St Andrew's Cathedral, St Andrews

The Cathedral of St Andrew in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland was the seat of the Bishops (later Archbishops) of St Andrews from its foundation in 1158 until it fell into disuse after the Reformation. It is currently a ruined monument in the custody of Historic Scotland. The ruins indicate the great size of the building at 350 feet (over 100 metres) long.

Developments

The cathedral was founded to supply more accommodation than the older church of St. Regulus (St. Rule) afforded. This older church, was located on what became the cathedral grounds, had been built in the Romanesque style and probably dated from the 10th century. Today, there remains the square tower, 33 metres (108 feet) high, and the quire, of very diminutive proportions. On a plan of the town from about 1530, a chancel appears, and seals affixed to the city and college charters bear representations of other buildings attached.

Work began on the new cathedral in 1158 and continued for over a century. The west end was blown down during a storm and rebuilt between 1272 and 1279. It was dedicated on 5 July 1318, in a ceremony before King Robert I . When intact it had, besides a central tower, six turrets; of these two at the east and one of the two at the western extremity (rising to a height of 30 metres (100 feet)) remain.

A fire partly destroyed the building in 1378, and the restoration and further embellishment were completed in 1440. It was stripped of its altars and images in 1559.

Greyfriar (Franciscan) and Blackfriar (Dominican) monks had properties in the town by the late 15th century and possibly as late as 1518.

Sixteenth century

About the end of the sixteenth century the central tower apparently gave way, carrying with it the north wall. Afterwards large portions of the ruins were taken away for building purposes, and nothing was done to preserve them until 1826. Since then it has been tended with scrupulous care, an interesting feature being the cutting out of the ground-plan in the turf. The principal portions extant, partly Norman and partly Early Scottish, are the east and west gables, the greater part of the south wall of the nave and the west wall of the south transept.

Seventeenth century

At the end of the seventeenth century some of the priory buildings remained entire and considerable remains of others existed, but nearly all traces have now disappeared except portions of the priory wall and the archways, known as the "Pends".

St. Rule's tower

St. Rule's tower is located in the cathedral grounds but predates the cathedral itself. Originally, the tower was part of a church built circa 1127 to hold the relics of St. Andrew. St. Rule (St. Regulus) is credited with having brought the relics of St. Andrew to the area. Today the tower commands a beautiful view of the town, harbour, sea, and surrounding countryside. It is 156 steps from bottom to top.

Burials

* Andrew Forman

ee also

* St Andrews Cathedral Priory
* St Andrews Sarcophagus

External links

* [http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/standrews/cathedral/index.html St Andrews Cathedral on Undiscovered Scotland]