Chapter XI: Part 11

On the west side of the cloisters is a row of ruinous cellars, still partly vaulted, but not very accessible. On the south side are the door to what may have been a large chamber, probably the refectory, and some remains of domestic buildings. (See Fig. 361.)

The north and east walls of the cloister still retain the remains of some sharply cut caps, of what has been an arcade, with arches about 3 feet 6 inches apart. The designs have evidently been very varied and full of spirit (Fig. 362), but it is scarcely possible to find one sufficiently well preserved to enable a complete sketch to be made.

The monuments of this abbey are not numerous, but they are interesting. In the recess of the north side doorway of the west end (now built up) is a large figure of an abbot, with his crozier, standing on the prostrate body of a man. This is known as the Abbot’s Stone. Another monument is called the Cellarer’s Stone, and shows a figure standing on serpents. It is dated 1480. There is also a monument containing a female figure, with an inscription partly defaced, but bearing the date of 1440. A plain monument to Frater Blackmore is probably of the fourteenth century.

JEDBURGH ABBEY, ROXBURGHSHIRE.

The town of Jedburgh occupies a site about ten miles south from Kelso, in the narrow valley of the river Jed, a tributary of the Teviot. The main street rises gradually on the west side of the valley till a wider point is reached, on which stood the monastery, above a bend of the river. On a still higher point, at a short distance south of the abbey, stood the Castle of Jedburgh, the subject of constant contention in Border warfare.

The position of the abbey on the height above the river as seen from the level “haugh” on the opposite side, with a broad expanse of water in the foreground, is commanding, and forms a very attractive landscape.

A Priory of Canons Regular from Beauvais was established here by David I. while Prince of Cumbria, in 1118. In 1147 the priory was raised to the dignity of an abbey, and it was probably after this distinction that the oldest portions of the existing structure were erected.

The abbey was dedicated to the Virgin, and was amply endowed by David I. and the nobles of the district. Little is recorded of its history, but the abbots were occasionally men of distinction.

In 1285, when John Morel was abbot, King Alexander III. was married in the abbey with much ceremony to Iolanda, daughter of the Count de Dreux.

Jedburgh formed a strong Border outpost, and was often attacked and damaged in the wars with England. Under Edward I. the roof of the abbey was stripped of its lead, and the conventual buildings were so damaged that, in the year 1300, the monks had to seek refuge in other houses of their order. During the fifteenth century the abbey frequently

suffered from hostile invasion, and in consequence had to undergo considerable repairs, as will be pointed out in connection with the crossing and tower.

Notwithstanding the frequent harrying and damage it sustained, the fabric of the Abbey Church is still in a wonderful state of completeness, but the monastic buildings which stood on the south side of the church have been entirely swept away.

The church (Fig. 363, Plan) consists of a choir, with side aisles extending eastwards for two bays, beyond which was an aisleless presbytery, the east end of which is demolished; a nave of nine bays, which had vaulted side aisles (now greatly destroyed); a central crossing, with a square tower above; a north transept, well preserved; and a south transept, of which the south end is destroyed.

The choir and presbytery, as already mentioned, have been greatly damaged, and the east end is destroyed. It has been suggested that the choir may have terminated with an eastern apse, but of this there is no proof. What survives (Fig. 364) consists of the two bays next the crossing, the lower portions of which are in the Norman style. The main piers have the peculiarity of being carried up as massive cylindrical columns to the height of the arch over the triforium. This arrangement is unique in Scotland, but is not unknown in England. A somewhat similar design is carried out at Gloucester Cathedral, where the massive cylindrical piers are of great height, but they are not divided into two stories. At Romsey Church, Hampshire, however, the same arrangement occurs as at Jedburgh (Fig. 365), the tall round piers being divided by an intermediate arch, which supports the upper gallery or triforium.

At Jedburgh the lower story has the round arch and vaulting ribs supported on corbels (Fig. 366), projected from the round face of the piers.

A similar plan is adopted at Romsey and also at Oxford Cathedral. The upper or triforium arch at Jedburgh is round and moulded, and contains a well wrought chevron ornament. It rests on large caps of the divided cushion pattern. The main arch is formed into two openings by a central round shaft and two half round responds, with massive cushion caps carrying plain arches.

The clerestory is of Transition work, having one lofty stilted and pointed arch and two smaller pointed arches in each bay. These spring from clustered shafts, consisting of four smaller shafts grouped into one. They have plain bell caps and foliaged caps alternately, all with square abaci. The arches have bold mouldings and a label.

At the time when the transitional clerestory was erected, the eastern part of the choir appears to have been built, as the remains of two lofty pointed windows are preserved to the east of the cylindrical piers (Fig. 367). These lofty arches have sprung from shafts with Transition caps at the level of the triforium floor, and a pointed arcade beneath seems to have been continued round the east end of the choir and presbytery.

The same Norman style of architecture as in the choir is continued in the south and north transepts, and appears to have originally also extended into the nave. This is apparent from the mode in which the string course over the triforium runs along on the north side from the choir to the nave, where it is broken off. That the Norman nave has probably extended westwards from the crossing is further evidenced by the existence of the west end wall, with its great doorway and windows and the south doorway to the cloister, which portions are all of characteristic Norman design.

