Part 6

The above examination of the choir, south aisle, and sacristy leads to the belief that they are all of a late period, probably about 1500. The entire building bears evidence of having been in whole or part re-erected about the end of the fifteenth century or the beginning of the sixteenth century, possibly when it became the Cathedral of the Isles in 1506. Some portions, such as the north transept, the north and west sides of the crossing, the wheel stair to the tower and parts of the walling connected therewith, are older; but all the rest, including the east and south arches of the crossing, is of a much later date. Besides the points to which attention has been drawn above, it may be noted that the buttresses of the choir, which from their form may have been raised from ancient bases, have on each angle a single bead on their lower part and a triple bead on the upper part (see Fig. 984). The upper story of the tower, which is admittedly very late, has also a triple bead on the angles of the top story. May it not have happened that the building suffered from some cause, or was intentionally taken down and reconstructed about the end of the fifteenth or beginning of the sixteenth century? Such an event might account for the antique form of the buttresses, which may have been raised from existing portions of old buttresses; while the triple bead on their upper story would show the change of style introduced at the time of the reconstruction. It would also explain the preservation of the old doorway to the sacristy, while the upper parts of the walls were rebuilt. The very irregular appearance of the lower part of the north wall of the choir might also be thus accounted for. The interior string course on the north side, which rises in large steps from the sacristy door, is composed of stones partly enriched and partly plain, as if it formed part of a reconstruction in which old materials had been reused. The clerestory windows, with their ancient forms, are doubtless reproductions of the outlines which formerly existed.

The section of the south-east pier of the crossing (see Fig. 998) shows that the south transept is of about the same period as the choir, the round responds in each corresponding with the circular piers of the choir, and the carved caps being very similar in both (see Figs. 989 and 990); and the south wall of the transept, with its late traceried window and buttresses and base course, is evidently of the same period as the presbytery. The mouldings of the mullions are in both cases returned along the sills, an unusual and late arrangement.

The rebuilt part of the crossing has arch moulds which correspond in style with those of the south aisle arches, and the sculpture of the caps

also corresponds with that of the aisle piers, both containing, as above mentioned, fine examples of Celtic foliage and figures. The peculiar traceried windows at the east end of the south aisle of choir and the adjoining piscina (see Fig. 999) are also clearly of late date.

The cloister lies to the north of the nave; it measures 73 feet from north to south by 66 feet from east to west. The cloister walk has had a wooden roof all round, resting on corbels (see Fig. 994) in the main wall, and on an arcade on the side next the cloister garth. Some fragments of the shafts and arches of the arcade are preserved in the chapter house, and the bases of a twin column, socketed for the shafts, stand on the wall at the north-west angle. The arcade would thus appear to have rested on coupled shafts, and, so far as can be ascertained by examination of the only surviving portion at the south-west angle and the fragments in the chapter house, the arches were pointed and carved with Celtic ornament somewhat similarly to the arches of the sedilia in the choir (see Fig. 986). In each angle of the cloister walk an arch has been thrown across the walk diagonally, so as to strengthen and steady the walls. Only one of these arches, that at the south-west angle (see Fig. 994), remains entire, those in the other angles being reduced to fragments. This arch is the only one which is moulded on the edge, the others being splayed. These arches have evidently been built after the walls adjoining, as they fit awkwardly against previously existing doorways at the north-east and north-west angles. That at the south-west angle butts against a structure which seems to have formed a turret adjoining the north-west angle of the nave. This turret contains a small chamber, at about 7 feet to 8 feet above the floor of the nave, which enters by a small door from the nave, and is said to be the porter’s lodge. It has a curiously cusped loophole opening in the direction of the church door.

The cloister is surrounded by buildings on the east and north. The north transept has a door to the cloister, and a benitier is placed near the entrance. Next to the transept on the north is a chamber, 10 feet wide, entering from the cloister (see Fig. 982), and lighted by a window to the east. There is a fireplace in the east wall of this room, being the only fireplace in the monastery. It seems doubtful whether this chamber was not originally the slype or passage from the cloister towards the east, as there is no other passage.

Next to this, on the north, is the chapter house, which projects beyond the general line of the buildings, the portion next the cloister having the appearance of a vestibule. The inner cloister enters from the vestibule by two arches (Fig. 1002), which rest on a central round pillar and corbels at the sides. This pillar is sometimes stated to be of Norman work, and the chapter house is, consequently, regarded as of Norman date. But a careful examination of the pillar and its capital leads to the conclusion that it is comparatively a late structure. The carving of the cap (Fig. 1003) is very peculiar. On the outer or west side, the ornament, which is somewhat decayed, resembles that of the caps of the adjoining nunnery church, and may easily be mistaken for ancient. But the ornament of the inner or east side of the cap (see Fig. 1003) is quite different, and is undoubtedly of very late design, being similar to that on the carved tombstones of the fifteenth or sixteenth centuries, such as that in Figs. 991 and 992. The dog-tooth or nail-head ornament of the arches, although at first sight like first pointed work, is found, on closer inspection, to consist of late imitations--showing three small nail-heads placed close together, so as to form an enrichment in a manner not at all transition like. The same remark applies to the enrichments of the high chapel in the choir (see Fig. 1000).

