X1. SOUTHWEST VIEW GSV

The town of Dornoch does not have its own railway station, but if we are arriving by bus we can alight at Cathedral Square, just a couple of minutes walk East of the Cathedral. To start our tour, we make our way to the Western end here at the end of St Gilbert Street. We have arrived in 2024, and this year marks the 800th anniversary of the first stones of the Cathedral being laid by St Gilbert in 1224. The present building is not as old as that, dating from around 1835. This is a small Cathedral – Scotland’s smallest – but a first impression is that it is neat and clean and well-cared for. We enjoy the flowers which seek to add colour on a rather dull day!

X2. FROM THE WEST GSV

We are going to walk around the outside of the Cathedral in a clockwise direction, starting at the Western end.

X3. WEST DOOR WM

The Western façade is a simple gable with a five-lancet window above the Western doors, and large buttresses at the sides.

X4. AROUND TO THE NORTH SIDE WM

A little further on we come to where the North nave wall meets the North transept. In the corner stands a solid utilities building. We notice that the transept windows (in fact on both sides) are plain glass set in a diagonal lattice framework.   Of special interest are the many grotesques which line the top of the walls, supporting the spouting.

X5. THE GROTESQUES AK

This is one of the grotesques in detail – next to a nesting seagull! Technically these carved figures are grotesques rather than gargoyles: a gargoyle is a decorated water-spout. The Cathedral does in fact also have some gargoyles. A collection of grotesques of the Cathedral can be found here.

X6. NORTHERN ASPECT GSV

The North transept opens out onto High St through a small porch.

X7. TOWER AND TURRET WM

As we come round to the Eastern end of the Cathedral we notice this unusual round turret tucked into the corner between transept and chancel. This contains a spiral stair which leads up to the central tower, and we shall find that there is an interior access door to the turret as well as the door shown here. We see that the tower has a clock face on each of its four sides, and that there is a walled walk-way around the base of the spire.

X8. FROM HIGH STREET WM

This is a more distant view of the East face across the cemetery, taken near the High Street wall.

X9. EAST WALL WM

The East face of the Cathedral is similar to the end faces of the cruciform shape we have seen before, except that here in place of a door are three spaced lancet windows, with a small lancet window above. There are the same heavily buttressed corners.

X10. FROM GILBERT STREET WM

We cross to the Southern Gilbert Street boundary wall.

X11. SOUTHEAST VIEW WM

The vestry is tucked into the corner between the South transept and the chancel. We shall find that there is an internal door from the vestry through to the chancel.

X12. MORNING SUN WM

The Cathedral positively glows when lit by the morning sun! We see here the structure of the lobby entrance to the transept. Now also visible, a little way along the wall is a gated opening with a slender metal archway over it, leading to a straight track across the cemetery, just this side of the Cathedral.

X13. THE GRAVEYARD

At top is the archway, with the inscription ‘Without Fear’. The coat of arms belongs to the Earl of Sutherland. •• If we follow the track across, right near High Street is the ‘Plaiden Ell’ (Tailor’s Measure). Here, ‘plaiden’ means cloth, and ‘ell’ was a measure of 37 inches. The stone carries two metal points which are 39 inches apart! •• Then through to High Street, and a little to our right is the Mercat Cross (Market Cross). This vertical shaft, with the head of the cross missing, is thought to date from 1628 when Dornoch became a Royal Burgh. •• Time to return to the Cathedral! [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia sylvia duckworth; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Ymblanter; Photo3 Credit: Geograph David Dixon]

X14. TOWER, CLOCK, WEATHER VANE

Let us focus on the tower and spire of the Cathedral. The first photo is actually a Western view: we can tell this from the door below the clock. There is a clock face on each of the four main steeple faces, with the date 1924 on each face. This was a year in which the Cathedral was refurbished. There is also a golden cockerel weather vane at the top. This weather vane was installed in 2008, replacing an earlier version. [Photo1 Credit: Wikimedia Mark Harkin ; Photo2 Credit: Wikimedia Oliver Dixon ; Photo3 Credit: Wikimedia valenta]

X15. SOUTHERN ASPECT

The South transept opens out onto St Gilbert Street where there is an interesting fountain just opposite.   [Photo Credit: Flickr Nairnbairn]

X16. FOUNTAIN WM WM

The fountain is well cared for, and features a gold cherub. A replacement cherub was installed in 2010 after the original cherub was stolen. The fountain was installed to commemorate the switching on of the Dornoch water supply in 1892.    

X17. SOUTH DOOR WM WM

The South face of the South transept is similar in style to the West wall, except that here the door opens into an extending lobby. We note that the end lancet windows shown here have stained glass panels. The weather vane just appearing at top is in fact on the central spire of the Cathedral. We are now at the “Visitors’ Entrance”, and it is almost time to go inside. But first a couple of views of the Cathedral in winter ... .

X18. WINTER GLIMPSES WM WM

Some may think that snow adds a romantic element to the Cathedral. Others find it just cold!

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