Robert Crichton was the last of the long line of Roman Catholic Bishops, and the destruction of Dunkeld’s sacred pile took place in his time, when the full tide of the Reformation swept over the land, bringing down the princely prelates and laying waste many a fair pile. The Church lands which the Bishops had acquired were snatched from their rule, and so low did the revenues of Dunkeld, amongst others, become that the King had to make a gift of a hundred pounds to the incumbent in 1689.

The Cathedral, which each Bishop, in love and pride, had striven to adorn and beautify, exterior and interior, owes its destruction to the misguided zeal and frenzied recklessness of a number of the Reformers. The building, as has been shown from its situation in a natural opening in that great mountain barrier of the Grampians, had been subjected to many fierce attacks. The mountain caterans who scorned priestly censure descended on the rich domain and plundered fearlessly, speeding back laden with booty to their own hills. Turbulent chiefs and their vassals stormed on more than one occasion the Episcopal Palace and the strong Castle built for defence; at the celebration of the Festival of Pentecost they had not hesitated to touch the sacred building itself. The Bishop of that day had to climb the rafters to escape the unwelcome attentions of the Clan Donachie, and the famous Bishop Douglas was, as has been related, installed in the midst of a shower of shot. Neighbouring lairds are said to have coveted the rich flocks and lands of the See, and involved several of the bishops in lawsuits. The Dunkeld clergy were thus forced to keep a wary watch on their northern enemies, and that they gave the benefit of their observations to their southern brethren is a matter of history. Sir Walter Scott takes note of this kindness, which was also an act of policy, in the "Fair Maid of Perth." The Prior of the Dominicans in Perth warns King Robert and his Councillors "that the last advice from the brethren in Dunkeld informs them that the Clan Chattan and Quhele are ready to break out into a more formidable warfare and that the Fiery Cross was flitting like a meteor in every direction." This advice led to the famous Clan Battle of 1396 in Perth.

Yet the Cathedral survived these barbarous attacks and grew in beauty, a noble structure to cherish and to be proud of. It was unfortunately reserved for the leaders of the Reformation to bring ruin upon it, and to make its walls desolate, naked and bare,

"As if they waged an architectural war,

To banish art, and beauty’s self to mar."

The Cathedral thus remains an unedifying witness to the violence of man’s bigotry and passions, urged on by mad, unreasoning zeal. It is well, however, to note that the leaders who issued the order which led to the destruction of the building did not intend the ruin to be so complete.

The Order was issued in 1560 by the Privy Council of Scotland, and runs as follows : —

"Order of the Privy Council of Scotland for demolishing the altars and imagery of the Cathedral":

"To our traist friendis, the Lairds of Arntilly and Kinvaid.

"Traist friendis, after maist harty commendacion we pray you faill not to pass incontinent to the Kyrk of Dunkeld and tak doun the haill images thereof, and bring furth to the kirk-yayrd, and burn them oppenly, and siclyk cast doun the altaris and purge the kirk of all kind of monuments of idolatrye. And this ze faill not to do, as ze will do us singular empleseur, and so committis you to the protection of God.

"From Edinburgh, the XII. day of August, 1560. Faill not, bot ye tak guid heyd that neither the desks, windocks, nor durris, be in ony weys hurt or broken - eyther glassin wark or iron wark.

(Signed) "AR. ERGYLL

"JAMES STEWART.

"RUTHVEN."

It will be observed that this Order was, in many important respects, wantonly disobeyed. Care was not taken of the glass or iron work. Windows were smashed, doors torn off their hinges, monuments defaced and mutilated, while the building was unroofed. Nor was this wanton and wicked destruction done by an ignorant and careless mob. The orders were sent to two men of position, lairds of neighbouring estates, and one of the chief leaders besides in the wholesale destruction which went on, is said to have been the baird of Cardney, a member of the same family as one of the founders, Bishop Cardney. Shame might have stayed his hands, or pride in his illustrious kinsman, whose tomb is still to be seen within the ruined Nave. The family tomb of this Laird is also within its walls. It may be probable that these men knew what nobles such as Argyll and Ruthven really desired and proceeded accordingly.

The Cathedral never recovered its glory, nor the Bishops their power. The ornaments of gold and silver work, the silk vestments, the paintings, all of which so graphically described by Canon Myln, have vanished and none know whither. Not even the relics of St. Coluinba remain.

In 1571 the See of Dunkeld was declared to be void through process of forfeiture against Robert Crichton, sometime bishop thereof. Acts of Assembly in 1586 and 1593 appointed Dunkeld the Seat of Presbyterial Meetings, but during the next century the history of the church is mainly the record of the conflict between Presbyterianism and Episcopacy. In 1609, by Act of Parliament, Episcopal Jurisdiction was restored, and by another Act in 1617 "Anent the Restitutioun of Chapteris," the Bishop of Dunkeld was appointed one of the chapter for the election of the Archbishop of St. Andrews, and Vicar General for convening the electors.

