Part 14

accompanies the pointed barrel vaults, has been in this case lightened by the introduction of a false parapet (see Fig. 1166), with enrichments of square shaped flowers, both in the main cornice and in the upper cornice, which represents the cope of the parapet. But here there is no parapet wall, the eaves of the roof being placed where the parapet cope would be in ordinary circumstances. This is a plan often adopted in domestic buildings, from which the idea was, no doubt, borrowed in this instance. The transepts are without buttresses and have a bare appearance. Adjoining the south entrance doorway there are what appear to be the remains of a sedilia (Fig. 1168). The lower portion is entirely concealed, and the eastern shaft and recess are almost blocked. In the north wall opposite the original entrance there can be seen on the inside the indications of a round arched doorway, now built up, which probably led to the sacristy or a chapel, now destroyed, as already mentioned. Five feet east from this blocked doorway there are slight remains of a sixteenth or seventeenth century monument (see Plan), now cut away to permit of the erection of the gallery over, and it seems probable that from this monument was taken the coat of arms (Fig. 1169) now built into the wall which closes up the west archway of the tower. The shield bears the Nicolson arms, and are probably those of Agnes Nicolson, third wife of Patrick, first Lord Elibank, who possessed the ecclesiastical lands of the Collegiate Church of Crichton about the beginning of the seventeenth century. Mr. Billings shows another coat of arms on the outside of the turret stair, but this part of the building is now a dense mass of ivy. The turret stair is in the north wall of the nave, and is placed at some distance from the tower. Fig. 1170 shows the piscina in the south transept. Across this

transept, where shown on the Plan, there is a wooden screen (Fig. 1171) of late erection, but not without some character, near its centre, and beneath the south arch of the tower there stands up, a few inches from the pavement, a broken worn stone about 12 inches square, the purpose of which is not obvious.

The church throughout is vaulted with a pointed barrel vault, but no provision has been made for the vaulting of the nave. Crichton Church was converted, in 1449, by Sir William Crichton, well known as Chancellor Crichton, into a collegiate establishment for a provost, nine prebendaries, and two singing boys, and was suitably endowed. The existing structure was probably erected at that time. Sir William also built an extensive addition to the Castle of Crichton, and doubtless the same builders were employed on church and castle, as many of the details closely resemble each other. From Mr. Gourlay’s letter, already referred to, it appears that there was a provost’s house about a mile distant. He mentions that it was then used as a farmhouse and called Rosehall, and that there was a place of worship beside it and a churchyard, but with the exception of the latter nothing now remains.

The tower is supported by pointed arches springing from responds in the four sides. The responds are of simple section, and the caps contain some good late foliaged carving (see Fig. 1171).

The walls are carried up with one low story above the set-off

immediately over the sloping water table of the roofs. This story contains, in each face, a two-light window with square lintel and central mullion. The story is surmounted by a plain parapet, supported by a corbel course, and the tower is finished with a gabled roof, having a simple belfry on the apex of the east gable.

THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF CORSTORPHINE, MID-LOTHIAN.

The village of Corstorphine is situated about three miles west of Edinburgh.

The church is intimately associated with the Forrester family. It was erected and endowed by them, and their tombs and monuments, emblazoned

with heraldic emblems, are conspicuous on its walls. The manor was acquired by Adam Forrester, a burgess and provost of Edinburgh, in the year 1376, and the title of Lord Forrester of Corstorphine continued in the family till the year 1763.

There was a chapel at Corstorphine as early as the year 1128, which was granted to the new Abbey of Holyrood. This structure afterwards became the parish church, and continued to be so after the erection of the collegiate church, which still exists. Of this original chapel no trace now remains. It stood on the north side of the present building, on part of the ground now occupied by the existing north transept. This transept, which was built in the present century, is not the immediate successor of the old parish church, but takes the place of an aisle which was built in 1646, the erection of which caused the removal of what remained of the old parish church.

The existing church (Fig. 1172) consists of a chancel, a nave with north and south transepts situated at its west end, a western tower and spire, and a sacristy on the north side of the chancel. The whole building is small in size and of low proportions, the height of the tower and spire

being only 50 feet, but although somewhat debased in style, it is very quaint and picturesque.

The structure suffered great alteration and damage from a restoration which took place about the beginning of this century. At that time the north transept, together with the seventeenth century aisle, above mentioned, and a part of the nave were taken down.[109] A new north transept was built, and a new additional nave was erected on the north side of the old nave. A doorway was knocked through the east wall of the chancel, which necessitated the shortening of the large east window above it by raising the sill. At the same time, the chancel was converted into a lumber chamber and porch, by the process of building up the chancel arch. As regards the sacristy, its floor has been dug out to a depth of about 7 feet, and it is now used as a heating chamber and coal cellar.

