — (map ref. 9)
- Upper Strathspey
- Lands of the marsh of Strathspey — (map ref. 10)
- Lands of Rothiemurchas — (map ref. 11)
- Davoch of the Inch — (map ref. 12)
- Davoch of Logy Kenny — (map ref. 13) (included the lochs and fishings, the lands spread around Loch Laggan – near the Lordship of Lochaber border)
- Mid Strathspey
- Half-davoch centered on Coulnakyle — (map ref. 14) (Nethy Bridge)
- Achmony — (map ref. 15) (This is listed out of place as it is in Glenurquhart, west of Loch Ness)
- Kirkmichael — (map ref. 16)
- Kinchurdy — (map ref. 17)
- Kincardin — (map ref. 18) (Kincardy)
- Elgin Deanery
- Dallas — (map ref. 19)
- Essil — (map ref. 20)
- Dipple — (map ref. 21)
- Rothes — (map ref. 22)
- Inverness Deanery
- Altre — (map ref. 23) (Kilmorack in Strathconon)
- Ord of Altre — (map ref. 24) (also known as Bishop's Ord)
- Kinnoir – unidentified, (possibly Kinnerras, Eskdale — but not the Kinnoir that is in Strathbogie)
- Geographically Diverse
- Kingussie — (map ref. 25)
- Inverallen — (map ref. 26) (Inuerelzem)
- Wardlaw — (map ref. 27) (Warlaw)
- Dyke — (map ref. 28) (Dyik)
- Dalarossie — (map ref. 29) (Dultargusy)
- Chapel of Rait — (map ref. 30)
- Port and fishing of the water of Lossie — (map ref. 31) (R. Lossy)
- Daviot — (map ref. 32) (Deveth)
- Artralze — (map ref. 33) (Ardtrillan ie, Alturlie)
- Croy — (map ref. 34)
- Moy — (map ref. 35)
- Duldavy — Unidentified (Duldawaugh, Duldauach – Innes suggests this may be Dunlichity )
- Barevan — (map ref. 36) (Ewan)
- Aberlour — (map ref. 37) (Abbirlour, Lochlin or Innerin)
- Botriphnie — (map ref. 38) (Butruthin)
- Arndilly — (map ref. 39) (Arthilldoill)
- Daugh of Kinermony — (map ref. 40) (Core of Kynnermonth – also written Kynnermond, Kynnermunth)
- Allachie — (map ref. 41) (Avochie, Avachy, Alachy – above Aberlour to the south)
- Kiltarlity — (map ref. 42) (Kyntallargyne)
- The Esse — (map ref. 43) (the falls of Kilmorack)
- Fishing of the water of Beauly — (map ref. 44) (R. Forne)
- Dunbennan — (map ref. 45) (Dumbannan)
- Ruthven — (map ref. 46)
- Botary — (map ref. 47)
- Drumdelgie — (map ref. 48)
- Rhynie — (map ref. 49) (Ryne)
- Inverkeithny — (map ref. 50) (Innerkeithny, Innerkethnie)
- Lands of Rothiemay — (map ref. 51) (Rothymay)
- Lands of Domus Dei — (map ref. 52) (Hospital, near Elgin)
- Drumreoch — (map ref. 53) (tenantry in the parish of Dyke)
Building the Cathedral: Phases of Construction
First Construction: 1224–1270
The first church was shaped like a cross. It was smaller than the building we see today. This early church had a choir without side aisles. Its nave (main body) had only one aisle on its north and south sides (Fig. 4). The central tower stood above the crossing, where the north and south transepts met. It might have held bells.
The north wall of the choir is the oldest part still standing. It dates from right after the church was founded in 1224. The windows higher up are from the later rebuilding after 1270. This wall has windows that were blocked up. They extended low to the ground, showing it was an outside wall. This proves the eastern part had no aisle then (Fig. 5).
The south transept's southern wall is almost complete. It shows the excellent work of the first building phase. It has the Gothic pointed arch style in its windows. This style first appeared in France in the mid-1100s. It came to England around 1170 but didn't appear in Scotland until the early 1200s. It also shows the round early Norman window design. This design continued to be used in Scotland throughout the Gothic period (Fig. 6). The windows and corner stones are made of finely cut sandstone. A doorway in the southwest has large decorations. A pointed oval window is above it. Next to the doorway are two tall, narrow windows. Three round-headed windows are above them.
The north transept has less of its structure left. But what remains, along with a study from 1693, shows it was similar to the south transept. However, the north transept had no outside door. It featured a stone turret with a staircase.
The west front has two towers from the 1200s. They are 27.4 meters high and had wooden spires covered in lead. The base of the towers and the transepts were built differently. This suggests the towers might not have been in the first plan. But it's likely the building was not too far along. So, the builders could still connect the nave and towers (Fig. 7).
Growth and Rebuilding After 1270
After the fire in 1270, a big rebuilding project started. Repairs were made, and the cathedral was greatly enlarged. Outer aisles were added to the nave. The eastern wing, with the choir and presbytery, was doubled in length. It also got aisles on its north and south sides. The eight-sided chapter house was built off the new north choir aisle (Figs. 8 & 9).
