Part 26

The Ruthven vault, situated further east, is probably a structure of the sixteenth or seventeenth century. Some closed up windows have features of that period. The seat belonging to Freeland House is situated over it.

The foundations of a building were recently discovered on the north side of the church, exactly opposite this vault (as shown by dotted lines on Plan), suggesting the idea that the simple Norman building had been converted into a cross church.

The bowl of the font (Fig. 1462) still remains. It is octagonal, but

not equal sided, and is somewhat broken. It measures 2 feet 1½ inches over all by about 15 inches high.

Fig. 1463 shows another font which exists at a chapel at Muckersey, a few miles distant. It likewise is octagonal and not equal sided, and has a coat of arms on one side, which we have not been able to identify. The chapel at Muckersey is now used as a family vault, and has no other ancient features.

INCHAFFRAY ABBEY, PERTHSHIRE.

The ruins of the Abbey of Inchaffray, the ancient Insula Missarum, stand on a wooded mound not far from Madderty Station, about six miles east of Crieff.

The abbey was founded by Gilbert, Earl of Stratherne, who succeeded his father, Earl Ferteth, in 1171, and died in 1223, and his first wife, Matildis, the daughter of William de Aubegni. Their eldest son, Gilchrist, was buried in 1198 at Inchaffray, which had been founded before that date. In 1200, when the great charter of the abbey was granted, the Earl and Countess endowed it with various churches, including St. Mechesseok of Ochterardouer and St. Beanus of Kynkell (illustrated in this volume). They declared their affection for Inchaffray, affirming “so much do we love it that we have chosen a place of sepulture in it for us and our successors, and have already buried there our eldest born.”

The abbey was dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist, and was a house of the canons regular of the order of St. Augustine. Although not reckoned as one of the great monasteries of

Scotland, it was “endowed with many privileges and immunities by David and Alexander, Kings of Scotland,” but its principal benefactors were the family of the Earls of Stratherne, Earl Robert, the son (1223 and 1231) of Gilbert being particularly liberal.

Only one of the abbots, Abbot Maurice, has obtained any popular recognition in history. He it was who blessed the Scottish army at Bannockburn in 1314. Five years afterwards he was promoted to the See of Dunblane, within which diocese Inchaffray is situated.

The first head of the house was Malis, a religious hermit, in whose piety and discretion Earl Gilbert and Matildis had full confidence. At the Reformation Inchaffray suffered the usual fate. Alexander Gordon, brother of George, fourth Earl of Huntly, was made commendator in 1553. Five years later he was promoted to the See of Galloway, and shortly afterwards he was accused, by the General Assembly, of neglecting his duties, and in particular, that he had resigned Inchaffray in favour of a young child, and set divers lands in feu in prejudice of the kirk. The young child was James Drummond, son of David, Lord Drummond of Innerpeffray, in whose favour the abbey was erected into a temporal lordship.

The ruins of the abbey are situated on ground which rises slightly above the surface of the valley. This valley in ancient times was a great

marsh extending for many miles, and it was from this feature of its situation that the abbey received the name by which it was very generally known throughout the middle ages, of “Insula Missarum,” or Isle of Masses. As early as the year 1218 the monks had reclaimed a portion of this marsh, and they doubtless continued their labours; but it was not till 1696 that an Act was obtained, under the authority of Parliament, for dealing effectively with it.[206]

The fields around the abbey are now all cultivated, and the ruins are enclosed with stone dykes, as shown by double lines on the Plan (Fig. 1464); so that the few fragments which remain are now properly protected. Within the dykes almost nothing is visible but a dense mass of trees and brushwood, with mounds of ruins in the utmost confusion. A gable at the north-west corner stands entire (Fig. 1465), with a round-arched vault adjoining, about 21 feet long by 10 feet 6 inches wide and 10 feet high. This is one of the

cellars of the western range of buildings. The walls of this range are fairly entire along their whole length for a height of 7 or 8 feet. The south end wall is also standing for about the same height. The length of this range from north to south is about 97 feet 7 inches. It is probable that the adjoining cellar to the south is entire, but the place is so covered with vegetation that little can be ascertained. The doorway entering from the cloister to the north-west cellar is undoubtedly of an early date. Not much of it remains, but enough to enable the Plan (Fig. 1466) to be made. The nook shaft, a fragment of the capital of which exists, is not later than the beginning of the thirteenth century.

The high gable adjoining (Fig. 1467) is certainly in part at least of a later date; the upper part and the chimney, with its corbelled cope, being of the sixteenth or seventeenth century. On the first floor there has been a large fireplace, the flue of which is still partly visible (see Fig. 1467). A part of the north wall of the cloister stands near the gable. This was part of the south wall of the church (see Plan), and the greater portion of the church would thus be situated outside the present enclosing dyke on the north side.

