Scotland is a deeply historical country. From the towns and villages of the Highlands to the big cities of the Central Belt, Scots are always in close proximity to truly fascinating historical landmarks.

But there is a macabre underbelly to Scotland’s history, and much of Scotland’s architecture comes bearing all of the hallmarks of the Gothic.

Image Credit: Bill Badzo, Flickr

Gothic architecture burst forth from the heart of Europe in the 12th century, initially popularised in France. However, because of the material and economic position of Scotland, construction was then typically imbued with necessity.

This led to Gothic architecture originally becoming more prevalent in England, which enjoyed a richer economic position. This did, of course, change later.

1530: Church of the Holy Rude, Stirling

The first waves of the Gothic can be found in Stirling. The church and graveyard of the Holy Rude exhibit all of the classic features. There are jutting spires, angels encased in glass, and haunting statues that look alive under the shifting moonlight.

Image Credit: Geograph Britain and Ireland

Its church was founded in 1129, but due to a fire in 1405 was rebuilt. Nothing of the original structure remains today, but its ghost lives on in the revised masonry. Moreover, the aging of the gravestones add a grim beauty to the site. It is the second oldest construction in Stirling – the oldest being Stirling castle.

Despite living under the shadow of the castle, Holy Rude continues to intrigue, and remains a popular site and green space for the more darkly inclined locals and university students.

1832: The Necropolis, Glasgow

Although Glasgow is more often known for its bustling nightlife, Glasgow’s Necropolis endures as a site of curiosity and outsider Scottish identity.

Image Credit: Public Domain Images

Following the establishment of Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, there was a new wave of pressure for similar large-scale burial sites in Britain. The Necropolis truly is a city of gravestones, with the sheer amount of bodies (a modest 50,000) that have come to lie beneath its earth. It is ostensibly an early Scottish Gothic landmark, and ironically lives on as a large green space for those on the margins of life to find a place to be in the city.

It is also a site of enormous historical interest – a statue of the infamous John
Knox can be found at its summit. Knox himself has been lamented as a figure who inspired a fusion of Scottish literature and the Gothic.

Image Credit: Geograph Britain and Ireland

The Unreliable Narrator from ‘The Bottle Imp‘ Magazine outlines the case for
this: “Where Henry VIII instituted an administrative takeover in England’s
Church, John Knox made God and Satan personal and lodged Heaven and Hell
– especially Hell – in Scotland’s heart.”

The Necropolis is not just a symbol of Glasgow, but of a distinctly Scottish Gothic mood. It has continued to elicit cultural commentary, and has been featured in a more recent poem entitled ‘Necropolis‘ by Chris Tait of the Alasdair Gray Archive.

1846: The Scott Monument

Gothic architecture (and art) has historically been used to create shadow, tension, and structure. The Scott Monument certainly possesses all of these qualities.

The monument is Victorian, built around the time of the neo-Gothic movement in Britain and Europe. The movement was revived in Britain in the 19th century, driven in part by Catholicism’s philosophy and wealth.

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The monument was built to commemorate Scottish literary giant Sir Walter Scott. Since its construction, it has served as an impressive landmark for locals and tourists alike.

Its peaks are now a dark and biting fixture in Edinburgh’s skyline. Scott himself
is carved onto the monument, accompanied by his animal companion Maida. Scott’s work has been both studied and taught by academics through the lens of the Gothic. This is often because of his portrayal of the uncanny and the supernatural elements of Scotland’s politics and landscape, such as in his work Waverley.

Image Credit: Jpellgen, Flickr

Despite how Scotland’s economic position contrasted with England and of course France, it is clear that Scotland has a deeply Gothic history. Of course, architecture is just one key way that the Scottish Gothic subgenre has been synthesised – though it is a crucial one.

These landmarks are the most culturally recognised iterations of the distinctly Scottish Gothic today.