Elgin Cathedral

Elgin Cathedral
Location	Elgin, Moray
Country	Scotland
Denomination	Catholic
History
Authorising papal bull	10 April 1224 (1224-04-10)
Founded	1224 (in present position)
Founder(s)	Bishop Andreas de Moravia
Dedication	The Holy Trinity
Dedicated	19 July 1224 (1224-07-19)
Events	Pre-Reformation c. 1114/15 Gregory, the first recorded Bishop of Moray, first appears in charters 1207 Bishop Brice de Douglas gets approval for the church at Spynie to the fixed location of the cathedral 1224 Bishop Andrew de Moravia gains approval for the move of the bishopric to Elgin 1226 Andrew issues new constitution greatly increasing the number of canons 1270 Destructive fire prompts significant reconstruction and enlargement; provision of new west doorway 1362 King David II's nomination, Alexander Bur, becomes Bishop 1390 Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan burns the cathedral and chanonry; central tower collapses; Bishop Bur appeals to the King for reparation for the acts of his brother 1401 Probably late in the year, Rothesay) arrested by Albany[1] 1402 Alexander, Lord of Lochaber attacks cathedral c1485 Bishop Andrew Stewart completes chapter house refurbishment 1560 Parliament abolishes Mass; Bishops now use St Giles Church in Elgin Post-Reformation 1561 'popish trappings’ removed from cathedral 1567-8 Roof lead and bells removed by order of parliament 1573 Patrick Hepburn, the last Catholic bishop of Moray died 1637 Roof covering the choir collapses 1640 The minister of St Giles church dismantled the Rood screen for firewood 1707 William Hay, the last bishop of Moray died; Union of the Parliaments 1711 Central tower collapsed destroying nave 1823 A Pictish cross-slab found near St Giles Church is moved to the Cathedral 1824 Crown funded the roofing of the chapter house supervised by Robert Reid 1824–6 John Shanks, a cobbler of Elgin, shifted '2853 cubic yards of rubbish' from cathedral grounds 1834 Extensive reinforcement and repairs to walls under supervision of Robert Reid 1841 John Shanks died and is buried in the cathedral cemetery 1857 The Pans Port gate refurbished and anachronistically ornamented c. 1912 The brewery on the east bank of the River Lossie and directly opposite the cathedral is removed 1938 The Pans Port and an existing section of the original precinct wall taken into public ownership 1954 The Precenter's Manse taken into public ownership 1972–89 chapter house window tracery replaced and glazed and re-roofed 1998–2000 Restoration of interior of north and south towers completed
Associated people	King Alexander II Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan Alexander Gordon, 1st Earl of Huntly John Shanks
Architecture
Functional status	Ruin
Architectural type	Cathedral
Style	Gothic
Administration
Diocese	Moray (est. x1114–1127x1131)
Deanery	Elgin Inverness Strathspey Strathbogie
Clergy
Bishop(s)	(Of significance) Brice de Douglas Andrew de Moravia Alexander Bur Patrick Hepburn
Scheduled monument
Designated	6 February 1995
Reference no.	SM90142
Category	Ecclesiastical

Elgin Cathedral, a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, northeast Scotland, was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. It was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II and stood outside the burgh of Elgin, close to the River Lossie. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie located 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the north, which was served by a small chapter of eight clerics. By 1226, the new and developing cathedral was staffed with 18 canons, a number that increased to 23 by 1242. A damaging fire in 1270 led to significant enlargement. It remained unscathed during the Wars of Scottish Independence but suffered extensive fire damage in 1390 when attacked by Robert III's brother Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch. In 1402, the cathedral precinct faced another incendiary attack by the Lord of the Isles followers.

As the cathedral grew, so did the number of clerics and craftsmen. Repairs following the fires of 1270 and 1390 resulted in the choir's doubling in length and the addition of outer aisles to both the nave and choir. While some parts of walls retain their full height, others are at foundation level, yet the overall cruciform shape is still discernible. A mostly intact octagonal chapter house dates from the major enlargement after the fire of 1270. The near intact gable wall above the double door entrance linking the west towers was rebuilt after the fire of 1390. It contains fragments of a large rose window with remnants of tracery work. The transepts and the south aisle of the choir contain recessed and chest tombs with effigies of bishops and knights. The now grass-covered floor bears large flat slabs marking early graves. The residences of the dignitaries, canons and chaplains within the chanonry were also destroyed during the fires of 1270, 1390 and 1402, forming part of the overall reconstruction process. Only the precentor's manse remains substantially intact, while two others have been incorporated into private buildings. Both west front towers, part of the initial construction, are mostly complete. A massive protective wall surrounded the cathedral precinct, but only two small sections have survived. Of the wall's four access gates, only the Pans Port remains.

By the time of the Scottish Reformation in 1560, the number of canons had increased to 25. After the Reformation the cathedral was abandoned, and its services transferred to Elgin's parish church of St Giles. The removal of the roof's lead waterproofing in 1567 marked the beginning of the cathedral's steady decay. Although still largely intact in 1615, a winter storm brought down the roof covering the eastern limb. In the spring of 1711, the central steeple above the crossing collapsed, taking the walls of the nave with it. Ownership shifted from the Church to the Crown in 1689, but made no difference to the building's continued deterioration. Conservation efforts began in the early 19th century and continued until the end of the 20th century, with significant improvements to the two western towers.