Dunkeld Cathedral

In 849, relics of St Columba were removed from Iona to protect them from Viking raids. They were brought to Dunkeld by King Kenneth MacAlpin. Columba became the patron saint of Dunkeld and its monastery.

The cathedral developed over about 250 years, and the earliest surviving part is the choir of the late 1200s. It later became a parish church. The nave was begun in 1406, and lost its roof shortly after the Protestant Reformation of 1560.

The west end of the church is a largely roofless ruin. It is currently closed to visitors while conservation works are ongoing, but the grounds, set amongst attractive woodlands with beautiful views over the River Tay, are open for you to explore. The former Cathedral Choir, at the most eastern section of the building continues in use as a parish church and is managed by the Church of Scotland.

Find out more about the parish church

This year we’ll be updating the scaffolding to reduce the impact on the look and feel of the site. We’ll also be laser scanning parts of the nave to create a detailed 3D model, helping us better understand the condition of the building.

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