buttresses of the multangular chevet of the French cathedrals tend to increase this feeling, and to give the impression of an unfinished building still surrounded with huge piles of scaffolding. The plain rectangular east end of most of the English cathedrals, and the comparative simplicity of the easily intelligible buttresses and pinnacles, give an air of repose and peacefulness to these edifices which is sought for in vain in most French examples. The portals of France are amongst the chief glories of its churches. The doorways of the English churches, although sometimes beautiful in detail, never attempt to reach the magnitude or splendour of those of France. But the side porches of the English churches are often of great size and beauty.
When attention is directed to the details of pointed architecture, constructional characteristics are found to pervade their design. In France, there is visible in every element of early pointed work a continuous effort to indicate its intention and purpose. Constructional utility rules everything, each member is designed to perform its function in the most perfect manner, and ornament is employed to express that idea. By means of the square or angular abacus of the caps and bases of the shafts, which are always set so as to show what member they carry, an effort is made to express the motive of the design, and the caps are carved with spirited foliage, signifying by its upward tendency the vigour with which they perform their duty. (Fig. 20.) The shafts of the piers, also, are so arranged and grouped and set at such heights as to declare at once the function they perform in supporting certain ribs and mouldings of the arches and vaults, and the tracery of the windows gives expression to the ideas which have guided its design. The constructional principles of the French architecture are especially distinct in the naked, but vigorous, churches of the early Cistercians in France.
The details of the early English work, while equally beautiful with French work, are not quite so expressive of growth and vigour. The foliage is conventional in the extreme, and less suggestive of vitality and development. The abacus of the caps, which is almost invariably round, does not so fully express their purpose in the design, while the mouldings with which the caps are usually ornamented fail to show the life and spirit of the carved and foliaged caps of France. (Fig. 21.) In the same way the introduction of tracery in the English windows lags behind that of France. In the latter country window tracery was fully developed by 1250, while in England the lancet form, single or grouped, was still adhered to. In variety of clustered columns and in richness of mouldings, however, the English style held its own.
The characteristics of the first or early pointed style in France and England are as distinct and apparent as those of the Norman. The general effect of the exterior (Fig. 22) is lighter than in the latter style, though still solid. The buttresses have greater projection and less breadth than the Norman ones, and are often lightened by having the outer angles chamfered. The water tables of the set-offs are also steeper, the pinnacles are thinner and loftier, and the buttresses are crowned with gablets and finials. In late examples the flying buttress is introduced. The windows are invariably pointed. They are narrow and lofty, and from their acute shape are known as “lancet” windows. Each single window is distinct, but sometimes two or three are brought close together and are included within one arch head, so as to form a group. As the style advanced the arch head of such a group was perforated with a trefoil or quatrefoil figure. Circular windows are also common, and these came to be filled with
radiating shafts and trefoiled arch heads. Out of these two forms there gradually arose a simple kind of tracery towards the close of the period. The trefoiled head of the lancet is also a distinct evidence of early pointed work. The doorways are deeply recessed, and have generally free shafts in the jambs, with mouldings between. The arch mouldings are usually in square orders and boldly cut. In the interior the piers of the arches are much less massive than the Norman piers, and are often composed of clustered shafts standing free, and set round a circular or octagonal pillar. The Norman square abacus continued to
Fig. 22.—Lincoln Cathedral. Compartment of the Nave, Exterior and Interior. (From Britton’s Chronological History of English Architecture.)
be used in transition and early first pointed work; but later, in England, the caps of each shaft have a round abacus, and the cap itself usually consists of mouldings, with a bell-shaped form beneath. When foliage is employed it is invariably of the conventional form above referred to; but in France the cap-à-crochet is almost universal. The arch mouldings are deeply cut, and their lighter form is easily distinguished from the heavy Norman rolls.
The ornaments of the mouldings are also very distinctly marked, the dog-tooth being conspicuous in all early pointed work.
Tall towers and spires supersede the more massive and lower towers of the Normans. In the vaults, the ribs are simple—only the cross springers and diagonal ribs being used—a longitudinal and transverse ridge rib is, however, occasionally employed.
FIRST POINTED STYLE IN SCOTLAND.
In Scotland, as might be expected, from its remoteness from the centre of origin, and from the fact that the pointed style was imported into this country through England, pointed architecture is not only somewhat later in appearing, but is to some extent modified in its developments. The main characteristics of the early pointed style of this country are, however, founded on those of England, and show no traces of any direct influence from France.
