Part 25

the west wall of the cloister show that vaulted apartments ran along that side also.

All appearance of ornamental work or hewn work of any kind has been removed, with the exception of one archway in the south wall of the cloister and an arched recess adjoining (Fig. 379). These seem from their style to have been part of the original abbey. The ornament of the gateway is distinctly transitional in character, and was probably erected in the beginning of the thirteenth century. Although the arch is circular, the dog-tooth of the hood mould is first pointed, while the large undercut cross enrichment is a survival of Norman character. The round abacus of the caps, however, is decidedly first pointed in style. This seems to have been an archway leading into the cloister. The arched recess to the eastward, which was doubtless a monument, is rather later in

style, but seems to belong to the thirteenth century. The corbels which carried the roof timbers of the cloister walk still survive. They are moulded in the first pointed style. The water table above the roof is also partly preserved.

The abbot’s house (see Figs. 377 and 379) stands to the south of the abbey. It consists of an oblong structure, which now measures about 50 feet in length by 27 feet in width within the walls, with several vaulted cells on each side, all now in ruins, and thickly clothed with ivy. The best preserved parts of the structure are the east wall, with its gable, and the round tower at the south-east angle, which contained the entrance doorway and staircase. Over the doorway is a panel (Fig. 380) with ogee arched head containing the shield of Abbot Reid (a stag’s head) and his initials and crozier.

The plan of the abbot’s mansion resembles that of a baron’s house of the sixteenth century. The basement appears to have contained the kitchen, with cellars, and a passage with small windows. On the first floor would be the hall, with small rooms opening off it, and bedrooms on the upper floor.

The ruins stand on level ground near the mouth of the Findhorn, a short way from Kinloss Station, between Elgin and Forres.

The ground has always been fertile, and is well watered by a stream which passes close to the ruins. The whole space in which the ruins of the abbey stand is now enclosed with a wall, and used as a burial-ground.

THE NUNNERY, IONA.

When Reginald, Lord of the Isles, in 1203, introduced Benedictine monks into the Monastery of Iona, a convent for Benedictine nuns was founded in the island, of which Beatrice, sister of Reginald, was the first abbess. The deed of confirmation of the nunnery still exists at the Vatican, dated 1203.

The ruins of the building, which apparently was erected soon after that time, still survive. (Fig. 381.) They consist of a quadrangle about 68 feet square, having the church on the north side; foundations of the chapter house and other apartments on the east side; and the refectory on the south side. There may have been other buildings on the west side, as the walls are broken at the ends; but, if so, they are now removed.

The church is an oblong structure, 58 feet in length by about 20 feet in width. It has been divided into nave and choir, and has had a northern aisle extending along both.

The choir is about 20 feet square, and has been vaulted. It is separated from the nave by a group of shafts at each side (Fig. 383), which supported a round arch with early mouldings (Fig. 382), and there are

vaulting shafts in the angles of the east wall. The choir has had two windows to the east, separated by a small piece of wall. The floor is raised two steps above the level of the nave. There is a doorway in the north wall leading into the eastern portion of the aisle, which may have been the Lady Chapel or sacristy. This building is vaulted, and has an upper story, approached by a very narrow stair in the thickness of the north wall.

The chapel on the ground floor has had an altar to the east, and a piscina in the south wall. The east window is a mere slit, and has a straight-sided arch head, doubtless a late insertion.

The arch in the west wall of this chamber (Fig. 384) has Norman responds and mouldings, and the groins of the vault have simple rolls.

The nave has three round arches (see Figs. 383 and 384) opening into the north aisle. These arches spring from circular pillars and responds, which have caps of apparently Norman design. They are much decayed, but the ornament has some resemblance to that of the caps in the chapter house and high aisle of the cathedral. The arches are now built up, but the mouldings seem to correspond with those of the chancel arch. The doorway from the cloister, in the south-west angle of the church, has two nook shafts supporting a round arch.

The most of the above portions of the structure appear to belong to the transition period, and were probably erected soon after the convent was founded. The choir and sacristy are undoubtedly original, but the nave and aisle and upper part of the structure appear to have been rebuilt, probably at a late date. The upper part of the nave is of an undefined character. The small windows have round arches, and might be transition work; but they are placed over the piers, not over the arches, as was invariably the case in early buildings.

