Part 30

The old church of Kinnoull stood on the east side of the Tay opposite Perth. It may be said to have entirely disappeared with the exception of an aisle which was attached to the church, and now contains a seventeenth century monument to the Earl of Kinnoull (Fig. 1558). The monument is of a pompous kind, and inspires none of those feelings of reverence begotten by the monuments of the Middle Ages. It occupies the full width and height of the aisle, and has a high dado richly sculptured on the pedestals and sides with arms and insignia of power, and contains an ornate central panel. From the dado there rise three columns resting on pedestals. The columns themselves are twisted and carved. The capitals, which are in imitation of Corinthian, are very debased. The two end columns are backed by projecting pilasters at the wall. Above the columns there runs a carved entablature with cornice, supporting, by way of finish, a heraldic slab in the centre, with various separate figures on each side of it.

The principal feature of the monument, to which all the above are accessories, is the life-sized statue of George, first Earl of Kinnoull and Chancellor of Scotland. His history will be found in Crawford’s _Lives of the Officers of State_. The monument was erected in 1635.

KIRKOSWALD CHURCH, AYRSHIRE.

Kirkoswald is a village on the road between Girvan and Maybole in Carrick, containing an old church and churchyard. The church (Fig. 1559) is a simple oblong measuring about 93 feet 6 inches in length by 28 feet 4 inches in width over the walls. It seems originally to have consisted of plain walls without buttresses, but within modern times the

structure has been converted into a mausoleum by building up all the windows, and by adding buttresses along the south side. The pointed blank windows and the large pointed doorway in the south wall are also modern additions. The modern applied buttress at the south-west angle is now falling away.

At first sight the building presents an ancient appearance, but closer examination shows that it has been modernised beyond recognition.

LAUDER CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.

The small town of Lauder stands in the wide and fertile vale of the Leader Water, about six miles (over a high hill) from the nearest railway station at Stow. The ancient parish church of Lauder was bestowed, in the reign of David i., on Sir Hugh Morville, Constable of Scotland. It was afterwards given by Devorgilla, wife of John Baliol, to Dryburgh Abbey, to which it remained attached till the Reformation. It appears that there were two chapels connected with the parish church in different parts of the parish.

The existing parish church (Fig. 1560) stands in the ancient churchyard. It has apparently been entirely rebuilt in 1673, which date is carved on the north gable. Chalmers, however, says that the ancient church was relinquished in 1617, when a new church was erected. The present structure, although very late, shows some reminiscences of Gothic forms, both in its plan and elevations.

The plan is a Greek cross having four equal arms extending from a central crossing. The latter is 14 feet square, and each arm is 28 feet 6 inches in length by 16 feet in width internally. The crossing is surmounted by four pointed arches, which spring from a massive pier at each angle, and carry the central tower. In the north-west and south-east angles of the arms there are introduced two entrance lobbies, giving access to the four arms and to staircases, leading to a gallery in each arm. The space on the ground floor below the galleries is low, and is lighted by two square windows in the end wall of each arm (Fig. 1561), with moulded jambs and lintel, while each upper floor or gallery is lighted by means of a large pointed window in the gable, filled with plain intersecting tracery, with mullions and transoms.

The entrance doorways have round arches with hood moulding, and the side windows of the staircases are pointed. The external angles of the building and the outline of the windows are all finished with a broad fillet, projected so as to receive rough casting. The skews of the gables are plain and do not project, and the joints are horizontal. Each skew has a large projecting stone at bottom. These appear to have carried small pyramidal ornaments, two of which are still preserved.

The central tower is square till it reaches the ridge of the main roofs, above which point it becomes octagonal, and is finished with a slated roof. A small round-headed window of a late style is inserted in four sides of the octagonal part or belfry.

The staircase buildings in the two angles do not appear to be parts of the original structure, or at least would seem to have been a good deal altered.

In the neighbourhood of Lauder is Thirlestane Castle,[242] the residence of the Duke of Lauder, well known in connection with the attempted introduction in the seventeenth century of Episcopacy into Scotland. It seems not unlikely that the quasi-Gothic character of the church may have been the result of his influence.

LESWALT CHURCH,[243] WIGTONSHIRE.

A ruined church, the predecessor of the present one, which was built early in this century. It stands about four miles west from Stranraer. All the dressed stones of the wall openings have been taken out, so that nothing remains to tell the date of the structure. In the seventeenth century a wing (Fig. 1562) has been erected against the north wall, which probably contained a gallery above and a burial-place below, as was frequently the case in similar erections about that time. The wall between the wing and the church is still standing several feet high.