The principal difference between Scottish and English work is that the former is later and not so completely and purely pointed in style as the latter, the round arch and other Norman forms lingering with us in some cases long after the pointed style had been adopted.
During the thirteenth century the importation and settlement of Anglo-Normans in Scotland, begun in the previous century, still continued, and amicable relations between England and Scotland were fairly maintained. The Norman Conquest, which had been effected with so much violence in England, proceeded by more gentle means in Scotland, at least for a time. The ancient Culdee ecclesiastics having been absorbed or displaced and their revenues appropriated, the Church became gradually settled and established under the authority of Rome, and a stream of Englishmen continued to flow in to fill all the posts of honour and emolument in the ecclesiastical sphere; cathedrals, monasteries, and parish churches arose under the fresh and vigorous impulse of the new order of things. The style of architecture practised in England during the thirteenth century was introduced into Scotland, and the edifices erected here could scarcely be distinguished in character of design from those of the early English period in England.
The pointed Gothic style, which, as we have seen, had its origin in the North of France about the middle of the twelfth century, appeared in England about 1170, but can scarcely be said to have reached Scotland till after the close of the twelfth century. The Abbey of Arbroath, founded by William the Lion in 1178, contains a few traces of transition work, passing later into first pointed; and other structures containing a good deal of Norman design were erected in Scotland as late as 1210. The Anglicising process, begun in the twelfth century, was continued in the thirteenth century. The Orders of the Cathedrals were founded on those of England. “Thus the Chapter of Glasgow took that of Salisbury as its guide; Dunkeld copied from the same type, venerable in its associations with the name of St. Osmund, whose ‘use of Sarum’ obtained generally throughout Scotland. Elgin or Murray sent to Lincoln for its pattern, and transmitted it, with certain modifications, to Aberdeen and Caithness. So it was also with the Monasteries—Canterbury was the mother of Dunfermline, Durham of Coldingham; St. Oswald’s at Oxstall, near Pontefract, was the parent of Scone, and through that house of St. Andrews and Holyrood. Melrose and Dundrennan were daughters of Rievaux in the North Riding; Dryburgh was the offspring of Alnwick, Paisley of Wenlock.”[56]
Building in Scotland appears to have gone on in the thirteenth century as busily and with the same enthusiasm as in the previous century. But being far from the seat of the origin of the pointed style, and having received the principles of that style at second hand through England, time was required for its adoption in the North, and even when cordially welcomed there, some of the features of the earlier Romanesque still lingered and were slowly dispossessed.
The pointed arch, for example, although generally adopted, did not entirely displace, as it had done in the South, the round form of the Normans, a feature which, especially in doorways, continued to be employed not only in the thirteenth century, but throughout the whole course of Gothic art in Scotland. In other respects, the thirteenth century style in this country corresponds very closely with that of England. Its features are, however, generally speaking, plainer and the structures are smaller. But the forms of the doors, windows, buttresses, piers, &c., and the mouldings and enrichments are similar in character. The wall openings frequently have the shafts detached and carrying moulded caps, with round abacus, and the arch mouldings are arranged in orders, each set on a rectangular plan over the shafts. The piers are usually solid, with bold clustered mouldings and rounded caps. The windows are almost invariably of the lancet form, either single or arranged in couplets or triplets in the wall.
As time progressed, these detached lancets were brought together into groups, the wall space was gradually thinned off, so as to form mullions between them, and frequently all are enclosed within a single arch. This naturally led to the panel or shield in the arch being perforated with a circle, trefoil, or other aperture, and toward the close of the period there were indications of the introduction of the earlier form of tracery. We have fine examples of the first arrangement at Dunblane, and of the embryo tracery at Glasgow.
As in the twelfth century a large extension was given to monastic churches and parish churches, so it is to the thirteenth century that we are indebted for the commencement and partial erection of most of our cathedrals.
The style of this period is fully represented in our cathedrals by the splendid crypt and choir of Glasgow, the beautiful nave of Dunblane, the fine, but now dilapidated, transept of Dryburgh, and the aisleless choir of Brechin. In Elgin Cathedral we have a noble example of the later design of the period, and the choir and western portal of Kirkwall form a worthy completion to that fine old Norman edifice. Dornoch once possessed the small and elegant cathedral of the North, erected by St. Gilbert, which has now, however, been almost completely rebuilt.
