Dunblane Cathedral (Perthshire)

One of Scotland's noblest medieval churches.

Summary Free admission Art and sculpture

Introduction

Dunblane Cathedral is the larger of the two Church of Scotland parish churches serving Dunblane, near the city of Stirling, in central Scotland. It was once the home of the bishops of Dunblane, until the abolition of bishops after the Scottish Reformation. Technically, therefore, it is no longer a cathedral, as there are no bishops in the Church of Scotland, which is a Presbyterian denomination.

It contains the graves of Margaret Drummond, a mistress of King James IV of Scotland and her two sisters.

History to the present day

The Celts originally founded the church of St Blane here in the seventh century so it stands on a site that has been sacred for well over one thousand years. A Cathedral building of great antiquity and once a leading ecclesiastical centre. Mainly 13th Century, with a tower which dates from the 11th century.
Dunblane was granted city status in 1500 by James IV but it's importance diminished with the advent of the Reformation in 1560. The cathedral was vandalised and the Nave lost it's roof around this time.

The arrival of the railway in 1845, transformed Dunblane from a poor weaving community into a city for affluent Victorians. The cathedral was restored in the late 19th century by architects, Sir Rowand Anderson and Sir Robert Lorimer in 1892-5. And therefore only the red sandstone tall tower, a relic of an earlier unfinished cathedral, gives any suggestion of the antiquity of this building.

The cathedral was restored in the late 19th century, but its immaculate Gothic exterior hides a chequered history of neglect and rejuvenation. . The nave walls seem more weathered inside the church than on the exterior – a legacy of 300 years without a roof.

Today, the church is an active place of worship. Within, visitors will discover Pictish carved stones, rare 15th-century choir stalls, and handsome 19th-century church furnishings.

Arrival information and how to find us

Address: Dunblane Cathedral, Perthshire, , United Kingdom

Opening times:

1 March - 30 September: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 9.30am - 5.30pm
1 October - 31 March: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 9.30am - 4.30pm

NOTE:
In the Summer: the site is closed during lunch-time (12.30pm to 1.30pm) and open on Sundays from 2.00pm to 5.30pm.
In the Winter: the site is open from 2.00 pm to 4.30 pm on Sundays.
As this is in use as a Parish Church, it may be closed during services.

Admission prices: Free entry, donations welcome.

 

Directions: Dunblane Cathedral is located in Dunblane just off the B8033.
 

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