The walls of the eastern part of the cloister are not over 2 feet 6 inches in thickness (which would be very unusual in Norman work), and they have been strengthened by interior piers when the present flat barrel arch was erected over the chapter house. This probably took place when the upper part of this portion of the building was raised a story in height, possibly in order to form the library on the upper floor. It is evident, from an examination of the junction of the walls on the exterior, that the upper floor of this part of the building was added at a late period. Both vestibule and chapter house appear to have had a stone seat running along the walls, and the whole may possibly have formed the place of assembly of the monks. Probably, like the chapter house at St. Andrews, the western portion, or vestibule, was the original chapter house, and the inner division was added at a later period.

From the chapter house a passage is visible in the upper part of the east wall of the north transept. In order to admit of this, the wall of the transept (as above pointed out) has required to be made of great thickness, and this explains the depth of the two recesses under it in the transept previously referred to. As already mentioned, there was an upper floor over the chapter house and the adjoining portions of the east range of the cloister buildings. Part of this upper floor is believed to have been the library--the literary treasures of which were famous--and part would, no doubt, be the dormitory of the monks.

It seems not improbable that the passage in the transept wall may have led from the library or dormitory to the chapel in the upper aisle of the choir over the sacristy, and the use of that chapel would thus be explained. The chapel, as already mentioned, is a structure of late erection, as is apparent from the imitation dog-tooth running round the straight-sided arch of the east window (see Fig. 1002). The passage in the transept wall may be much older, but was possibly utilised in connection with the late reconstruction of the monastery, as above suggested.

To the north of the chapter house are two chambers of good size, over which an upper story has extended, as the remains of the windows show.

The north side of the cloister has been occupied by the refectory, a building 63 feet long by 20 feet wide. It is situated on the first or upper floor, and is of late work; but seems to occupy the position of a previous refectory, which formerly stood on the site, and of which some portions of the walls remain. The first refectory appears to have been on the ground floor, as the remains of what must have been a handsome doorway in the south wall near the west end of this range prove. This doorway has had three orders of mouldings with shafts and caps, about 7 feet high, apparently of thirteenth century work, of which some fragments remain, partly built into the adjoining angle structure. The latter is evidently a late erection, as it encloses part of the west jamb of the above doorway. The pier of the diagonal arch of the cloister walk at the east end of the refectory also encroaches on the door beside it. At a somewhat late period the refectory has been raised to the upper floor, and an entrance made to it by a wide staircase at the east end (which would also probably form the day staircase to the dormitory). The ground floor is low, and has loopholes for windows. It has apparently been used for cellars or storages. There is a wide pointed doorway leading into it at the north-west angle (see Fig. 997). The north elevation of the structure is fairly preserved.

The buttresses seem to be reconstructions on the lines of the original ones, but the windows, both in the north elevation and towards the cloister, are of later date.

The eastern range of buildings is continued northwards beyond the refectory by a chamber 33 feet long by 12 feet 6 inches wide, which seems to have been connected on the upper floor with a lavatory and latrine. The latter has a built channel, evidently intended, from the low aperture at each end, for the passage of a stream of water, which could be easily led into it from the neighbouring burn. To the west of this stand the walls, 3 feet high, of a nearly detached edifice, with a separate outer doorway, which may perhaps have been an infirmary. To the north-east, the low walls are observable of a detached structure 58 feet 9 inches long by 21 feet 6 inches wide. The only wall opening traceable is the doorway, which has been of simple design. This is supposed by some to have been the kitchen, but it seems doubtful. There is no appearance of a fireplace.

A small detached chapel, 38 feet in length by 20 feet 9 inches in width over the walls, lies to the north-east of the chapter house. It has had a doorway in the north wall, a small centre window in the east wall, and a similar window in each of the side walls near the east end. The windows are trefoil headed and cusped, and appear to be late. The doorway had two orders, with a bead on each. The orientation of this building is different from that of the cathedral.