The conventual establishments of the thirteenth century, although chiefly of older foundation, still contain a large proportion of the work of this period. Arbroath Abbey comprises in its ruins some good transitional and early pointed work. Holyrood Abbey, besides a good deal of the transition style, had one of the finest west doorways of the period, and still retains a very striking north-west tower. The first pointed architecture is also well represented at the abbeys of Dundrennan, Pluscardine, and Inchmahome, besides smaller specimens in other monasteries. Kilwinning Abbey, now reduced to a portion of the south transept, shows some beautiful work. The Maison Dieu at Brechin is also very pure first pointed, and at Culross, Restennet, Inchcolm, and Coldingham are many interesting fragments of this date.
The thirteenth century parish churches are, for the most part, of small dimensions and simple design. They generally consist of a single oblong chamber, without choir or aisles, and are unprovided with towers. Of these simple buildings a considerable number are to be found in the Western Highlands and Islands. They are usually of the plainest description, the windows being simple lancets, with wide internal splay, though they have occasionally a double window with a mullion, and a single plain doorway. A large number of these chapels will be described, but, from the absence of any distinctive features connected with them, it will be found difficult to assign most of them to any definite period.
The chapel at Dunstaffnage Castle, and the Church of St. Columba[57] at Skipness, are somewhat exceptional, from the amount of dog-tooth ornament exhibited by the former, and the two-light traceried windows at the east end of the latter, which clearly indicate their thirteenth century origin; while at other churches on the West Coast the lancet windows and similar first pointed features lead to the conclusion that many of them belong to the same period. These island chapels are, doubtless, survivals of the first pointed structures which were erected in the thirteenth century throughout the country, but which have been subsequently removed to make way for larger churches.
As the most of the Scottish cathedrals and large monastic churches were planned during this or the preceding century, it may be well here to mention some particulars regarding their arrangements.
In most of the conventual edifices the choir, including the presbytery, is short as compared with the nave. Thus, at Arbroath, the arcades of the choir are as 3 to 9 in relation to those of the nave; at Jedburgh, as 2 to 9; at Melrose, as 2 to 8, in the present ruined condition of the church, but originally probably as 2 to 12; at Dryburgh, as 2 to 6. Kelso is a remarkable exception, the choir having been much longer than the nave, the latter being of a single bay. The cathedrals, however, show a proportion more in accordance with the usual practice in England. Elgin Cathedral has in the choir (including the presbytery) 6 bays, and the same number in the nave; St. Andrews had 5 in the choir to 12 in the nave, Glasgow has 5 to 8, Dunblane has 6 to 8, Dunkeld has 4 to 7.
Another peculiarity of the Scottish churches is that in several the choir is without aisles, as at Brechin, Dunkeld, and Sweetheart Abbey; and in others, as at Melrose, Iona, Elgin, St. Andrews, &c., the side aisles do not extend so as to include the presbytery, the object evidently being to admit of side lights in the latter, which thus becomes a kind of rectangular apse.
Transepts are frequently, if not entirely, absent, as at Glasgow, where the transept is very short, and at Dunblane and Dunkeld, where there are none. When a transept exists, as at Melrose, Pluscardine, &c., there is frequently a side aisle on the eastern side only, for the purpose of containing chapels with altars facing in that direction. This arrangement was common in Cistercian churches, but in Scotland it is not confined to that Order. In some churches where there is a transept, the shortness of the choir has made it necessary to carry the choir screen across the intersection and some distance down the nave. This is very apparent at Melrose, where the rood screen enclosing the choir crosses the nave about the centre, and is evidently part of the original design, as the rood screen has formed a portion of the structure of the nave piers.
Elgin Cathedral and Melrose Abbey have double aisles—the former on each side of the nave, and the latter on the south side only, where the outer aisle is divided into a series of chapels. In St. Giles’, Edinburgh, a series of chapels forming a large second south aisle extends beyond the usual south aisle. The above double aisles are, however, all of later than thirteenth century date.
