The Old Cathedrals of Scotland page 2

The cathedral of Argyll, on the island of Lismore in Loch Linnhe, is the smallest in Britain. The diocese of Argyll was founded in about 1200 and taken from the western portion of Dunkeld, which was too large and stretched southwards as far as Kintyre. The cathedral was founded about 1236 on the site of an old church built by S. Moluag in the sixth century.

One of the most interesting people connected with the cathedral was Sir James MacGregor, dean of Lismore, who collected Gaelic poems and ballads about 1530 and whose book is still valuable to the student of Gaelic literature. At present only the tiny choir remains, but, judging from the ridges in the ground to the west of it, the whole church cannot have been very large. It is used as the parish church, and is so covered by lath and plaster that the details cannot be seen. Inside, the sedilia still remain, but the old doorways are built up and a new one made at the East end.

The cathedral of Whithorn stands near one of the oldest ecclesiastical sites in Britain, for a church was founded by S. Ninian about the end of the fourth century. It was the first stone church ever built in the country, and was regarded with much wonder by the people, being known as the white house or Candida Casa, the latter becoming the official name of the see. The bishopric was revived by David I and a cathedral begun.

The shrine of S. Ninian brought many pilgrims to Whithorn, including Bruce and James IV, who came often and made costly offerings, so that the buildings of the cathedral and priory which was attached were very fine. However, after 1560 they were left to ruin, till now only very little remains. The nave, though chiefly fifteenth century, contains an elaborate Norman doorway, a part, no doubt, of David I's cathedral. Eastward are the scanty remnants of the choir walls standing upon a series of vaults. The priory buildings have vanished, but a few carved stones and the Norman font have been preserved.