The wing has been entered by a plain flat lintelled door in the north wall (Fig. 1563), over which is a window divided into four compartments by a moulded mullion and transom. This window would light the private room or gallery on the upper floor. A panel (Fig. 1564) below the window shows that the place was used as a burial vault, as it contains an inscription and two coats of arms. The inscription states that it is in memory of Patritus Agnew of Lochnaw, Earl of Wigton, and Margaret Kennedy, his spouse; A.D. 1644. The arms on the shields beneath are those of Agnew and Kennedy.

After the new church was erected the old one was used as the parish school, which accounts for a fireplace still visible in the east wall of the church.

Fig. 1565 shows its present ruined condition.

Before the Reformation the Church of Leswalt belonged to the Monks of Tungland, and in Episcopal times to the Bishop of Galloway.

ST. COLM’S CHURCH, LONMAY, ABERDEENSHIRE.

Only the merest fragment of this church now remains. Its dimensions can be determined as having been 62 feet in length by 15 feet 3 inches wide inside. Part of the west gable survives for a height of about 10 or 12 feet, with a small square-headed window. Nothing else is left but grass-covered ruins and fallen pieces of masonry.

LOUDOUN CHURCH, GALSTON, AYRSHIRE.[244]

This was originally a structure of the first pointed period, but it is now in a state of complete ruin, except the choir, which has been fitted up in the seventeenth century as a burial vault.

The west gable stands nearly entire, but the side walls are completely demolished, except at the choir (Fig. 1566). The building is externally

64 feet long by 27 feet wide. The choir is about 14 feet 9 inches long, and is separated from the nave by a plain round arch 15 feet 6 inches wide (Fig. 1567). In the east wall (Fig. 1568) there are two pointed windows about 10 inches wide, with slight splays on the outside, and widely splayed inside (Fig. 1569), where they are finished with round arches. There are two set-offs on the east wall, and the same occur on the west wall. The structure has been greatly modified in the seventeenth century. The south doorway into the choir and the window, with

panels and arms (Fig. 1570), are probably all insertions of that period, as also is the vault seen in the drawings. The ground has accumulated

round the church so that the splayed base seen in Mr. Schultz’s drawings is now buried to the extent of about 2 feet.

The masonry of the ruin is of fine ashlar, in regular courses.

LYNE CHURCH, PEEBLESSHIRE.

This building, which is still used as the parish church, is situated on the Lyne Water, near the Tweed, about three miles above Peebles. It stands on the summit of a mound, which is occupied as the churchyard.

The building (Fig. 1571) is a tiny one, measuring internally only about 34 feet by 11 feet. The windows and doorway are on the

south side (Fig. 1572) and in each gable, there being no opening in the north wall. The windows have simple tracery of a late type, and the jambs have backfillets (a late feature) round the openings. There are angle buttresses at the west end, and a modern belfry on the apex of the west gable.

Some good fragments of old woodwork survive in the church, particularly a pulpit (Fig. 1573), which, it is usually stated, was made in Holland. Lyne is distant from the sea and must have been difficult of access; for which reason, amongst others, we doubt whether there is any truth in the tradition. The pulpit, which is circular in plan, is quite simple in design, and its construction would not present a formidable task to a Scottish country wright, judging by other examples of woodwork made in Scotland about this time. Some of the other woodwork bears the date 1644, and one of the pews, now removed, was dated 1606.[245] The church has been frequently repaired, which accounts for the loss of such examples.

“The district was, in the twelfth century, a chapelry dependent on Stobo.”[246] Robert, the chaplain of Lyne, is a witness to a charter in the Register of Glasgow, between 1208 and 1213; but of the early church then existing nothing now remains, the present structure probably dating from the beginning of the seventeenth century.

MORHAM CHURCH, HADDINGTONSHIRE.

A retired parish church about four miles east from Haddington. It is stated to have been built in 1724, but some portions of ornamental carving built into the south wall (Fig. 1574) would seem to indicate that they had formed part of an earlier structure.

The only architectural feature connected with the church is the elevation of the north wing or aisle (Fig. 1575), which, although it corresponds well with the date of the building, is in a somewhat unusual style for a Scottish church of the period.

CHURCH OF ST. FIACRE OR FITTACK, NIGG, KINCARDINESHIRE.

A ruined church standing in the centre of an ancient churchyard, situated about three miles south-east from Aberdeen. The church is probably one of those built during the short period of Episcopal government in the seventeenth century. It consists (Fig. 1576) of a single chamber, but there are indications of an arch across from side to side, where shown by dotted lines on the Plan, which may have marked a chancel. The building is 48 feet 6 inches in length by 20 feet 6 inches in width internally, and has been roofless for more than half a century.

The lintelled door is on the south side, and there are two other doors on the north side, one of them being in the supposed chancel.