Whether the Norman nave had only been projected, but never completed--only the west wall with its doorway and windows and the south doorway being erected--or whether the nave had been finished and afterwards destroyed, it is impossible to say. It is, however, evident that the Norman work in the choir and in the western and south doorways must have preceded the Transition work in the choir and nave by a considerable amount of time. The styles in both cases are quite distinct, and there is evidently a considerable hiatus between them. They do not follow one another by gradual development.

The nave is 129 feet in length and 27½ feet in breadth in the central aisle, and measures about 57 feet in width internally over the aisles.

It is divided into nine bays, each of which (Fig. 368) comprises a main arch resting on clustered piers, a triforium with one round arch containing two pointed arches, and a clerestory forming a continuous arcade, with four pointed arches in each bay. The main clustered piers contain (Fig. 369) four principal shafts at the angles and four intermediate shafts between them. The former are brought to a point on the face, the latter are flatter. The caps are simple and of an ordinary transitional

form (Fig. 370), each with a square abacus. The bases are also simple and stand on a massive square plinth, a feature not uncommon in Norman work. The arches of the main arcade are somewhat acutely pointed, and the mouldings are bold, and resemble first pointed work. (See Fig. 369.)

In the triforium (Fig. 370) the principal arches are round, being an example of the round arch placed above the pointed arch. Each round arch is divided into two openings by smaller pointed arches, which contain first pointed mouldings (Fig. 371). The larger arches spring from clustered

shafts with bell caps and square abaci. The central pillars of the smaller arches vary in section. Those in the east part of the nave consist of four shafts united into one (being the same section as those of the clerestory of the choir), while those in the portion of the nave to the west of the centre are composed of two shafts. The shield between the smaller arches is perforated with a small circle. The simple constructional main arches of the triforium are seen on the exterior (Fig. 372), where also the corbels to carry the timbers of the roof of the triforium gallery are visible.

The clerestory shafts are of trefoil section both on the exterior and interior (Fig. 373), and have foliaged caps of first pointed design. In the interior the caps have the angles of the abaci cut off so as to make them octagonal. The arches are all pointed, and contain first pointed mouldings. A corbel table supports the cornice on the exterior, and there are two small ornamental arches between every two corbels (Fig. 374). Over each main pier a small buttress is introduced in the exterior of the clerestory,

and a plain standard in the interior. These buttresses are projected on small corbels, and do not rise above the arches. It is thus evident that it was never intended that the central aisle of the nave should be vaulted, there being no suitable buttresses provided to resist the thrust of a vault. The side aisles, however, were vaulted, but the vaults are now demolished, only some fragments of the ribs being left, as shown in Fig. 372.

As already mentioned, the west end of the nave (see Fig. 374), and especially the western doorway, are quite Norman in character. The west doorway (Fig. 375) is a noble specimen of its period. The ingoing

is deeply recessed, and has contained five free nook shafts on each side, besides the door jamb, with intermediate shafts and elaborate enrichments. The caps are foliaged, and of late Norman character. In the arch there is an order over each shaft, and intermediate enrichments and mouldings. The ornaments consist of the chevron, both solid and under cut, and other greatly relieved enrichments and rosettes.

The jambs of the doorway and the arch over it contain heads and other ornaments in panels, now much decayed. The doorpiece projects some feet, and on the north side of the projection a small round arch (see Fig. 374) can be traced.

The doorpiece is surmounted by three little gablets. The central one

contains a trefoiled arch, and those at the sides seem to have contained a similar arch, but they are now much decayed.

The west wall has flat buttresses of Norman character (see Fig. 374) at each side of the central aisle, and the upper portion of the wall has a central round-headed window, flanked on each side by three small pointed arch heads, the caps carrying which rested on long single free shafts, now gone. The central window has deep mouldings, but no enrichment. The west front has been finished with an octagonal turret at each side, as at Kelso Abbey, and the gable contains a central circular window, which has been filled with tracery at a late date. The west end walls of the aisles have each contained a circular headed window of Norman design, with a chevron ornament in the arch and a nook shaft at each side.

The south doorway (Fig. 376), leading from the cloister into the nave above referred to, is of late Norman design. It is extremely rich in its decoration, though somewhat decayed. It contains the remains of several shafts and enrichments in the jambs, and the caps have been very elaborate in their carving. The round arch head contains four orders of mouldings. The inner order and the door jambs are both carved with the same chevron ornament; the next order consists of plain mouldings; the third order is enriched with figures comprised in small semicircles; and the outer order contains a deep series of zig-zags. The whole is enclosed with a small label. The doorpiece projects, the outer angle having a bold bead, and a small cornice runs along the top.

The above description of the nave and its Norman west end and doorways will make clearer what has already been indicated with regard to the completion or restoration of the edifice in the Transition period. The suggestion is that the lower part of the walls of the choir and the western wall and doorway and south doorway being all of Norman work, it seems probable that the whole building was set out and partially executed in Norman times, and that the work was either stopped for a considerable period and then resumed, or that the structure, after being completed, was destroyed, and had to be restored in the late Transition style.

