Situated in the beautiful, though rugged, glen which forms the pass to
the Highlands from the fertile lowlands of Perthshire, this grey and
venerable ruin adds an unexpected and charming interest to the lovely
scenery of the locality. The mountain range through which the pass
penetrates long formed a barrier to the access of the Scottish kings to
the Celtic provinces further north, and the nearness of the Highland
clans was a constant source of menace to the Church. For that reason the
bishop’s palace had to be constructed as a fortified stronghold; hence,
perhaps, the name of Dunkeld, the fort of the Keledei or Culdees.
After the destruction of Iona by the Norsemen in the beginning of the
ninth century, Dunkeld was selected by the King of the Picts as a secure
place, remote from the sea, and comparatively safe from the attacks of
the Vikings, in which a mother church in lieu of Iona might be
established. To this retreat a portion of the relics of Columba were
brought by King Kenneth Macalpine in 850, and here he resolved to place
the abbot of his new monastery as bishop over the Church in the
territories of the Southern Picts, with a view to the ready
reorganisation of the Scottish monasteries, so that they should form one
diocese under one bishop.[18]
But the primacy of the Pictish Church did not remain long at Dunkeld,
being transferred in the end of the ninth century to Abernethy, on the
south side of the Frith of Tay.
The abbots in those days had become great lay proprietors, having lawful
wives, and succeeding to the benefices of their abbacies by hereditary
descent. One of these lay abbots of Dunkeld married a daughter of
Malcolm II., and it is remarkable that it was by their descendants that
the religious order in Scotland was changed. The new order of things,
which had been initiated by St. Margaret, was continued by her son,
Alexander I., who, in 1107, created two new bishoprics in the more
remote and Celtic portion of his kingdom, the first being that of Moray,
and the second that of Dunkeld. Alexander I. also brought, in 1115, a
body of canons regular to Scone Abbey, and a few years later he
established the same order in the diocese of Dunkeld. He also, in 1122,
introduced canons regular to a monastery he had built on an island in
Loch Tay, and, in 1123, founded the monastery of Inchcolm, and
introduced the same order there.[19]
The Cathedral of Dunkeld has been the see of several distinguished
bishops. Bruce’s friend and supporter, Bishop Sinclair, held this see;
and Gavin Douglas, the well-known scholar and translator of the _Æneid
of Virgil_, was Bishop of Dunkeld.
The buildings which now exist are of much more recent date than the days
of Queen Margaret’s sons. Alexander Myln, a canon of Dunkeld in 1505,
and afterwards Abbot of Cambuskenneth and first President of the College
of Justice, has fortunately left a history of the lives of the Bishops
of Dunkeld, which professes to give a more minute account of the
[Illustration: FIG. 968.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Plan.]
dates of the different parts of the structure of the cathedral than we
have of any similar building in the country. From this account it would
appear that the existing structure is chiefly of the fifteenth century.
The edifice (Fig. 968) consists of an aisleless choir, a nave with two
aisles, a north-west tower, and a chapter house to the north of the
choir. The choir measures 103 feet long by 29 feet wide internally, and
the rectangular chapter house attached to the north side is 27 feet long
and 20 feet wide. Some portions of the choir indicate the style of the
thirteenth
[Illustration: FIG. 969.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Wall Arcade at North-West
Angle of Choir.]
century; but this part of the structure was almost entirely rebuilt in
the beginning of the present century. An original fragment may, however,
still be observed in damaged portions of a first pointed arcade (Fig.
969) in the interior of the north wall near the west end. The arcade is
below the level of the window sill, and extends to six arches of trefoil
form, springing from the carved caps of single shafts. All the details
(Fig. 970) are pure and good. A post to support a modern gallery cuts
into the arcade, as shown in Fig. 969. From the floor to the top of the
caps measures 5 feet 9 inches. The choir is now fitted up and used as
the parish church.
The chapter house, on the north side of the choir, is now converted into
a mausoleum for the families of the Dukes of Atholl, and contains
several Renaissance monuments. It is two stories high (Fig. 971), the
[Illustration: FIG. 970.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Details of Wall Arcade in
North-West Angle of Choir.]
lower story being vaulted and of considerable height (Fig. 972), and is
lighted by tall lancet windows cusped at the arch head. The buttresses
are simple, and the whole character of the work is early, but it has
been altered. The vaulting (Fig. 972) is round arched, but the wall ribs
are pointed; the roof has thus a flat appearance, and there are no
horizontal ridge ribs. The chapter house structure has been added after
the erection of the choir, as is evident from the portion of the
original exterior base of the choir which still exists in the south-west
angle of the interior of the chapter house adjoining the door (see Fig.
972). From the style of the design, this structure was probably an early
addition. The upper
[Illustration: FIG. 971.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Chapter House from
North-West.]
chamber over the chapter house is doubtless later. The staircase leading
to the upper floor is inserted in the south-west angle and projects into
the chamber,[20] and cuts through the groined ceiling (see Fig. 972).
