Oldest Cathedral Scotland |Necropolis Glasgow |Oldest Building Scotland |Medieval Cathedral Glasgow

Glasgow Cathedral stands near the heart of Scotland’s largest city. It’s the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Protestant Reformation of 1560 virtually intact.

Around it there used to be a chanonry – a precinct where the bishops (and, later, archbishops) and clergy lived. A thriving burgh sprang up to its south and west under the bishops’ patronage. Since then, the burgh has grown into the great metropolis we know today.

Erected between AD 1136 and 1484, Glasgow Cathedral is now Scotland’s largest place of worship. Its history reflects contrasting Christian identities. The site was an ancient pilgrimage destination containing the tomb of the 6th-century Celtic missionary to Strathclyde, St Kentigern (or Mungo). This gave access to the special grace of a saint close to God and whose remains emitted the breath of the Holy Spirit, making the place ‘holy.’

Following Scottish exit from the Church of Rome in 1560, Glasgow Cathedral worship, ministry, and governance changed permanently in line with Reformation principles. These included Christ alone, faith alone, Scripture alone, and two sacraments only. This led to radical resetting from doing to receiving, human merit to grace of God, seeing to hearing, altar to pulpit, sacrament to preaching, unmarried priest to married minister, mother church to divine Covenant, prayer invoking Mary and the saints as intercessors to prayer directly addressing the Deity only, elitist Latin Vulgate to open English Bible for all, and Latin psalms chanted by monks to psalms in English sung by the congregation. ‘Pure worship’ was confined to preaching, two sacraments, prayer to the Persons of the Trinity, and sung praise. This refocussing underlay the new Scottish church service manual derived from Geneva: the Book of Common Order. It is still the basis of modern worship here.

At Communion or the ‘Sacrament’ (reduced to four times a year to heighten value), everyone now sat at tables and received both bread and wine. These elements represented real nourishment of body and soul as well as reassurance through Christ’s spiritual presence and his promises as the Word of God. As in the Church of Scotland, modern Communion in the Cathedral is open to believers of any denomination.

The Necropolis is a Victorian garden cemetery full of wonderful architecture, sculpture and fascinating stories.

Adjacent to Glasgow Cathedral, the Necropolis was modeled on Père-Lachaise in Paris. It is estimated that something in the order of 50,000 burials have taken place here, with around 3,500 tombs.

Built in the Classical Revival architectural fashion, the Necropolis was established by the Merchants' House of Glasgow in 1831. A monument to John Knox, which was erected in 1825, dominates the hill.

Guided walking tours of this 37-acre cemetery are available.