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List of collegiate churches in Scotland facts for kids

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Collegiate churches are special kinds of churches that were very important in Scotland many centuries ago. These churches were different from regular parish churches because they had a group of priests, called canons, who lived and prayed together. They often had their own chapel and were set up by powerful families or rulers, not by monks.

The first known group of canons with their own chapel in Scotland was formed in St. Andrews in the 1200s. By the time of the Scottish Reformation in the 1500s, there were more than 50 of these churches across Scotland. However, when the Catholic faith was banned in 1567, many of these churches had to close down.

Even though Scotland saw a lot of church art and buildings destroyed during the Reformation, many beautiful collegiate churches still stand today. Some were turned into local parish churches, while others became ruins, and some are a mix of both. Bothwell Parish is a rare example of a collegiate church where people still worship today.

Why Were Collegiate Churches Built?

During the Middle Ages, powerful rulers in Scotland, like those in other parts of Northern Europe, wanted to have more control over the church. They encouraged important lords and ladies to build these special churches on their own lands, often even inside their castles.

These churches were often seen as private property by certain families. They built them to ensure prayers were said for their family's souls and to bring glory and lasting fame to their family name. By setting up these churches with groups of canons, the rulers could also gain more power over large areas of land and strengthen the crown's authority.

Collegiate Churches Across Scotland

Many collegiate churches were built in different parts of Scotland. Here are some of the notable ones, grouped by their region.

Aberdeen Collegiate Churches

  • Saint Nicholas Collegiate Church

Ayrshire Collegiate Churches

Dumfries & Galloway Collegiate Churches

East Lothian Collegiate Churches

Edinburgh Collegiate Churches

Fife Collegiate Churches

Glasgow Collegiate Churches

Highland Collegiate Churches

Midlothian Collegiate Churches

Moray Collegiate Churches

Perth and Kinross Collegiate Churches

  • Abernethy Collegiate Church
  • Dunblane Collegiate Church
  • Innerpeffray Collegiate Church
  • Methven Collegiate Church

Scottish Borders Collegiate Churches

  • Peebles Collegiate Church

Stirling Collegiate Churches

  • Stirling Collegiate Church

West Dunbartonshire Collegiate Churches

Other Collegiate Churches to Discover

Here are some more collegiate churches that are still being researched or are less commonly known:

  • Semple Collegiate Church
  • Easter Fowlis Collegiate Church
  • Saint Nicholas Collegiate Church, Saint Andrews
  • Brechin Collegiate Church
  • Guthrie Collegiate Church
  • Dunkeld Collegiate Church
  • Fortrose Collegiate Church
  • Tain Collegiate Church
  • Lismore Collegiate Church
  • Kilmun Collegiate Church
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List of collegiate churches in Scotland Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.