Whithorn Priory Arch

The finest surviving feature of the medieval cathedral is this doorway at the west end of the nave but all is not as it seems. The feature consists of elements from two separate 12th century doorways, neither originally located here. It must have been created after the Reformation to provide a main entrance to the Protestant cathedral or the parish church. The inverted-V slot indicates that a porch was added to the benefit of churchgoers but the detriment of the architecture. The doorway is one of the few features to have escaped the recycling enthusiasm of the 16th century local population.