Edinburgh, 41 Cowgate, Magdalen Chapel, 16th century chapel in Cowgate, Edinburgh, Scotland
Magdalen Chapel is a 16th century chapel in Cowgate in Edinburgh's Old Town, built to serve as a place of worship and provide support for those in need. The structure features carved entrance tablets, stone figures depicting a poor man and a Hammerman, along with historical inscriptions throughout.
Construction took place between 1541 and 1544, funded by merchant Michael MacQueen and his widow Jonet Rynd to create a chaplaincy and almshouse. Later it became a significant meeting place for Edinburgh's guild system.
Stained glass windows inside display the Royal Arms of Scotland and the Arms of Mary of Guise, mother of Mary Queen of Scots. These windows connect the chapel to Scotland's royal family and its political history.
The chapel sits along Cowgate in Edinburgh's Old Town and is straightforward to find on foot. Following substantial restoration work in the 1990s, the building is now well-maintained and open for visitors to explore.
The chapel houses the Hammermen's Guild Chair from 1708, a rare artifact from Edinburgh's craft traditions. This chair marks the period when craft guilds gathered here for their important meetings.
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