During this restoration a quantity of carved and moulded stones was removed from the church to Juniper Green, in the vicinity, where probably about fifty fragments, several containing the Forrester arms, were built into a wall on the road leading from the above village to Baberton House, but the wall has since been removed. Fig. 1173 is a sketch of one of these stones, bearing three hunting horns impaling a bend engrailed. At Hermiston House, also, several carved blocks

removed from Corstorphine Church have been preserved, some of which contain the Forrester arms.

The plan of the building (omitting the alterations above described) is remarkable. It seems to consist of two portions--(1) the transepts and division to the east of them, forming one church, and (2) the choir further

to the east, which seems to have formed an independent chapel. This view is supported by the history of the structure.

In the east wall of the chancel a stone is fixed, with an inscription in memory of the first provost of the college, the stone being “apparently transferred,” says Mr. Laing, “from the place where the provost was buried.” The inscription is in the following terms, viz.:--

Istud · collegiū · incepit · āno · dn̄i · Mº,ccccºxxix · et · eodē · āno: maḡr · nicholay^{q} · bānachtȳ · p^{r}posit^{q} · hic · subt^{q} · iacēs · qui · obiit · āno: dn̄i · Mºcccc{o}lxx ... cui^{q} · āniu^{r}sare · simul · pr̄ isq · mr̄ is: celebrabitur · xiiiiº ·die · mēsis · iunii · p · quo · ānuus · redditus · x: s · in · villa · de · kyrk · cramuound · orate · pro · āib^{q} · eor^{l.} [This collegiate church was begun in the year of our Lord 1429, and in the

same year Mr. Nicol Bannatyne was provost here, who, lying beneath, died in the year 1470. A commemoration of him and his successors in office will be celebrated on the 14th of June annually, for which an annual rent of £10 is set apart, out of the lands of Kirk Cramond--Pray for their souls.]

This inscription clearly fixes the date of the commencement of the collegiate church, but although it has been transferred to the chancel, there is nothing to show that the collegiate church it refers to is the chancel. It is quite as likely to have reference to the church to the west of the chancel, from which it was probably removed to its present position. Both from the arrangement of the Plan and the aspect of the eastern part of the building generally, it presents a distinct individuality. It is both

higher and wider than the church to the west, and suggests the idea of having been built at a different time. Now it is matter of history that Adam Forrester, already mentioned, who died in 1405, built a chapel dedicated to St. John the Baptist adjoining the parish church, and it is not unlikely that this chancel was that chapel.

In 1425-6 a charter was granted by King James I. for the endowment of three chaplainries in the chapel contiguous to the Parish Church of Corstorphine,[110] and securing to it, amongst other things, the annual rents in Edinburgh bestowed by the late Sir Adam Forrester. That charter clearly shows that this chapel, wherever situated, was in existence before

the year mentioned in Provost Bannatyne’s inscription. Further, in the Chamberlain Rolls of 1434,[111] reference is made to the three chaplains of the Chapel of St. John the Baptist--“contiguous to the Parish Church of Corstorphine,” showing the independent existence of that chapel after the date in the Bannatyne inscription. It seems, therefore, most probable that this was the chapel erected by Sir Adam Forrester.

Sir Adam was succeeded by his son Sir John Forrester, who filled the office of Great Chamberlain of Scotland, and on the return of James I. from England was appointed Master of the Household in 1424. The

collegiate church was founded and endowed by Sir John. Although the inscription to Bannatyne, the first provost, says that it was begun in 1429, the foundation was only completed by a Papal Bull in 1444, at which date Sir John was probably living. The foundation consisted of a provost, four prebendaries, and two singing boys.

From the above records, and also from the style of the architecture, there can scarcely be a doubt but that the church to the west was the collegiate church erected after 1444, and in designing it, the plan was so arranged as to incorporate the older Chapel of St. John the Baptist as the chancel of the new church. It is remarkable that, although the chancel

contains monuments to his successors, there is none to Sir Adam, the supposed founder of it. It may, however, be mentioned that Mr. Laing believes that an inscription on a stone, which has been built out of its proper place, in the small porch to the west of the tower, has been taken from a monument to Sir Adam.

Whether the above view of the history of the Church of Corstorphine is correct or not, the chancel or the Chapel of St. John the Baptist is the

most interesting part of the building. It measures internally 25 feet 6 inches in length by 21 feet in width, and is covered with a pointed barrel vault, having a roof of overlapping stone flags. It contains an

east window of three lights (Fig. 1174), having perpendicular tracery, the lower part of which has been altered, as above pointed out.

There are two small windows in the south side of the chancel, and between them, in the interior, is a fine sedilia, somewhat mutilated (Fig. 1175). Beside it is a piscina (Fig. 1176), with the basin, as usually happens, cut away. In the niche of the piscina there is a stone shelf used as a credence table, and over the niche a projecting round canopy. A very similar canopy exists over the upper small niche on the exterior of the east gable.

