Construction
historic ruin in Elgin, Scotland, United Kingdom
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Elgin Cathedral, also known as the Lantern of the North (Scots: Lantern o the North), is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, in northeast Scotland. Established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II, it was the seat of the bishops of Moray. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie, located 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the north, and was served by a small chapter of eight clerics. By 1226, the expanding cathedral was staffed with 18 canons, a number that increased to 23 by 1242.
Even then, the cathedral was regarded as a fine example of contemporary architecture, described as the "ornament of the realm" and the "glory of the kingdom". It was also the second-largest cathedral in Scotland, after St Andrews. It experienced major building phases. The first followed an extensive fire in 1270 and then again after an incendiary attack in 1390 by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, later known as the "Wolf of Badenoch". The resulting structure featured a massive west front with twin towers and an impressive choir and presbytery, which also integrated an octagonal chapter house.
By 1560, the year of the Scottish Reformation, the canonry reached its zenith with the number rising to 25. However, this also marked the beginning of the cathedral's decline when its congregation was moved to the parish church of St Giles. In 1567, the Privy Council ordered the removal of the lead that covered the roof to help fund the army. This exposed the interior to the elements. Significant structural failures followed, including the collapse of the choir roof in 1637 and the collapse of the central tower in 1711, destroying most of the nave.
Major conservation and refurbishment work, begun in the early 19th century, continued until the late 20th century and has been followed by ongoing stabilisation work. Today, Elgin Cathedral is a scheduled monument managed by Historic Environment Scotland. Despite its ruined state, much of the 13th-century west front and the 15th-century chapter house remain intact. The site is a major visitor attraction and contains extensive collections of medieval stone carvings and a 9th-century Pictish cross-slab found nearby.
The Diocese of Moray was a regional bishopric, distinct from the pre-eminent see of the Scottish church, St Andrews, which had evolved from a more ancient monastic Celtic tradition and administered dispersed localities. The existence of bishops of Moray before c. 1120 remains uncertain. The earliest known prelate—possibly later translated to Dunkeld—was Gregory (or Giric, in Gaelic) and was probably bishop in name only. Gregory was a signatory to the foundation charter of Scone Priory, issued by Alexander I (Alaxandair mac Maíl Choluim) between December 1123 and April 1124, and again in a subsequent charter defining the legal rights of the same institution. His final recorded appearance occurs as a witness to a charter granted by David I to Dunfermline Abbey in c. 1128. These are the only known details of Gregory, with no basis for later assertions that he was a promoted monk in a 'Pictish Church'.
After the suppression of Óengus of Moray's rebellion in 1130, King David likely regarded the continued existence of a bishopric in Moray as essential to the province's stability. The next bishop, William (1152–1162), was an absentee titular figure, having been David's chaplain since 1136. His tenure appears to have contributed little to diocesan stability before he died in 1162.
Felix was the next bishop and is thought to have been prelate from 1166 to 1171, although precise dates remain uncertain. Little is known about his tenure, with only one instance of him appearing as a witness in a charter of William the Lion at his court held in Elgin.
After Felix's death, Simon de Toeni— a kinsman of King William and former abbot of Coggeshall in Essex—became the next bishop. Bishop Simon was the first of the early bishops to adopt an active role in managing his diocese. It has been asserted that he was buried in Birnie Kirk, near Elgin, after his death on 17 September 1184, although this claim did not emerge until the 18th century.
Simon was succeeded by Richard of Lincoln, another royal clerk, who faced considerable challenges to build up the revenues of the bishopric during and after the insurgency of Domnall mac Uilleim (Donald MacWilliam). Richard is regarded as the first significant resident bishop of Moray.
During this early period, these bishops lacked a permanent cathedral site and were successively located at Birnie, Kinneddar, and Spynie. On 7 April 1206, Pope Innocent III issued an apostolic bull authorising bishop Brice de Douglas to fix his cathedral church at Spynie. The inauguration was held between spring 1207 and summer 1208. A chapter of five dignitaries and three ordinary canons was instituted, modelled on the constitution of Lincoln Cathedral. During the reign of David I, Elgin emerged as the lay provincial centre, likely with the establishment of the first castle. The castle's superior security likely drove Brice's petition to the Pope, before July 1216, to move the seat from Spynie to Elgin.
Although Bishop Brice had previously petitioned for the relocation of the episcopal seat to Elgin, it was not until the episcopate of Andrew de Moravia that Pope Honorius III issued a bull on 10 April 1224 authorising an inquiry into the suitability of the move. His appointed legates, Gilbert de Moravia, Bishop of Caithness, Robert, Abbot of Kinloss, and Henry, Dean of Ross, approved the undertaking. The translation ceremony was conducted by the Bishop of Caithness and the Dean of Ross on 19 July 1224. Earlier, on 5 July, King Alexander II (Alaxandair mac Uilliam) had issued a writ consenting to the transference, referencing a previous land grant he had made specifically for this purpose. Although the grant predates the papal mandate and may suggest that construction had begun before Brice's death, this is considered unlikely. It is generally accepted that Bishop Andrew initiated the building works on a previously unoccupied site.
The initial construction of the cathedral was completed after 1242. Chronicler John of Fordun recorded (without explanation) that in 1270 the cathedral church and the canons' houses were destroyed by fire. The cathedral was rebuilt in a larger and grander style, forming the greater part of the structure that stands today. This work is believed to have been completed by the outbreak of the Wars of Scottish Independence in 1296. Although Edward I of England took his army to Elgin in 1296 and again in 1303, the cathedral remained untouched, as it did during his grandson Edward III during his assault on Moray in 1336.
