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Buildings

Basic Site Details

St Giles Cathedral, Chapel of the Order of the Thistle
Edinburgh
Scotland
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 Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:

Alt classic

NameCurrent NameNotes
St Giles Cathedral, Thistle Chapel

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
ChapelNot Known

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:

Str Add classic

AddressCurrent AddressNotes
High StreetYes

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
Build/construction19091910New chapel with all fittings and furnishings
Foundation stone1909/11/06
Opened1911/07/19Inauguration by George V (originally planned inauguration on 30 November 1910 having been delayed following death of Edward VII)
Design exhibited1917
Design exhibited1918
Decoration carried out1920Credence table
Decoration carried out1927Antechapel furnishings, including inscriptions by C d\'O Pilkington Jackson
Plans drawn up19371939Communion table in memory of George V (replacing the original investiture chair)
Dedication1943/07Communion table in memory of George V dedicated
Build/construction1962Memorial to George VI
Unveiled1962/07/04Memorial to George VI unveiled
Addition1983Internal porch

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
(Sir) Robert Stodart LorimerA1909New chapel with all fittings and furnishings
James GrieveAClerk of Works19091911As clerk of works to Lorimer
John Fraser MatthewBArchitect19371939Communion table in memory of George V
Alexander Esmé Gordon (or Esmé Gordon)CArchitect1962Memorial to George VI
Andrew Stewart BrownDArchitect1983Internal porch
James Walter Thorburn SimpsonDArchitect1983Internal porch
Simpson & BrownDArchitectural practice1983Internal porch

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:

client classic

NameNotes
Trustees of the Order of the Thistle
Buccleuch, 6th Duke ofOne of the Trustees of the Order of the Thistle
Rosebery, 5th Earl ofOne of the Trustees of the Order of the Thistle
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
H M Office of WorksCommissioned the architect and paid the bills

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Parent Structure and Site

This structure is related to the following parent structure or site (click the item to view details):

Parent classic

Notes
Name
CHECK Builder refs.St Giles Cathedral

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Balfour Paul, James (Sir)1911The 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, Louise1999The Thistle Chapel: a reassessment of the windows and carvingArchitectural Heritage vX, 1999, pp54-65
Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland)Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp118
Hussey, Christopher1931The Work of Sir Robert Lorimer KBE, ARA, RSALondon: Country Lifepp 80-83
Matthew, Stuart1988The Knights and Chapel of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle: A panoramic viewEdinburgh: Eaglebank Publications
RSA1917514
Roads, Elizabeth (ed)2009The Thistle Chapel within St Giles CathedralEdinburgh: The Order of the ThistleDetailed account includes full list of artists and craftsmen.
Royal Academy exhibitors1918, no 1337
Savage, Peter1980Lorimer and the Edinburgh Craft DesignersEdinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1980 (also paperback ed, London & Edinburgh: Steve Savage, 2005)p175

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Scotsman1910/02/25
Scotsman1911/07/19
Builder1911/07/21
Scotsman1911/07/12
Country Life1911/07/15

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDrawings CollectionEDD 6/130. EDD 6/163A&B. UC 6459 (Framed collection 59)
National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSLorimer and Matthew CollectionExhibition photo ED11863. LOR E100/1-17
Information by emailResearch and biography by Louise Boreham and Neil BrownSent October 2007
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register27381Listing for whole of St Giles