St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal)

Saint Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh
Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin
The central spire of St Mary's Cathedral
Saint Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh Location within Edinburgh
Coordinates: 55°56′55″N 3°12′58″W / 55.94861°N 3.21611°W / 55.94861; -3.21611
Denomination	Scottish Episcopal Church
Churchmanship	Broad Church
Website	www.cathedral.net
History
Dedication	St Mary the Virgin
Administration
Diocese	Edinburgh
Clergy
Bishop(s)	John Armes
Provost	Graham Forbes
Precentor	Peter Allen
Laity
Organist(s)	Duncan Ferguson

St Mary's Cathedral or the Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Edinburgh, Scotland. It was built in the late 19th century in the West End of Edinburgh's New Town. The cathedral is the see of the Bishop of Edinburgh, one of seven bishops within the Episcopal Church, which is part of the Anglican Communion. Designed in a Gothic style by Sir George Gilbert Scott, the cathedral is now protected as a category A listed building.

In 1689, following the Glorious Revolution, Presbyterianism was restored in place of episcopacy in the national Church of Scotland. St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, as it then was, came under the Established Church's ministry, resulting in Episcopalians being left without a cathedral in Edinburgh. For a time the Episcopal residue of that congregation worshipped in an old woollen mill in Carrubber's Close, near the site of the present Old Saint Paul's Church. This was used as a pro-cathedral until the early 19th century, when this function was served by the Church of St Paul in York Place.

The original construction was paid for by Barbara and Mary Walker, spinster sisters, providing funds for this purpose from 1873. They owned the surrounding Drumsheugh Estate and lived in Easter Coates House, which still survives to the north of the cathedral. They were the granddaughters of Rev. George Walker, the Episcopal Minister of Old Meldrum Church (1734-1781). Their father, William Walker, was Attorney in Exchequer, and Bearer of the White Rod of Scotland. William Street nearby is named after him. Their mother was Mary Drummond, daughter of George Drummond, six times Lord Provost of Edinburgh and initiator of the New Town.