List of cathedrals in Scotland explained

See also: List of cathedrals in England and Wales and List of cathedrals in Ireland.

This is a list of cathedrals in Scotland.

A cathedral church is a Christian place of worship that is the chief, or 'mother' church of a diocese. The distinction of cathedral refers to that church being the location of the cathedra, the seat of the bishop. In the strictest sense, only Christian denominations with an episcopal hierarchy — those that are led by bishops — possess cathedrals. However, in common parlance, the title cathedral is often still used to refer to former Scottish cathedrals, which are now within the (presbyterian) Church of Scotland.

Because of Scotland's religious history, cathedrals of several different Christian denominations are found around the country. Before the Scottish Reformation, the Christian church in Scotland was Catholic. Its thirteen dioceses were each governed by a bishop whose Episcopal see was centred on a cathedral. In 1560, the Scottish church broke communion with Rome and became Protestant. After years of dispute, the post-Reformation Church of Scotland finally abolished the Episcopacy in 1689 and adopted the Presbyterian system of governance. Scotland's former cathedrals remained in use as parish churches, now organised under a system of synods and presbyteries.[1]

The Scottish Episcopal Church formed as a breakaway from the Established Church of Scotland, retaining the system of bishops, was Anglican, but it was excluded from mainstream religious life. In the later 19th century, laws repressing Episcopalian and Catholic worship were repealed (for example, under the Roman Catholic relief bills). With their newfound freedom, these denominations flourished and began to build their own cathedrals. For this reason, Scotland's Episcopalian and Catholic cathedrals are mostly Victorian in origin.

Church of Scotland

The Church of Scotland is no longer governed by bishops, and so officially has no cathedrals. However, buildings that were cathedrals prior to the Reformation, or in periods of the church's history when it did have an episcopacy, are still commonly called "cathedrals". They are often denoted by the title "High Kirk".

Image Name & dedication Presbytery Established Website Location
1131 57.1698°N -2.1021°W
13th century building closed 2021, awaiting disposal 56.7319°N -2.6617°W
13th century57.8811°N -4.0296°W
7th century 56.1894°N -3.9653°W
1260 56.565°N -3.5897°W
12th century 55.9494°N -3.1908°W
1136 55.863°N -4.2346°W
1137 58.9822°N -2.9589°W
59256.5344°N -5.4806°W

Scottish Episcopal Church

Image Name & dedication DioceseEstablished/Website/Location
Aberdeen Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Andrew
Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney1817
http://www.cathedral.aberdeen.anglican.org/
57.149°N -2.0929°W
Dundee Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Paul
Diocese of Brechin1855
https://web.archive.org/web/20100722050344/http://www.stpaulscathedraldundee.org/
56.461°N -2.9681°W
Edinburgh Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Mary
Diocese of Edinburgh1879
https://web.archive.org/web/20150516124453/http://www.cathedral.net/
55.9486°N -3.2163°W
Glasgow Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Mary the Virgin
Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway1871
http://www.cathedral.glasgow.anglican.org/
55.8734°N -4.2749°W
Inverness Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Andrew
Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness1869
http://www.invernesscathedral.com/
57.4745°N -4.2291°W
Millport Cathedral
Cathedral of The Isles and
Collegiate Church of the Holy Spirit
Diocese of Argyll and The Isles1882
Cathedral of The Isleshttps://archive.today/20051216012938/http://www.argyll.anglican.org/cumbrae.htm
55.7556°N -4.9242°W
Oban Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St John the Divine
Diocese of Argyll and The Isles1864
co-cathedral with Millporthttps://web.archive.org/web/20100803195032/http://www.st-johns-cathedral-oban.org.uk/
Perth Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Ninian
Diocese of Saint Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane1850
http://www.perthcathedral.co.uk

Catholic Church

Province of St Andrews and Edinburgh

Image Name & dedication DioceseEstablished/Website/Location
Aberdeen Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Mary of the Assumption
Diocese of Aberdeen1880
https://web.archive.org/web/20140903233739/http://www.catholic-church.org/stmarys-aberdeen/
57.1454°N -2.1064°W
Ayr Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Margaret
Diocese of Galloway1822
Translated from Good Shepherd, St John's Street
Dundee Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Andrew
Diocese of Dunkeld1782
56.4574°N -2.9747°W
Edinburgh Cathedral
Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St Mary
Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh1814
Mother church of the Province of St Andrew's and Edinburghhttp://www.stmaryscathedral.co.uk/
55.9561°N -3.1878°W
Oban Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Columba
Diocese of Argyll and the Isles1932
https://web.archive.org/web/20100811233751/http://www.rcdai.org.uk/pages/Cathedral.html

Province of Glasgow

Image Name & dedication DioceseEstablished/Website/Location
Glasgow Cathedral
Cathedral and Metropolitan Church of St Andrew
Archdiocese of Glasgow1797
http://www.cathedralg1.org/
55.8555°N -4.2529°W
Motherwell Cathedral
Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Good Aid
Diocese of Motherwell1947
Church consecrated in 1929.55.7913°N -3.987°W
Paisley Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Mirin
Diocese of Paisley1948
Church consecrated in 1931.55.8475°N -4.4166°W

Greek Orthodox Church, also serving other Orthodox communities

Image Name & dedication DioceseEstablished/Website/Location
Glasgow Orthodox Cathedral
Cathedral Church of St Luke
1954
1877 Belhaven Presbyterian Churchhttp://www.stluke.org.uk

International Synaxis of True Orthodox Churches

!Image!Name and dedication!Diocese!Established/Website/Location
Greyfriars Church, Dumfries Cathedral Church of Our Lady and Saint Ninian[2] Diocese of the British Isles55.0703°N 3.6125°W

See also

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oggins. Robin S.. Cathedrals of Great Britain and Ireland. 1996. Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.. 9781567993462. 45. 6 September 2017. en.
  2. Web site: Dumfries Cathedral Church . 2024-05-08 . British Diocese . en.