The Transition work is well advanced in style, and may be regarded as being of the date of the end of the twelfth century, or beginning of the thirteenth century.

The Norman north transept, as already mentioned, is fairly well preserved, but both the north and south transepts have undergone great repairs about the end of the fifteenth century. The crossing appears to have been so greatly damaged by the assaults of the fifteenth century that it was found necessary to rebuild it. The restoration is distinctly visible (see Fig. 364) in the south-east pier of the crossing, the style of which is quite different from that of the Norman work adjoining in the choir and south transept (Fig. 367), and the junction of the new work with the old is very apparent. This pier has clearly been rebuilt. It is plain next the crossing, but next the aisle it consists of a series of

shafts (see Fig. 366), with a moulded cap of late date. The upper mouldings of the cap form a continuous straight line, while the bells of the caps are broken round the shafts; a style of cap common in Scotland at the end of the fifteenth century.

This pier and the south aisle of the choir beside it appear to have been restored by Abbot John Hall (appointed 1478), whose name occurs on the pier and on one of the bosses. The south-west pier of the crossing has also been rebuilt. This work was carried out by Abbot Thomas Cranston (appointed 1482). On a shield on this pier (see Fig. 367) are carved the arms and initials of Abbot Cranston--three cranes and two pastoral staves--saltierwise.

The same abbot’s initials are placed on the north side of the west arch of the crossing, where the chamfer begins, and on the lower part of the north-west pier. The south-west pier, the north-west pier, and the arch between them would thus appear to have been rebuilt by Abbot Cranston. The base inserted by him is different from the old Norman base.

About half-way up the south-east pier, rebuilt by Abbot Hall, the springer of an arch (see Fig. 364) may be seen projecting to the west. Abbot Hall has evidently intended to throw an arch across the transept at this point, but Abbot Cranston changed his plan, and the arch was not carried out. The mouldings of the portions executed by the two abbots differ in their respective parts of the structure.

To the north of the original Norman north transept an addition to the transept has been erected. It is cut off from the old transept by a wall, and thus forms a separate chapel, measuring 27 feet in length by 22 feet in width internally.

This chapel is vaulted with the pointed barrel vault usual in Scotland in the fifteenth century, and, consequently, the side windows are low (see Fig. 372), their pointed arch being kept below the springing of the vault. The window in the north end wall, however, is of large dimensions. The windows are all filled with good fifteenth century tracery, similar to that in the restored south aisle of the choir (see Fig. 364).

This part of the edifice is now used as a mortuary chapel for the family of the Marquess of Lothian.

The tower over the crossing (see Fig. 372) is 33 feet square and 86 feet in height. It contains three pointed and cusped lancets on each side, and is without buttresses. It appears to have been erected about 1500. At the top, near the north-west corner, are engraved the arms and initials of Abbot Robert Blackadder, who was afterwards promoted to the offices of Bishop and Archbishop of Glasgow. He was appointed to that see in 1484, and died 1508. His arms are a chevron between three roses.

Soon after the abbey had been restored as above described it was again attacked, pillaged, and burnt by Surrey in 1523. The damage then caused was once more repaired in 1544. The abbey is described by Sir Ralph Eure as “the strength of Teviotdale,” and by Hertford as “a house of some strength which might be made a good fortress.”

These generals of Henry VIII. had evidently cast their eyes on it as

an obstacle in their path, and resolved to get rid of it. The abbey was pillaged and burnt by both (by the first in 1544 and the last in 1545), and never recovered from the devastation it then suffered.

In 1559 the monastery was suppressed, and the revenues went to the Crown. In 1574-5 the roof of the refectory was removed, and the timber used for repairing the tower. The Abbey Church stood in a ruinous state till the nave was partly roofed in at the triforium level to form a presbyterian place of worship. It remained in this condition till 1875, when a new church was erected, and the old abbey was cleared out.

The crown arch of the tower fell in 1743. The groined arches of the aisles continued in existence till the end of last century. In 1793 the south aisle was removed, and a wall built between the pillars to make the church more comfortable.

The ruins of the abbey are now well cared for and protected.

KINLOSS ABBEY, MORAYSHIRE.

This was one of the monastic establishments founded in Moray by David I. in order to extend the benefits of civilisation to the remoter regions under his sway.[191] The story told with reference to this foundation is similar to the legend regarding Holyrood. The king had lost his way in the wood while hunting, and was guided by a deer to an open place, where, as was afterwards revealed to him by the Virgin, he was to found a church in her honour. The abbey was founded in 1150, and colonised by King David’s favourite order of Cistercians from Melrose. It was endowed with lands by its founder, and subsequently received grants from his successors--Malcolm, William the Lion, and Alexander II.--as well as from private donors. Robert I. presented the abbey with fishings. Edward I. and Edward III. both visited Kinloss, the former in 1303 and the latter in 1336.

