nave in 1587) eventually secured a distinct architectural space in 1647 when a stone wall was erected at the east end of the nave, and the Barony Church began worshipping in the Lower Church when that congregation was created in 1595. Following the signing of the National Covenant, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland met in the cathedral in November 1638. Dominated by the Covenanters, the Assembly nullified all acts and pronouncements of General Assemblies held between 1606 and 1618 because they had been dominated by the King and bishops, abolished episcopacy in the Church of Scotland and affirmed the Assembly's right to meet annually. 19th century In 1798 the Barony Church ceased using the Lower Church for worship, and the entire crypt was transformed into a burial place. This involved introducing about one metre of earth over the floor and the erection of railings to mark out the lairs. In the 1830s there was a growing appreciation of the architectural significance of the building which led to the execution of detailed architectural drawings and the publication of proposals for restoration work. By 1835, both the Outer High Kirk and the Barony Kirk had left the premises, leaving only a single congregation using the choir. In 1843 the graves and earth were removed from the Lower Church and, as part of restorations to the crypt and the chapter house, the original levels of the floors were restored and the windows were opened up. The 1840s also saw the demolition of the two towers which flanked the west front, as they were deemed too asymmetrical. The south-western tower, or consistory house, was demolished in 1846, and the north-western tower, which was 120 feet (36 metres) tall and contained a bell, was demolished in 1848. A lack of funds prevented their ‘balanced’ replacements from being built, and the present nave aisles were formed instead, under the direction of Edward Blore. In 1852 the galleries in the Inner High Kirk were removed, and in 1857 the entire cathedral building passed into the care of the state. The 1860s saw the windows of the nave and choir replaced with stained glass by the Royal Bavarian Stained Glass Establishment in Munich. This scheme was one of the largest public art commissions of the Victorian age. In 1879 the organ, built by Henry Willis, was installed in the triforium of the choir, the first