In 1158-59, Arnald, Abbot of Kelso, was consecrated Bishop of St. Andrews. That prelate immediately set about the building of the cathedral, but he died in 1162, when the work was scarcely begun. The structure progressed under his successors, and probably the whole, including the west end, was finished in little more than a century after its commencement. The original west end, having been blown down by a tempest of wind, was rebuilt by Bishop William Wiseheart (or Wishart) between 1272 and 1279. It is usually stated that the cathedral occupied 160 years in building, but it would appear to have been entirely erected from east to west on the ground it now occupies in about 115 years.
The Cathedral of St. Andrews was also the conventual church of the priory of Canons Regular of St. Augustine, which was founded by Bishop Robert about the year 1120; but of the conventual buildings erected at that time there are now no remains. The church of St. Regulus, however, which was probably erected by him, still survives.[15] The bishop was, ex officio, the prior of the monastery.
The structures erected by the various succeeding bishops and archbishops are noticed as we proceed.
In 1559 the cathedral was attacked by the mob and greatly destroyed, and thereafter became a general quarry for public use. In 1826 the Barons of Exchequer took possession of the ruins and had the rubbish cleared away, and what remained of the structure put in good order, the bases of the piers, where they existed, being brought to light, and the outline of the ancient buildings marked out in the turf.
A property adjoining the cathedral having recently been acquired by the Marquis of Bute, excavations on the site of the priory have been carried out by him, under the superintendence of Mr. J. Kinross, architect, and considerable remains of the foundations of the ancient monastic buildings have been disclosed to view.
The cathedral, of which the ruins still exist ([Fig. 441]), consisted of a short aisleless presbytery and a choir of five bays with side aisles, having an eastern chapel in each aisle; north and south transepts, each of three bays, with eastern aisles; a nave of twelve bays with north and south aisles;
Fig. 441.—St. Andrews Cathedral. Plan.