The chartulary of Kinloss Abbey is not preserved, but its traditions and an account of the abbots has been written by John Ferrerius, a native of Piedmont, who was for several years an inmate of the establishment. Robert Reid, afterwards Abbot of Kinloss and Bishop of Orkney, formed his friendship while a student in Paris, and brought him over to this country about 1528, where he acted as lecturer and instructor of youth.

Ferrerius gives a long account of the different abbots and the various works executed by them, which would have been of great interest had the buildings survived; but they are now, unfortunately, reduced to such mere fragments that it is impossible to trace the various structures referred to.

In 1528 Robert Reid was installed as abbot. Abbot Reid is associated with several of our ecclesiastical edifices, especially Beauly Priory and Kirkwall Cathedral. He occupied a somewhat prominent position in the country, and was sent on several embassies to Henry VIII. and Francis I. Under him the abbey lands were erected into a burgh of barony. In 1530 he received the gift of the Abbey of Beauly _in commendam_, where he erected many new buildings. He also added greatly to the abbey of Kinloss, and amongst other improvements he built a spacious fire-proof library, and enriched it with many volumes. The new abbot’s house, the remains of which are seen in the view (Fig. 377), was also erected by him about 1537. In 1538 he invited Andrew Bairhum, a celebrated painter, to come to Kinloss, where he was occupied for three years in painting altar pieces. He also brought William Lubias, an intelligent gardener, to Kinloss from Flanders, who introduced great improvements in the cultivation of fruit trees into the country. In 1541 Abbot Reid, while retaining his existing preferments, was appointed to the Bishopric of Orkney. There, too, he erected many new structures.

It is to the liberality of this enlightened prelate, who was a great encourager of learning, that we owe the foundation of the College of Edinburgh. When the Court of Justice had been instituted by James V., Bishop Reid was appointed president in 1549.

Bishop Reid was succeeded in the abbacy of Kinloss by his nephew, Walter Reid. He was the last abbot, and by him a great part of the lands of Kinloss and Beauly were alienated. He subscribed the first covenant in 1560, and was married, and his wife after his death became possessed of the abbey. Certain of the lands and fishings, however, were assigned to Edward Bruce, who was commendator after the Reformation, and in whose favour they were raised into a temporal lordship as Lord Bruce of Kinloss. From him are descended the Earls of Elgin.

Till about 1650 the buildings of the abbey are believed to have remained tolerably entire. They were conveyed, in 1645, to Brodie of Lethen, by whom the materials were sold, to be utilised in the construction of Cromwell’s citadel at Inverness. The chapter house had been used as a place of worship up to that time, and it was found necessary to erect a new church in lieu of the chapter house, which had been removed.

From the above cause the remains of Kinloss Abbey, as already mentioned, are mere fragments. The outline of the cloister garth, which measures about 100 feet by 90 feet, can be traced (Fig. 378), the walls on the south and west sides being fairly preserved. On the north side the foundations of what was, doubtless, the south wall of the nave of the church are visible, and on the east side part of the wall of the south transept still stands. Of the church there only survives a small and tottering fragment of the south transept, with part of the eastern chapels and a long vaulted chamber to the south, which is on a lower level than the transept. A small portion of old wall is observable to the north, opposite the south transept, and is probably a survival of the north transept wall. This gives an indication of the probable position of the church, as shown by clotted lines on the Plan. The church consisted of the usual divisions of nave, choir, and transepts, with a tower over the crossing. The tower was erected by Abbot Guthrie about 1470-80, and it fell in 1574.

There have been vaulted apartments on the south side of the long vaulted chamber lying south of the transept, as is apparent from the remains of pointed arches on the outside of the south wall (see Fig. 377). This sketch also shows the height of the transept chapel above the vault to the south of it. Similar remains of pointed arches on the west side of

the west wall of the cloister show that vaulted apartments ran along that side also.

All appearance of ornamental work or hewn work of any kind has been removed, with the exception of one archway in the south wall of the cloister and an arched recess adjoining (Fig. 379). These seem from their style to have been part of the original abbey. The ornament of the gateway is distinctly transitional in character, and was probably erected in the beginning of the thirteenth century. Although the arch is circular, the dog-tooth of the hood mould is first pointed, while the large undercut cross enrichment is a survival of Norman character. The round abacus of the caps, however, is decidedly first pointed in style. This seems to have been an archway leading into the cloister. The arched recess to the eastward, which was doubtless a monument, is rather later in

style, but seems to belong to the thirteenth century. The corbels which carried the roof timbers of the cloister walk still survive. They are moulded in the first pointed style. The water table above the roof is also partly preserved.

The abbot’s house (see Figs. 377 and 379) stands to the south of the abbey. It consists of an oblong structure, which now measures about 50 feet in length by 27 feet in width within the walls, with several vaulted cells on each side, all now in ruins, and thickly clothed with ivy. The best preserved parts of the structure are the east wall, with its gable, and the round tower at the south-east angle, which contained the entrance doorway and staircase. Over the doorway is a panel (Fig. 380) with ogee arched head containing the shield of Abbot Reid (a stag’s head) and his initials and crozier.

