Introduction

The historical traditions enshrined in the earliest vitae of St Kentigern maintain that Glasgow's ecclesiastical origins are to be found in a small cemetery on the bank of the Molendinar Burn. The earliest building was an ambitious Romanesque church, which when completed was probably the most substantial masonry building in western Scotland. From the 12th century, the historical records become increasingly abundant and allow the rapid development of the see to be charted in some detail. This chapter briefly reviews the most important of the documentary sources and describes the major features of the cathedral chapter. Historical issues relevant to a full understanding of the archaeological evidence include: the status of the bishop and the organisational structure of the chapter, the burgh and its changing relationship to the cathedral, the post-Reformation alterations and modified usage of the cathedral, and the consequences of the restoration work which began in the 19th century.