Part 21

motto is the name of the mason who built the aisle, viz., ROBERT · MOIR MASON, and his mark, †/x. On the outside of the aisle (Fig. 1333) one corner stone bears PER ELENA · HAY, and another SOLI DEO · HONOR · ET · GLORIA.

Although Mr. Jervise attributes the above inscriptions and the erection of the chapel to 1404, the style of the lettering and the abundance

of it, together with the style of the mottoes, would rather tend to the conclusion that the work is of a considerably later date. The arch forming the entrance from the church to the chapel, with its pilasters, has certainly the character of sixteenth century work. The group of four pointed windows in the south end of the south aisle has not the appearance of decorated work, such as prevailed about 1404. On the contrary, these windows recall the revived and imitative work of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This group of windows, with its four pointed lights (round the inside of which one of the above inscriptions occurs), is evidently a late design. Possibly an aisle was built in the beginning of the fifteenth century, when the bequest was made, but it seems to have been rebuilt in the following century, when the inscriptions, which are scattered very irregularly over the structure, were reinserted and added to. The edifice was probably rebuilt when, about 1543, the Church of Cullen was converted into a college by Alexander Ogilvie of Deskford and Findlater, for the accommodation and maintenance of a provost, six prebendaries, and two singing boys. A bead-house was also erected by the same individual, for the support of a number of decayed men and women.

The choir, which is a portion added at the east end, contains a richly decorated monument in the north wall, erected by Alexander Ogilvie at the date of the church being made collegiate. The monument (Fig. 1334) is large, and extends from the floor to the roof. It consists of an arched recess with a group of ornamental shafts at each side, and large spandrils above, containing two large round panels, each having in the centre a sculptured figure in bas-relief. Along the top runs a series of canopies

and pinnacles of peculiar design. Within the arch lies an effigy of the founder clad in armour, supported on a basement, which is divided into eight panels, each containing a figure attired in a hood and long robe with book in hand. On a slab at the back of the arched recess is carved the following inscription:--

CORPUS · ALEX^{r} · OGILVY · DE · FINLATER · HĒROS ·.· AC · SPONSĒ · ELEZABETH · GORDON · BTRVMQ · EBBAT PRESIDE · PVRIS · BISTER · PVERISQ · DVOBUS ·.· HAS · IACINT · EDES · IV̄ CTVS · VTERQ · PIVS MIGRAVIIT · ET · HAC · LVCE · HIC · DIE · 4 · MĒNS · IVLII 1554 · ILLA · DIE · · · · · · MĒSIS · · · · · · 155-

The inscription is accompanied by a variety of curious carvings, and by the Ogilvie and Gordon arms. The style of the monument corresponds with the date upon it, being one of the last attempts in the style of Gothic work executed just before the Reformation.

Mr Jervise mentions that in 1863, when alterations were made on the east portion of the church, a stone altar-piece and ambry, in fine preservation, were found. These were 5 to 6 feet in height, embellished with the representation of two angels raising the host and other ornaments, and the text (John vi. 54-56) below the cornice.

CARO · MEA · VERE · EST · CIB · ET · SANGVIS · ME · VERE · Ē · POT · Q MĀDVCAT · MEĀ · CARNĒ · T̄ · BIBIT · MEV̄ · SĀGVINĒ · VIVET · Ī · ETERNV̄.

It is further stated that the ambry and altar-piece were unfortunately reconsigned from view. A sacrament house, answering somewhat to the above description of the ambry, is, however, now visible in the north wall of the choir, to the east of the monument (Fig. 1335). The design shows the two angels supporting a monstrance, and is very similar to, but much simpler than, the sacrament house at Deskford, “which bears to have been erected by Alexander Ogilvie, and his second wife, Elizabeth Gordon,” of which an illustration is given below.

The east end of the church has evidently been a good deal altered, as is apparent from the south wall (see Fig. 1333), where doorways are visible, which have been built up, and windows introduced above.

The coats of arms of the Gordons and Ogilvies on the exterior correspond with those in the interior. The choir contains a large east window divided by three mullions, which cross one another in curved branches, forming plain tracery in the arch-head (Fig. 1336).

On the south side of the choir is still preserved a fine example of a laird’s pew (see Fig. 1336). It is in two stories, the upper story (which forms a gallery) being supported on four solid square wooden pillars (Figs. 1337, 1338, and 1339), which are well carved with numerous ornaments of Renaissance work, and bear the date of 1608. The upper portion or gallery is also old, and contains some good carved woodwork of the post-Reformation period. It is still used as the proprietor’s pew, and is occupied by the Earl of Seafield, whose mansion of Cullen House is close to the church. The lower story is occupied by ordinary pews.

DESKFORD CHURCH, BANFFSHIRE.