The plan of the abbot’s mansion resembles that of a baron’s house of the sixteenth century. The basement appears to have contained the kitchen, with cellars, and a passage with small windows. On the first floor would be the hall, with small rooms opening off it, and bedrooms on the upper floor.

The ruins stand on level ground near the mouth of the Findhorn, a short way from Kinloss Station, between Elgin and Forres.

The ground has always been fertile, and is well watered by a stream which passes close to the ruins. The whole space in which the ruins of the abbey stand is now enclosed with a wall, and used as a burial-ground.

THE NUNNERY, IONA.

When Reginald, Lord of the Isles, in 1203, introduced Benedictine monks into the Monastery of Iona, a convent for Benedictine nuns was founded in the island, of which Beatrice, sister of Reginald, was the first abbess. The deed of confirmation of the nunnery still exists at the Vatican, dated 1203.

The ruins of the building, which apparently was erected soon after that time, still survive. (Fig. 381.) They consist of a quadrangle about 68 feet square, having the church on the north side; foundations of the chapter house and other apartments on the east side; and the refectory on the south side. There may have been other buildings on the west side, as the walls are broken at the ends; but, if so, they are now removed.

The church is an oblong structure, 58 feet in length by about 20 feet in width. It has been divided into nave and choir, and has had a northern aisle extending along both.

The choir is about 20 feet square, and has been vaulted. It is separated from the nave by a group of shafts at each side (Fig. 383), which supported a round arch with early mouldings (Fig. 382), and there are

vaulting shafts in the angles of the east wall. The choir has had two windows to the east, separated by a small piece of wall. The floor is raised two steps above the level of the nave. There is a doorway in the north wall leading into the eastern portion of the aisle, which may have been the Lady Chapel or sacristy. This building is vaulted, and has an upper story, approached by a very narrow stair in the thickness of the north wall.

The chapel on the ground floor has had an altar to the east, and a piscina in the south wall. The east window is a mere slit, and has a straight-sided arch head, doubtless a late insertion.

The arch in the west wall of this chamber (Fig. 384) has Norman responds and mouldings, and the groins of the vault have simple rolls.

The nave has three round arches (see Figs. 383 and 384) opening into the north aisle. These arches spring from circular pillars and responds, which have caps of apparently Norman design. They are much decayed, but the ornament has some resemblance to that of the caps in the chapter house and high aisle of the cathedral. The arches are now built up, but the mouldings seem to correspond with those of the chancel arch. The doorway from the cloister, in the south-west angle of the church, has two nook shafts supporting a round arch.

The most of the above portions of the structure appear to belong to the transition period, and were probably erected soon after the convent was founded. The choir and sacristy are undoubtedly original, but the nave and aisle and upper part of the structure appear to have been rebuilt, probably at a late date. The upper part of the nave is of an undefined character. The small windows have round arches, and might be transition work; but they are placed over the piers, not over the arches, as was invariably the case in early buildings.

The west wall is very plain. It has a tall round-headed window on the church level, with a string course stepped over it, and a small window is introduced in the gable, which might be of almost any period. A series of corbels occurs in the south-west wall over the doorway. They are carved with grotesque heads, and appear to have supported a wooden floor--perhaps an organ gallery. There has been a doorway in the north wall of the aisle. It had two nook shafts, but it has now almost disappeared. A portion of a cross wall is visible in the aisle, with what may have been the seat of an altar against it.

Within recent years considerable excavations and repairs have been

made in the building. The position of the cloister garth has been defined by a low wall; and the site of the chapter house on the eastern side, with its stone seat running round it (see Fig. 383), has been disclosed. The other apartments on this side remain indefinite, but the position and walls of the refectory on the south side are distinct. This part of the structure has had an upper story, probably a dormitory. The south, east, and west walls, with their small windows, are still preserved. There was, no doubt, a dormitory over the east side of the quadrangle, but the walls there are now only a few feet in height.

At a distance of about 30 feet north from the convent church stands another building, said to have been the parish church. (See Fig. 381.) It is dedicated to St. Ronan, and is a simple oblong chamber, 37 feet long by 16 feet wide internally.

It has a small window in the centre of the east wall, and the seat of the altar still remains. In the north and south wall, near the east end, are the remains of two windows, which have apparently been rather wider than the east window.

The doorway has been at the north-west angle, and has had a single nook shaft in each jamb; but that part of the structure is now much destroyed. The whole building is constructed with the plain rubble work usual in West Highland churches.

Numerous very fine specimens of Celtic carved work are preserved in the monumental stones which have been found and are preserved in the convent.[192] Amongst these is the monument of the last prioress. On it are carved the figure of the prioress, surmounted by a rude Gothic canopy, and an inscription bearing the date of 1543. It also contains the ancient symbols of the mirror and the comb.

ST. NICHOLAS’ CHURCH, ABERDEEN.