The minor features of the first pointed style will be considered in detail in describing the various structures of the thirteenth century. Meanwhile, it may be mentioned that the doorways of this period, although not so rich in ornament as the Norman work, are still important objects in the design. The western portal of Kirkwall Cathedral is especially fine, being the only example of a design comprising triple western doorways in Scotland. The west doorway of Elgin Cathedral is very beautiful, and is, like that of Glasgow Cathedral, a double doorway with a central mullion. There are also examples of fine doorways in the smaller churches, such as Lanark, and interesting specimens in the minor doorways of the cathedral and monastic churches.
The lancet form of the windows has already been referred to. We may instance the east windows of Glasgow Cathedral and the beautiful windows of Elgin and Dunblane Cathedrals as splendid examples. In the latter cathedral the interior arcade of the clerestory shows the advancing progress of the style; and at New Abbey the double and triplet forms of window are seen passing into tracery. In the clerestory of this abbey the advanced ornament of the period is observable, the simple form of the early moulded capitals being replaced by the later foliaged design.
No towers of importance remain in the style of the thirteenth century, most of those attached to the churches of that style having been erected at a later date.
ARCHITECTURE OF FOURTEENTH, FIFTEENTH, AND SIXTEENTH CENTURIES IN SCOTLAND.
The reigns of Alexander II. and III., extending from 1214 to 1286, comprised the first pointed work in Scotland. Those reigns were characterised by quietness and prosperity at home and peace abroad. The Norman invasion of the previous century seemed to have become complete, and the country had settled down and accepted the new conditions imported from the South, both as regards matters secular and ecclesiastic. The king’s writ extended all over the land, except in the Western and Northern Islands, and the Roman rule in ecclesiastical affairs was co-extensive with it. The country was prosperous, and is believed to have been more wealthy than at any time till after the Union with England. These conditions favoured architecture, and, coming as they did in the first pointed period, the consequence was that the edifices erected during the thirteenth century were the largest and contained the finest architecture which Scotland can boast of. But this fortunate state of matters was doomed to a sudden extinction. The disputed succession following the death of the third Alexander, in 1286, opened to Edward I. an opportunity for endeavouring to complete the Norman conquest of the country. This, as we have seen, had been already achieved so far as social relations were concerned, and Edward resolved that it should also be so politically.
The resistance of the country and Edward’s hostile attitude had the immediate effect of causing the withdrawal of the Norman settlers, who owed allegiance to Edward for their estates in England, along with their dependants. These carried with them much of the civilisation and culture which they had introduced. Moreover, the incessant state of war and disturbance which arose during the struggle for independence, and lasted over so many years, put a stop to all commerce and agriculture, and reduced the country to a condition of the utmost poverty and barbarism.
Even after King Robert’s death, in 1329, a part of the South of Scotland remained in the hands of the English for a considerable time, and suffered much from lying in the track of war.
Melrose Abbey had been partly rebuilt through the pious devotion of King Robert, but in 1385, this and other abbeys in the south-eastern district, together with the town of Edinburgh, including St. Giles’ Church, were again destroyed by Richard II.
In the midst of all these depressing influences it is obvious that the ecclesiastical architecture of the country must for a long time not only have suffered a total cessation from progress, but must also have endured severe injury.
It has been pointed out how deep was the poverty of the country during the fourteenth century, and with what difficulty the nobles, amongst whom Bruce had distributed the forfeited lands, were able to raise even a small pele tower for the defence of themselves and their retainers.[58] The Church, patriotic as it was, suffered in the general distress, and for a time funds were lacking for the completion of works in progress, or the execution of new undertakings.
In these circumstances, it is vain to look in Scotland for much architecture during the fourteenth century. This being the period during which Gothic art reached its highest expression, both in England and abroad, it is unfortunate for Scottish architecture that it should be so imperfectly represented by edifices worthy of that time.
The country may be said not to have recovered from the impoverishment of the war of independence till the fifteenth century was well advanced, and when that period arrived, the desire for the erection of cathedrals and establishment of monasteries had to a large extent ceased, and endowments were, after that time, principally devoted to the erection of smaller structures in the nature of Collegiate Institutions.
The connection with England having now been completely severed, and a political alliance having been formed with France, it is natural to find a departure in the architecture of Scotland from the close resemblance to that of England which had hitherto characterised it, and to detect the introduction of features from abroad. These elements play an important part in the architecture of the end of the fifteenth century and succeeding period, and produce a mixed style, not distinctly the same either as that of the perpendicular in England, or of the Flamboyant in France, but a style peculiar to Scotland, which includes elements derived from both these styles, and also retains some features of the earlier phases of Gothic architecture. This style has a distinct character of its own, and is in Scotland parallel to the third period of Gothic both in England and France.
