| Brechin Cathedral | |
|---|---|
 The Cathedral and Round Tower | |
 | |
| Location | Church Lane,Brechin,Angus DD9 6JS |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Previous denomination | Roman Catholic |
| Churchmanship | Reformed |
| Website | brechincathedral |
| History | |
| Founded | 13th Century |
| Dedication | Holy Trinity |
| Past bishop(s) | Bishop of Brechin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
| Designated | 11 June 1971 |
| Style | Gothic |
| Closed | 2021 |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Presbytery of Angus |
| Laity | |
| Organist(s) | Ian Robertson |
Brechin Cathedral is a Scottish Church building which dates from the 13th century. It is the former Cathedral of the formerRoman CatholicDiocese of Brechin but has not served that function since theScottish Reformation in the 16th century.
It is in the Pointed style, but suffered maltreatment in 1806 at the hands of restorers, whose work was subsequently removed during the restoration completed in 1902. The westerngable with its flamboyant window,Gothic door and massive square tower, parts of the (much truncated) choir, and the nave pillars and clerestory are all that is left of the original edifice. The modern stained glass in thechancel is reckoned amongst the finest in Scotland.
The cathedral is a category Alisted building[1] and the attached Round Tower is ascheduled monument.[2]
Immediately adjoining the cathedral to the southwest stands theRound Tower, built about A.D. 1000. It is 86 ft.(26.21 m) high, has at the base a circumference of 50 ft.(15.3 m) and a diameter of 16 ft.(4.9 m), and is capped with a hexagonal spire of 18 ft.(5.5 m), added in the 14th century. This type of structure issomewhat common inIreland, but the onlyScottish examples are those atBrechin andAbernethy inPerthshire.
The quality of the masonry is superior to all but a very few of theIrish examples. The narrow single doorway, raised some feet above ground level in a manner common in these buildings, is also exceptionally fine. The door-surround is enriched with two bands of pellets, and the monolithic arch has a well-preserved representation of theCrucifixion. The slightly splayed sides of the doorway (also monolithic) have relief sculptures of ecclesiastics, one of them holding acrosier, the other aTau-shaped staff.
Two monuments preserved within the cathedral, the so-called 'Brechin hogback', and a cross-slab, 'St. Mary's Stone' are further rare and important examples of Scottish 11th century stone sculpture. The hogback combines Celtic and Scandinavian motifs, and is the most complex known stone sculpture in theRingerike style in Scotland. The inscribed St Mary's Stone has a circular border round the central motif of theVirgin and Child which echoes that on the Round Tower.
Between 1999 and 2009,Scott Rennie was minister of Brechin Cathedral.[3]
In February 2020, thePresbytery of Angus agreed to a dissolution motion, under which ownership of Brechin Cathedral transferred to the General Trustees of theChurch of Scotland, who would shut down and sell the building.[4][5] Nonetheless, the Brechin 2020 committee planned to mark the 800th anniversary of the cathedral on 7 June 2020.[6] In the event this proved impossible due to Covid restrictions.
The Cathedral closed its doors for the final time as a sanctified church at a special service on 28 November 2021.[7]
Led by Caroline Carnegie, Duchess of Fife, a committee of Trustees has been established to take over accountability for the care and development of the Cathedral with a stated intent to restore it to being a focal point and hub for the community and tourists alike.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Brechin".Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
Cathedrals of theChurch of Scotland | |
|---|---|
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
56°43′51″N2°39′41″W / 56.730744°N 2.661497°W /56.730744; -2.661497
