Fortrose Cathedral facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fortrose Cathedral |
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| Church of Saint Peter and Saint Boniface of Fortrose | |
Ruins of the cathedral
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| 57°34′51″N 4°07′50″W / 57.580885°N 4.130495°W | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Previous denomination | Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | c. 1200 |
| Founder(s) | unknown |
| Dedication | Saint Peter |
| Cult(s) present | Curetán ("Boniface") |
| Past bishop(s) | John Lesley |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Late Gothic |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Ross |
Fortrose Cathedral was a very important church in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It was the main church, or "cathedral," for the diocese of Ross. A diocese is an area managed by a bishop, who is a senior leader in the Christian church. This cathedral was located in the Highland region of Scotland, not far from the city of Inverness.
It's thought that the first main church for the diocese was in a place called Rosemarkie. But by the 1200s, the church leaders, called canons, moved a short distance away to a spot known as Fortrose. This new location became the official home of the cathedral.
Building the Cathedral
Fortrose Cathedral was mostly built using red sandstone. Today, only two parts of the original building are still standing. These are the chapter house and the south aisle of the nave. The chapter house was a room where the church leaders met. The nave is the main part of a church where people sit. An aisle is a walkway.
In 1873, people dug up the ground around the ruins. This helped them see the full shape of the cathedral complex. It seems the building started in the early to mid-1200s. It was first built as a long rectangle. It had a tower in the north-west and a chapter house and sacristy (a room for sacred items) north of the choir. The choir is the part of the church where the choir sings.
Later, in the late 1300s, a special chapel, aisle, and porch were added. These were paid for by Euphemia I, Countess of Ross. These newer parts of the cathedral look similar to parts of Elgin Cathedral built around the same time. This might be because the bishop of Fortrose, Alexander de Kylwos, used to be a leader at Elgin.
Important Burials
The south aisle of the cathedral has two separate chapels, and several important people were buried there. The chapel on the eastern side is believed to hold the graves of Countess Euphemia and Bishop Robert Cairncross. In the western chapel, there is a tomb that is said to belong to Bishop John Fraser.
Alexander of Islay, who was the Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles, was also buried in the cathedral. However, the exact spot of his grave is not known today. On the ceiling of the western chapel, you can see two special carvings called heraldic bosses. These carvings show the symbols of Earl Alexander and Bishop John Bulloch, who was a bishop.
According to a historian named Alexander Mackenzie, many early leaders of the Clan Munro were buried at Fortrose Cathedral. This church was the burial place for their family for over 400 years. Some of the Munro chiefs mentioned as being buried there include Robert Munro (died 1164), Donald Munro (died 1192), and Hugh Munro (died 1425).
Decline of the Cathedral
After the Scottish Reformation in the 1500s, Fortrose Cathedral was still used as a local church. However, it began to fall apart. In 1572, a nobleman named Lord Ruthven was allowed to take the lead from the roof to sell it. This made the building decay even faster.
By the late 1500s and early 1600s, much of the cathedral was in ruins. Even so, the sacristy and chapter house were still used for meetings by local officials in the 1700s. Like many other former cathedrals in Scotland, its grounds continued to be used as a graveyard.
In 1851, the government took over the care of the ruins. Today, Fortrose Cathedral is a scheduled monument. This means it is a nationally important historical site that is protected by law.
Images for kids
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Ruins of the cathedral