The old church of Deskford is situated in its ancient churchyard, about four miles south from Cullen. The church is now a roofless ruin, a new church having been erected in the vicinity. The building is a plain parallelogram, and has no features of note, except the large sacrament house in the north wall near the east end. It seems to have been the fashion in the sixteenth century in this part of the country to make these features very ornamental. Such are the ambries or sacrament houses at Kinkell, Auchendoir, and Cullen. The last was erected by the same individual to whom that at Deskford is attributed, viz., Alexander Ogilvie of Deskford and Findlater, whose splendid monument exists in Cullen Church (see Fig. 1334).

The sacrament house at Deskford (Fig. 1340) is very large, being 8 feet in height by 3 feet 6 inches wide. The design is somewhat similar in all the above sacrament houses, consisting of two angels above the ambry supporting a monstrance, with a quasi-buttress on each side, and several inscriptions and enrichments. At Deskford the side buttresses are a good deal broken and their pinnacles removed. The whole design is surrounded with a scroll ornament of grapes, and there are several inscriptions on various parts of the design. The first is on two scrolls immediately over the ambry, “Os meum es et cara mea”--“Thou art my bone and my flesh;” and another occurs on the broad sill of the ambry, “Ego sum panis vivus qui de celo descendi quis manducaverit ex hoc pane vivet in æternum”--from sixth chapter of John’s Gospel. Beneath the latter are two shields, the first containing the arms of Ogilvie of Deskford and Findlater, viz., 1st and 4th a lion passant gardant gules for Ogilvie, 2nd and 3rd argent a cross engrailed sable for Sinclair of Deskford, with motto Tout jour. The initials A. O. occur at the sides of this shield. The second shield contains, impaled with the above, the arms of Gordon, for Alexander Ogilvie’s second wife, Elizabeth Gordon, and the motto Laus Deo.

Under the coats of arms there is a long inscription, which is remarkable as being the only one in English on any of the above sacrament houses. It also authorises the name of sacrament house for these ornamental ambries. It is as follows:--

THIS · PN̄T (present) LOVEBLE · VARK · OF · SACRAMĒT · HOVS · MAID · TO YE · HONOR [M] LOVĪG · OF · GOD · BE · ANE · NOBLE · MAN · ALEXANDER OGILVY · OF · YAT · ILK [M] ELEZABET · GORDON · HIS · SPOVS · THE · ZEIR OF · GOD · 1551.[154]

The date would lead one to expect the very debased Gothic work which is found here, the influence of the approaching Renaissance being very apparent in the style of the ornamentation.

ST. MOLOC’S OR ST. MOLUOG’S CHURCH, MORTLACH, BANFFSHIRE.

It was formerly believed, on the evidence of Boece, that Malcolm ii. in a battle with the Danes, looking up to the Chapel of St. Moloc at Mortlach, vowed that, if successful, he would there erect a cathedral and found a bishop’s see. The record of the See of Aberdeen appeared to support this statement, and mentioned further that the see was afterwards transferred by David i. to Aberdeen. But Professor Cosmo Innes has

proved that these stories are forgeries, and must be entirely rejected. It is, however, probable that there was an early religious settlement at Mortlach, which may have given some foundation for the above fables. At all events, in 1157, a Bull of Pope Adrian IV. mentions the monastery of Mortlach and the five churches belonging to it.

The existing structure (Fig. 1341) consists of an old building of simple oblong form, 83 feet in length internally by 24 feet in width, to which was added, in 1826, a large north wing or aisle. This wing was further vefynded in 1876, and now measures, internally, 36 feet long by 26 feet.

A small wing or projection has also been added to the south to contain an organ, and the whole church has been reseated and fitted up for service in modern style. There are two lancet windows in the east end, which, together with some portions of the walls, may be ancient (perhaps of thirteenth century date), as it is understood that these windows were found built up, and were reopened during the late restoration, but the remainder of the church has been completely modernised.

Under a pointed arch in the thickness of the north wall, close to the east end, lies the recumbent effigy of a knight in armour (Fig. 1342), supposed to be the monument of Alexander Leslie, the first of Kininvie,[155] who died about 1549. The figure used to stand upright, but has now been placed in its proper position.

A remarkable sculptured stone[156] stands in the flat ground below the church, where the battle with the Danes is said to have taken place, and of which it is traditionally believed to be a memorial.