The belfry (Fig. 1577) appears to have been rebuilt in 1703. A row of projecting corbels, which probably supported a previous belfry, are left projecting under the new one.

Immediately adjoining the ruin there is a stately seventeenth century house, formerly the manse, now occupied by an agricultural tenant and farm labourers.

The building is on the site of an early church, which was granted by William the Lion to his favourite Abbey of Arbroath, and it remained as one of its dependaries till the Reformation.

OLDHAMSTOCKS CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.

The main portion of this church, although its walls may in part be old, is not of much architectural merit, but the chancel (Fig. 1578) is not without interest as a specimen of late Gothic work. It is now used as a burial vault, and is completely ivy clad. It measures about 18 or 20 feet square, and is of modest height, being some 10 or 12 feet to the eaves.

The chief feature is the east window, with its rude tracery. The latter, which is of a different stone from the jambs and sills, is probably a restoration of late in the sixteenth century, while the chancel itself may be a little earlier. The building is vaulted with a barrel vault, and is covered on the exterior with overlapping stone slabs. It is impossible to say whether it contains any features of pre-Reformation times. The door seen on the south side of the choir is dated 1701.

Of the panels half concealed in the ivy, the one on the right contains the arms of Thomas Hepburn, incumbent of Oldhamstocks, and of his wife, Margaret Sinclair, who died in 1581. This Thomas Hepburn was admitted Master of Requests to Queen Mary two days after her marriage with Bothwell, and he was tried and convicted for aiding the Queen in her escape from Lochleven.[247]

This church is of an old foundation. In 1127 Aldulph, the presbyter of Aldehamstoc, witnessed a charter of Robert, the Bishop of St. Andrews, and the church is rated in the ancient _Taxatio_ and in _Bagimond’s Roll_. It is also recorded as an existing rectory in the Archbishop’s Roll of 1547.

There is a peculiar sundial on the south-west corner of the church, which is illustrated.[248] It may be mentioned that in the centre of the west end of the church there is a tower which is finished at the top with a modern belfry. This tower or turret is probably of pre-Reformation date.

ORMISTON CHURCH, HADDINGTONSHIRE.

Only a small portion of the old church of Ormiston, in which Wishart and Knox more than once officiated, has been preserved. It stands close to the mansion house of Ormiston Hall, about one mile south from the village of Ormiston. A new church having been erected about a quarter of a mile distant, the old church has been allowed to go to decay. The surviving fragment of the latter appears to have been the east end. There are several stones built into the walls which must have belonged to a Norman church, being carved with the chevron ornament.

The Church of Ormiston was dedicated to St. Giles. It was granted to the Hospital of Soltre, founded by Malcolm IV., which was confirmed by the Bishop of St. Andrews in the thirteenth century.

This church was subsequently made a prebend of the Church of the Holy Trinity at Edinburgh, founded by Mary of Gueldres.

The building (Fig. 1579) has been enclosed at the west end with a modern wall, and measures, within the enclosure, 16 feet 6 inches in length by 13 feet 6 inches in width. It contains in the south wall the outlines of two windows, now built up, and of one window in the north wall. These have apparently been altered at some time and made square-headed. An archway of considerable height (Fig. 1580) stands in the continuation of the south wall westwards. It is in two orders, the outer order square and the inner order splayed. This doorway has apparently entered into the church, which, judging from the height of the archway, must have had side walls of considerable height. They are now reduced as shown, and a roof was put upon the east portion during this century, which renders the interior very dark.

In the north wall of the chancel there is a monument of some importance (Fig. 1581), as it contains one of the few brasses which exist in Scotland. The brass consists of an engraved plate containing an inscription to the memory of Alexander Cockburn, one of the members of the family to whom the adjoining mansion house belonged. He died, as the inscription tells, at an early age. The upper part of the inscription is metrical, and was composed by the learned George Buchanan, and

appears in his published works. Alexander Cockburn was a pupil of John Knox, and in 1547 sought refuge in the Castle of St. Andrews. On the dexter base of the brass are engraved the Cockburn arms, and on the sinister base the arms of Sandilands, for the mother of a Cockburn, who was of the family of Sandilands of Calder. These arms are quartered with the arms of Douglas, and show the ancient relationship between that family and the Sandilands.[249]

The barony of Ormiston was the property of the Cockburns from the middle of the fourteenth century, when they acquired it by marriage.