The west wall is very plain. It has a tall round-headed window on the church level, with a string course stepped over it, and a small window is introduced in the gable, which might be of almost any period. A series of corbels occurs in the south-west wall over the doorway. They are carved with grotesque heads, and appear to have supported a wooden floor--perhaps an organ gallery. There has been a doorway in the north wall of the aisle. It had two nook shafts, but it has now almost disappeared. A portion of a cross wall is visible in the aisle, with what may have been the seat of an altar against it.

Within recent years considerable excavations and repairs have been

made in the building. The position of the cloister garth has been defined by a low wall; and the site of the chapter house on the eastern side, with its stone seat running round it (see Fig. 383), has been disclosed. The other apartments on this side remain indefinite, but the position and walls of the refectory on the south side are distinct. This part of the structure has had an upper story, probably a dormitory. The south, east, and west walls, with their small windows, are still preserved. There was, no doubt, a dormitory over the east side of the quadrangle, but the walls there are now only a few feet in height.

At a distance of about 30 feet north from the convent church stands another building, said to have been the parish church. (See Fig. 381.) It is dedicated to St. Ronan, and is a simple oblong chamber, 37 feet long by 16 feet wide internally.

It has a small window in the centre of the east wall, and the seat of the altar still remains. In the north and south wall, near the east end, are the remains of two windows, which have apparently been rather wider than the east window.

The doorway has been at the north-west angle, and has had a single nook shaft in each jamb; but that part of the structure is now much destroyed. The whole building is constructed with the plain rubble work usual in West Highland churches.

Numerous very fine specimens of Celtic carved work are preserved in the monumental stones which have been found and are preserved in the convent.[192] Amongst these is the monument of the last prioress. On it are carved the figure of the prioress, surmounted by a rude Gothic canopy, and an inscription bearing the date of 1543. It also contains the ancient symbols of the mirror and the comb.

ST. NICHOLAS’ CHURCH, ABERDEEN.

This church, said to be the largest mediæval parish church in Scotland, is still preserved and used as the principal church of Aberdeen; but only two portions of the ancient work remain--viz., the transepts and the crypt at the east end, below the choir. The nave was rebuilt about the middle of last century by Gibbs, the well-known architect of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Church, London, and the Radcliffe Library, Oxford. It is, of course, in the Renaissance style of the time, and the interior is very dignified. The choir was entirely taken down in 1835 and rebuilt in the most tasteless fashion. The walls of the crypt and transepts were all refaced except the north front of the transept, which, however, is of no great architectural value, having been altered considerably in the seventeenth century; in any case, it forms a pleasing contrast to the very rigid and inartistic new masonry. The central tower, with the leaded spire, was burned in 1874, and the existing central spire was thereafter erected. In these circumstances, it is only the interior of the transept and crypt which come within the scope of the present work.

The transepts (Fig. 385) measure internally about 103 feet by 20 feet 10 inches, and are of the transitional style of the end of the twelfth century. The openings into the nave and choir are now built up. There

seems always to have been a solid wall between the transept and the nave aisles, with only a small opening of communication in each of about the size of an ordinary doorway. These openings are of a very plain and simple design (Fig. 386). The piers which carry the central tower (Fig. 387) are of the usual transitional type, having graceful capitals and square abaci supporting round arches. These are shown in detail in Fig. 388. They are not visible in the choir and nave.

On each side of the north transept there are two original clerestory windows, those on the east side are seen in Fig. 389, and one of them, which would overlook the roof of the choir aisle (Fig. 390), has angle shafts, with carved caps and mouldings. The present large north window of the transept (seen in Fig. 389), the tracery of which is of very late work, has remains of its original features, and in the low pointed recess seen in the same view there is a transition attached shaft, with carved cap and square abacus. There is only a shaft on one side of the recess (as shown on Plan). The pointed arch of this recess, as well as the tomb alongside, below the large window, are of later work.

On the west side of the north wall there has been a round arched doorway, of which traces are yet visible. This is probably the doorway referred to in the following extract of the 10th January 1518--“The said day, the toone consentit and ordanit thair masteris of Kirkwerk to translat thar () and passag to the rudloft, and big up Sanct Nichell dur, and mak a fair wyndo in that gavill of thar croce kirk.”[193]

The “fair wyndo” is, doubtless, the window in the north end wall just referred to as having been altered, and seen in Fig. 389. The foregoing are the only original features of the upper church now remaining, all else is of the fifteenth and following centuries, and consists generally of the wide pointed openings leading into the choir; and in the south transept of a fifteenth century sculptured tablet of fine design (Fig. 391) with the following modern inscription beneath--“The above stone represents the Chantry or Annual Mass to be sung for his soul. Founded by William Leith, of Barns, Provest of Aberdeen in 1351, who, with many of his Descendants, is Interred underneath.” The monument has had an inscription, now illegible, and has suffered considerably either from neglect or mischief.

