Sketches of Perthshire Author:Patrick Graham Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: engagement between the royal forces under the Duke of Argyle, and those of Prince Charles, under the Earl of Marr, in 1715. DUNBLANE. Dunblane, which, thou... more »gh from its having been formerly the seat of a bishopric, it may claim the appellation of a city, is only a small village, picturesquely situated in a little valley, upon the banks of the here rapid, and not undignified river, Allan, and is chiefly remarkable for its cathedral ; this is one of the few specimens of ancient Gothic architecture which escaped the ill-advised fury of the first reformers. This cathedral was founded by David I. in 1142, and had considerable revenues annexed to it in Scotland, besides some lauds attached to it in England. It is situated upon an eminence, as the name imports.1 The choir, or chancel, is the only part of it which retains the roof, and is now used as the parochial place of worship. At the west end are 32 prebends' stalls, and on the north of the entrance to the cathedral, the seats of the bishop and dean, both of oak and handsomely carved. The length of the building is 216 feet, and the breadth 76; the height of the walls 50. The spire, the height of which is 128 feet, is partly a more modern building, two stories having been added to it by Bishop Leighton. The boundary of the ancient and modern part is marked by the different colour and consistency of the stone. The church, to the west of the chancel, being unroofed, is fast going into decay; but the author is happy to have it in his power to record, that the noblemen and gentlemen of the neighbourhood, to their great honour, are, at this moment, exerting themselves to preserve this venerable fabric from ruin; they hare, by private contribution, raised a sum of money for this purpose, which, with the addition of .£100 obtained fro...« less