This church, said to be the largest mediæval parish church in Scotland, is still preserved and used as the principal church of Aberdeen; but only two portions of the ancient work remain--viz., the transepts and the crypt at the east end, below the choir. The nave was rebuilt about the middle of last century by Gibbs, the well-known architect of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Church, London, and the Radcliffe Library, Oxford. It is, of course, in the Renaissance style of the time, and the interior is very dignified. The choir was entirely taken down in 1835 and rebuilt in the most tasteless fashion. The walls of the crypt and transepts were all refaced except the north front of the transept, which, however, is of no great architectural value, having been altered considerably in the seventeenth century; in any case, it forms a pleasing contrast to the very rigid and inartistic new masonry. The central tower, with the leaded spire, was burned in 1874, and the existing central spire was thereafter erected. In these circumstances, it is only the interior of the transept and crypt which come within the scope of the present work.

The transepts (Fig. 385) measure internally about 103 feet by 20 feet 10 inches, and are of the transitional style of the end of the twelfth century. The openings into the nave and choir are now built up. There

seems always to have been a solid wall between the transept and the nave aisles, with only a small opening of communication in each of about the size of an ordinary doorway. These openings are of a very plain and simple design (Fig. 386). The piers which carry the central tower (Fig. 387) are of the usual transitional type, having graceful capitals and square abaci supporting round arches. These are shown in detail in Fig. 388. They are not visible in the choir and nave.

On each side of the north transept there are two original clerestory windows, those on the east side are seen in Fig. 389, and one of them, which would overlook the roof of the choir aisle (Fig. 390), has angle shafts, with carved caps and mouldings. The present large north window of the transept (seen in Fig. 389), the tracery of which is of very late work, has remains of its original features, and in the low pointed recess seen in the same view there is a transition attached shaft, with carved cap and square abacus. There is only a shaft on one side of the recess (as shown on Plan). The pointed arch of this recess, as well as the tomb alongside, below the large window, are of later work.

On the west side of the north wall there has been a round arched doorway, of which traces are yet visible. This is probably the doorway referred to in the following extract of the 10th January 1518--“The said day, the toone consentit and ordanit thair masteris of Kirkwerk to translat thar () and passag to the rudloft, and big up Sanct Nichell dur, and mak a fair wyndo in that gavill of thar croce kirk.”[193]

The “fair wyndo” is, doubtless, the window in the north end wall just referred to as having been altered, and seen in Fig. 389. The foregoing are the only original features of the upper church now remaining, all else is of the fifteenth and following centuries, and consists generally of the wide pointed openings leading into the choir; and in the south transept of a fifteenth century sculptured tablet of fine design (Fig. 391) with the following modern inscription beneath--“The above stone represents the Chantry or Annual Mass to be sung for his soul. Founded by William Leith, of Barns, Provest of Aberdeen in 1351, who, with many of his Descendants, is Interred underneath.” The monument has had an inscription, now illegible, and has suffered considerably either from neglect or mischief.

The crypt at the east end of the choir is shown on Plan in its proper relation to the transepts, but it is on a lower level. Although, as already stated, no part of the choir now remains, the walls drawn in outline are

built on the site of the old walls, and show that the choir consisted of five bays, with an apse. The total interior length from the east wall of the apse to the tower is about 102 feet. It may be mentioned that the total internal length of the existing church from the west end of the nave to the apse is about 234 feet.

The crypt was approached by two stairs, one from the north and another from the south aisle of the choir. These are now swept away, and only their round arched openings remain as recesses in the walls of the crypt. As these recesses are at a considerable height, most of the steps were probably in the crypt. The stairs shown on the Plan with the windows and doors are all quite modern. The latter lead out to the street, which is at the level of the floor.

The length of the crypt (which corresponds with the width of the choir) is about 65 feet. The crypt consists of one central and two side aisles, with an eastern apse. The plan of these divisions indicates that the central aisle of the choir was only about 3 feet wider than the side aisles, a very unusual arrangement, the side aisles being generally much narrower than the central one. The width of the crypt is about 16 feet, and the length at the apse is about 36 feet 6 inches. It is internally a very picturesque and interesting structure, but it has been badly treated at the time of the rebuilding of the choir. The wonder is that it escaped from being rebuilt, like the rest of the church. It is at present proposed to restore the building by removing the lath and plaster from the walls, and laying the floor at the original level, and also to fill the windows with stained glass. We may express the hope that before this is done the distressing effects of the stained glass in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral will be duly considered.

The roof is groined throughout, the three compartments in the length (Fig. 392) being separated by pointed arches, which spring from moulded caps on octagonal responds. The ribs are the same in all the compartments, except that in the centre and north a length of the ridge rib is omitted (see Plan). The opening into the apse has a stunted

round arch (Fig. 393), and is a prominent example of the love of the Scottish builders for this form of arch all through the Gothic period. This is the only place in the crypt where the width is sufficient to allow

of such an arch reaching the roof without the necessity of undue gabling above the arch, and it further has the effect of giving a dignity and effect of separation to the apse which it would not have possessed with a pointed arch. Each compartment of the apse has a central boss, two of these are shown (Fig. 394). All the intermediate ribs spring from corbels at a lower level than the caps of the responds (Fig. 395), from which the separating arches spring, and the long diagonals of the centre compartment cut through these caps and rest on the notch formed in the centre of the wide diagonal respond at the opening to the apse (see Fig. 392).

