City Archives highlights the stories of Glasgow’s four cathedrals

Glasgow’s first cathedral was erected by Bishop John, appointed to serve the diocese of Glasgow after its reinstatement in about 1115.

The site was the burial place of St Mungo, dictating the design of Glasgow Cathedral over the centuries. It was consecrated in 1136 with King David and his court in attendance. In 1189, this cathedral was badly damaged by fire.

This was during the episcopacy of Bishop Jocelyn, a man of great ­energy and ambition. He wanted the new building to be on a much larger scale. His cathedral was reconsecrated in 1197, with a long series of additions and repairs following. In 1233, Bishop Bondington began to erect a new building which was the beginning of the cathedral we know today.

There were further expansions but with long delays in completing its construction. There were frequent setbacks, including a major fire in 1400.

Cameron, Bishop from 1426-1446, was called ‘the Magnificent’ because of his notable progress in the building. It was he who gave the cathedral precinct much of its final form.

After 1470 a series of side altars were added as well as the Blacadder Aisle. Built at the request of Glasgow’s first Archbishop, Robert Blacadder, this amazing Gothic project took 25 years to build. The current Minister is working to re-instate this architectural wonder.

Only by the 16th century could the cathedral be described as ­completed.

With the departure of Archbishop Beaton at the Reformation in 1560, much of the original significance of the cathedral was lost. The end of masses meant that there was initially little use for much of the building. Fortunately, the choir, nave and lower church were occupied by three separate congregations ensuring the building’s continued use as a parish church.

In the 1840s there was increased appreciation of the cathedral’s great value. Much of their work ensured the preservation of the medieval fabric.

Victorian dislike of the asymmetry of the original west front, unfortunately led to the demolition of the magnificent original towers, which set Glasgow Cathedral apart from many of the great Gothic cathedrals of western Europe.

From 1560 until the beginning of Catholic Emancipation in 1791, Glasgow Catholics had to worship covertly. With the influx of Irish migrants, there was a demand for a catholic church in the city. This led to the decision to build a new church in Clyde Street

Opposition to Catholicism still existed in Scotland and during the construction of the church, night saboteurs would tear down work done during the day. Eventually, guards were placed at the building site.

Congregations of other Christian denominations in the city donated money for the completion of the project in a gesture of ecumenism. The design by James Gillespie Graham was completed in 1816.

In 1878, the Scottish hierarchy was restored. In 1884, St Andrew’s was raised to the status of a pro-cathedral and extensively renovated by Pugin and Pugin.

In 1947, the Archdiocese of Glasgow recovered the status of metropolitan diocese which it had had before the Reformation and it became a metropolitan cathedral. In 2011 it was restored with an adjoining cloister garden alongside.

The original St Mary’s Episcopal Church was built on the east side of Renfield Street in the 1820s to the design of Robert Scott, modelled on the Gothic Windsor St George’s Chapel. In 1874 it moved to a new building on Great Western Road, designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott.

In 1893 Scott’s son added the magnificent spire which dominates the local landscape. In 1908 St Mary’s became the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway.

Not to be forgotten is St Luke’s (Eastern Orthodox Church). The church was designed by James Sellars and built in 1877 as the Belhaven Church originally for the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland. His was inspired by Dunblane ­Cathedral.

With its amalgamation with a neighbouring congregation, the building was no longer needed by the Church of Scotland. It was converted to a Greek Orthodox Church. In 1970 it was elevated to the status of a Cathedral by the Patriarch Nicholas VI of Alexandria.