The crypt at the east end of the choir is shown on Plan in its proper relation to the transepts, but it is on a lower level. Although, as already stated, no part of the choir now remains, the walls drawn in outline are

built on the site of the old walls, and show that the choir consisted of five bays, with an apse. The total interior length from the east wall of the apse to the tower is about 102 feet. It may be mentioned that the total internal length of the existing church from the west end of the nave to the apse is about 234 feet.

The crypt was approached by two stairs, one from the north and another from the south aisle of the choir. These are now swept away, and only their round arched openings remain as recesses in the walls of the crypt. As these recesses are at a considerable height, most of the steps were probably in the crypt. The stairs shown on the Plan with the windows and doors are all quite modern. The latter lead out to the street, which is at the level of the floor.

The length of the crypt (which corresponds with the width of the choir) is about 65 feet. The crypt consists of one central and two side aisles, with an eastern apse. The plan of these divisions indicates that the central aisle of the choir was only about 3 feet wider than the side aisles, a very unusual arrangement, the side aisles being generally much narrower than the central one. The width of the crypt is about 16 feet, and the length at the apse is about 36 feet 6 inches. It is internally a very picturesque and interesting structure, but it has been badly treated at the time of the rebuilding of the choir. The wonder is that it escaped from being rebuilt, like the rest of the church. It is at present proposed to restore the building by removing the lath and plaster from the walls, and laying the floor at the original level, and also to fill the windows with stained glass. We may express the hope that before this is done the distressing effects of the stained glass in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral will be duly considered.

The roof is groined throughout, the three compartments in the length (Fig. 392) being separated by pointed arches, which spring from moulded caps on octagonal responds. The ribs are the same in all the compartments, except that in the centre and north a length of the ridge rib is omitted (see Plan). The opening into the apse has a stunted

round arch (Fig. 393), and is a prominent example of the love of the Scottish builders for this form of arch all through the Gothic period. This is the only place in the crypt where the width is sufficient to allow

of such an arch reaching the roof without the necessity of undue gabling above the arch, and it further has the effect of giving a dignity and effect of separation to the apse which it would not have possessed with a pointed arch. Each compartment of the apse has a central boss, two of these are shown (Fig. 394). All the intermediate ribs spring from corbels at a lower level than the caps of the responds (Fig. 395), from which the separating arches spring, and the long diagonals of the centre compartment cut through these caps and rest on the notch formed in the centre of the wide diagonal respond at the opening to the apse (see Fig. 392).

There is a considerable amount of carved woodwork--bench ends and backs of seats--in the crypt, some of the fifteenth or sixteenth century (Fig. 396), and some of a later period. These are probably part of the work done by John Ferdour, “wricht,” who, in 1507, contracted to make twenty-four stalls and other furniture “substanciusly and honourable as he may,” as they are begun, “and bettir gif he can” (p. 77).

The height from the present floor, which is about 18 inches above the original level, is 13 feet 4 inches to the centre rib and 7 feet to the top of the respond caps. The walls, being plastered, hide the wall ribs and any of the usual architectural features, if any such exist.

The choir so recently taken down superseded an older one.

It does not appear to be quite certain when the latter was begun, but throughout the Council Register there are numerous references to the “kyrk werk,” and to the “reparacion of the perise kirk of Sanct Nicolace.” These references begin in 1442 and continue for about a century. In 1474 there is a contract for delivering six score stones of lead to “Schir Andro

Wricht, maister of the kirk wark” (p. 32), and three years later “Alexander of Charmyr,” alderman, was appointed “vpper and principale maister of wark of the bigeing of Sanct Nicholace qveyr for twa yeris to cum” (p. 33). Sir Andrew was probably an ecclesiastic, and he and Chalmers appear to have been the paymasters.