There is a considerable amount of carved woodwork--bench ends and backs of seats--in the crypt, some of the fifteenth or sixteenth century (Fig. 396), and some of a later period. These are probably part of the work done by John Ferdour, “wricht,” who, in 1507, contracted to make twenty-four stalls and other furniture “substanciusly and honourable as he may,” as they are begun, “and bettir gif he can” (p. 77).

The height from the present floor, which is about 18 inches above the original level, is 13 feet 4 inches to the centre rib and 7 feet to the top of the respond caps. The walls, being plastered, hide the wall ribs and any of the usual architectural features, if any such exist.

The choir so recently taken down superseded an older one.

It does not appear to be quite certain when the latter was begun, but throughout the Council Register there are numerous references to the “kyrk werk,” and to the “reparacion of the perise kirk of Sanct Nicolace.” These references begin in 1442 and continue for about a century. In 1474 there is a contract for delivering six score stones of lead to “Schir Andro

Wricht, maister of the kirk wark” (p. 32), and three years later “Alexander of Charmyr,” alderman, was appointed “vpper and principale maister of wark of the bigeing of Sanct Nicholace qveyr for twa yeris to cum” (p. 33). Sir Andrew was probably an ecclesiastic, and he and Chalmers appear to have been the paymasters.

In 1483 David Menzis, elder, was master of the kirk work, and purchased a boat load of lime for the building, and in the following year “Maistre Johne Gray, mason,” was appointed “to the bigging of Sanct Nicolace wark.” He engaged to work in his own person, and to superintend the masons and other workmen. He was “to be lele and trew to the said wark for al the dais of his life, unto the completing and ending of the same” (p. 41). It would appear that there were but few skilled workmen employed in the building, as only some five or six men are mentioned by name in the register. They are frequently referred to, and appear to have been bound to remain at the building during the pleasure of the Council. In the same year that Gray was appointed the feeing of a single mason was a matter of so much importance as to occupy a whole sitting of the Town Council and “diuerse of the communite” (p. 41), and in the year following (1493) three masons were sent to Cowie (a few miles south from Aberdeen) to work there for a year quarrying stones for the church. The shifts and expedients to find funds for the building run through all the deliberations of the Council. In 1495 about fifty

citizens advanced the money “to pay Johne Ferdour for the making of the roff and tymmir of the queyr” (p. 56), and in 1500 a contribution of “salmond and money” was made for lead for the church. This offering was not sufficient, and we find other negotiations had to be gone into to raise funds, and it was not till 1510 that they were able to order the master of the kirk work, George Bisset (a new master), to “cause the plumbar to pass and ende his werk, and theik the body of thar kirk with leide” (p. 80), and at last, in 1513, a gilded “weddercok” is set up on “Sanct Nicholace stepill.”

COLDINGHAM PRIORY, BERWICKSHIRE.

The picturesque village of Coldingham, with the remains of its ancient priory, lies in a small valley about 3½ miles eastward from Reston Railway Station, and within a mile of the sea.

The great precipice of St. Abb’s Head, overlooking the German Ocean, is only a few miles off. It is believed that Ebba, daughter of the Northumbrian King Ethelfrid, and sister of King Oswy, in the bright days of that kingdom, about the middle of the seventh century, founded the monastery of _Urbs Coludi_, or Coldingham. There Ethelrida, Queen of Egfrid, took the veil, and she afterwards founded the church and monastery of Ely, of which she became abbess.[194]

The Convent of Coldingham was several times sacked by the Danes, and after its destruction by them in 870, it remained desolate till it was restored in 1098 for a colony of Benedictines.

The foundations of an early church with an eastern apse were found in excavations made in 1854. The outlines of this early church, as shown on a plan prepared by Mr. Hunter, in 1858, for his history of the priory, are drawn in outline on Fig. 397. These were, doubtless, the remains of the church erected in 1089. It had the circular apse of the early Norman churches.

The Priory of Coldingham was refounded at the above date by Edgar, son of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret. His charter is still preserved at Durham. The church was dedicated to St. Cuthbert and St. Ebba, and granted by Edgar to St. Cuthbert’s Canons Regular of Durham, in acknowledgment of assistance he had received from England. It was colonised by Benedictine monks, sent to it by the abbot of Durham.

The priory thus remained long subordinate to the English Church, although upon Scottish soil. The Canons of Durham controlled it, and drew its revenues till 1504, when it was annexed to the Scottish Crown. In 1509, the priory was at length detached from Durham, and placed under the rule of the Abbey of Dunfermline, in which position it remained till the Reformation.

In the unsettled period of Robert III., and the regency of the Duke of Albany, the monks found it desirable to place the convent and its revenues under the protection of Archibald, Earl of Douglas, who appointed the Laird of Home as his under-keeper, and the Homes continued to be the bailiffs of the priory till the Reformation, when it fell entirely into their hands.

In order to provide support for the Chapel-Royal in Stirling, which James III. had founded, he attempted to suppress the Priory of Coldingham and annex its revenues, and this was approved by the Parliament of 1485. However, the proposal was opposed most strenuously by the Homes and Hepburns, and tended to bring about the rebellion by which King James lost his life.[195]

The buildings of the convent are said to have suffered severely from fire on three different occasions--viz., in 1216, in 1430, and in 1544. The structure was also greatly damaged by Cromwell, and since his time has served as a convenient quarry to the villagers. The result of the dilapidations thus caused has been that but little of the monastery now remains. The church is said to have consisted (see Plan) of nave and choir, each 90 feet by 25 feet, and transept, 41 feet by 34 feet. At the north-west angle of the latter rose a massive square tower 90 feet in height.

Of these once extensive structures there now only remain the north and east walls of the choir, and some fragments of the south transept. The nave has been entirely removed, and the great tower fell rather more than a century ago. In 1662, the west and south walls of the choir were

rebuilt to render that portion of the edifice suitable for a place of worship, and in 1854-55 the choir was restored, its west and south walls being again partly rebuilt, a south porch added, and the corner turrets carried up to their present height. The whitewash was also removed from the beautiful work of the interior.

The church thus restored is 84 feet in length by 23 feet in width internally, and comprises the ancient north and east walls of the priory choir. The choir never had aisles, the walls having evidently been designed to form the exterior of the building. They are two stories in height (Fig. 398), the ground floor consisting of a series of double round arches, inserted in the intervals between flat Norman-like buttresses. The arches are carved with chevron ornaments, and they spring from slender shafts, each having a square abacus and refined cushion cap. The bases rest on flat corbels, round which a string course breaks. All this Norman-like work is exceedingly fine, and very unlike genuine Norman design.

Its refined character shows that it is of transition style. On the upper story the spaces between the buttresses contain in each a single lancet window, with a nook shaft on each side, and bold first pointed mouldings in two orders in the arches. The shafts have strongly marked early first pointed features in the foliaged caps, with square abaci, central band, and beaded base resting on a string course stepped up to receive it.

The above design extends round the east end, and the whole of the north side, except the two bays at the west end of the latter, where the design is interrupted so as to admit of a porch which seems formerly to have existed there, but is now removed. The angle turrets have a nook shaft at each projecting corner like Norman work. They have now been restored on top with modern masonry.

The design of the interior of the north and east walls (Fig. 399) is very beautiful. It is carried out, like the exterior, in two stories. The lower story consists of a continuous pointed arcade, placed close to the wall, with single detached shafts and bold first pointed arch mouldings. The bases of the shafts rest on a stone bench 1 foot 6 inches high, and the caps are varied with rich transition and first pointed carving (Fig. 400). Curious trefoil and vesica openings are inserted in the spandrils. (Fig. 403.)

The upper story consists of a detached arcade, having a passage behind it in the thickness of the wall (Fig. 401). The arcade comprises an alternation of high and low pointed arches, two of the latter occurring between every two of the former. The shafts are alternately cinquefoil and double in section, as shown in the geometrical drawing (Fig. 402). All these details are prominently first pointed in style, the caps being elaborately carved with foliage of that period, and the mouldings being bold and distinct (Fig. 403). The little bits of foliage introduced at the points of the arches and ends of the labels and strings are also characteristic of early first pointed work.

That the design is late transition or very early pointed work is apparent from all the details. The lower story of the exterior having refined Norman ornaments, and the early date of the first pointed work being emphasised by the whole of the abaci of the caps being square in form, possibly this portion of the edifice may be due to restorations executed after the fire of 1216.

The portions of the south transept still left are very fragmentary, and there are now no traces of a north transept, although in Mr. Hunter’s plan some indications of such a structure are shown. At the north-west angle of the south transept there is an arch, which has been rebuilt, being partly made up of old fragments, but the lower part seems to be ancient. The lower portions of two piers on the east side of the transept still survive (Fig. 404), and exhibit good mouldings. These seem to have formed the piers between the transept and an eastern aisle. When

Grose’s views were drawn in 1789, one of the pier arches still stood, and a corresponding arch of the north transept is also shown as then existing. Part of the west and south walls of the transept, with the shafts (or at least the bases of the shafts) of an arcade, similar to that of the choir, is also still preserved. This building shows a doorway in the south-west angle.

Lying at a distance of 76 feet south from the church, and at a somewhat lower level, are the walls of a great hall (see Fig. 397). The wall, which runs east and west, is fully 100 feet in length, and has attached to it pilasters of segmental form, measuring 1 foot 10 inches across, at

intervals of about 12 feet. From excavations recently made, the width of this building has been ascertained to be 28 feet. The south wall has been 5 feet in thickness, and seems to have been buttressed.

There are three doorways in the north wall, with steps leading down into the building. Part of the east wall also remains, in which is a recess 4 feet 6 inches wide, with splayed jambs, and having an ambry in the back of it. The structure has been vaulted, as is apparent from the remains of ribs and corbels. Part of it may have been the refectory. Unless steps are taken shortly to preserve this building, it will probably very soon disappear.

There seem to have been buildings along the east, extending from this hall to the church. These may have formed the eastern side of a court or cloister, of which the hall formed the southern side and the church the north side.