There are indications at the north-east corner of the surviving gable (at A on Plan) of a wall having extended northwards, which was probably the west wall of the church. At the junction of the south wall of the church and the wall of the western range, and at the height of about 15 feet above the ground, there still exists the corner corbel for supporting the roof of the cloister walk. We can remember when there were other corbels along the church wall also, but they have now disappeared. The part of this wall now standing is in a very precarious state. It evidently extended eastwards for about 120 feet, when it met a cross wall, now represented by a mass of rough masonry about 7 or 8 feet square (see Plan). This mass may represent one of the great piers of a central tower. There are other pieces of masonry throughout the enclosure with numerous trenches and mounds, but, owing to the rank vegetation, it is impossible to make a more satisfactory Plan than the one now given. If the place were cleared out and a judicious search made, considerable remains would doubtless be found.

The average length of the enclosure as it now stands is about 210 feet.

INNERPEFFRAY CHURCH, PERTHSHIRE.

The structure of this church is still entire, although the building is now only used as a place of burial. It is situated on a high knoll overlooking the river Earn, about four miles south-east from Crieff. Near the church on the bank of the river stands the ruined Castle of Innerpeffray, elsewhere described and illustrated.[207] Close to the west end of the church is the Library of Innerpeffray (shown in Fig. 1469), founded by David, Lord Madderty, in 1691. It contains a fine collection of early printed books, and is open to the public and is well worth visiting.

The church (Fig. 1468) is divided, by modern walls, into three parts. It is a long narrow building, measuring, internally, about 76 feet in length by about 21 feet 4 inches in width. There was a sacristy on the north side near the east end, its width and position being indicated by the

absence of the moulded wall-head plinth (Fig. 1469), which runs round the whole side walls except at this part. The door between the church and sacristy still remains, but is built up. On the sacristy side it has a rough flat arch. To the east of this door there is, on the exterior, a splayed aperture about 2 feet 9 inches wide (see Plan) by about 2 feet high, and about the same height above the ground. There is no trace of it inside, the walls being plastered. This may have been what is called a squint,

being situated in the same relative position as those at Seton and other churches.

The Church of Innerpeffray is peculiar, from having what resembles a chancel arch, situated at a distance of about 7 feet 6 inches from the west end. This arch (Fig. 1470) is round and about 14 feet 2 inches wide. It has a splayed squint about 2 feet wide on the south side, as shown on the sketch. It is difficult to give a satisfactory explanation of this arch, but it seems to have formed a vestibule in connection with the stair leading to an apartment on the upper floor. The archway appears to have been fitted with some kind of timber screen, which, if it was a close one, would help to explain the object of the squint.

There is a room on the first floor reached by the wheel stair in the

north-west angle. This room, as it now exists, is of later construction than the church, and is not older than the seventeenth century. The stair, however, is part of the original construction, and is believed to have given access to a belfry on the west wall, as well as to the room which doubtless existed from the first over the vestibule, and which (see Fig. 1469) was provided with a fireplace and a window in the west gable.

The ceiling of the existing room (see Fig. 1470) cuts across the archway in an awkward manner. Doubtless the original room was at a slightly higher level, so as not to interfere with the arch. The ceiling and floor of the room are in a very ruinous state, the greater part having fallen. The ceiling is painted in bright colours. It has a figure of the sun in the centre with rolling clouds around, and till lately there was a complete figure of an angel on one side, of which only slight indications now remain. On

the south side the ceiling has entirely fallen, and with it the figure of an angel corresponding to the one on the north side, and soon the whole thing will come to the ground.

The church, in its original state, had three doorways, one in the centre of the west end and one in the south wall, the latter being secured (see Plan) by a sliding bar. Both these doors have bead and hollow mouldings. The third door was in the north wall and is now built up. There are six windows in the south wall, the two westmost ones adjoining the great arch being markedly narrower than the others, and having evidently some connection with the west arch. These windows have all double splays on the exterior, except the eastmost one (Fig. 1471), which has a large quarter hollow moulding continued round the lintel, on which occurs a shield with the Drummond arms.

All the windows and doors have square lintels, with the mouldings or splays of the jambs continued round the lintels. The mode of securing the side door has already been referred to; all the windows are likewise strongly secured with iron interlacing bars.