In the north wall of the chancel are two recessed tombs (Figs. 1177 and 1178). These monuments, judging from the disturbed appearance of the surrounding masonry and from the different character of the two designs, were apparently not original parts of the chapel, but were subsequently inserted as the occasion arose. The arch stones of the westmost tomb (see Fig. 1177), that of Sir John Forrester (the eldest son of Sir Adam) and his wife, are cut away or concealed by the west wall of the chapel, an arrangement not likely to have been adopted had the tomb been erected when the chapel was built. This monument is usually called the Founder’s Tomb, from the circumstance that Sir John founded the collegiate church. He was twice married: first, to Jean Sinclair, daughter of Henry, first Earl of Orkney; and, second, to Dame Marion Stewart, Lady Dalswinton, widow of Sir John Stewart.[112] His effigy rests on the tomb, along with that of one of his wives. Sir John died after the year 1444.

The eastmost tomb (see Fig. 1178) is that of the son of the foregoing, also Sir John, who died before 1454. It contains his effigy and that of his wife. It does not appear to be known to what family the lady belonged; but from the heraldic blazons (to be afterwards described) she seems to have been a member of the Wigmer family.

There is another tomb situated in the south transept (Figs. 1179 and 1180). It is believed to be that of Sir Alexander Forrester, son of the last mentioned Sir John. The date of his death is not recorded, but he is known to have been alive in 1467. It contains his effigy only. There has been a finial on the tomb, which is now gone.

The amount of heraldic carving on the above tombs, on the gable of the south transept (Fig. 1181), and on the western porch (Fig. 1182) is considerable and is well preserved.[113]

The arms represented on the various shields throughout the whole series comprise, for the different members of the Forrester family above mentioned,

FORRESTER OF CORSTORPHINE, viz.:--

Argent, three hunting horns stringed sable.

These occur alone and conjoined with the arms of their wives, viz.:--

I. Sinclair, Earl of Orkney.

1st and 4th. Azure, a lymphad within a double tressure, flory counter flory, or (for Orkney).

2nd and 3rd. Argent, a cross engrailed (for Sinclair).

II. Stewart of Dalswinton.

Or, a fesse chequé azure and argent, surmounted of a bend engrailed gules.

III. Wigmer.

Argent, on a bend sable a ribbon dancettée of the field.

IV. Forrester (differenced with Sinclair--probably an unauthorised coat).

Argent, a cross engrailed and couped between three hunting horns sable.

The above arms are distributed as follow on the three tombs--

FIRST TOMB, SIR JOHN FORRESTER (see Fig. 1177).

1st shield. Forrester.

2nd shield. Forrester impaling Sinclair, Earl of Orkney. The dexter half only--viz., 1st and 3rd quarters of the complete arms--being given.

3rd shield. Forrester.

4th shield. Forrester impaling Stewart of Dalswinton.

5th shield. Forrester.

SECOND TOMB, SIR JOHN FORRESTER, son of above--Eastmost (see Fig. 1178).

1st shield. Forrester.

2nd shield. Forrester impaling Wigmer.

3rd shield. Forrester.

THIRD TOMB, SIR ALEXANDER FORRESTER (see Figs. 1179 and 1180).

1st shield. Sinclair of Orkney (1st and 3rd quarters only) impaling Forrester (the same arms as first tomb, 2nd shield, but reversed, in error).

2nd shield. Forrester.

3rd shield. Forrester differenced with Sinclair.

The shields on the gable of the south transept (see Figs. 1174 and 1181) are as follow--

1st. Central shield, Forrester.

2nd and 3rd. (Two shields, one on each side of the large window.) Forrester impaling Wigmer.

These shields are all reversed, so that the shield is couché the wrong way and the crest looks the wrong way. The impaled shields have Forrester on the sinister instead of the dexter, and the Wigmer arms make the bend and ribbon sinister instead of dexter.

SOUTH TRANSEPT.

The shields, both on the gable outside and on the tomb inside, seem to have been carelessly executed from an impression of the arms, thus placing everything in the reverse way; so that what in the original is on the dexter side of the shield is here on the sinister, a bend is converted into a bend sinister, and so throughout.

The two shields on the porch are--1st, Forrester; 2nd, Forrester impaling Wigmer.

The sacristy, on the north side of the chancel, enters by a plain lintelled door between the two tombs (see Fig. 1172). It has a rough pointed barrel vault, and looks, from there being windows at two levels, as if it had contained two stories. The sill of the east window projects about 11 inches; and Mr. Muir considers it, without doubt, to have been an altar.[114] Adjoining this window is a piscina, with the orifice of its drain wrought on the base mouldings outside.

