Archaeology Notes

Event ID 663111

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/663111

NH78NE 5 79720 89692

(NH 7971 8969) Cath. (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1959).

For associated Bishop's Palace (now Dornoch Castle Hotel) at NH 7972 8960, see NH78NE 6.

For earlier ecclesiastical community, see NH78NE 14.

Dornoch Cathedral, dedicated to the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary but locally known as St. Gilbert's Church, after Gilbert, Bishop of Caithness, its founder, succeeded Halkirk as the Church of the See of Caithness.

The Cathedral, now used as the parish church, was founded about 1223, but its date of completion is not known. It was burnt by the MacKays in 1570 and lay in ruins until partially restored for use as a parish church in the early 17th century. Further re-building and renovation in the 19th century left little of the early work exposed and involved the destruction of the remains of the arcades of the nave, it being rebuilt without aisles. During this century an attempt has been made to uncover much of the early work hidden by the 19th century renovations.

The sanctuary of the Cathedral as defined by Pope Pius II between 1458 and 1464 extended 'for three miles on every side around the said cathedral church and marked with the sign of the holy cross'.

(For earlier ecclesiastical community here - see NH78NE 14).

Orig Paroch Scot 1855; W D Simpson 1924; C D Bentinck 1926.

Dornoch Cathedral is as described, and in use.

Visited by OS (A A), 31 March 1971.

Dornoch Church: Category A listed

HBD No. 1 (undated entry).