St Paul's Cathedral, Dundee

Parish church
name=Cathedral Church of St Paul


caption=St Paul's Cathedral
dedication=St Paul
denomination=Scottish Episcopal Church
tradition=Broad Church
diocese=Brechin
bishop=Right Rev Dr John Mantle
dean=Very Rev Robert Breaden
canon=Rev Canon Ian Stewart
provost=Rev Lindsay McKenna
domorganist=Mr Stuart Muir
website= [http://www.stpaulscathedraldundee.org/ www.stpaulscathedraldundee.org]

St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in the city of Dundee, Scotland. It is the Cathedral and administrative centre of the Diocese of Brechin in the Scottish Episcopal Church.

Castle

Built on the site of the medieval seat of power in the area, the castle which formerly stood on the site had been besieged by the armies of William Wallace, Andrew de Moray and later by Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The stronghold was destroyed during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. A small portion of the castle still remains within the Cathedral grounds.Fact|date=February 2007 During the building of modern offices on Exchange Street behind the cathedral workers discovered remains of the castle in the form of a crypt-like structure underground. It is thought that the site may have borne fortifications from as far back as 80 AD.Fact|date=February 2007

Church

The foundation stone of the Cathedral was laid on July 21 1853 and it was completed in 1855.Gough, John Edward; Notes on the History and Fabric of the Church of S. Paul, Dundee; Winter, Duncan & Co., Castle Street, Dundee; 1888] It was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott and is in the style of the Middle or Decorated period of Gothic architecture.

In 1847, Alexander Penrose Forbes was elected new Bishop of Brechin who chose to make Dundee his permanent residence.

At the time of Bishop Forbes' arrival, St Paul's Chapel met in rooms in nearby Castle Street, which Forbes considered to be dreary and "unworthy of the worship of the Almighty". Thus, he "urged his people to take on the holy work of building, to the glory of God, a stately church",Fact|date=February 2007 a place which would offer refuge to the many poor that lived in the surrounding tenements.

The total cost of the building exceeded £14,000 and it took the congregation 10 years after its completion to pay off all the debts incurred. The church was dedicated on All Saints Day, November 1, 1865.

St Paul's was raised to Cathedral status in 1905 and is now a Grade A listed building.

References

External links

* [http://www.stpaulscathedraldundee.org/ St. Paul's Cathedral Dundee]