The paucity of examples in Scotland during the fourteenth century, and the absence in the succeeding century of any distinctly marked features assimilating Scottish architecture especially either to the perpendicular or Flamboyant styles of the later pointed epochs of England and France, have led writers on the architecture of Scotland to the conclusion that this country was entirely devoid of any representatives of the decorated or middle pointed style, as distinguished from the late or third pointed period, and they have, therefore, included all Scottish architecture after the first or early pointed period under the title of second pointed.[59] We are satisfied that this is a mistake, and we trust to be able to show that Scotland, although somewhat scantily represented by its architecture during the decorated period in England, does possess a fair number of parallel buildings corresponding in style to the decorated work of other countries, although erected at a somewhat later date, and also that the third or late pointed period is fully represented.
The wars had rendered the country backward in every respect, and it is only natural to find it backward in architecture also.
As already mentioned, King Robert’s work at Melrose had been grievously damaged by Richard II.; but some of it remains, and in this, as well as other structures of the period, are exhibited beautiful examples of decorated work.
A considerable number of churches and monastic buildings executed about the end of the fourteenth and first half of the fifteenth centuries are fair representatives of the decorated period. Although not so pure in style, nor so important in point of size as the corresponding edifices in England, they yet exhibit, on a scale commensurate with the reduced state of the country, a worthy effort to sustain the character of its architecture and give expression to its devotional feelings. Some of these structures were erected in the fourteenth century and others in the first half of the fifteenth century, and although differing somewhat in detail from both English and foreign examples, they possess a sufficiently close relation to decorated work to ally them with that style and to distinguish them from the structures of the later or third pointed period. The buildings of the latter period, as above mentioned, have in some respects connection both with the English perpendicular and the French Flamboyant.
It is therefore proposed to divide the Church Architecture of Scotland during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries into two periods, under the titles of the Middle Pointed or Decorated Period and the Third or Late Pointed Period. The middle pointed or decorated style corresponds to the decorated period in England and the fully developed Gothic of France, and extends in Scotland from the middle of the fourteenth century till about the middle of the fifteenth century. The third or late pointed period extends from about the middle of the fifteenth century till the Reformation in 1560, and corresponds with the perpendicular or third pointed period in England and the Flamboyant in France. The second pointed period includes a few fine structures, such as the nave of Glasgow Cathedral, part of Melrose Abbey, Lincluden College, Linlithgow Church, Crosraguel Abbey, &c., which contain good decorated work, and are in every respect superior to the later structures of the succeeding period, with which it seems to us erroneous to class them.
MIDDLE POINTED OR DECORATED STYLE.
Towards the close of the thirteenth century a considerable change occurred in the features of Gothic architecture throughout Europe. The development of the pointed style had progressed steadily, and all the details had become lighter and more ornate. The tracery of the windows especially marks the decorated period. This feature, as we have seen, was invented in the previous epoch, but now became fully developed, especially in France. In the design of the tracery the eye, which at first had been fixed on the form of the aperture, gradually came to dwell on the outline of the bars of the tracery, which thereafter became the leading feature. (Fig. 23.) The early simple circular forms of the bar tracery by degrees assumed other geometric patterns, consisting of triangles, squares, and similar figures, skilfully combined and diversified with cusping or feathering. Towards the close of the period these figures assumed a more flowing character, but without entirely losing their distinctive geometric forms.
In England the vaulting grew lighter, and became distinguished by the introduction of subordinate ribs or liernes, which divided the plain surface into a greater number of panels, and ridge ribs were almost always introduced. The points of support were also lightened, and the buttresses were made thinner and with greater projection, and ornamented with numerous niches and crocheted canopies and pinnacles. The clerestory windows under the vaults were enlarged, as it was discovered that
Fig. 23.—Beverley Minster, Yorkshire. Compartment of Nave, Exterior and Interior. (From Britton’s Antiquities.)
the solid walls between the buttresses might be dispensed with, and their place completely filled with window tracery. The clerestory was thus enlarged, and the triforium reduced to a mere passage, or entirely dispensed with. From the same cause the windows of the east and west ends, and those of the façades of the transepts, were also enlarged to the fullest extent, so that nearly the whole space became occupied with tracery and stained glass.
