Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

Glasgow Cathedral, excluding scheduled monument SM90150, 70 Cathedral Square, GlasgowLB32654

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
A
Date Added
15/12/1970
Last Date Amended
30/06/2017
Local Authority
Glasgow
Planning Authority
Glasgow
Burgh
Glasgow
NGR
NS 60248 65577
Coordinates
260248, 665577

Description

The building history of this great cathedral is long and complex with at least four or five campaigns of building from the early 12th century to the early 14th century by which time the main body of the cathedral was complete. The spire and Blackadder aisle were not completed in their present form before the 15th century. A new cathedral to serve the diocese of Glasgow was begun circa 1118 and consecrated in 1136. A further series of building works took place in the 1180s prior to its second consecration in 1197. Fragments of this early building survive in the southeast part of the crypt. The major campaigns of building for the present cathedral began around 1200, but by 1240 a new and grander layout was adopted and work on the crypt and choir begun. Also at this time work started on the Blackadder aisle, only to be abandoned until completion by Archbishop Blackadder between 1483 and 1508. The last decades of the 13th century saw building work restart on the nave, the choir being complete by that date. In the early years of the 15th century a serious fire damaged the chapter house necessitating extensive repairs, and destroyed the original timber spire. This was rebuilt in stone by the mid-15th century.

Though surviving the Reformation in a virtually intact state, despite internal subdivision to form three parish churches, the cathedral had its most significant alteration in the 19th century. The two symmetrical towers flanking the west end were demolished 1846-8, and the great west window (first opened by David Hamilton in 1812) recast by Edward Blore. By the mid-19th century the interior was returned to its unified state with many new fittings, completing work begun in the choir by William Stark in 1805.

INTERIOR: Many very high quality monuments and tombs survive.

STAINED GLASS: between 1936 and 1967 the whole nave and choir were fitted out with stained glass windows by Scottish and British artists replacing the mid-19th century glass designed by the Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Company; only a few small lights from this scheme survive in the sacristy and southwest porch. A full description of the building history of the cathedral is found in the Official HMSO Guidebook.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: Cast-iron spearhead railings and coped walls define boundaries to graveyard. Many good tombs and monuments dating from the 17th century, some set into boundary walls.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following is excluded from the listing: scheduled monument SM90150.

Statement of Special Interest

Ecclesiastical Building in use as such. Guardianship Monument. The cathedral is dedicated to St Kentigern or Mungo, his tomb is in the crypt. Statutory address and listed building record updated in 2017.

References

Bibliography

Eyre-Todd, G. (Ed) (1898) The Book of Glasgow Cathedral. Glasgow: Morison Brothers.

Fawcett, R. (1985) Glasgow Cathedral. Edinburgh: HMSO.

Fawcett, R. (1985) The Blackadder Aisle at Glasgow Cathedral. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries Scotland. Vol 115. p277-289.

Forsyth, G. (1987) Glasgow Cathedral Stained Glass.

Gomme , A. and Walker, D. (1987) Architecture of Glasgow. London: Lund Humphries. p15-39.

Historic Environment Scotland Properties

Glasgow Cathedral

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/glasgow-cathedral

Find out more

Related Designations

  1. Glasgow Cathedral, precinct and graveyardSM90150

    Designation Type
    Scheduled Monument
    Status
    Designated

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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