Bishop’s effigy to be seen in a new light
A 700-YEAR-OLD carving of an important bishop is to appear awash with colour as part of a new exhibition at Elgin Cathedral.
The effigy of Bishop Archibald is one of more than 100 medieval carved stones going on public display for the first time in 20 years on Good Friday.
Spread across eight rooms in the cathedral’s north and south towers, the exhibition features expressive carved faces, flora and fauna, animals including lions and lizards, and a section of a rose window dating to the 1200s. Fragments of medieval window glass from the cathedral will also be on display, on loan from the Elgin Museum.
Each stone is theatrically lit to reveal the detail of the carvings using LED lighting.
More than £300,000 has been invested in conserving, interpreting and displaying the stones. The project has seen experts from Historic Environment Scotland work with external academics and partners locally in Elgin and at Edinburgh Napier University to catalogue, conserve, and ultimately tell the story of the cathedral as never before.
Stephen Duncan, director of commercial and tourism for Historic Environment Scotland, said: “It’s great to see these stones coming home just in time for the start of the new visitor season in Scotland’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design.”