As regards the architecture of the church, it accords well with the other collegiate structures of the latter half of the fifteenth century. The perpendicular tracery in the east window of the chancel and the south window of the transept (see Figs. 1173 and 1181) is remarkable, such tracery being very uncommon in Scotland. These two large windows are recessed in the wall, the outer jambs having two or three broad splays. The side windows have the tracery flush with the outer face of the wall.

The buttresses have the usual numerous set-offs. They have now finials, consisting of cubic stones carved as sundials; but, as Mr. T. S. Muir states, these are modern additions, the buttresses having doubtless been originally pinnacled above the eaves.

The tower to the west of the transept (Fig. 1182) is one of the most characteristic features of the structure. It measures externally about 18 feet 6 inches from north to south by 17 feet 3 inches from east to west. The tower has a door to the church, and also a west doorway. It thus formed an entrance porch to the building; but another porch has been added to the west, which is vaulted and covered with a stone roof.

The tower is built with ashlar, and rises, without buttresses, to the eaves. A two-light window is introduced on each face under the cornice. Above the tower there is a stone spire of the stunted description usual at the period. Four pinnacles give some relief to the angles at the base of the spire. The latter is divided by battlemented string courses into three stories, and has lucarnes in the middle story.

After the Reformation the collegiate church became the church of the parish in 1593, and has so continued ever since.

THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF CRAIL, FIFESHIRE.

The quaint old seaport of Crail lies near the eastern point of the north side of the Frith of Forth. It is one of the earliest places in Scotland which are known to have carried on commerce with the Continent, having had intercourse with the Netherlands in the ninth century, where its salt fish were sold, and the name of Crail occurs on a map of the twelfth century.

There was in ancient times a royal castle at Crail, in which David I. resided, and a number of names still exist in the locality, showing its connection with royalty. The earliest charter of the burgh was granted by Bruce in 1310, and confirmed by subsequent kings. It is believed that at one time Crail was the site of a priory dedicated to St. Rufus, the tradition of which is preserved in several local names, such as, the prior’s croft, the prior’s walls, the nun’s peat field, and the house of the prioress, which in 1640 was in the hands of a neighbouring proprietor.

The Church of Crail belonged from an early date to the Cistercian Nuns of Haddington. In 1177 the stipend is mentioned. This church was made collegiate and well endowed by Sir William Myreton, vicar of Lathrick in 1509. He also established the altar of St. Michael the Archangel in 1512, and in 1514 he founded an altar to the praise and honour of God, the Virgin Mary, and all saints, which he placed in the presentation and donation of the bailies and community. Sir William Myreton also showed himself a benefactor of the town by founding schools there in 1525, one being for the teaching of grammar and the other of music. In 1515, besides the above chaplainries, there existed in the church chaplainries of St. James the apostle, St. Bartholomew, and St. Nicholas. An inventory has been preserved, from which it appears that the various altars were well furnished with plate and vestments. On account of the foundation of the new College in the parish church, a charter was issued by Andrew, Archbishop of St. Andrews, confirming letters by the Prioress of Haddington, by Sir William Myreton, by the bailies and community of Crail, and by the parishioners of the parish church, for the foundation of a provostry with ten prebendaries, to be in the gift of the Prioress. In 1520 another prebend was added, viz., that of St. John the Baptist. The priory of Haddington having been erected in 1621 into a temporal lordship in favour of John, Master of Lauderdale, the kirk lands of Crail fell to him.

But in 1587 James VI. had granted a charter to the town of everything belonging to the chaplainries, altarages, and prebends, or to the kirk or college, except what pertained to the Abbey of Haddington. This charter was granted on account of the prebendaries and others following the usual course as the Reformation approached, and alienating the lands of their benefices for their own private advantage. The old College Church thus passed into the hands of the burgh, and was confirmed to it in 1633 by Act of Parliament, and is still used as the parish church.[115]

Although the fabric has been subjected to a considerable amount of modern improvement, many of the original features still remain. The main body of the church (Fig. 1183) consists, as it has always done, of an oblong main structure, divided by two rows of columns into a central nave, and two side aisles. The nave is 63 feet long, the central division being 27 feet 6 inches wide, and the side aisles 11 feet wide. The central columns carry pointed arches (Fig. 1184), and in the wall above them was originally a small window over each column (not over the arches as usual) with widely splayed jambs and trefoil head. The roof of the aisles, being below the sill of these clerestory windows, was necessarily low. This was found in recent times to be a disadvantage, and the walls of the aisles have been rebuilt and heightened, so as to allow the roof of the central nave to run down over them without a break (Fig. 1185). The old clerestory windows are thus roofed in, and are only visible in the inside

of the nave. The windows of the aisles are all modern. The piers are round and bear simple caps (see Fig. 1184), and these and the clerestory windows are plainly of a very late date, although the cap mouldings (see Fig. 1184) have been copied from old forms.