Special malt whisky to mark 800th anniversary of Dornoch Cathedral foundation

A special cask of malt whisky has been filled to mark the 800th anniversary of the first foundation stones of Dornoch Cathedral being laid.

‘Cathedral Spirit' is being set aside on 1 April, St Gilbert's Day, and will be put in storage for 15 years.

It will be opened and bottled in 2039 to coincide with the 800th anniversary of worship services starting at Scotland's smallest working cathedral.

Profits from the sale of bottles will be put towards the upkeep of the stunning building, which has three stained glass windows, donated in memory of the Scottish/American industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who often holidayed at his Skibo estate nearby.

Rt Rev Sally-Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, is expected to visit Dornoch Distillery to observe the cask being put aside.

She is spending the weekend of 29-31 March in the Sutherland town to take part in a range of special events to mark the 800th anniversary.

New beginnings

Many people are expected to attend what will be the first Easter Sunday service held by Dornoch Firth Parish Church, a new joint congregation, and the Moderator will be the guest preacher.

Three congregations - Creich Church, Dornoch Cathedral and Kincardine, Croick and Edderton Churches – formally united on 1 January.

In addition to the service, an ecumenical songs of praise event and soup and sweet lunch in aid of Christian Aid is being held on Easter Sunday.

A concert starring local musicians and a children's treasure hunt will be staged on Monday and a colourful 'Flower Festival' opens on Tuesday.

Throughout March, people have been taking part in a virtual pilgrimage from Halkirk to Dornoch.

It covers the mileage originally done by land and sea by Gilbert de Moravia, a relation of the Earls of Moray and the first Earl of Sutherland, who was elected to the Bishopric of Caithness.

Recognised as ‘one of the noblest and wisest ecclesiastics the medieval church produced' and the last Scotsman to whom a place was given in the Calendar of Saints, St Gilbert moved the seat of the diocese from Halkirk to Dornoch in 1224.

Joyful

Liz Manson, a member of the Dornoch Firth Church session clerk team, said: "It is an exciting time for us as three congregations have come together and are looking forward to the future with shared optimism.

"We have a fantastic weekend of events arranged to mark this important anniversary.

"We are really looking forward to the Moderator's visit and hope that her presence will be joyful and uplifting and help encourage unity amongst members of our newly extended church family.

"The cathedral is at the heart of the town and has been for centuries and the 800th anniversary celebration is good news for everyone, people of faith and none."

Dornoch Cathedral was set on fire in 1570 and Gilbert's tomb was desecrated during a clan feud between the Murrays of Dornoch and the Mackays of Strathnaver.

Almost totally destroyed, except for the chancel and transept walls, the cathedral was partially restored in 1616 and fully restored between 1835 and 1837.

The word cathedral means 'seat of a bishop' and even though it is today a Presbyterian church, the name has been kept as a reminder of the cathedral's history.

Mrs Foster-Fulton said: "I am very excited and looking forward to the weekend because I have never visited Dornoch Cathedral before.

"I cannot wait to see it and spend time with folk - it is amazing that faith communities have been thriving in spaces for generations and generations and will continue to do so.

"I find these visits the most inspiring part of this Moderator role and it helps keep you really connected to what is happening in the local church on the ground, the good stuff and the challenges too.

"I also think it is encouraging for folk that Moderators of the General Assembly are out and about in parishes and walking alongside them.

"It is critical to be a good and deep listener because there are some amazing things going on in the local church and I can take that back to the church offices.

"As a Church, we must always be thinking about what we need to do to succeed and thrive and try and make sure that congregations are resourced properly."

In addition to attending events at Dornoch Cathedral, Mrs Foster-Fulton will also visit Oversteps residential care home, run by CrossReach, the operating name of the Social Care Council of the Church of Scotland, and meet residents, their families and staff.