St Mary’s Cathedral Song School

The choristers of St Mary’s Cathedral have used the adjacent Song School for rehearsing since 1885, shortly after the Cathedral was opened for worship in 1879.

Live services in the Cathedral were interrupted by Covid last year for the first time in its history, but the choir was able to resume singing earlier this year, initially just for on-line services, but live services have now also resumed.

The Song School was designed by John Oldrid Scott, son of the Cathedral’s architect, Sir George Gilbert Scott. It has crow-stepped gables, lancet windows and a slated fleche and was built to harmonise with the nearby Old Coates House – the oldest building in this part of Edinburgh, dating back to 1615.

Sadly, we are unable to open the Song School to the public as it is being kept as a Covid-free safe space for the choristers. Instead, we hope you enjoy the virtual tour below, specially produced for digital Doors Open Days.

Created by James Parsons, scripted by Suzy Morrison and narrated by Alison McCleery, the video shows the murals by Phoebe Anna Traquair which cover the walls of the Song School. Painted between 1888 and 1892, the murals appropriately illustrate a hymn of praise by all creation (Benedicite omnia opera). They include religious images, portraits of leading figures of the day and of the choir and clergy of the time, together with images of the natural world.