National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh

Edinburgh’s museum is an unmissable destination for exploring Scotland’s spiritual heritage.

Highlights

• St Columba’s reliquary
• Handbells associated with St Fillan and St Moluag
• Stone crosses and carvings

Edinburgh’s museum fills several important gaps in the jigsaw of Scotland’s spiritual heritage. It has a unique 8th-century reliquary, early stone carvings, and personal possessions connected to some of the country’s leading saints. Many of these items are mentioned elsewhere in this guide, gathered together in a single building that merits a leisurely visit. The artefacts are displayed alongside other items from the same period, which helps paint a complete picture of the country’s earliest Christian years. It does also somewhat fragment the experience, since separate areas contain much the same type of artefact in a different context. The museum was being revamped at the time of research, so displays may change. All the following are easy to find with the museum guide.

The Monymusk Reliquary is chief of its treasures, a wood and metal casket from the 8th century that probably held at least one bone of St Columba. It is shaped like a little house, a box plated with silver and bronze that survived the Reformation intact. Its decoration includes intertwining beasts, reminiscent of the Lindisfarne Gospels. It was probably made on Iona around 750, pretty much a unique survivor of its type. The saint’s relic has long since disappeared. The reliquary gains its name from Monymusk in Aberdeenshire, where it was kept until 1933. This little box once bore the hopes and expectations of the entire Scottish nation, having been carried into battle at Bannockburn and credited with Scottish victory over Edward II in 1314, along with the relics of St Fillan (mentioned below).

There are also some ancient handbells connected to saints, objects considered so sacred they had their own reliquary casings. The bells were displayed on different floors when I visited, but the most important from a spiritual perspective is the Bernane Bell – so sacred that it became the focus of a monastery founded by King Robert the Bruce (Strathfillan). Though perhaps dating from 900, after St Fillan’s time, it was considered to be his relic, along with an 11th-century crozier displayed alongside. Its casing has a small bust of the saint himself.

There is one saint’s handbell which the museum does not fully identify. This is the Kilmichael Glassary bell, from the 7th century, with its 12th-century shrine casing. The bell is thought to be that of St Moluag, the saint from Lismore, though the display makes no reference to him. It dates from the correct period, unlike the Bernane Bell. The Whithorn Crozier is also displayed here, in winter only when Whithorn’s museum is closed.

The museum has a huge collection of carved crosses and stone panels from early Pictish Christianity through to medieval years, with some fine examples from the brief Northumbrian reign in the south, from the 7th to early 8th century. They are displayed in one large collection with carvings from other periods, including some simple west-coast crosses inspired by Iona.

A display on St Andrew shows some medieval artefacts linked with his veneration, and particularly pilgrimage to his shrine at St Andrews (page 561). It records that the ferry crossing outside Edinburgh, at Queensferry, was started by St Margaret of Scotland as a free service provided to pilgrims.

Finally, there is a section telling the history of the Reformation, with artefacts from ‘the killing times’ when reformers spread their message in the face of great danger and execution if captured. A good place to end if planning to visit John Knox House, a 10-minute walk away.‍

Directions

www.nms.ac.uk

W3W: wiring.spaces.money

GPS: 55.9471N 3.1908W

The museum is open every day 10am–5pm, with no entrance charge. For further information see the website or tel: 0300 123 6789.