There is no mistaking the sense of sacred antiquity about St Machar’s Cathedral, standing in the heart of Old Aberdeen.
It has been a place of worship since the 6th century when it was established by St Columba’s disciple, St Machar. Legend has it God instructed him to build a church at a spot where the path of the River Don looks like a bishop’s crozier.
Other legends include William Wallace’s arm being buried in the cathedral wall after the great patriot was hung, drawn and quartered and his body parts sent to different parts of Scotland as a grizzly warning. Legends or not, St Machar’s has been central to Aberdeen’s life for centuries. Join us as we take a step back in time to look at this glorious cathedral.
The dreaming spires of St Machar’s Cathedral, pictured in 1976, rise elegantly above the cityscape.
St Machar’s has stood for centuries, through times of peace and prosperity as well as wars and plague. A reminder of darker days can be found in this photo from 1942 of iron railings being removed from around graves to help with the Second World War effort.
A cathedral is far more than bricks and mortar… the people are woven into the fabric of this holy place. Our photo shows morning service in 1973.
The star-shaped stone in the wall of St Machar’s Cathedral, photographed in 1980, is said to mark the location of Sir William Wallace’s arm.
Divine intervention was at play in 1968. The priceless St Machar’s Cathedral silver was stolen only to be recovered undamaged a few days later. It was put on exhibition to the public after it was returned to St Machar’s. Here the Rev A Stewart Todd is explaining the history of the silver to visitors.