Adjoining the south-west angle of the cloister, and built out from it, is a small enclosure containing stone coffins (see Fig. 994). Immediately beyond this are the remains of another enclosure, connected with a Celtic cross (called St. Martin’s) near the west end of the cathedral (see Fig. 995). The inner of these chambers, which encloses the stone coffins, is called “St. Columba’s Tomb.” Dr. Skene is of opinion that it is actually the structure which contained the body of St. Columba, the coffin of that Saint being placed on the right or south side, and that of St. Blathmac (a martyr who died in defending the abbey against the Northmen in 825) being placed on the left or north side. This view is, however, controverted by Sir Henry Dryden in a MS. of 1879, deposited in the Antiquarian Museum in Edinburgh.

There is also a well in the same locality as the above enclosures.

The ruins of a chapel of some size (48 feet long by 30 feet wide over the walls) lie at a short distance to the west of the cloister. The walls are reduced to a few feet in height, and are partly rebuilt in a rough manner. There seems to have been a doorway in the east end, but this is doubtless not original. A turret can be traced at the south-east angle and another at the south-west angle.

To the north-east of the cloister lie the total ruins of what is called the Abbot’s House, and at some distance to the south-east of the church may be observed the greatly demolished remains of a chapel.

In the choir are preserved several monuments. On the south side, close to the sedilia (see Fig. 986), lies the well sculptured effigy of Abbot Kenneth; and on the north side, near the door of the sacristy, is the effigy of Abbot M‘Kinnon, the last abbot of Iona (the head being visible in Fig. 987), around which is legible the following inscription, “Hic jacet Johannes MacFingone, Abbas de Hy qui obiit anno Domini Millessimo Quingentessimo cujus animae propitietur Deus Altissimus. Amen.”

In the floor of the choir a large slab shows the remains of brass work, and against the east wall rests the carved figure of a knight, with shield and spear, said to be the monument of a M‘Lean (see Fig. 983).

ST. MACHAR’S CATHEDRAL, OLD ABERDEEN.

Old Aberdeen is situated on the river Don, about two miles north from the town of Aberdeen on the Dee. The cathedral, which is dedicated to St. Machar, is built in granite, and is now considerably reduced in size from its original dimensions. The nave (Fig. 1004) is entire and is used as the parish church. The walls of the transepts exist only to the height of about 10 feet. The choir has been entirely destroyed. The bishop’s palace, which stood at the east end of the cathedral, has also disappeared. It was a large building, and “had a fine court, having a high tower at each of its four corners; an outer and inner gate; with a deep well in the middle of the court; and an iron gate by which the bishop passed from his palace into the choir.”[40]

The cathedral stands on the north side of an extensive churchyard, and the situation is pleasant, having the houses of the chanonry--some of them quaint-looking and interesting--approaching it on the south. On the north it is skirted by high trees, which grow on a steep bank sloping down from the cathedral towards the Don.

The seat of the bishop was translated from Murthlack or Mortlack, in Banffshire, to Aberdeen by King David I. in the year 1136, St. Nectan being the last bishop of Mortlack and the first of Aberdeen. The third bishop, Matthew Kinninmond, began to build a cathedral between 1183 and 1199 to supersede the primitive church then existing, “which [new building], because it was not glorious enough, Bishop Cheyne threw down.”[41]

A second edifice was begun by Bishop Cheyne shortly after 1282, and the work went on till the time when the country was involved in the war with Edward I. After Bruce was seated on the throne, Cheyne was temporarily banished, and “during his absence the king, seeing the new cathedral he had begun, made the church to be built with the revenues of the bishoprick.”[42]

The cathedral thus erected was in its turn thrown down by Bishop Alexander Kinninmond, who succeeded in 1355, and he began a new building on a still larger scale about the year 1370. Of his operations there remain two large piers for the support of the central tower, which form the earliest portion of the structure of St. Machar’s now remaining. These piers are built of red freestone, and are much more graceful and

refined in character than the succeeding work, most of which is constructed in granite. Bishop Kinninmond may possibly have built the bay of the nave adjoining for a buttress to the central tower. Freestone mouldings similar to those of the tower still remain at the springing, as if they had continued across to the first pillar; but the arch must have been taken down, as the existing bays are all of granite, and the granite mouldings--which are of quite a different section--are seen to butt against those of Kinninmond’s time.

The nave may be said to be all of one period, and appears to have been principally built, including the two western towers, by Bishop Henry Leighton between 1422 and 1440. It was roofed in by his successor, Bishop Lindsay, and in the _View of the Diocese_ it is said to have been leaded over by the Bishops Elphinston and Dunbar, and “ceiled by this last,” A.D. 1518-1531. The flat ceiling of oak erected by Bishop Dunbar still remains (Fig. 1005), having been constructed by him at his own “pains and expenses.” “James Winter, an Angus man, was architect of the timber work and ceiling of said church; which was well done, and may make his name famous to after ages.”[43] It is ornamented with heraldic decorations, containing the arms of various European kings, Pope Leo X., the Scottish nobility, and Churchmen. These have been drawn and illustrated in colour by the New Spalding Club. Bishop Dunbar also finished Leighton’s towers by adding the spires (Fig. 1006) in grey freestone. The general colour of the granite work is of a reddish yellow tint.