Soon after his election to the see in 1362–1363, Bishop Alexander Bur requested funds from Pope Urban V to repair the cathedral, citing neglect and hostile attacks. In August 1370 Bur began protection payments to Alexander Stewart, Lord of Badenoch, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch, who became Earl of Buchan in 1380, and who was the son of the future King Robert II. Numerous disputes between Bur and Buchan led to Buchan's excommunication in February 1390. The bishop then turned for protection to Thomas Dunbar, the son of the Earl of Moray. In response, and possibly out of frustration at the reappointment of his brother Robert Stewart, Earl of Fife as guardian of Scotland, Buchan descended from his island castle on Lochindorb and burned the town of Forres in May and Elgin, including the cathedral and its manses, in June. It is believed that he also burned Pluscarden Priory at that time, which was under the bishop's protection. Bur sought reparation from Robert III for his brother's actions in a letter stating:
my church was the particular ornament of the fatherland, the glory of the kingdom, the joy of strangers and incoming guests, the object of praise and exaltation in other kingdoms because of its decoration, by which it is believed that God was properly worshipped; not to mention its high bell towers, its venerable furnishings and uncountable jewels.
Robert III granted Bur an annuity of £20 for his lifetime, and the Pope provided income from the Scottish Church over the following decade. In 1400, Bur complained to the Abbot of Arbroath about prebendary churches in the Moray diocese failing to pay their dues for the cathedral restoration. In the same year, Bur wrote to the rector of Aberchirder church, advising him that he now owed three years' arrears of the subsidy imposed on non-prebendary churches in 1397. Once again, on 3 July 1402, the burgh and cathedral precinct were attacked, this time by Alexander of Lochaber, brother of Domhnall of Islay, Lord of the Isles, sparing the cathedral but burning the manses. For this, Lochaber and his captains were excommunicated, prompting his return in September to make reparations and gain absolution.
In 1408, money saved during an ecclesiastical vacancy was diverted to the rebuilding process, and in 1413, a grant was made from the customs of Inverness. Increasingly, the appropriation of parish church revenues led many churches to become dilapidated and unable to attract educated clergy. By the later Middle Ages, the standard of pastoral care outside the main burghs had declined significantly.
Bishop John Innes (1407–1414) made significant contributions to the cathedral's rebuilding efforts, as evidenced by the inscription on his tomb, which praises his work. Upon his death, the chapter met secretly—"in quadam camera secreta in campanili ecclesie Moraviensis" ("in the same secret chamber in the bell tower of Moray church")—and agreed that if one of its members was to be elected bishop, they would provide one-third of the bishopric income annually until the reconstruction was completed. Major alterations to the west front were completed before 1435 and bear the coat of arms of Bishop Columba de Dunbar (1422–1435). The north and south aisles of the choir were likely completed before 1460, with the south aisle containing the tomb of John de Winchester (1435–1460). The final significant feature to be rebuilt was the chapter house between 1482 and 1501, which displays the arms of Bishop Andrew Stewart.
Large cathedrals needed many clerics to staff daily services across the many chapel altars. Bishop Andrew initially allowed for seventeen vicars—seven priests, five deacons and five sub-deacons—though this number was later increased to twenty-five. In 1350, the stipends of the vicars proved insufficient, prompting Bishop John of Pilmuir to supplement their income from two churches and the patronage of another from Thomas Randolph, 2nd Earl of Moray. By 1489, the stipends varied significantly: one vicar received 12 marks, six received 10, one received 8, three received 7, and six received 5. Each vicar was employed by a canon, who was obligated to provide four months' notice in the event of termination of his service. Vicars were of two kinds: the vicars-choral who served in the choir for the main services and the chantry chaplains who served individual foundation altars, though at times duties overlapped. The chapter followed the constitution of Lincoln, but its liturgical form adhered to the Sarum Rite, as practised at Salisbury Cathedral. Records indicate that disciplinary measures, including fines and even corporal punishment, were imposed on the vicars-choral for any shortcomings. The punishments were administered in the chapter house by the sub-dean and witnessed by the chapter. King Alexander II founded a chaplaincy for the soul of King Duncan I who died in battle with Macbeth near Elgin. The chapel most frequently mentioned in records was St Thomas the Martyr, located in the north transept and supported by five chaplains. Other chaplaincies documented are those of the Holy Rood, St Catherine, St Duthac, St Lawrence, St Mary Magdalene, St Mary the Virgin and St Michael.
By Bishop Bur's episcopate (1362–1397), the cathedral had 15 canons (excluding dignitaries), 22 vicars-choral and a similar number of chaplains. Despite these numbers, not all canons were regularly present. Absences were common when ambitious clerics accepted positions in other cathedrals. Canons were appointed to be either always present or to attend on a part-time basis. At Elgin, the dean was permanently resident, while the precentor, chancellor and treasurer served for half the year. Non-permanent canons were required to attend for three continuous months. Time spent away from the chanonry was regulated. In 1240, the chapter legislated to penalise canons who persistently absented themselves in breach of their agreements by deducting one-seventh of their income. For example, in 1488, many canons failed to adhere to the terms of their leave of absence, resulting in each of them receiving a formal warning and being summoned to appear before the chapter. Despite this, ten canons refused to attend, leading to a deduction of one-seventh of their prebendary income. In the Diocese of Aberdeen, and likely in other bishoprics as well, when important decisions needed to be made by the chapter, an absentee canon had to appoint a procurator to act on their behalf. One of the dignitaries was normally chosen for this role, as he was more likely to be present.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Elgin Cathedral”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.