Basic Site Details Name: | St Giles Cathedral, Chapel of the Order of the Thistle | City or county: | Edinburgh | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Final cost: £25,735 2 9 - which exceeded the sum of £22,000 provided for the building and the £2,000 for the endowment.
1920s stonework by A Colville & Co.
East window by Douglas Strachan.
Seven windows by Louis Davis, with tracery lights by Karl Parsons. | Alternative NamesThe following alternative names are associated with this building/design: | | Name | Current name? | Notes | | St Giles Cathedral, Thistle Chapel | | |
Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Chapel | | |
Street AddressesThe following street addresses are associated with this building: | | Address | Main entrance? | Notes | | High Street | Yes | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1909 | 1910 | Build/construction | New chapel with all fittings and furnishings | | 6 November 1909 | | Foundation stone | | | 19 July 1911 | | Opened | Inauguration by George V (originally planned inauguration on 30 November 1910 having been delayed following death of Edward VII) | | 1917 | | Design exhibited | | | 1918 | | Design exhibited | | | 1920 | | Decoration carried out | Credence table | | 1927 | | Decoration carried out | Antechapel furnishings, including inscriptions by C d'O Pilkington Jackson | | 1937 | 1939 | Plans drawn up | Communion table in memory of George V (replacing the original investiture chair) | | July 1943 | | Dedication | Communion table in memory of George V dedicated | | 1962 | | Build/construction | Memorial to George VI | | 4 July 1962 | | Unveiled | Memorial to George VI unveiled | | 1983 | | Addition | Internal porch |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionClientsThe following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design: | | Name | Notes | | Buccleuch, 6th Duke of | One of the Trustees of the Order of the Thistle | | H M Office of Works | Commissioned the architect and paid the bills | | Leven, 12th Earl of (and 10th of Melville) | One of the Trustees of the Order of the Thistle | | McDonnell, Schomberg (Sir) | Secretary to the Office of Works | | Rosebery, 5th Earl of | One of the Trustees of the Order of the Thistle | | Trustees of the Order of the Thistle | |
Related Buildings, Structures and DesignsParent Structure and SiteThis structure is related to the following parent structure or site (click the item to view details): | | Building name | Notes | | St Giles Cathedral | CHECK Builder refs. |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Balfour Paul, James (Sir) | 1911 | The Knights of the Most Noble and Most Ancient Order of the Thistle: A historical sketch of the order and a descriptive | | Edinburgh: Otto Schulze & Co | | | Boreham, Louise | 1999 | The Thistle Chapel: a reassessment of the windows and carving | | Architectural Heritage vX, 1999, pp54-65 | | | Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M | 1984 | Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) | | Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltd | p118 | | Hussey, Christopher | 1931 | The Work of Sir Robert Lorimer KBE, ARA, RSA | | London: Country Life | pp 80-83 | | Matthew, Stuart | 1988 | The Knights and Chapel of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle: A panoramic view | | Edinburgh: Eaglebank Publications | | | Roads, Elizabeth (ed) | 2009 | The Thistle Chapel within St Giles Cathedral | | Edinburgh: The Order of the Thistle | Detailed account includes full list of artists and craftsmen. | | Royal Academy exhibitors | | | | | 1918, no 1337 | | RSA | 1917 | | | | 514 | | Savage, Peter | 1980 | Lorimer and the Edinburgh Craft Designers | | Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1980 (also paperback ed, London & Edinburgh: Steve Savage, 2005) | p175 |
Periodical ReferencesThe following periodicals contain references to this building: | | Periodical Name | Date | Edition | Publisher | Notes | | Builder | 21 July 1911 | | | | | Country Life | 15 July 1911 | | | | | Scotsman | 25 February 1910 | | | | | Scotsman | 12 July 1911 | | | | | Scotsman | 19 July 1911 | | | |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 27381 | Listing for whole of St Giles | | Information by email | Research and biography by Louise Boreham and Neil Brown | | Sent October 2007 | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Drawings Collection | | EDD 6/130. EDD 6/163A&B. UC 6459 (Framed collection 59) | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | Lorimer and Matthew Collection | | Exhibition photo ED11863. LOR E100/1-17 |
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