It has been almost a month since we returned from Scotland. Lots of photographs still to share. This post will be a long one to share photos of Dunblane Cathedral. We had lots of opportunities to visit there since we were based in Dunblane for our two weeks.
I am quoting from the Dunblane Cathedral booklet given to us by our guide for the Cathedral and published by The Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral, 1987.
"Scotland was once served by many fine medieval churches. Sadly and for a variety of historical reasons, many of these, including the great border abbeys and the cathedrals of St. Andrews and Elgin, now lie in ruins.
Dunblane Cathedral is one of several medieval cathedrals which happily still house living congregations.
"The fabric of the building is maintained by Historic Scotland as a church of the Church of Scotland.
A cathedral in the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian in constitution, is simply a parish church like any other.
But the Church of Scotland continues to refer to Dunblane, like its other medieval cathedral churches, as a 'Cathedral' thus honoring their role in the development of the Christian witness throughout Scotland's history.
"Today Dunblane Cathedral is the church for a congregation of more than one thousand members and welcomes visitors from all over the world."
"Christianity was first established here by St. Blane around the year 600, if the old tradition is to believed."
"The oldest object to be seen in the Cathedral today is the standing stone cross...It dates perhaps from the 9th century and carries Pictish designs similar to those on many fine stones in other parts of Pictland. It was found in 1873 under the floor of the chapter house."
"The woodwork is one of the glories of Dunblane Cathedral and include particularly fine examples of late 19th and early 20th century craftsmanship... The front pews of the nave ... are decorated with carved animals..."
Carved figures around the pulpit reflect the history of the Cathedral.
"A stone church was built here in the 12th century; only small traces of it now remain. But the fine tower surviving today was in its lower four stories, built around David's time (not sure who David was) ...it was probably detached from the church, and served for defense as well as for a belfry. Its upper stories were added in about 1500."
"The tower houses nine change ringing bells, the largest almost 25 cwt. Change-ringing is not common in Scotland and Dunblane has one of only eighteen such towers."
"In 1233 Clement, a Dominican friar, became bishop.... As a Dominican, Clement knew the importance of preaching and so gave us the magnificent nave with its aisles though he probably did not live to see it completed. He died in 1258 and the effigy on what is believed to be his tomb is in the choir."
"For the next 300 years, until the Reformation, the cathedral was filled with more and more elaborate furnishings."
"In 1560 the Church of Scotland became reformed or protestant. The reformers swept away furnishings and decoration which they considered to be signs of idolatry....no attempt was made to keep up the whole building. By about 1600 the roof of the nave had fallen in; its walls and pillars stood roofless for 300 years. But the choir was maintained and used continuously over the centuries."
"In 1889 a great restoration of the whole church was begun... the nave was reroofed and the whole church brought back into use..."
Here is is on a Sunday morning after the service.
Joining Inspired Sunday