Elgin Cathedral

About

Elgin Cathedral, also known as the Lantern of the North (Scots: Lantern o the North), is a historic ruin in Elgin, Moray, in northeast Scotland. Established in 1224 on land granted by King Alexander II, it was the seat of the bishops of Moray. It replaced the cathedral at Spynie, located 3 kilometres (2 mi) to the north, and was served by a small chapter of eight clerics.

By 1226, the expanding cathedral was staffed with 18 canons, a number that increased to 23 by 1242. The cathedral, even at the time, was regarded as a fine example of current architecture, described as the "ornament of the realm" and the "glory of the kingdom". It was also the second-largest cathedral in Scotland, after St Andrews.

It experienced major building phases. The first followed an extensive fire in 1270 and then again after an incendiary attack in 1390 by Alexander Stewart, Earl of Buchan, later known as the "Wolf of Badenoch". The resulting structure featured a massive west front with twin towers and an impressive choir and presbytery, which also integrated an octagonal chapter house.

By 1560, the year of the Scottish Reformation, the canonry reached its zenith with the number rising to 25. However, this...