The cathedral church of the Holy Trinity in Brechin, Angus,Scotland, belongs to the 13th century. It is in the Pointed style, but suffered maltreatment in 1806 at the hands of restorers, whose work was subsequently removed during the restoration completed in 1902. The western gable with its flamboyant window and Gothic door and massive square tower are all that is left of the original edifice. The modern stained glass in the chancel is reckoned amongst the finest in Scotland.
Immediately adjoining the cathedral to the southwest stands the Round Tower, built about 1000 A.D. It is 86 ft.(26.21 m) high, has at the base a circumference of 50 ft.(15.3 m) and a diameter of 16 ft.(4.9 m), and is capped with a hexagonal spire of 18 ft.(5.5 m), which was added in the 15th century. This type of structure is somewhat common in Ireland, but the only Scottish examples are those at Brechin, Abernethy in Perthshire, and Egilsay in the Orkneys.
In 2009 Brechin Cathedral became know for the scandal involving the Rev Scott Rennie moving to Queens Cross Church Aberdeen. The Rev Rennie was the first openly gay minister within the Church of Scotland to try and change Parish as when he came to Brechin he was not openly gay. The Church decided to allow his appointment to go ahead leaving the Parish vacant.
This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition', a publication now in the public domain.
