Aberdeen Cathedral, more properly known as The Cathedral Church of St Machar, has played a part in the fight for Scottish independence in conflicts that raged throughout the Middle Ages. This conflict goes deep into the very foundation of the church itself. And has created one of the cathedral’s most controversial situations. Because St Machar’s lost its cathedral status during the Reformation – like so many other cathedrals around the UK. But, unlike them, St Machar’s never had its status restored. So, despite the name, today it’s not a cathedral at all.
St Machar was a 6th century Celtic saint, a follower of the Irish St Columba who is credited with spreading Christianity in Scotland and the north of England. Machar established a place of worship in Old Aberdeen around 580 and there’s good evidence that this 6th-century place of worship was on the site of today’s cathedral. In 1131, King David I of Scotland moved a bishopric – the district under a bishop’s control – from Mortlach to the cathedral’s current site in Aberdeen because of its links with St Machar’s church and by 1165 a cathedral in the Norman style had largely been completed on this site.
Its treasures include Bishop Dunbar’s heraldic ceiling, with its 48 shields of Scotland’s bishops and archbishops, Europe’s royal houses and the Kings of Scotland, which dates from 1520; the 12th century Sanctuary Cross, whose origins go back to the early day of the cathedral and Machar himself and the wooden Barbour Tryptich dedicated to the 14th century poet John Barbour who wrote the epic poem ‘The Brus’ and who was for 40 years Archdeacon of Aberdeen. You’ll find more treasures outside the cathedral, where some of the original walls of the crossing and transepts can still be seen, left behind when this part of the building fell down.
Aberdeen: cathedral city
Located in Aberdeenshire on the east coast of Scotland, this has from medieval times has been one of the richest and most fertile regions of the Highlands and also home to Aberdeen Angus cattle.
What to do: The King’s Museum has an interesting exhibition of 18th century artefacts from the university, housed in the Old Town House, which also has a visitors’ centre and tells the story of the local history. Aberdeen Art Gallery shows contemporary Scottish and English works, alongside historical collections such as the Pre-Raphaelites, housed behind a grand old façade. The 210-year-old Glen Garioch distillery is just a few miles outside the city and has been producing single malt since 1797 – you can visit the room where 40,000 tonnes of barley were once turned by hand.
Where to stay: For some old world glamour, the Aberdeen Malmaison hotel and spa is a beautiful granite building on the outskirts of the city and its brasserie is renowned for its steaks.
Cathedrals of Britain: North of England and Scotland by Bernadette Fallon is published by Pen and Sword books, £12.99, buy online here