General view

Description General view

Date c. 1890

Collection Papers of Erskine Beveridge, antiquarian, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland

Catalogue Number SC 740701

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of F 2044

Scope and Content St Andrews Cathedral, Fife, from the west St Andrews Cathedral, founded in 1160, was partly completed and in use by 1238. After a major fire in 1378, repair and partial reconstruction continued until 1430. The church was abandoned after the Reformation in 1560, and only the east gable, half the west gable and most of the south wall of the nave now survive. The church was photographed c.1890 by the Scottish photographer, Erskine Beveridge. The west gable (right) dates from the late 13th century, and has a large arched door which leads into the nave. Above is a row of blind arcading, and the remains of one of the pointed-arched windows that originally lit the west front. The south wall of the nave (centre), dating from the 12th century, is divided by roll-moulded pilasters into ten bays, with windows set high in the wall of every bay. The east gable (left), also dating from the 12th century, is almost intact, and is framed by square corner towers topped by dumpy octagonal spires. Its large round-arched window, reconstructed in 1430, was the 'great east window' that once lit the sanctuary. In 1559 the cathedral was sacked by Presbyterian fanatics incited by a sermon preached by the reformer, John Knox, and stripped of its treasures. In 1577 it seems to have been used as a quarry supplying building materials for the burgh, and in 1649 stones from the church helped in the fortification of the town against the Cromwellian army. 30 years later no more than the present fragments survived. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/740701

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap