Part 1

THE ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE

OF SCOTLAND

FROM THE EARLIEST CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

_Edinburgh: Printed by George Waterston & Sons_

FOR

DAVID DOUGLAS

LONDON, SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, AND CO., LIMITED CAMBRIDGE, MACMILLAN AND BOWES GLASGOW, JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS

THE ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND

FROM THE EARLIEST CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY

BY DAVID MACGIBBON AND THOMAS ROSS AUTHORS OF “THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND”

_VOLUME THREE_

EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS MDCCCXCVII

_All rights reserved._

PREFACE.

In issuing the concluding Volume of this work, we take the opportunity to notice some points in the previous portions which have given rise to discussion.

In Vol. I. p. 297 we express disagreement with Mr. W. Galloway’s opinion regarding the age of the chancel walls of St. Blane’s, Bute. Mr. Galloway having asked for an opportunity of defending his views, we have pleasure in publishing his observations in the Appendix to this Volume.

Reference is made in Vol. II. p. 172 to Mr. T. L. Watson’s theory regarding the vaulting of the lower church in St. Mungo’s Cathedral, Glasgow. Having recently had the privilege, on the invitation of Mr. P. Macgregor Chalmers, of attending a meeting on the spot, when the usually obscure edifice was well lit up, and when it was shown by Mr. Chalmers that the points on which Mr. Watson based his opinion were untenable, we see no reason to believe that the beautiful design of the vaulting and the plan of the shrine were ever intended to be carried out in a mode different from that in which they are executed.

When treating of Melrose Abbey (Vol. II. p. 378) we ventured to criticise the views expressed by Mr. Chalmers in his work, _A Scots Mediæval Architect_. As Mr. Chalmers has been kind enough to approach us directly, taking exception to our remarks, we are glad to afford him, in an Appendix to this Volume, the opportunity he desires of stating his defence of his views.

Mr. Chalmers has done good service in drawing attention to some examples of Scottish mediæval architecture of a late date, which show a remarkable revival in point of design when compared with the general architecture of the country at the time.

From the series of examples given in this Volume there can scarcely be any question as to the gradual deterioration of ecclesiastical architecture which occurred generally throughout Scotland during the latter half of the fifteenth and the first half of the sixteenth centuries, and it is certainly surprising to find some exceptionally good work in a few structures of that period. Amongst these is the aisle of Car Fergus, in Glasgow Cathedral, the vaulting of which building is of about the date of 1500, as is evident from its containing several specimens of Archbishop Blacader’s arms. The work is not all equal, but the vaulting has the groining (a rare kind of construction in Scotland at the period) well executed, and the bosses show a wonderful amount and variety of design. Some of the latter (such as that in the illustration kindly supplied by Mr. Chalmers in the Appendix) are admirable.

Mr. Chalmers has brought forward a considerable amount of evidence regarding the rood screen in St. Mungo’s, which point to its being an exceptionally fine specimen of late pointed work. The vaulting and some other portions of the presbytery of Melrose Abbey are also classed by Mr. Chalmers in the same category.

The subject is an interesting one, and all students of Scottish architecture must feel indebted to Mr. Chalmers for drawing special attention to it. We trust the point will be further investigated.

There is one consideration connected with this revival to which we would draw attention, viz., that mentioned in the text (Vol. III. pp. 6 and 7) that a certain excellence in the carving and the design of the smaller features of the architecture observable in the later work may have been due to the foreign artists introduced at the time. We might, in view of the above circumstances, have given this remark a wider scope, so as to apply to such works as those above referred to and similar examples.

There is abundant evidence in the Exchequer Rolls that French master-masons were employed by James IV. and V. Thus the Merliouns,[1] a distinguished family of French master-masons, were in the royal service at Stirling in 1496, and members of the family are found at Linlithgow, Dunbar, Ravenscraig, Perth Church, &c. Latterly the king’s _French master-mason_ became a regular court appointment, and the office was held by several Frenchmen.[2]

This importation of foreign artists may perhaps account for some of the exceptionally good examples, especially in connection with places favoured by royalty; but a good deal of time would necessarily elapse before such work could become general. Hence the revival was limited, while the architecture generally gradually deteriorated or changed to Renaissance.

The monument of Bishop Kennedy, in St. Salvator’s, St. Andrews (a design undoubtedly superior to the general Scottish work of the period), is probably a French example, both in design and execution.[3]

Mr. Chalmers lays stress on the influence of Queen Margaret’s marriage to James IV. as probably having produced some of the imitations of English perpendicular work found at Melrose and Linlithgow, and this may possibly have been the case.

In a review of Vol. II. in the _Glasgow Herald_ attention was drawn to an error in the description of St. Andrews Cathedral (p. 31), where the restored illustration (Fig. 453) shows a single central shaft in the windows of the chapter house, instead of two coupled shafts. The shafts are gone, but the two bases are still traceable.

* * * * *

We have to thank the numerous clergymen, proprietors, custodians, and others, to whom it has been necessary to apply for permission to visit the various churches, for their assistance, which was always freely given. Our acknowledgments are also due to those gentlemen who have kindly continued their contributions to our work in the form of drawings and descriptions of churches, especially to Mr. T. S. Robertson, Dundee, and Mr. William Galloway, Whithorn. Mr. R. Weir Schultz, London; Mr. John W. Small, Stirling; Mr. F. R. Coles, Edinburgh, and others have also been good enough to furnish us with several drawings and descriptions for this Volume, as is noted in the text.

To the Librarians of the Advocates’ Library and the University Library of Edinburgh, and the Keeper of the National Museum of the Antiquaries of Scotland, we are greatly indebted for their valuable assistance.

We desire, further, to express our obligation to Mr. Alexander Ross, architect, Inverness, and Mr. R. Bruce Armstrong, for permission to use illustrations from their published works; and to Mr. W. Rae Macdonald, Edinburgh, and Mr. R. C. Walker, Dundee, for their aid in connection with the heraldry of the buildings and monuments.

EDINBURGH, _October 1897_.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Third or Late Pointed Period--Gradual transition from Middle Pointed Style--Inferior, but peculiarly Scottish--Middle Pointed buildings large and complete--Large Late Pointed examples, chiefly restorations and collegiate, and designed as single chambers without aisles--Some designed as cross churches, but often unfinished--Characteristic features--Eastern three-sided apse and pointed barrel vault, with stone roof--Groins avoided, and contrivances in lieu thereof--Windows low--Surface vaulting instead of ribs generally used, but ribs sometimes applied to surface--Examples--Stone roofs carefully wrought--Independent invention--Examples of groined vaults--Decorated barrel vault, and straight arches at Rosslyn--Forms of buttresses, pinnacles, windows, tracery, &c.--Influences of Late English and French Gothic--Doorways, porches, arms, central towers--Monuments--Figure carving--Sacrament houses and smaller features well executed, perhaps the work of French artists--Collegiate churches spread over the whole country--Parish churches converted into collegiate churches, 1-7

DESCRIPTIONS OF BUILDINGS.

Paisley Abbey (_Cluniac_), Renfrewshire, 7

Dunkeld Cathedral (St. Columba’s), Perthshire, 28

Iona Cathedral (_Cluniac_ Abbey), Argyleshire, 47

St. Machar’s Cathedral, Old Aberdeen, 75

Trinity College Church, Edinburgh, Mid-Lothian, 89

Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, Perth, Perthshire, 104

Do. Dundee, Forfarshire, 123

Glenluce Abbey (_Cistercian_), Wigtonshire, 132

Parish Church of Torphichen, Linlithgowshire, 139

St. Anthony’s Chapel, Edinburgh, Mid-Lothian, 145

Collegiate Church of St. Matthew, Rosslyn, Do. 149

Do. St. Mary, Dunglass, Haddingtonshire, 179

Parish Church of St. Marnan, Fowlis Easter, Perthshire, 189

Collegiate Church of St. Salvator, St. Andrews, Fifeshire, 199

Do. St. Nicholas, Dalkeith, Mid-Lothian, 205

Parish Church of St. Mungo, Borthwick, Do. 214

Do. Our Lady, Ladykirk, Berwickshire, 218

Collegiate Church of St. Mary and Holy Cross, Seton, Haddingtonshire, 223

Collegiate Church of Arbuthnott, Kincardineshire, 235

Do. Saints Mary and Kentigern, Crichton, Mid-Lothian, 243

Collegiate Church of St. John the Baptist, Corstorphine, Do. 250

Collegiate Church of St. Macrubha, Crail, Fifeshire, 263

Parish Church of St. Mary, Whitekirk, Haddingtonshire, 269

Do. Mid-Calder, Mid-Lothian, 279

King’s College Chapel, Old Aberdeen, 287

Church of the Carmelite Friars (St. Mary’s), South Queensferry, Linlithgowshire, 296

Collegiate Church of St. Bothan, Yester, Haddingtonshire, 309

Parish Church of the Holy Rood, Stirling, Stirlingshire, 315

Collegiate Church of St. Saviour, Tullibardine, Perthshire, 330

Do. St. Mary, Maybole, Ayrshire, 338

Do. St. Mary, Biggar, Lanarkshire, 343

Do. Carnwath, Do. 349

Do. St. Mary, Castle Semple, Renfrewshire, 351

Church of the Franciscans or Greyfriars, Elgin, Morayshire, 356

Do. do. do. Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, 358

Church of the Priory of St. Clement, Rowdil, Harris, Inverness-shire, 363

Church of the Priory of St. Oran or St. Columba, Oronsay, Argyleshire, 372

Font of Church of St. Maelrubba, Skye, Inverness-shire, 381

EXAMPLES ARRANGED ALPHABETICALLY BY COUNTIES.

ABERDEENSHIRE.

Church of Kinkell, 383

Do. Kintore, 386

Chapel of St. Adamnan, Leask, 387

ARGYLESHIRE.

Church of St. John the Baptist, Ardchattan, 389

Collegiate Church of St. Mund, Kilmun, 390

AYRSHIRE.

Alloway Kirk, 393

Parish Church of Old Dailly, 394

Do. Straiton, 396

BANFFSHIRE.

Collegiate Church of St. Mary, Cullen, 398

Parish Church of St. John Evangelist, Deskford, 406

Do. St. Bean, Mortlach, 408

BERWICKSHIRE.

Church of Abbey St. Bathans (Cistercian Nuns), 410

Parish Church of Our Lady, Bassendean, 412

Do. Cockburnspath, 413

Do. Preston, 416

BUTESHIRE.

Church of St Mary’s Abbey, Rothesay, 418

DUMBARTONSHIRE.

Parish Church and Collegiate Church of St. Mary, Dumbarton, 423

Chapel at Kirkton of Kilmahew (St. Mahew), 426

DUMFRIESSHIRE.

Canonby Priory (Austin Canons), Fragment of, 431

Parish Church of Kirkbryde, 431

Church of St. Cuthbert, Moffat, 433

Do. Sanquhar, 435

FIFESHIRE.

Parish Church of Carnock, 436

Do. St. Serf, Dysart, 437

Do. St. Monan, Kilconquhar, 441

Do. St. Irenaeus, Kilrenny, 442

Do. Rosyth, 444

Church of the Dominicans or Blackfriars, St. Andrews, 445

Do. St. Leonard’s College, St. Andrews, 448

Do. the Holy Trinity, St. Andrews, 451

FORFARSHIRE.

Parish Church of Airlie, 452

Do. Invergowrie, 454

Do. Mains, 455

Do. Maryton, 456

Do. Pert, 458

Do. St. Vigean’s, 459

HADDINGTONSHIRE.

Church of the Red or Trinity Friars, Dunbar, 462

Parish Church of St. Maelrubba, Keith, 465

KINCARDINESHIRE.

Church of St. Palladius, Fordoun, 468

KIRKCUDBRIGHTSHIRE.

Church of Old Girthon, 469

LANARKSHIRE.

Priory of Blantyre (Austin Canons), 470

Parish Church of St. Michael, Covington, 472

LINLITHGOWSHIRE.

Parish Church of Auldcathie, 474

MID-LOTHIAN.

Collegiate Church of St. Triduan, Restalrig, 475

PEEBLESSHIRE.

Parish Church of Newlands, 479

Holy Cross Church, Peebles, 482

Church of St. Andrew, Peebles, 485

PERTHSHIRE.

Parish Church of St. Cathan, Aberuthven, 485

Church of St. Moloc, Alyth, 487

Do. St. Mechessock, Auchterarder, 488

Do. Cambusmichael, 489

Abbey of Coupar (Cistercian), 491

Parish Church of Dron, 497

Church of Ecclesiamagirdle or Exmagirdle, or Glenearn, 499

Parish Church of Forgandenny, 500

Abbey of Inchaffray (Austin Canons), 502

Collegiate Church of Innerpeffray, 507

Parish Church of Kinfauns, 513

Do. Meigle, Font of, 517

Collegiate Church of Methven, 519

Chapel of Moncrieff, 521

Parish Church of Wast-town, 522

RENFREWSHIRE.

Parish Church of Renfrew (Monument), 525

Parish Churches of Houston, St. Fillan’s, and Kilmalcolm, 527

SELKIRKSHIRE.

Parish Church of Selkirk, 529

WIGTONSHIRE.

Parish Church of St. Machutus, Wigton, 533

CHURCHES OF THE SIXTEENTH AND SEVENTEENTH CENTURIES.

PAGE

Mediæval Architecture terminated with the Reformation, 1560--Under James I. and Charles I. and II. a revival attempted--Two styles practised, one plain, the other somewhat ornate--Specimens of each--Influence of Domestic Architecture on Ecclesiastical--Picturesque examples, 534

The following churches of this period are arranged in alphabetical order:--

Parish Church of St. Drostan, Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, 535

Parish Churches of Anstruther, Easter and Wester, Fifeshire, 536

Parish Church of St. Mary, Auchterhouse, Forfarshire, 541

Do. Aytoun, Berwickshire, 543

Do. Ballingry, Fifeshire, 543

Do. Blair, Blair-Atholl, Perthshire, 544

Do. St. Brandan, Boyndie, Banffshire, 545

Do. St. Michael, Cupar, Fifeshire, 547

Do. St. Bridget, Dalgety, Do. 549

Do. St. John, Dalry, Kirkcudbrightshire, 551

Do. Drainie and Michael Kirk, Morayshire, 553

Do. Durness, Sutherlandshire, 557

Do. St. Cuthbert, East Calder, Mid-Lothian, 559

Parish Churches of Eassie and Nevay (St. Neveth), Forfarshire, 560

Pulpit from St. Cuthbert’s Church, Edinburgh, Mid-Lothian, 562

Parish Church of St. Cavan, Fetteresso, Kincardineshire, 562

Chapel of Fordel, Fifeshire, 565

Parish Church of Garvald, Haddingtonshire, 567

Do. St. John, Gamrie, Banffshire, 567

Do. Gladsmuir, Haddingtonshire, 569

Steeple of the Tron Church, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, 571

Chapel of St Mary, &c., Grandtully, Perthshire, 571

Parish Church of Greenlaw, Berwickshire, 574

Do. Insch, Aberdeenshire, 575

Do. Kemback, Fifeshire, 576

Do. Kilmaurs, Glencairn Monument at, Ayrshire, 577

Do. Kinneil, Linlithgowshire, 578

Do. St. Bean’s, Kinkell, Perthshire, 579

Do. Kinnoull, Monument in, Do. 580

Parish Church of Kirkoswald, Ayrshire, 582

Do. Lauder, Berwickshire, 582

Do. Leswalt, Wigtonshire, 585

Do. St. Colm, Lonmay, Aberdeenshire, 587

Do. Loudoun, Galston, Ayrshire, 587

Do. Lyne, Peeblesshire, 589

Do. Morham, Haddingtonshire, 591

Do. St. Fiacre or Fittack, Nigg, Kincardineshire, 592

Do. Oldhamstocks, Berwickshire, 594

Do. St. Giles’, Ormiston, Haddingtonshire, 596

Church of the Priory of Pittenweem, Fifeshire, 599

Parish Church of Polwarth, Berwickshire, 601

Do. Prestonpans, Heraldic Panel from, Haddingtonshire, 602

Do. St. Ethernan or Eddran, Rathan, Aberdeenshire, 604

Chapel and Castle of Southannan, West Kilbride, Ayrshire, 607

Parish Church of Stenton, Haddingtonshire, 609

Do. Stow, Mid-Lothian, 611

Church at Terregles, Kirkcudbrightshire, 615

Parish Church of St. Congan, Turriff, Aberdeenshire, 615

Do. Walston, Lanarkshire, 617

Do. Weem, Perthshire, 619

Do. Yester, Haddingtonshire, 622

Specimen of Early Sculpture from Forteviot, Perthshire, 623

APPENDIX, 625

THE ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND

FROM THE EARLIEST CHRISTIAN TIMES TO THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

VOLUME III.

THIRD OR LATE POINTED PERIOD.

In passing from the Middle Pointed to the Late Pointed periods in Scotland, we do not find any distinct break in the style of architecture such as exists between the First and Second Pointed periods. The middle pointed style passes by gentle gradation into the late pointed style, and there is some difficulty in fixing the period when the one ceases and the other begins. When buildings such as Melrose Abbey and Lincluden College are compared with Dunglass, Corstorphine, and other collegiate churches of the late period, the difference of style is very apparent, and it is at once seen that these edifices belong to different categories. But between such examples as Haddington Church and Paisley Abbey the distinction of style is not at first sight so striking. It is only when the whole character of the architecture is considered that it can be determined to which category each structure belongs. Although the line of division is thus to a certain extent arbitrary, there are some characteristics of the third pointed period which are peculiar to it, and render it a distinct and well marked epoch. This period, although inferior in many respects to those which preceded it, yet comprises more than any other certain elements which give it a claim to be considered peculiarly Scottish and national.

Many of the structures described in Vol II. as belonging (in part at least) to the decorated period bear some resemblance to those of the same style in England. These edifices are mostly of considerable size, and contain all the usual divisions of choir, nave, and transept, nearly always with aisles. They are also generally vaulted with groined vaults, having wooden roofs above the vaults. The details of the buildings are likewise of similar character in both localities.

As in the preceding period, the large churches of the third pointed period in Scotland are nearly all restorations. No new churches of great size were undertaken. Some of the older large churches which had been damaged were reconstructed, but the new churches erected were almost entirely confined to parish or collegiate structures. The largest new church is that of Trinity College in Edinburgh, founded by the widowed queen of James II. Only a few of the larger of these churches have aisles, and are roofed with groined vaulting.