Anyway, after dropping her off with her class I did enjoy my long and leisurely drive home with no one to indulge but myself, and so stopped at Elgin Cathedral for a spot of history.
Set on a natural rise in a curve of the River Lossie, Elgin is the main town in the prosperous district of Moray. In the early 12th century, Malcolm MacHeth and Oengus of Moray let a rising against David I. To strengthen royal authority in the province, David bestowed the town with the status of a Royal Burgh in 1130.
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| West Front - a processional entrance beneath a magnificent window |
Elgin Cathedral - dedicated to the Holy Trinity - was established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II outside the burgh of Elgin, close to the River Lossie. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie, 3km to the north, that was served by a small chapter of 8 clerics. The new and bigger cathedral, built by Bishop Andrew Murray, was staffed with 18 canons in 1226 and had increased to 23 by 1242. After a damaging fire in 1270, a rebuilding programme under Bishop Archibald greatly enlarged the building. Though unaffected by the Wars of Scottish Independence, the cathedral again suffered extensive fire damage in 1390 following an attack by Robert IIIs brother Alexander Steward, Earl of Buchan, also known as the Wolf of Badenoch. By the time of the Scottish Reformation in 1560 the number of canons had increased to 25, but the cathedral was 'cleansed' of its treasures then abandoned and its services transferred to Elgin's parish church of St Giles'. After the removal of the lead that waterproofed the roof in 1567, the cathedral steadily fell into decay and its deterioration was only arrested in the 19th century, by which time the it was in a substantial ruinous condition.
The cathedral was originally built in the heart of a thriving religious complex. While the bishop lived in his splendid palace in nearby Spynie, the canons lived here in the cathedral precinct. They each kept their own manse, like the one below, with a pleasant garden for growing vegetables, shrubs and flowers. The precinct was a crowded place with additional housing required for chaplains and vicars choral - deputies who conducted services when the canons were absent on personal or parish business.
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| Panns Port - an original gate into the cathedral complex that survives to this day |
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| The marking of John Shanks grave |
The central tower of the cathedral collapsed on Easter Sunday 1711, bringing down much of the surrounding masonry, 151 years after the Protestant Reformation and the resulting abandonment of the cathedral. In the 1800s, a local cobbler, John Shanks, clears the rubble from the ruins and salvaged many carved stones which are now displayed in the eight rooms within the two remaining towers. He was the first paid custodian of the cathedral.
The nave is where the lay people stood to worship. Elgin Cathedral is not a parish church but the townspeople would have come here for Christmas, Easter and important feast days. The cathedral was dedicated to the Holy Trinity so Trinity Sunday celebrations held particular significance at Elgin.
The nave was separated from the holiest part of the church by a rood screen that had a large painting of the crucifixion facing the congregation. This was a powerful visual reminder to the congregation of the agony that Christ endured for their salvation. The screen survived until 1640 when it was chopped up for firewood.
Did you know the word 'nave' may come from the Latin navis, meaning ship. The congregation can be seen as the passengers, sailing together to Heaven.
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| Today the cathedral has two towers but a third, central tower, once rose high above the church |
The Chapter House is where the canons met daily to conduct the business of the community. Situated at the heart of the cathedral, the Chapter House below was an octagonal room and an exclusive space where the canons gathered to hear readings, hold meetings and administer discipline. Light streamed in from all direction through colourful stained-glass windows, illuminating a wealth of carvings and painted decorations.
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| Five arched recesses provided seating for the principle dignitaries of the cathedral. The rest of the canons sat against the walls on low stone benches |
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| From the chapter house back through to the nave |
Discovered near the cathedral in 1823, the splendid cross slab below was carved by the Picts in around the 9th century - about 300 years after they embraced Christianity. We don't know what the stone was used for - may have marked a grave, route, boundary, gathering place or perhaps a site of worship.
Another Pictish stone, albeit closer to home, was my second stop.
The Maiden Stone standing in the shadows of Bennachie was carved by Picts more than 1,200 years ago, perhaps to mark a place for prayer for travellers on the road between Aberdeenshire and Moray.
The Picts who raised this monument were the descendants of ancient Caledonian tribes who laid the foundations of the medieval Kingdom of the Scots. Along with Christian symbols, the bold motifs they skilfully carved into the granite had clear meanings to the people who made them. They may record an important individual's name or status, mark land ownership, or display tribal allegiance.
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| Some scholars believe that sculptures like this may once have been coloured |
Many legends swirl about this monument. In one, the stone is a petrified maiden who rashly wagered with the Devil that she could bake bannocks faster than he could build a road to Mither Tap.
See if you can see the figure that might be Jesus above the cross, standing between two sea monsters. Can you spot the mirror and comb symbols, supposedly a bread spade and loaf on the maid's apron? Or the notch where Satan grabbed the maiden's shoulder?
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