ABBEY ST. BATHANS, BERWICKSHIRE.[157]

The Abbey of St. Bothan was a convent for Cistercian nuns. Its scanty remains are situated about four miles south-west from Grant’s House Railway Station, in a beautiful valley on the right bank of the Whitadder, which here flows a calm full stream, surrounded by gently swelling hills--an ideal situation for such a house. The modern parish church appears to occupy the site of the ancient church of the abbey, and probably the nunnery buildings were included within the existing churchyard, which lies on the south side of the church. The east wall of the

church only is old, and is entirely ivy clad, the east window (Fig. 1343) being just visible. It is round-arched and is of two lights, each 9 inches wide, with a quatrefoil above, having rather rudely formed cusping. The mullion is modern, and the tracery is recessed to about the middle of the thickness of the wall, being about 18 inches back from the outer face. There is a set-off on the gable, hidden by ivy. It is impossible to say how much of the other walls are old, but probably the modern church occupies the old foundations, in which case the ancient church was

of small size, being about 45 feet long by 24 feet wide.[158] There is a sundial on the wall-head of the south wall at the east end. At the north corner of the east end there are indications of a wall with a splayed base having extended eastwards.

In the interior of the church a modern arched recess (or what appears on the face as modern) contains the recumbent figure of a prioress (Fig. 1344). It measures 6 feet long, and is in good preservation. There appears to have been a dog lying at her feet, but it has been knocked off.

About a quarter of a mile to the south of the church, on the slope of a hill, there are the foundations of a chapel (Fig. 1345) measuring about 38 feet long by 15 feet wide internally. The end walls are each about 5 feet thick, and the side walls about 3 feet. Nothing else belonging to the church remains, except a few fragments of what was probably a circular font, and a window sill lying amongst the ruins. It shows that the window was eight inches wide. A plain slab 6 feet long by 18 inches wide lies in the centre of the building.

The Convent of St. Bothan’s was founded by Ada, daughter of William the Lion, in 1184. She married Patrick, Earl of Dunbar, and they made adequate endowments to the convent.[159] According to Chalmers there was a previous church here, dedicated to St. Bothan,

which was probably given to the Countess Ada’s nuns. It is just possible that the second church, noticed above, may be the church referred to.

BASSENDEAN CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.

The ancient parish of Bassendean is now incorporated with that of Westruther, both in the south-west part of Berwickshire, and the church has long been disused.

The remains of Bassendean Church, which was dedicated to St. Mary, lie five and a half miles west of Greenlaw. The walls are broken down,

but the plan (Fig. 1346) can still be traced. The structure is a simple oblong, measuring 54 feet 6 inches in length by about 20 feet in width externally. The doorway is in the south side, and has been provided with a slot for a bolt. The remains of a stoup and ambry exist beside the door, and there is a recess for a piscina near the east end, and an ambry in the north wall opposite it. In the centre of the south wall there has been a single-light window, and towards the east end a larger two-light

window with a central mullion, now built up (Fig. 1347). The plan of the jamb (Fig. 1348) shows that the structure has been of an

advanced date. The grooves for the glass are in the centre of the wall. There is no window in either of the east, north, or west walls. Fragments of the font are lying amongst the rubbish in the inside.

The old church of Bassendean is still used as a burial-place by the Homes of Bassendean.

The church belonged to the priory of Coldstream, and appears to have been abandoned at the Reformation. It was again used for divine service from 1647 to 1649, when a new church was erected at Westruther, and St. Mary’s was allowed to fall into ruin.

COCKBURNSPATH CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.

The village of Cockburnspath is situated about seven miles south-east of Dunbar. The church here is peculiar and unique, in having a round tower in the centre of the west wall. It is a long narrow building (Fig. 1349), measuring about 80 feet in length by 18 feet 3 inches in width. The structure has been much knocked about, having undergone at least two restorations at different times, the last being about twenty years ago. It is therefore not surprising to find that there is nothing left inside the building of any architectural interest. Four angle buttresses at the corners, however, remain intact, together with portions of an early base course near the east end, and the head of a window, containing geometrical tracery (Fig. 1350), has been preserved and built into the south wall over the door near the east end. Judging from these details and from the thickness of the walls (3 feet 2 inches) it seems probable that the church is not later than the sixteenth century.

The tower (Fig. 1351) is about 9 feet in external diameter, and its interior diameter is about 6 feet. It is about 30 feet high, and contains

a circular stone stair. There is a string course above the level of the ridge of the church, above which the tower rises one story. In this there are several openings or loop holes of a roughly formed cross shape, similar to those sometimes found in the old castles. The tower is built of rubble work in quite a different style of masonry from that of the church. There is nothing to indicate that it is older than the church, except its position. Mr. T. S. Robertson[160] is probably correct when he states, “From its position, I am clearly of opinion that it existed before the church, and that the church walls were built up to it. I cannot believe that any one capable of building the round tower would have taken out the centre of a gable fully 3 feet thick to insert this tower,” for it will be observed that the tower projects inside. “The most that would have been done, had the church been earlier than the tower, would have been to slap a door of communication through the wall of the church.” The tower was probably erected independently as a belfry and for other occasional purposes. A circular stair beginning at the level of the church floor, and entering from the church by a square-headed door, is carried up as far as the upper story of the tower, which has been mended with brick work, otherwise the tower is all of one age. The walls are only 18 inches thick, but the

stone steps of the stair bind them together, and make the building as strong as if it had been built of one solid mass of masonry.

