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Glasgow Cathedral
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The first stone built Glasgow Cathedral was dedicated
in the presence of King David I in 1136. The present building was
consecrated in 1197. Since that same period the Cathedral has never been
unroofed and the worship of God has been carried out within its walls
for more than 800 years.
The splendid achievements of the
architects and builders of those far off days can be studied and
admired. Not everything, however, is old and the Cathedral has one of
the finest post-war collections of stained glass windows to be found in
Britain.
The Cathedral has a regular and active
congregation, and no visitor should leave the city without making a
visit.
Unusually, the
church is Crown property and is cared for by Historic Scotland on behalf
of Scottish Ministers. Historic Scotland have written a souvenir
guidebook, and provide expert interpretation to help bring the medieval
Cathedral to life – after all, this is the best preserved example of a
large church to have survived from the medieval period in Scotland.
The Douglas connections:
Hugh Douglas 'The Dull' was a priest at Glasgow Cathedral.
Archibald
Douglas was a minister there 1571-1593.
Bishop
Muirhead confirmed a Charter, dated 29th January, 1472-73, whereby
James Douglas of
Auchincassil founded a chaplainry of £10, with a chaplain thereof,
within the Cathedral Church of Glasgow, on the south side of the nave,
at the altar of St. Cuthbert. (Full details in the biography)
When fire damaged Glasgow Cathedral, it was the Earl of Douglas who
underwrote much of the reconstruction. (?1400, so 3rd or 4th Earl)
Cecilia Douglas, described as the 'Grande dame of Glasgow' was the only
surviving daughter of John Douglas, merchant in Glasgow, and sister of
General Sir Neil Douglas and of 6 other brothers, members of the once
well known firm of John Thomas and Archibald Douglas, the last survivor
of whom was the late Thomas Dunlop Douglas of Dunlop. Married Gilbert
Douglas 1794: widowed 1807. The Orbiston estate was the creation of
Cecilia Douglas from the estates she inherited of Douglas Park and
Boggs, to which she added by purchase. She survived her husband 55
years, and died at Douglas Park, or Orbiston house as she latterly
called it, in July 1862 aged 91. She was the last survivor of the
original nominees on the Tontine buildings at the Cross. Mrs Douglas
left a large fortune, and a fine collection of paintings and sculptures,
which she made during her extended residence in Italy and which was
presented to the Corporation of Glasgow (who deposited them in their
Galleries in Sauchiehall Street) in accordance with her direction to
deposit it 'in some public institution in Scotland'. She also gave a
large window to the Cathedral in Glasgow."
Other stained glass
windows were gifted by the Duke of Hamilton and Lord Belhaven amongst
others.
The window panel featuring the Douglas family crest with inscription
'D...LAS' is one of a series of windows made for Glasgow Cathedral by
the Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Works, Munich, in the 1860s. The Munich
glass was removed in mid-20th century. Over 2000 fragments are now
preserved in the cathedral’s upper gallery.
Amongst the memorial plaques is one to
Lt Col Jeffray
Douglas and all those of the 5th Battalion the
Cameronians who fell in
the Great War. The unidentified arms in the window are in the Cameronian
memorial section of the cathedral.
The beautiful
Major Archibald Douglas Monteath
Mausoleum is located in the adjacent Glasgow Necropolis.
In
October 1938, Prunella Stack 'delighted
everyone, the press in particular', by marrying Lord David
Douglas-Hamilton, son of the
13th Duke of
Hamilton, in Glasgow Cathedral which was attended by a thousand
friends, family, Women’s League of Health and Beauty teachers and
members. Sadly, only 6 years later he was killed while serving with the
Royal Air Force.
Comment:
• Is the 'Jamais Arriere' window a funereal hatchment, made in
glass rather than the more normal painted version?
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Sources
Sources for this article include:
David B. Appleton, of Appleton Studios, Texas
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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