Weekend days out

The 10 best churches to visit in Scotland

WITH the weather turning colder, exploring all the monuments and attractions that our country has to offer becomes less tempting. But if you are still looking for your fill of history, visiting churches is a good option: they are (usually) warm to walk around in and provide plenty of information and beauty. Here are a few of our favourites

Open seven days a week, times vary www.visitorkney.com/things/history/ the-italian-chapel 01856 781580

One of Orkney’s most visited attractions, this unique small white chapel is delicate and boasts a fascinating story. When Winston Churchill approved the construction of causeways to link the south isles to mainland Orkney in 1940, a shortage of local labour meant Italian prisoners of war were shipped in to work on the project. Their POW status changed in 1943 when Italy capitulated to the Allies, and the workers were given more freedom and requested a proper place of worship. They were given two Nissen huts to convert – and the beautiful Italian Chapel was born.

2. GLASGOW UNIVERSITY CHAPEL West Quadrangle, University Avenue, Glasgow www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/chaplaincy 0141 330 5419

It might look older, but the Glasgow University Memorial Chapel has in fact only been around since 1929 – having been dedicated to the memory of 755 men connected to the university who were killed in the First World War. Its Gothic style was designed to blend in with Sir George Gilbert Scott’s main building, and the Grade A listed church boasts its own full organ and dedicated choir. It is used for a remembrance service every year and can also host weddings, as one of the few locations in Scotland where marriages can be celebrated in both the Protestant or Roman Catholic faiths.

3. PAISLEY ABBEY

Abbey Close, Paisley, Renfrewshire Open Monday-Saturday 10am-3.30pm (guided tours Tuesday and Thursday at 2pm)

www.paisleyabbey.org.uk 0141 889 7654

With origins dating to the 12th century, this huge, imposing structure is one of the key buildings in Paisley. The town’s importance as a commercial and educational centre dates from that time, and it’s believed that Sir William Wallace was taught by the monks there. The abbey can also lay claim to be the cradle of the Royal House of Stuart and there are several monuments dedicated to the Stuarts around the abbey, as well as beautiful stained-glass windows. To let you see the intricate ceilings in their full glory without straining your neck, there are helpful mirrors on wheels.

4. ST ANDREWS CATHEDRAL The Pends, St Andrews, Fife Open every day 10am-4pm www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-aplace/places/st-andrews-cathedral

01334 472563

It might be a ruin today but St Andrews Cathedral was once the largest and most impressive in Scotland. Even visiting its remains gives you a sense of its imposing grandeur, with the nearby museum hosting a collection of medieval sculptures and relics found on the site. St Rule’s Tower, in the precinct, is part of the first church of the Augustinian canons at St Andrews built in the early 12th century. Visitors can climb to the top of the 100ft high tower for spectacular views across St Andrews and Fife.

5. ST GILES’ CATHEDRAL High Street, Edinburgh

Open Monday-Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 1pm-5pm www.stgilescathedral.org.uk

0131 226 0674

One of the best-known churches in Edinburgh, St Giles’ has had a colourful history since being founded in 1124. It was twice destroyed by English armies, changed from Catholicism to Protestantism after John Knox was appointed as minister, then had to be extensively refurbished in the 19th century after falling into a state of disrepair. Today it is an imposing and impressive building with plenty to see inside, including the neo-Gothic Thistle Chapel and stained-glass window dedicated to Robert Burns. Visitors can also climb the cathedral’s clock tower and enjoy a rooftop tour that offers panoramic views across the Old Town. Tours run on Saturdays and Sundays, priced £6 per person.