St Andrew's Cathedral, St Andrews
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Image:St Andrews Cathedral Ruins Front.jpg
The Cathedral of St Andrew in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland has its origins in the priory of Canons Regular founded
during the twelfth century.
The cathedral was founded in order to supply more accommodation than the church of St. Regulus (aka St. Rule) afforded.
Of the old church, located on what became the cathedral grounds, built in the Romanesque style and probably dating from the 10th century, there remains the square tower, 108 feet in height, and the quire, of very diminutive proportions. On a plan of the town from about 1530, a chancel appears, and seals affixed to the city and college charters bear representations of other buildings attached.
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[edit] Bishop Lamberton
The building, finished in the time of Bishop Lamberton, Guardian of Scotland 1297-1328, was dedicated on 5 July 1318, in a ceremony before King Robert I. When intact it had, besides a central tower, six turrets, of which two at the east and one of the two at the west extremity, rising to a height of 100 feet, remain. A fire partly destroyed the building in 1378, and the restoration and further embellishment were completed in 1440. It was stripped of its altars and images in 1559.
[edit] Sixteenth century
About the end of the sixteenth century the central tower apparently gave way, carrying with it the north wall. Afterwards large portions of the ruins were taken away for building purposes, and nothing was done to preserve them until 1826. Since then it has been tended with scrupulous care, an interesting feature being the cutting out of the ground-plan in the turf. The principal portions extant, partly Norman and partly Early Scottish, are the east and west gables, the greater part of the south wall of the nave and the west wall of the south transept.
[edit] Seventeenth century
At the end of the seventeenth century some of the priory buildings remained entire and considerable remains of others existed, but nearly all traces have now disappeared except portions of the priory wall and the archways, known as the Pends.
[edit] St. Rule's tower
St. Rule's tower is located in the cathedral grounds but predates the cathedral itself. Originally, the tower was part of a church built circa 1127 to hold the relics of St. Andrew. St. Rule (St. Regulus) is credited with having brought the relics of St. Andrew to the area. Today the tower commands a beautiful view of the town, harbour, sea, and surrounding countryside.
[edit] See also
