The Cathedral Church of Saint Margaret, also known as Ayr Cathedral, is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Ayr, Scotland. It is the seat of the Bishop of Galloway, and the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galloway. St Margaret's was designated a cathedral in 2007, and is the most recent church to be given status as a Roman Catholic cathedral in the United Kingdom, due to the closure of Good Shepherd Cathedral, Ayr.
History of St Margaret's Ayr
St Margaret's Church and later Cathedral has changed considerably over its almost 200 years of existence.
The church was designed by architect James Dempster.
During the 1960/1970s the church was remodelled as a result of Vatican II. These changes significantly altered the layout of the sanctuary and were carried out to enable the congregation to have a more active role in Mass, with the priest celebrating Mass facing the congregation rather than towards the high altar.
In the mid-1990s it became apparent that the church required substantial capital works undertaken. There were issues with water ingress, dampness, corrosion of windows, problems with electricity and general wear and tear. Father Martin McCluskey began to discuss with the parish the need for a major renovation program to begin. His untimely death in 1996 resulted in him being unable to undertake or commission any of the works to take place. When Father Patrick Keegans arrived at the parish in 1997 he agreed that works were required and were required sooner rather than later and initiated the process of preparing for major renovations.
The church underwent a very thorough makeover and re-dedication in the late 1990s and early years of this century. The sanctuary was completely refurbished and new furnishings, a central aisle, stained glass windows, new organ, new large sacristy and many other improvements, with a white colour scheme for the ceiling and walls. New lighting and new central heating were also installed. All of these improvements were costly, but substantial grants from Heritage Scotland and the National Lottery plus some very successful and imaginative fundraising saw the bills paid off in a remarkably short time.
During these renovations the parish community signed two books: a Book of Dedication and a Book of Remembrance. All parishioners were invited to sign the book of dedication and remember those family members and friends who had died. Both these books are placed directly under the high altar in the cathedral as a lasting legacy to parishioners past, present and future.
The new fully refurbished church officially re-opened on 31 March 2000 in a ceremony attended by many people from both civic and religious life, as well as parishioners from Saint Margarets and across the diocese. This official opening and re-dedication was presided by Bishop Maurice Taylor, and the homilist was Canon Matthew McManus, who served in Saint Margarets as assistant priest from 1965 to 1976.
On 14 September 2007, the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross, Bishop Cunningham along with priests and bishops from across Scotland dedicated Saint Margaret's Church as cathedral church of the Diocese of Galloway following the closure of the Good Shepherd Cathedral in Ayr.
Key dates
1822 | The Catholic population in Ayrshire was growing and was ministered to by visiting priests, Bishop Cameron sent Rev William Thomson to be the first parish priest. 1826 | After much petitioning by the Rev William Thomson, the foundation stone was laid for the St Margaret's. 1827 | The new St Margaret's church was officially opened. 1895 | A permanent school was opened for the children of St Margaret's in a new building adjacent to the church. 1930 | St Margaret's High School opened in Whitletts Road when all classes were transferred from the 'wee school' next to the church. This became the church hall. 1978 | The old chapel house was demolished due to the realignment and upgrading of John Street. A new chapel house was built to the north of the church. 1986 | The Old School Building was razed to the ground to make way for the new church hall. 1989 | The new Church Hall was opened by Provost McNeill. 1999 | Works start on the renovations of St Margaret's. 2000 | St Margaret's re opens. Parishioners Pat Lynch, Mary Godfrey, Lee Galloway and Ken Burrell cut the ribbon. 2007 | Pope Benedict XVI accepted the petition of Right Reverend John Cunningham, the 7th Bishop of Galloway, to move the cathedral seat to St Margaret's Church, Ayr.