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The Medieval Church

Explore religious life and belief in Scotland after Christianity was established. 

Christianity began to spread through Scotland in the fifth and sixth centuries AD. The story begins in the Early People gallery and continues into Medieval times.

Early saints

Association with a saint or shrine often explains the survival of objects hundreds of years old. In this gallery, you can find out more about Scotland's early saints and discover how pilgrimage influenced Scottish religious life. You'll also learn more about the importance of the town of St Andrews.

Holy relics

One of the most impressive objects linked with the Church in medieval Scotland is the crozier which belonged to Fillan, an eighth-century Irish saint who was active in Perthshire. Several relics of St Fillan have survived. The crozier left Scotland with an emigrant to Canada, but was returned some 60 years later and has ever since been in the care of the Museum (Case 14).

Holy blood

The Fetternear banner is one of the Museum's most treasured objects. Dating from 1520, it's the only known church banner from Medieval Scotland and its colour has hardly faded over 500 years. It was made for the Confratenity of the Holy Blood, a cult which began in Bruges, in Belgium.