The Cathedral of the Isles is the cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the town of Millport on the Isle of Cumbrae. George Boyle, 6th Earl of Glasgow, was benefactor of the cathedral and the associated theological college and commissioned William Butterfield to design the building. Butterfield was one of the great architects of the Gothic revival and also designed St Ninian's Cathedral in Perth. Construction finished in 1849 and the cathedral opened in 1851 as a collegiate church. The Chapel of the College of the Holy Spirit was raised to the status of a cathedral in 1876.
Formal gardens and woodland surround the cathedral, the tallest building on Great Cumbrae and the smallest cathedral in the British Isles. The tower dominates the buildings: at 123 ft, the tower and spire are three times the length of the 40 ft nave.
In the entrance porch is an interesting collection of Celtic crosses, all of which were excavated on the island in Victorian times.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.