Glasgow Cathedral at Christmas




This evening, I am posting summary information on Glasgow's 13th century Cathedral.
  • Located on an ancient Christian site dating from around the 6th century.
  • Early buildings would have been timber and wattle with the first stone structure appearing in the 10th century succeeded by two more in the 12th century.
  • Construction of the current building spanned 13th-15th centuries.
  • This was the only Scottish cathedral to survive the ravages of the Reformation (1560) more or less intact. At this time Scotland switched from a Catholic to Protestant country.
  • At the Reformation the Cathedral was divided into three smaller churches at which time much of the rich decoration was lost as was the painted glass.
  • Inside the Cathedral the Nave has a fine, 14th century timber ceiling.Uniquely in Scotland, the Quire Screen has survived.
  • Below ground level is the Lower Church which holds the chapel and tomb of St Mungo, Glasgow's patron saint. 
  • Technically, the building is not a Cathedral at all as it now a place for Presbyterian worship being a denomination which does not have bishops in it's hierarchy. The correct name today is High Kirk of Glasgow.
 Nave looking east with Quire Screen

Quire

Sr Mungo Shrine
 
 Nave looking West

 Exterior

 
 

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