The heightening of the chapter house was apparently carried out by
Bishop Lauder, whose arms, a griffin segreant (Fig. 973), are carved
near the top on the face of the north buttress on the east side. The
upper
[Illustration: FIG. 972.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Interior of Chapter
House.]
chamber has been lighted by small windows, which are now partly built
up. The windows of the lower story have been fitted with wooden shutters
on the inside, some of which are still in position (see Fig. 972). At
the doorway leading into the choir there is a curious small stoup cut on
the base (see Fig. 972).
Against the centre of the north wall there is a recessed tomb (Fig.
974), which exhibits that peculiar kind of design, having mixed Gothic
and Renaissance features, frequently found in the seventeenth century.
It contains in the pediment a shield bearing--1st and 4th, a fess chequé
for Stewart; 2nd and 3rd, three pallets for Athole, a pelican at top,
and
[Illustration: FIG. 973.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Section of Jamb of West
Doorway, and Arms of Bishop Lauder on Chapter House.]
the motto, _Furth Fortoun et fil ye Feteris_. The recess for the figure
is 4 feet 11 inches wide by 3 feet 11 inches high, but it contains no
effigy.
On the south wall there is a large eighteenth century monument with
inscription (see Fig. 972), and, at the sides, thirty-two coats of arms,
arranged in two rows of eight on each side, besides other arms.
Resting on the floor, and against the walls of the chapter house, there
are numerous carved stones, several having arms, which appear to have
come from some sixteenth or seventeenth century buildings; and in the
room over the chapter house the remains of a rich Renaissance monument,
carved in oak, lie scattered on the floor.
[Illustration: FIG. 974.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Monument in Chapter
House.]
Abbot Myln relates[21] that in 1312 Bishop William de St. Clare (Bruce’s
“own bishop”) brought Magistrum Robertum Cementarium to the work of the
choir and church, which he built from the foundation. This clearly
refers to a restoration, as part of the thirteenth century walls is
still in existence. Bishop Sinclair died in 1337, and was buried in the
choir built by him, having filled the see for twenty-five years.
To the west of the choir is the nave, which measures, internally, 120
feet in length by 60 feet wide, and consists of a central compartment of
seven bays, separated from the side aisles by arcades, which rest on
plain round pillars. We are informed by Abbot Mylne that this part of
the cathedral was founded by Bishop Cardeny on the 27th day of April
1406, and that he carried it up to the second arches, “vulgariter le
blynd storijs.” This bishop conferred great benefits on the see by
acquiring lands for it and otherwise. He also founded and adorned the
altar of St. Ninian in Dunkeld, and decorated all the windows of the
choir with glass. Having on one occasion made a narrow escape during an
attack on his house, he constructed a strong tower for the bishop’s
residence. He died in 1436,[22] and his fine monument (Fig. 975) is
still preserved in the south wall of the nave.
In 1447 the king’s secretary, John of Ralstoun, was made bishop, but he
lived for only three years after his appointment.[23] He made provision
of hewn stones from the quarry of Burnbane for continuing the building
of the nave begun by Bishop Cardeny. Bishop Ralston died in 1450, and
was succeeded by Bishop Lauder, who completed the nave and decorated all
the windows with glass, and finished the roof. He also constructed a
handsome portico to the church before the southern doorway, and placed
figures of sculptured art therein. With his own hands Bishop Lauder
dedicated the church in 1464. But still untired of his sacred work, he
founded the campanile (Fig. 976) on 5th March 1469, and continued the
building on high. The chapter house was also founded by him in 1457.
This, no doubt, refers to the erection of the upper floor of the two
story building on the north side of the choir above described. Perhaps
this edifice contained the sacristy on the ground floor, on the level of
the choir, and the upper story added by Bishop Lauder may have been the
chapter house. At Glasgow Cathedral, the similar two story building
contained the sacristy on the upper floor, on the level of the choir,
and the chapter house on the lower story. This “Great and worthy High
Priest” likewise, in 1461, constructed a bridge over the Tay, near his
own palace, partly of stone and partly of wood. He likewise presented
the church with numerous splendid vestments and silver vessels,
including a silver cross containing part of the true Cross. He also had
paintings executed at the high altar, representing the twenty-four
miracles of St. Columba, and he constructed the bishop’s throne and
stalls in the choir.
In 1481 this prelate died full of years and of good works. By Bishop
Lauder’s influence the cathedral lands north of the Forth were raised
into
[Illustration: FIG. 975.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Monument of Bishop Cardeny
in Nave.[24]]
[Illustration: FIG. 976.--Dunkeld Cathedral. View from South-West.]
the barony of Dunkeld, and those south of the Forth into the barony of
Aberlathy.[25]
The bishops of Dunkeld, in addition to their palace or tower at Dunkeld,
had also a country seat at Loch Cluny (where their house still exists on
an island in the loch) and a residence at Cramond, in Mid-Lothian.[26]
The successors of Bishop Lauder are not stated to have added any
buildings to the cathedral; but it is mentioned that some of them,
especially Bishop Brown, adorned the interior with images and paintings,
and added to the store of rich vestments and ornaments.
