St Andrew's Cathedral

In Aberdeen on 14 November 1784 Samuel Seabury of Connecticut was consecrated Bishop for America, the first Bishop outside the British isles of what we now call the Anglican Communion. A plaque in the Quadrangle of Marischal College commemorates this notable event.

Seabury's consecration forced the established Church of England and Parliament to legislate; making it possible for bishops to be created for the Colonies. Had this not happened, the Anglican Communion might be very different from what it is today.

The present building on King Street was opened in 1817, the first church commission of many buildings in the city designed by Archibald Simpson who was born in Aberdeen and became famous for planning the new town of Edinburgh. In 1880 the choir and chancel were added to the design of G E Street. St Andrew's became the Cathedral Church of the Diocese in 1914 when the Bishop decided that this was where he would have his 'cathedra', his chair. 

In the 1920s plans were drawn up for a new Cathedral on Broad Street. Sir Ninian Comper, whose father was an Episcopal priest in Aberdeen, was to be the architect. The opening of the new cathedral would have coincided with the 150th anniversary of the Consecration of Samuel Seabury.

It was to be the American Church's memorial and thanksgiving for this important event in its history. In 1929 the Bishop and Provost crossed the Atlantic to help raise funds for this ambitious project, to be greeted with news of the Wall Street Crash. Instead of a new Cathedral, it was decided to extend and beautify the existing church. This began in 1935 with the decoration of the ceilings of the north and south aisles with the crests of the American States. Work began on the extension to the east end in 1938 but was not completed until after the war. The Seabury memorial was dedicated in 1948. 

Do consider visiting as a group for a tour, and to be at any of our events, and if you can let us know you are coming: phone the office, or write or email us.