638
After all the dilapidations and changes which it has sustained, the cathedral
of Glasgow still forms a magnificent pile of gothic architecture, and is justly
regarded as the grand ornament of the city. It stands upon an elevation on
the north side of the city, and at the northern extremity of the High Street.
The circumference of the whole building is 1090 feet, measuring around the
aisles and abutments; it is supported by 147 pillars, many whereof are very
large, and it is lighted by 157 windows.*
Thus much, then, for the cathedral. The episcopal palace or castle of Glasgow,
which formed the chief residence of the prelates of this see, stands at a little
distance. It was a splendid building of cut freestone, and had a commodious
garden attached to it. The epoch of its foundation is unknown. The great
tower of this palace was built by Bishop Cameron, who ruled this see from 1426
to 1446, and on this splendid fabric were sculptured his coat armorial, with his
mitre, crosier, and the usual badges of episcopal dignity. Archbishop Beaton,
who ruled the see from 1509 to 1523, inclosed the episcopal palace with a high
freestone wall of excellent workmanship, and built a bastion over the one corner
and a tower over the other, fronting the High Street; upon different places of
the wall were fixed his coat of arms. His successor, Archbishop Dunbar,
completed this work by erecting on the side fronting the cathedral a
stately gateway, on which his arms were sculptured, with the royal arms of
Scotland.
At the epoch of the Reformation, after the flight of Archbishop Beaton,
the Duke of Chatelherault took possession of the episcopal palace, or
" castle of Glasgow," as it was usually called after that epoch, and he
refused to give it up to the archbishop's chamberlain. This conduct was the
more base, as the duke had given his bond of manrent to the archbishop to
defend the possessions of the archbishopric. A few years afterwards the duke
was obliged to transfer it to the Earl of Lennox, whose family formerly
held the office of baillie of the regality of Glasgow under the archbishops.
The castle of Glasgow followed the fate of the chief part of the episcopal
property, till the final abolition of Episcopacy in 1689, when the whole was
vested in the crown. This palace long remained in good condition, till at
length, being neglected, it fell into ruins ; and in 1791 the whole building,
with its site and garden, were granted by the king for the purpose of
erecting an infirmary on their location. The infirmary was accordingly
erected in 1792 and 1793, and was opened for the reception of patients
in December 1794. Before the demolition of the castle two accurate
[* See Billings' Baronial Antiquities of Scotland; M'Lellan's Cathedral of Glasgow; and the
Histories of Pagan, MacGeorge, and Macgregor.]