The Reformation came not long after the completion of the internal
decorations and fittings. In 1560 two of the neighbouring lairds were
commissioned to take down the images and burn them in the churchyard,
and also to cast down the altars and purge the church of all kinds of
monuments of idolatry. They were enjoined to see that the desks,
windows, and doors were unharmed, nor the glass or iron work broken. But
the spirit of destruction once let loose was not easily restrained, and
the church was completely destroyed and the roof burnt.
The architectural style of the different portions of the edifice
corresponds generally with the above dates fixed by Abbot Myln. The
massive round pillars of the nave, 4 feet 6 inches in diameter (Fig.
977), and the heavy semicircular arches of the triforium have been
supposed to indicate Norman work; but the details prove that here, as
frequently occurs in Scotland, the ancient forms are repeated in later
times. The caps and bases of the piers show that they belong to an
advanced period, while the mouldings of the triforium arches and the
trefoiled filling in clearly indicate work of the latter half of the
fifteenth century. These features are, undoubtedly, peculiar; but other
examples show that they are not singular. Thus at Aberdour Church[27]
and Aberdeen Cathedral (late works), the pillars of the piers are
circular, and have similar caps to those at Dunkeld; and at Paisley the
triforium arches are segmental, and are divided with cusped arches
somewhat similar in style to those of Dunkeld Cathedral. The clerestory
is very plain, and the windows are small. From the number of holes in
the wall, used for the support of rafters and other woodwork, it seems
likely that this portion of the wall was partly concealed by the timbers
of the open wooden roof, and perhaps partly covered with panelling.
The great window in the western gable (see Fig. 976) is evidently a late
feature, and seems to have been added sometime after the west wall had
been erected. This is apparent not only from the style and the peculiar
unsymmetrical position of the window, but also from the construction of
the exterior (Fig. 978), where it will be observed that the original
west door has had a portion of wall somewhat rudely added in front of
the original wall, in order to support a balcony or gallery carried
across at the base of the window. The older moulded doorway (the jamb of
which is shown in
[Illustration: FIG. 977.--Dunkeld Cathedral. Nave, looking West.]
Fig. 973) is thus overlapped and buried by two square piers, carrying
plain arches above, stuck on in front of the original wall; while in a
similar opening or recess, between the south pier and the tower at the
[Illustration: FIG. 978.--Dunkeld Cathedral. West End.]
south side, the space is lintelled over between the square pier and the
stair turret. As the stair turret probably existed (at least for part of
its height) before this alteration, the large window, which occupies the
full available width, had to be squeezed in as best it could, and thus
came to stand in the unsymmetrical position it occupies (see Fig. 977).
This supposed alteration may also, perhaps, explain the peculiar way in
which the ogee canopy of the window is twisted to one side at the top
(see Fig. 976), which Mr. Billings has difficulty in accounting for. The
small circle in the gable being right over the entrance door (as the
original window in the west end doubtless also was), it was found, when
the window came to be enlarged, that there was no room to carry the
canopy and its fleur-de-lys finial straight up without removing the
small circular opening, and so the canopy and finial had to be pushed to
one side.
The side aisles are 12 feet in width, and the south one has been
vaulted. The tracery in many of the windows still survives, and is
varied and generally good in design. A restoration of the tracery in the
west window may be seen in Mr. Billings’ work. The tracery is of the
kind common in the Scottish architecture of the fifteenth century.
Attention has already been drawn to the peculiar flat-headed windows at
the west end of the north aisle of Dunblane Cathedral. At Dunkeld, the
corresponding window is flat arched (Fig. 979), and at St. John’s
Church, in Perth, the window in the same position is either flat arched
or has a lintel. It is singular and interesting to find this similarity
of treatment, as regards the north-west window, in these three churches,
which are all situated in one part of the country. Over the north-west
window at Dunkeld are the arms of Bishop Brown (a chevron between three
fleur-de-lys), surmounted by a mitre. There is an inscription on a
ribbon round the arms, but it would require a very minute inspection to
make it out. George Brown was consecrated Bishop of Dunkeld by Pope
Sixtus IV. in 1484, and died 14th January 1514-1515, aged seventy-six
years.
The ruins of a large porch still exist on the south side of the nave
(see Fig. 976). From the forms of the finials and other details it has
evidently been a somewhat late addition. This was, doubtless, the
portico which Canon Myln states was erected by Bishop Lauder at the
south entrance to the church.
The upper part of the stair turret of the west front, the broken angle
pinnacle at the base of the gable, and the corbelled octagonal finial on
the south-west angle of the south aisle are all late additions. The
corbelled turret at the angle resembles the angle turrets of the
castles. A similar turret exists at the angle of the north transept of
Paisley Abbey.
The north-west tower is simple and good in design. According to Abbot
Myln’s account, it was not founded till 1469, and in style is good for
the period. The windows of the ground floor and top story are well
designed, and quite equal to the rest of the church. The ground floor is
vaulted, and has been painted in a handsome manner, part of the painting
being still preserved.