Magdalane Chapel and Central Library

Category

Library Item

Item no

12794

Title

Magdalane Chapel and Central Library from Greyfriars Kirkyard, Edinburgh

Artist / maker

MacLean, Kevin

Date

2007

Type

Digital image

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The Magdalen Chapel is situated on the Cowgate in Edinburgh. It was built in 1544 with a bequest made by Michael MacQueen. After the death of MacQueen's wife the chapel passed to the Incorporation of Hammermen, a guild of metalworkers, who decorated the space with their work. It has the only surviving pre-Reformation stained glass in Scotland left 'in situ'. It is now the headquarters of the Scottish Reformation Society.

Edinburgh Central Public Library is, strictly speaking, located on the Cowgate. It rises up four floors from this level to its main entrance on George IV Bridge. It was designed by George Washington Browne, and built in 1887-90. It was built with money donated by the philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Central Library acts as the community library for the centre of the city. It also has several subject dedicated sections: the Fine Art Library; Music Library; Edinburgh and Scottish Collection, and the Reference Library.

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