In 1483 David Menzis, elder, was master of the kirk work, and purchased a boat load of lime for the building, and in the following year “Maistre Johne Gray, mason,” was appointed “to the bigging of Sanct Nicolace wark.” He engaged to work in his own person, and to superintend the masons and other workmen. He was “to be lele and trew to the said wark for al the dais of his life, unto the completing and ending of the same” (p. 41). It would appear that there were but few skilled workmen employed in the building, as only some five or six men are mentioned by name in the register. They are frequently referred to, and appear to have been bound to remain at the building during the pleasure of the Council. In the same year that Gray was appointed the feeing of a single mason was a matter of so much importance as to occupy a whole sitting of the Town Council and “diuerse of the communite” (p. 41), and in the year following (1493) three masons were sent to Cowie (a few miles south from Aberdeen) to work there for a year quarrying stones for the church. The shifts and expedients to find funds for the building run through all the deliberations of the Council. In 1495 about fifty

citizens advanced the money “to pay Johne Ferdour for the making of the roff and tymmir of the queyr” (p. 56), and in 1500 a contribution of “salmond and money” was made for lead for the church. This offering was not sufficient, and we find other negotiations had to be gone into to raise funds, and it was not till 1510 that they were able to order the master of the kirk work, George Bisset (a new master), to “cause the plumbar to pass and ende his werk, and theik the body of thar kirk with leide” (p. 80), and at last, in 1513, a gilded “weddercok” is set up on “Sanct Nicholace stepill.”

COLDINGHAM PRIORY, BERWICKSHIRE.

The picturesque village of Coldingham, with the remains of its ancient priory, lies in a small valley about 3½ miles eastward from Reston Railway Station, and within a mile of the sea.

The great precipice of St. Abb’s Head, overlooking the German Ocean, is only a few miles off. It is believed that Ebba, daughter of the Northumbrian King Ethelfrid, and sister of King Oswy, in the bright days of that kingdom, about the middle of the seventh century, founded the monastery of _Urbs Coludi_, or Coldingham. There Ethelrida, Queen of Egfrid, took the veil, and she afterwards founded the church and monastery of Ely, of which she became abbess.[194]

The Convent of Coldingham was several times sacked by the Danes, and after its destruction by them in 870, it remained desolate till it was restored in 1098 for a colony of Benedictines.

The foundations of an early church with an eastern apse were found in excavations made in 1854. The outlines of this early church, as shown on a plan prepared by Mr. Hunter, in 1858, for his history of the priory, are drawn in outline on Fig. 397. These were, doubtless, the remains of the church erected in 1089. It had the circular apse of the early Norman churches.

The Priory of Coldingham was refounded at the above date by Edgar, son of Malcolm Canmore and Queen Margaret. His charter is still preserved at Durham. The church was dedicated to St. Cuthbert and St. Ebba, and granted by Edgar to St. Cuthbert’s Canons Regular of Durham, in acknowledgment of assistance he had received from England. It was colonised by Benedictine monks, sent to it by the abbot of Durham.

The priory thus remained long subordinate to the English Church, although upon Scottish soil. The Canons of Durham controlled it, and drew its revenues till 1504, when it was annexed to the Scottish Crown. In 1509, the priory was at length detached from Durham, and placed under the rule of the Abbey of Dunfermline, in which position it remained till the Reformation.

In the unsettled period of Robert III., and the regency of the Duke of Albany, the monks found it desirable to place the convent and its revenues under the protection of Archibald, Earl of Douglas, who appointed the Laird of Home as his under-keeper, and the Homes continued to be the bailiffs of the priory till the Reformation, when it fell entirely into their hands.

In order to provide support for the Chapel-Royal in Stirling, which James III. had founded, he attempted to suppress the Priory of Coldingham and annex its revenues, and this was approved by the Parliament of 1485. However, the proposal was opposed most strenuously by the Homes and Hepburns, and tended to bring about the rebellion by which King James lost his life.[195]

The buildings of the convent are said to have suffered severely from fire on three different occasions--viz., in 1216, in 1430, and in 1544. The structure was also greatly damaged by Cromwell, and since his time has served as a convenient quarry to the villagers. The result of the dilapidations thus caused has been that but little of the monastery now remains. The church is said to have consisted (see Plan) of nave and choir, each 90 feet by 25 feet, and transept, 41 feet by 34 feet. At the north-west angle of the latter rose a massive square tower 90 feet in height.

Of these once extensive structures there now only remain the north and east walls of the choir, and some fragments of the south transept. The nave has been entirely removed, and the great tower fell rather more than a century ago. In 1662, the west and south walls of the choir were

rebuilt to render that portion of the edifice suitable for a place of worship, and in 1854-55 the choir was restored, its west and south walls being again partly rebuilt, a south porch added, and the corner turrets carried up to their present height. The whitewash was also removed from the beautiful work of the interior.