The new northern and southern aisles ran the length of the choir. They went past the first part of the presbytery. They contained tombs set into the wall and chest tombs. The south aisle of the choir held the tomb of Bishop John of Winchester. This suggests this aisle was finished between 1435 and 1460 (Fig. 10). Chapels were added to the new outer aisles of the nave. They were separated by wooden screens. The first part at the west end of these aisles, next to the western towers, did not have a chapel. Instead, it had a door for regular people to enter.
In June 1390, Alexander Stewart, King Robert III's brother, burned the cathedral, homes, and town of Elgin. This fire caused huge damage. The central tower had to be completely rebuilt. The main arches of the nave also needed rebuilding. The entire western gable between the towers was rebuilt. The main west doorway and chapter house were reshaped. The stone inside the entrance is from the late 1300s or early 1400s. It has detailed carvings of branches, vines, and oak leaves. A large pointed arch opening in the gable, just above the main door, held a series of windows. The top one was a circular or rose window, dating from between 1422 and 1435. Just above it, you can see three coats of arms:
- On the right is the bishopric of Moray.
- In the middle are the Royal Arms of Scotland.
- On the left is the shield of Bishop Columba Dunbar (Fig. 11).
The nave walls are now very low, or just at their foundations. But one section in the south wall is almost its original height. This section has windows that seem to have been built in the 1400s. They replaced the 1200s openings. They might have been built after the 1390 attack (Fig. 12). Nothing of the high structure of the nave remains. But its shape can be guessed from the marks where it joined the eastern walls of the towers. Nothing of the crossing remains now. This is because the central tower collapsed in 1711.
Elgin Cathedral is special in Scotland because it has an English-style eight-sided chapter house. It also has French-influenced double aisles along each side of the nave. In England, only Chichester Cathedral has similar aisles. The chapter house was connected to the choir by a short vaulted room. It needed major changes. It was given a vaulted roof supported by a single pillar (Figs. 13 & 14). The chapter house is 10.3 meters high at its peak. It is 11.3 meters from wall to wall. Bishop Andrew Stewart (1482–1501) largely rebuilt it. His coat of arms is on the central pillar. Bishop Andrew was King James II's half-brother. The long delay in these repairs shows how much damage the 1390 attack caused.
19th and 20th Century Repairs
In 1847–8, several old houses near the cathedral on the west side were torn down. Some small changes were made to the boundary wall. Work to strengthen the ruin and rebuild parts began in the early 1900s. This included restoring the east gable rose window in 1904. Missing parts and decorations were replaced in the window in the north-east wall of the chapter house (Fig. 15). By 1913, the walls were re-pointed, and the tops of the walls were made waterproof.
In 1924, the ground level was lowered. The 1600s tomb of the Earl of Huntly was moved. More repairs and restoration happened in the 1930s. This included partly taking down some 1800s buttresses (Fig. 16). Sections of the nave piers were rebuilt using recovered pieces (Fig. 17). An outside roof was added to the vault in the south choir in 1939 (Fig. 18). From 1960 to 2000, masons restored the cathedral's crumbling stonework (Fig. 19). Between 1976 and 1988, the chapter house window designs were gradually replaced. Its re-roofing was completed (Fig. 20). Floors, glass, and new roofs were added to the southwest tower between 1988 and 1998. Similar restoration work was done on the northwest tower between 1998 and 2000 (Fig. 21).
Burials
- Andrew de Moravia – buried in the south side of the choir under a large blue marble stone
- David de Moravia – buried in the choir
- William de Spynie – buried in the choir
- Andrew Stewart (d. 1501)
- Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly
- Columba de Dunbar (c. 1386 – 1435) was Bishop of Moray from 1422 until his death
- George Gordon, 1st Duke of Gordon and his wife Lady Elizabeth Howard
Images for kids
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The Pans Port
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The Precentor's manse
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The boundary wall of the Archdeacon's manse with rounded arch gate
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The 1224 establishment and then the enlargement after 1270
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North wall of choir showing traces of blocked-in windows
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The south wall of the southern transept
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Integrated tower and nave construction
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The octagonal chapter house on the left, and behind it indications of the now missing north choir aisle
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The nave in the foreground, the transepts in the middle ground and the choir and choir aisles in the rear ground
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Tomb and effigy of Bishop John Winchester (1435–1460) in the south aisle of the choir
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West gable apex and arms of Bishopric of Moray (left), Royal arms of Scotland (centre) and Bishop Columba de Dunbar (right)
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The 15th century replacement windows in the 13th century openings
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Interior of the chapter house showing the central column supporting the vaulted ceiling
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The bench reserved for the dean and dignitaries within the chapter house
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The replacement of the missing form pieces, mullions, and decorative ribs in the window in the north-east wall of the chapter house
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Partial dismantling of some 19th-century buttressing in the 1930s
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The rebuilt sections of the nave piers using recovered pieces
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External roofing of the vault in the south choir in 1939
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During the last forty years of the 20th century crumbling stonework was restored
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Floors, glazing, and new roofs were added to the west towers between 1988 and 2000
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de Elgin para niños
