Introduction

Elgin Cathedral is now a ruin which lies close to the northern coast of Scotland, about 40 miles east of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

This Cathedral was, in its prime, known as the ‘Lantern of the North’ . This description alludes to the beauty of the building and its ranking as second only in size to the Cathedral at St. Andrews.

Here is a video clip of the Cathedral in context of the surrounding town.

Important timelines in history

Between the period 1270 and 1560 Elgin Cathedral was seat of the Bishop of Moray.

During the late 14th century a local, N.E. magnate,  Alexander Stewart aka ‘Wolf of Badenoch’ was censured by the Bishop for abuse of power. In a fit of rage, during a temporary power vacuum in Scotland, Stewart and his army burned and damaged the Cathedral and its associated residences. For this act Stewart was excommunicated by the Bishop and was forced to pay heavy reparations. (Excommunication was a very severe sanction in medieval times). The Cathedral was subsequently rebuilt in stages.

The ruined state of the buildings today are due to a combination of vandalism and neglect following the Protestant Reformation in 1560.

Important aspects of architecture

The east end of the Cathedral is the best preserved. Choir and Presbytery date from 1270 and feature high quality window tracery. The most complete element surviving is the 15th century stone-vaulted octagonal chapter house.

Pictish Cross Slab

Within the Cathedral grounds can be found a Pictish cross slab which pre-dates the cathedral and is probably of 9th century AD origin. This was originally found lying flat during roadworks in Elgin High Street in 1823, near the site of the medieval church of St Giles. Despite the coarse-grained granite, the carving on this splendid slab was remarkably detailed.

Visiting

Clearly, Elgin Cathedral is an important part of Scotland’s heritage and is deserving of a visit. The ruins are popular with photographers and artists.

The site is managed by Historic Environment Scotland and is open to the public. Check website for details.

More information

For more information on Scotland’s history, heritage and touring please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland, ISBN 978-1-9161332-0-4