St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, Palmerston Place, Edinburgh

Sir George Gilbert Scott, completed by John Olrid Scott, 1874 -1890. Chapter house by J Olrid Scott 1891; W spires 1913-17, Charles Marriot Scott (see Notes). Significant ecclesiastical gothic revival cathedral, drawing on early gothic sources and constructed on a monumental scale. Cruciform plan with 6-bay nave; side aisles with stepped buttresses; large crossing; 2-bay transepts; chapter house to NE. Composition dominated by central lucarned spire with flying buttresses and octagonal belfry; two further similar towers to W. Squared and snecked sandstone with some ashlar quoins. Gothic Revival exterior characterised by tall pointed arch windows with quatrefoil at clerestory. Restrained tracery with single colonettes. Buttressed set-back corner angles throughout. Interior work by GG Scott, JO Scott, George Henderson, J Pittendrigh McGillivray, Hippolyte Le Blanc, Robert Lorimer and Sir Eduardo Paolozzi.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: symmetrical 6-part elevation with buttressed towers flanking 3-part entrance. Large deeply recessed and intricately carved doorway to centre flanked by blind arches in similar recesses; all with gablets over. Tympanum shows Christ in a mandorla. Four lancet windows with wheel window over; all set in carved arched recess.

WEST TOWERS: three tall stages all with blind arcading; 2-bay to lower 2 stages. Angled buttresses supporting corbelled turrets and pinnacles to corners of octagonal lucarned spires.

INTERIOR: scholarly gothic revival, drawing on early gothic sources. 6-bay nave with buttressing quadripartite vaulted aisles to side. Alternate round-plan and octagonal-plan plain piers with foliate capitals supporting pointed arches. Corbelled colonettes at apex of arches and from pier capitals crossing triforium and clerestory to support timber tunnel roof. Paired pointed arched openings at triforium with central column and bundled colonettes to side. Paired pointed arched windows at clerestory with quatrefoil above, all set within pointed arch; various surround detailing, some saw toothed. Diagonal arches to corners of crossing with clustered colonettes supporting concrete vault; oculus to centre. Decorated compound columns to chancel. Sexpartite vault, ribs extending down to corbel supported by colonettes between triple lancet windows. Lady Chapel to S aisle by George Henderson (1897-8) with Romanesque altar and metal screen by Singer and Sons. Hanging Rood by Robert Lorimer, 1922. Stained glass by Clayton and Bell, Burlison and Grylss, and CE Kempe. Triple lancet and rose window to S transept by Sir Eduardo Paolozzi, 2002.

CHAPTER HOUSE: John Olrid Scott 1890-91. Octagonal plan; buttressed with broached corners and octagonal roof. Octagonal lierne vault to interior with single granite column to centre.