Fig. 1472 shows the jamb moulding of the south doorway. Over this doorway there is a small pointed opening (see Fig. 1469), probably intended to throw light on the rood screen which stood near it, as is evident from the corbels for carrying it, three of which still exist on the south side (see Plan) and one on the opposite side, the others having been removed to admit a monument. On the north side two of these corbels are placed (Fig. 1473), one on each side of one of the windows, which, as will be seen, has been converted into a doorway to give access to the central burial vault. Alongside the south door there is the stoup (see Figs. 1473 and 1474). It is of plain design, with a slightly projecting bracket. The piscina or small recess at the east end is quite plain, not even having a splay.

A very interesting feature of this church is the altar, which is still standing against the east wall (see Plan). It has been rough cast over, so that it cannot be examined thoroughly. It is needless to say that few ancient altars remain in Scotland, one of the best preserved ones being at

the Church of Stobhall, about twenty miles distant, a view of the exterior of which church is subjoined (Fig. 1475).[208] Stobhall and Innerpeffray churches were both built by the same family of the Drummonds, who adhered to the ancient faith, and successfully defied the power of the reformed Church to cast down their monuments of idolatry, as altars and other appendages of the ancient Church were termed.

The east gable at Innerpeffray is quite plain, with the exception of a small niche, which probably held a figure. Besides the painted ceiling already referred to, there are considerable traces of painting throughout the interior, particularly on the east wall. Several consecration crosses are also painted on various parts of the church.

From what has been said, it will be seen that this is a church of very considerable interest and some almost unique peculiarities, and it is unfortunate that it should be divided up with unseemly walls, and that no effort should be made to preserve the painted work, of which so little remains in Scotland. Were it put in the same condition as the Church of Stobhall and as well cared for, it would be a circumstance for which all who are interested in Scottish church architecture would be grateful.

This church, which was a Collegiate one, was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and was founded by Sir John Drummond, the first of Innerpeffray, in 1508. In the account which follows (kindly supplied by Mrs. Birnie, keeper of the Library) it appears that a church existed here in the previous century, and indeed it is stated[209] that it is mentioned as early as 1342. The existing building, however, was doubtless erected at the period above mentioned.

“In 1483 the Church of Innerpeffray must have been in existence, as the patronage is then conveyed by the Mercers to Lord Oliphant.

“One reason for considering the foundation of considerable antiquity is the fact that the market held on the day of dedication (Lady-day) was one of the great marts and one of the great holidays of Strathearn. (The market was removed to Crieff about eighty years ago.) Institutions so popular as this are generally found to have their origin in a remote antiquity.... Its proximity also to the meeting point of the four Roman roads, from Ardoch and the south, from Comrie and Loch Earn on the west, from the Sma’ Glen on the north, and from Perth on the east, made it a suitable centre.... Convenience of access and the popularity of Lady Fair appear to confirm the remote date of the church, &c.

“John Freebairn, minister and preacher of the Gospel at Madderty (1620-1657), who was connected with the Drummonds by marriage, in a genealogical history of the House of Drummond, leaves on record the following:--‘John, first Lord Drummond, having re-edified the Chapel of Innerpeffray from the ground and erected it into a college for some few prebendaries to pray for requiems for him and his house, ordained it to be their burying-place for all time coming, and being near 80 years of age he framed one of the most material and perfyte testaments that ever I saw and syne closed his eyes and time togidder and was most honourably interred at Innerpeffray, in the year 1519.’

“On 4th June 1507 the King confirmed in Mortmain the charter of John, Lord Drummond, by which (for the souls of the King and Queen, for his own soul and that of Elizabeth Lindesay, his wife, and the umquhile Margaret Drummond, his daughter, &c.) he granted as a pure free almsgift to four chaplains, to celebrate the divine offices for ever at the four altars in the church, dedicated in honour of the Blessed Virgin, of Innerpeffray, an annual income of forty marks from his lands of Innerpeffray and Dunfallys, with houses, residences, and gardens to be marked off and built for each, with the right to each of them of obtaining necessary fuel in the Common Mure of Innerpeffray with four sums for grasses and for one horse. In 1508 occurs the name of Walter Drummond, the first Provost of Innerpeffray. Here was buried the second Master of Drummond, who died before his grandfather, and left an infant son, David, afterwards second Lord Drummond....

“The King, on 20th October 1581, confirmed the charter of William Lindesay, provost or principal perpetual chaplain of the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Innerpeffray, in which with consent of Patrick, Lord Drummond, patron of the said provostry, he demised to James Drummond of Innerpeffray six acres of land, the Smithlands, &c. &c., reserving to the said provost one chamber (camera) only when he should stay there.[210]... Four roundles or towers stood one at each corner of the churchyard, and tradition says that these formed the residences of the four chaplains.”

KINFAUNS CHURCH, PERTHSHIRE.