The small building at the east end is probably a century later than the church. It has a pointed barrel-vaulted roof, and an original square-headed doorway in the centre of its east wall. It is now used as the heating chamber of the church.

On the apex of the south-west buttress there is a remarkable sundial, which has already been illustrated.[161]

From Mr. Ferguson’s remarks[162] it is evident that the history of this building has not been investigated. There were a chapel and a hospital at

Cockburnspath in early times. Robert, Chaplain of Colbrundspath, is mentioned in 1255, but Mr. Ferguson has doubts as to this being the site of the chapel referred to.

PRESTON CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.

A ruined church situated about two miles north from Duns. It is in a state of complete dilapidation, and is densely covered with ivy. The structure (Fig. 1352) consists of a nave and chancel of equal width, the whole internal length being about 70 feet by 14 feet 6 inches in width, and the chancel is about 18 feet 6 inches long. The round chancel arch is blocked, and it is doubtful if it is original. There are two narrow pointed windows in the east wall and one in the west wall, all widely splayed towards the interior, and finished with a segmental arch. Another window in the south wall of the chancel (shown in Fig. 1353) is of the same character, only that it is lintelled on the inside instead

of being arched. Beneath this window there is a peculiar piscina (see Fig. 1353). It consists of a triangular shelf projecting about

17 inches from the wall (Fig. 1354) and having a shallow basin supported on a rounded base. Above the shelf there is a round-arched recess 2 feet 2 inches high by 18 inches wide. The back of this recess leans forward, so that while it is 8½ inches deep at the base, it is only 3 inches at the crown of the arch.

There are two south doors with square lintels, one in the chancel and another in the nave near the west end. A later door has been made at the east end of the nave.

All the doors and windows are finished on the outside with a simple chamfer.

There has probably been a sacristy on the north side of the nave.

Mr. Ferguson[163] assigns this church to an early period. The small windows

in the end walls and the shallow buttresses at the west end have an early appearance, but the same cannot be said of the details shown in Fig. 1353. Mr. Muir[164] is doubtful as to its “just claim to antiquity.” This church, with that of Bunkle, about two miles distant, belonged to the Bishopric of Dunkeld.

ST. MARY’S ABBEY, ROTHESAY, BUTESHIRE.

About half a mile westwards from the town of Rothesay, and approached by an avenue of fine old trees, there stands in the ancient burial-ground the choir of the Abbey Church of St. Mary. The west end has been built up with a wall containing a wide gateway, but otherwise the chancel remains in fair preservation, although roofless. A modern church has been erected beside it, but with an interval of a few inches between the new and old structures.

The ancient chancel (Fig. 1355) now measures 27 feet in length by 18 feet in width internally. The east wall, with its gable (Fig. 1356), still survives, and contains a large three-light window, of which the tracery has been of the simple intersecting kind. The east ends of the side walls had each a single pointed light with pointed rear arches. Near the west end of the north wall is a plain pointed doorway, and a small window with square lintel. The west end of the south wall contained a doorway, now built up.

Opposite one another, in the centre of the north and south walls, are erected two more than usually interesting monuments. Both are recessed in the wall, and are covered with an arched canopy, and in each the effigy of the person commemorated is preserved. The monument in the south wall (Fig. 1357) is the larger and finer of the two. It measures nearly 11 feet over the side buttresses. The ogee arch in which it is enclosed contains bold, but late, mouldings. The arch has been ornamented with large crockets, but they are now much wasted away. The monument has doubtless been erected in memory of one of the Stewarts of Bute, who buried here, but its heraldry is peculiar. At the apex there is a shield, which appears to contain the royal arms, but has two lions for supporters, instead of the usual unicorns. There is also on the base or pedestal of the monument a coat of arms, containing quarterly first and fourth the Stewart arms, and second and third the royal arms. The shield is supported by two angels. In a paper by Mr. John Mackinlay,[165] written in 1825, these arms are fully described and illustrated. They were then doubtless better preserved than they now are, but the arms can still be deciphered. Mr. Mackinlay tries to explain the remarkable circumstance of the Stewart arms having precedence in the lower shield over the royal arms, by supposing that they are placed on the tomb of the chief of the

Clan. But the name of the person whose monument this is has not been discovered.[166] As the bearings in quartered shields are often reversed by mistake, the same may have happened here.