In a valuable work entitled "The Diocese and Presbytery of Dunkeld, 1660-1689," by the Rev. John Hunter, B.D., Minister of the Parish of Rattray, who died in 1915, there is much reliable information, compiled as it was from Ecclesiastical Registers and other Records. In the Introduction it is pointed out "that the references to the Cathedral fabric are disappointingly meagre," although there are many details of historical value regarding the Chapter. Here it is also remarked that during the various changes from the Reformation to the final abolition of Prelacy in 1690 few of the Presbyterian Ministers in this part of Scotland refused compliance when Episcopacy was abolished or restored. They were not re-ordained when a Bishop was set over them, and even the bishop himself in 1662 was consecrated without being re-ordained (as all the Scottish Bishops had been in 1610), There was little striking change in public worship, and scarcely any trace of sympathy with the Covenanters or signs of persocution in the district. Probably Dunkeld lay too close to the Highland border to be largely interested in the beliefs and doings of the southern part of Scotland.

Dunkeld Cathedral and its Bishops were of small importance during this period. Archbishop Spottiswood in his "History of the Church" gives a List of seven Bishops of Dunkeld after the Reformation, and three more are recorded in the Register of the Great Seal. These Bishops did not reside at Dunkeld but at Meigle, the reason being that the living at Meigle was attached to the Bishopric in 1607, in order to augment the stipend at Dunkeld, the gross rental being so poor. In Scots money it was declared after the Revolution to be only £1810 17s. l0d. (Scots). Therefore the Bishops resided in the Manse at Meigle, with one exception, George Haliburton, who lived at Perth.

One of these Bishops, Peter Rollock, granted a Charter in 1606 with advice and consent of the Dean and Chapter of Dunkeld, which gave many privileges to the City of Dunkeld, citizens and indwellers thereof. This Charter was ratified and confirmed by Charles I. in 1641.

Another Bishop, Henry Guthrie, is remembered by his Memoirs," which give many interesting details of the period, and then there was that Bishop, Dr Andrew Bruce, who was bold enough to oppose the repeal of the penal statutes against Roman Catholics in the Scots Parliament of 1686. The King was angry and deprived him of his office, forbidding rents or revenues to be paid to him. When the Revolution of 1689 was impending, James endeavoured to conciliate the Scottish Bishops, and recommended Andrew, late Bishop of Dunkeld, to the vacant See of Orkney. To this charge he was elected, only to lose it in the Revolution.

Little was done during these years of conflict to repair or beautify the Cathedral. In 1600, Stewart of Ladywell repaired and re-roofed the Choir for public worship. This family held for a time the office of Commissary of Dunkeld, and one of its members, John Stewart, became, unfortunately for himself, involved in the disputes between Montrose and Argyle. He paid the penalty, being executed for treason in 1641. There is a Memorial Tablet to the family, in Dunkeld Cathedral, as also their Coat of Arms on the wall.

In the Presbyterial Records, too, there are numerous complaints of the spoliation endured at the hands of the Irish levies brought in by Alaster Macdonald of Colketto, when he joined the gallant Montrose and the Athollmen. It is recorded in the Registers that the brethren of Dunkeld were absent from the Synod meetings in Perth because of the approach of the "crewel and bloody armies of Irish rebels under the Marquis of Montrose," and ministers of the various congregations also complained bitterly of being despoiled of their goods and forced to flee from their manses.

While some ministers in the Dunkeld Presbytery were thus prevented from attending meetings "by the crewel rebels," several, on the other hand, were rebuked by the Synod for trafficking with Montrose. Mr George Haliburton, afterwards Bishop of Dunkeld, was sharply reprimanded. He was accused of "eating and drinking with Montrose and saying "Grace" at his table."

Montrose entered and re-entered Dunkeld during his meteoric career when winning battles for Charles I., making it his headquarters on several occasions. To achieve his project of carrying Dundee by storm, he left Dunkeld at daybreak and on the following day succeeded in his enterprise. He hovered in and near Dunkeld whilst waiting for reinforcements before marching south after the Alford victory in 1646; the Atholemen joining him and doing yeomen service in his famous Highland campaign.

In 1689 the Cathedral received another blow. Its tower and walls were used as places of defence during the Battle of Dunkeld and bear marks to this day of the fierce struggle which then took place.

Dunkeld an Ancient City
Elizabeth Stewart
Dunkeld, 1926

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