This edifice is situated about four miles east from Perth, and continued to be the parish church till about forty years ago, when it was abandoned and allowed to fall into ruin. It is now roofless and the walls are very much reduced, except the south aisle, which contained the seats of the family of the Greys of Kinfauns and their burial-place. When the church was dismantled a painting was found on the plaster inside the west wall, but unfortunately no drawing was made of it, and it has now entirely disappeared.

The church (Fig. 1476) measures about 65 feet long by 18 feet 2 inches wide within the walls, and is probably a structure of the fifteenth century. It has been considerably altered during Presbyterian times, new windows and doors having been broken through the walls. The south doorway is original, and is round arched with a bead moulding towards the outside,

and lintelled on the inside with a stone slab having a cross carved on it, evidently a companion stone to the one shown in Fig. 1477. This cross, which wants part of its length, measures 5 feet 11 inches long by 1 foot 7 inches in width at top, tapering to 1 foot 4 inches at lower end by 10 inches thick. It is well wrought with sloping sides, having the form of the cross completed, as seen by the rounded disc rising out of the slope on each side. There was probably a south doorway opposite the north doorway, adjoining the stoup shown in the south wall. The eastmost window on the south side is also original; it is square lintelled and has the usual wide splay all round.

The most interesting feature in the church is the arched recess in the north wall (see Fig. 1477), which was probably an Easter sepulchre. It was only discovered after the church became a ruin, having previously been covered over. It has thus been well preserved, except that the projecting crockets along the top of the hood moulding, as well as most of the hood itself, have been chipped away, so as to make an even surface at the wall. It measures about 6 feet 6 inches long by 3 feet in depth, and about 4 feet high. It has well wrought mouldings, which die against

a rounded jamb, supported on a short shaft having a very simple cap and base. The floor of the recess was slightly raised above the floor of the church. The details of the mouldings show that this is a late design, probably sixteenth century.

The “Gray Aisle” on the south side of the church is roofed with a late example of groined vaulting (Fig. 1478), and it is curious to observe how the tradition of this kind of work survived to a period when the style of art practised throughout the country was of the kind represented by the panels on the east and west walls. There are three panels on these

walls. The central one on the west side (see Fig. 1478) contains the Lindsay arms, as shown. On the east side there are two coats (Fig. 1479) containing the Charteris arms. On one of the panels of that side is the following inscription, which gives the name of the founder of the aisle:--

“John Chartrvs and Jannat Chisolim In ovr tym buildit this,” and on the other is the inscription, “George Chartus sonn and har to the sad John and deppartit. Bot suecs/nuvn” (without succession). The date over the entrance door is 1598.

MEIGLE CHURCH FONT, PERTHSHIRE.

The old country town of Meigle is situated in the middle of Strathmore, not far from Alyth Junction on the railway between Perth and Forfar.

The church stood in the middle of the village, and was rebuilt about the beginning of this century. When the old building was demolished, a font was dug out of the rubbish and erected on a pedestal in the minister’s garden. It remained there for a time, but when an Episcopal chapel was built, the font was removed into it, and is now in use there. It is one of the best specimens of an old font now remaining in Scotland,

and it evidently belongs to a late period, probably sixteenth century.

The font is octagonal and made of one stone. It is 2 feet 3 inches in diameter, and the basin measures 1 foot 9 inches across. Each of the sides of the octagon contains an arch with carved crockets, and the angles are marked by small buttresses and pinnacles. The carved work has been very spirited, but is now much damaged. In each arch is a bas-relief containing emblems and scenes connected with the Passion.

Fig. 1480 shows three sides, which represent--(1) the Crucifixion, (2) the seamless coat and the scourges and dice, (3) the Resurrection. Fig. 1481 shows--(4) the Cross and crown of thorns, (5) the pierced hands, feet, and heart (showing the five wounds of the Passion), (6) the pillar with the rope twisted round it, and the cock on the top. The seventh side contains the ladder and the spear, reed, and sponge arranged saltierwise, and the eighth the three nails and the hammer.

These sculptures are all well preserved and well executed, but whether of native workmanship or not it is impossible to say.

METHVEN COLLEGIATE CHURCH, PERTHSHIRE.[212]

Of the Church of Methven, consecrated by Bishop David de Bernham of St. Andrews on 25th August 1247, nothing now remains.

The Collegiate Church or Provostry of Methven, as it is generally called, was founded in 1433 by Walter Stewart, the aged Earl of Athole. Before this time, King James i. had conferred the liferent of the Earldom of Strathearn upon the Earl of Athole, so that he was the great lord of the district, and was, besides, a son of Robert ii. Three years after the founding of this church he suffered a terrible death, for his supposed connivance in the assassination of James i. in Perth.