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Help us restore Dundee's mercat cross unicorn
The unicorn is the national animal of Scotland.
In many towns and cities in Scotland you will see examples on the top of a mercat cross, indicating royal approval to hold markets and fairs. Dundee’s unicorn was made in 1971 by the celebrated sculptor Scott Sutherland, using fibreglass and resin to replace a much older stone version. However it is now in a bad state of decay – its horn is now lost and further weather damage is likely to cause it to break up completely.
We would like to get this beautiful animal restored.
The Abertay Historical Society is collaborating with Dundee City Council and the University of Dundee to restore the mercat cross unicorn. We intend to commission sculptor Roddy Matheson to create a new unicorn based on a cast of the previous one, this time made of jesmonite, which is more durable than fibreglass and more environmentally friendly than bronze.
Once removed and repaired, the old unicorn will be gifted to The McManus, where it will join its medieval counterpart.
Can you help us save Dundee’s unicorn?
In order to undertake this work, we need to raise £9370. This includes the cost of all materials and artist’s fees. Work will begin later this year and we hope to have it completed by spring 2027.
About the Mercat Cross and its Unicorn
Situated outside the City Churches on Nethergate, the oldest parts of Dundee’s current mercat cross date to 1586, but we know that that version was a replacement for an even older one, probably dating to the 14th century, that had fallen into ruin. Originally located on the Seagate, by 1442 that original version had been moved to a site on the High Street near where City Square now is. Its replacement in 1586 was placed on a short octagonal tower, and became an important meeting place in the town. In 1777, the whole structure was relocated to the west door of St Mary’s Church, with some parts being removed and stored inside the Old Steeple. Almost a century later, the shaft and unicorn were moved to the east side of the church in 1874, this time on top of a new, much simpler base. In 1970, the local authority agreed to commission a replacement for the much-worn stone unicorn from Scott Sutherland RSA, Head of Sculpture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and creator of the famous Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge and the Black Watch Memorial at Powrie Brae. Sutherland designed a faithful replica of the original but the limited budget available meant that a bronze unicorn was unaffordable and instead the sculpture was made from fibreglass with a bronze resin coating. This was installed in 1971. The last relocation of the mercat cross took place in 1993, when new landscaping around the City Churches meant a move slightly further west.
About the Artist
Roddy Mathieson is Sculpture Workshop Technician and Foundry Manager at DJCAD, where he also studied under Sutherland’s successor, Jake Kempsell. He runs his own Mobile Foundry and has created several pieces of public sculpture around Scotland, including the Mary Slessor monument just a few yards from the Mercat Cross.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 20th October 2026 at 9:05pm