The edifice as it now stands measures on the outside as follows, viz.--length of nave about 143 feet, width 77 feet. The transept is about 121 feet long by 37 feet 6 inches wide. The centre alley of the nave is 30 feet 6 inches wide. The towers are about 23 feet 6 inches square, and about 111 feet high.

The west front of St. Machar’s (see Fig. 1006) is entirely built with granite, except the spires, and is one of the most impressive and imposing structures in Scotland. It is extremely plain, not a single scrap of carving being visible anywhere, and most of the openings are of the simplest kind. This front is a veritable piece of Doric work, depending for its effect on its just proportion and the mass of its granite masonry. The towers and spires are of equal height, and almost identical in design. The great corbels and machicolations of the parapet are clearly derived from castellated forms, and the embrasured bands round the spires and their numerous lucarnes are distinct signs of the late date of their construction. The entrance doorway (Fig. 1007) is remarkable, the jambs being mere rounds and hollows, with a flat stone laid along at the springing of the round arch, marking where the capitals usually stand, while the arch mouldings are of the most elementary kind, all being designed to suit the hard granite of which they are constructed. Above this doorway is one of the most striking features of the composition, viz.--the seven lofty narrow windows (see Fig. 1006), about 26 feet in height, and each crowned

with a round and cusped arch (Fig. 1009). The ground story of both towers is barrel vaulted; the apartment in the south tower has had a rude door knocked through the front wall, and is now used as a place for keeping spades and shovels in.

The south elevation (Fig. 1008) is marked by the same simplicity as the west front, being designed to suit the intractable material of which it is built. The clerestory is an absolutely plain wall, pierced by narrow round arched windows, without a moulding of any kind, while the windows of the side aisles are filled with the simplest tracery. The effect of this part of the building is much marred by the removal of the parapet which formerly ran along the top of the wall. The south porch is a dignified structure. It was evidently meant to have a room over the entrance, for which a window is provided; but there is no indication of there ever having been an upper floor or an access stair, and the considerable height, as viewed from the inside, has an unmeaning appearance. The resemblance between this porch and the south porch of St. Michael’s, Linlithgow, is striking, both having the inner crow-stepped gable built on the aisle wall. In the latter porch the upper room has been completed.

The north aisle wall of the cathedral, which is fortunately not so well seen as the south wall, is quite modern, and has a mean and paltry appearance.

The pillars in the nave (see Fig. 1005) are all round on Plan, with round moulded caps and very simple bases. These are shown in section in Fig. 1005, and also on a larger scale in Fig. 1010, which contains Scougal’s monument (afterwards referred to), and where there is also a view of part of the interior of the large west window. Beside the sketch of this monument will be seen a stone containing the arms, surmounted by a mitre, probably of Bishop Stewart, who died in 1565 (a fesse chequé debruised by a bend engrailed).

In the view of the interior (see Fig. 1005) it may be observed that the full thickness of the clerestory walls does not come down to the caps of the pillars, but stops short a few feet above. This arrangement has an unpleasing effect in perspective, leaving a portion of the cap projecting and bearing nothing. The two piers at the crossing, as already mentioned, are of freestone and are of clustered form, and have richly carved capitals. These capitals are necessarily concealed by the building up of the arches, which lead from the nave to the crossing. Fig. 1011 shows a part of one of these capitals, which can be seen from the transept.

Regarding the choir nothing can be now said from observation, as it was destroyed in 1560, and the ruins have since been entirely removed. Alluding to this, Orme says (p. 104)--“The glorious structure of said Cathedral Church being near nine score years in building, did not remain twenty entire, when it was almost ruined by a crew of sacrilegious church robbers.”

There was an old choir standing in Bishop Elphinston’s time, early in the sixteenth century, which, as Boece tells us in his life of that prelate,[44] was considered by the bishop to be in a style unworthy such a church, and he began to rebuild it on a plan corresponding with the western part of the building; “but lest he should die before it was completed, he would not take down the old choir till everything was in readiness to begin the new one, so that a considerable part was finished before his death.” The work was continued by his successors, but it seems doubtful if it ever was entirely completed before the Reformation burst on the country.

The building of the central steeple, which had been partly carried out by Bishop Leighton, was finally completed by Bishop Elphinston about 1511. The tower was supported by the four pillars of the crossing. “It