The monument was no doubt erected not long after the death of the person commemorated, or towards the end of the sixteenth century. It corresponds in style with that of the Regent Murray, in St. Giles’ Cathedral,

Edinburgh[250] (1570), the inscription on which was also composed by George Buchanan. That at Ormiston is as follows:--

Omnia quæ longa indulget mortalibus ætas Haec tibi Alexander prima juventa dedit Cum genere et forma generoso sanguine digna Ingenium velox, ingenuumque animum Excolint virtus animum ingeniumque Camenae Successu studio consilioque pari His ducibus primum Peragrata Britannia deinde Gallia ad armiferos qua patet Helvetios Doctus ibi linguas quas Roma Sionet Athenae Quas cum Germano Gallia docta sonat Te licet in prima rapuerunt fata juventa Nonimmaturo funera raptus obis Omnibus officiis vitae qui functus obivit Non fas nunc vitae est de brevitate queri Hic conditur Mr. Alexander Cokburn primogenitua Joannis domini Ormiston et Alisonae Sandilands ex preclara familia Calder, qui natus 13 Januarii 1535 post insignem linguarum professionem Obiit anno ætatis suae 28 Calen. Septe.[251]

PITTENWEEM PRIORY, FIFESHIRE.

Of the old monastery of Pittenweem, which was connected with that on the Isle of May in the Frith of Forth, only some altered fragments survive. The priory seems to have derived its name from its being built close to a cave or “weem” on the shore of the Frith of Forth, with which it had communication by a vaulted chamber in the garden and a long straight staircase. The monastic buildings surrounded a courtyard. On the south side was the prior’s mansion (now restored and occupied by the Episcopal clergyman of the place). On the west side was the refectory, now converted into the Town Hall, and to the north of it the dormitories.

Some of the walls of these structures still exist, with two square projecting windows overlooking the courtyard. On the east side is the gatehouse, a battlemented structure with a round archway passing through it, now greatly decayed and covered with ivy. Beyond the courtyard to the north lay some outer grounds and a chapel.[252]

After the Reformation the buildings passed into the hands of laymen, and the monastery became the “manor place of Pittenweem.” In 1588 a portion of the grounds was granted to the burgh, in order that a suitable church might be erected, which was carried out soon thereafter (Fig. 1582). Possibly some portions of the church of the priory are included in this building, but it has in recent years been restored and extended.

The quaint tower (Fig. 1583), with its mixture of Gothic and classic features, is the only part which has not been interfered with. The tower, which stands at the north-west angle of the church, is about 18 feet square externally. It rises with a plain square outline for a considerable way without buttresses or anything to distinguish it from a castle keep. There are even shot-holes under the windows, as in the domestic structures of the time. The stair turret in the north-east angle has the outline and corbelled gablet similar to the cape-house of the stair turrets of the Scotch castles of the period. The spire, with its remarkable lucarnes, helps to give the erection a little more of an ecclesiastical character, but the balustrade again recalls the attention to the domestic and Renaissance style of the design.[253]

POLWARTH CHURCH, BERWICKSHIRE.[254]

This church (Fig. 1584) was reconstructed in 1703, and is believed to rest on the foundations of an older structure, dedicated by Bishop Bernham in 1242. The building measures 55 feet by 24 feet over the walls. Although of such a late date, it is of pleasing form, and has fine large mouldings round the doors and panels above them. A stone on the east gable contains the Polwarth arms, three piles engrailed.

The font of the old church stands outside the building. It is of a round form 28 inches in diameter. The basin, which is 22 inches in diameter,

is 11½ inches deep, with a central aperture. The height of the fragment is 21 inches.

HERALDIC PANEL FROM PRESTONPANS CHURCH, HADDINGTONSHIRE.[255]

This panel (Fig. 1585) was discovered in 1891 during some alterations of the seating of the church. It then formed the back of a seat in the gallery, and was concealed by a green cloth. Doubtless, from its heraldic decorations, it must originally have occupied a more prominent position. The arms and initials show that it belonged to the Hamiltons of Preston. The date on the panel (1604) connects it with an earlier church, the present church having been erected later. The panel is of oak and in good preservation, except where cut away to make it fit its new position, and the colours are still rich and fresh. The panel is in two pieces, each 2 feet 3 inches high. The whole is divided into eight compartments, of which only four bear arms. They are all arched, and are separated by

pilasters. On the four compartments arms, surrounded by laurel wreaths, are blazoned in colour, together with initials. The initials G. H. and B. C., which refer to George Hamilton, Laird of Preston, and Barbara Cockburn, his wife, are carved in relief in the spandrils. The letters painted within the arches, viz.,S/J. H. and D./K. H. stand for Sir John Hamilton, the son of the above, and Dame Katherine Howieson, his second wife, married 1620. The lady died 1629. The shields beneath these initials contain the Hamilton arms twice, and the Cockburn and Howieson arms for the wives of the father and son. The initials of the son and his wife were carved over the windows of the tower, while over the centre window they appear in a monogram with the date 1626.