The doorways in England, although still much smaller than those of France, are, notwithstanding, often very fine, as, for instance, those of York Minster (Fig. 24). The shafts of the jambs, which in the previous period were detached and set in nooks, are now converted by degrees into a series of mouldings wrought upon the jamb stones, and arranged in one plane. The caps, at first distinct, gradually pass into a series of foliaceous scrolls running along the top of the whole jamb.
The piers are similarly treated. The clustered shafts give place to mouldings, and the caps become carved with running ornament. The plan of the piers is frequently that of a lozenge. A four-centred arch, forming an ogee or reversed curve, is now introduced in water tables over doorways. The arch mouldings are still boldly cut, and are separated by well-marked and deep hollows, but grow shallower and broader as time advances. The carving and foliage become lighter and more naturalistic, the ordinary leaves and flowers of the fields being beautifully wrought in the capitals, corbels, and bosses. The detached ball flower is a striking feature of this period. Every wall opening is cusped and feathered, and the niches and arcades are richly decorated. The use of small decorative buttresses on the jambs of the doors, windows, and niches now becomes common.
In France the progression of the style is similar, but shows a livelier and bolder development. There a stone vault is always essential, whereas in England open wooden roofs are often adopted with fine result.
MIDDLE POINTED OR DECORATED STYLE IN SCOTLAND.
For the reasons above stated, the middle pointed work in Scotland is somewhat varied from that of England and the Continent, especially in details. It also extends over a longer space of time, and gradually merges into the succeeding or third pointed style.
Until Bruce was firmly established on the throne, church building was entirely at a standstill. But after 1314, architecture received some encouragement from the king and began to revive. Melrose Abbey was especially the recipient of the royal bounty, and during the fourteenth century was, doubtless, in great measure rebuilt. It still retains much of the decorated work of that period, and is amongst our finest examples
of the style. Dryburgh Abbey and Crosraguel Abbey were also encouraged in their works of restoration by King Robert, and still show partial specimens of middle pointed architecture. Glasgow Cathedral also still preserves, almost unimpaired, its fine nave of the fourteenth century. The nave and central tower were evidently completed before 1400, as in that year the latter was destroyed by lightning.
The list of churches containing specimens of middle pointed work could be easily extended, and will be fully gone into in the sequel. Meanwhile, the following may be mentioned as undoubtedly exhibiting genuine examples—viz., Sweetheart Abbey and Lincluden College, in Kirkcudbrightshire, which contain portions of early decorated work; Linlithgow Church, rebuilt after 1424, when it was greatly destroyed by fire; Fortrose Cathedral; St. Giles’ Church, Edinburgh; Brechin Cathedral; Elgin Chapterhouse.
The above buildings extend down to about 1450-60, which may be regarded as the limit of the decorated or middle pointed period in Scotland.
The transition to the third pointed style was gradual.
Trinity Collegiate Church, which existed till 1848, in Edinburgh, although not founded till 1462, preserved in the interior the character of good middle pointed work, and is classed by Rickman as a “decorated” structure, But the exterior shows signs of the later style, and this structure, like several others, may therefore be classed as transitional.
It must be kept in view that many of the above churches of the second pointed period were subjected to damage by fire, and having in consequence to undergo repairs at a later date, exhibit signs of a mixture of styles. Thus, Melrose, Dryburgh, and St. Giles’, Edinburgh, were destroyed by Richard II. during his expedition in 1385, and consequently show in the subsequent restorations some work of a rather late character, mingled with the earlier decorated features. This mingling of the work of different dates no doubt renders somewhat difficult the elimination of the features due to the various epochs, and has probably contributed to the erroneous view above referred to—viz., that all Scottish architecture after 1300 belongs to the same style, and should be classed as “second pointed.”
With regard to the whole of the later architecture of Scotland, however, whether we consider the middle pointed or the third pointed periods, we think there can be no doubt but that it is all the work of native architects. Had the design owed its origin to either English or French architects, it would have more closely resembled the design of the perpendicular in England or Flamboyant in France. But being entirely different from either of these styles, although partaking to some extent of the features of both, and being also much later in date than the corresponding styles of these countries, the only conclusion which can be drawn is, that the architecture of the middle pointed and third pointed periods in this country was wrought out by native hands. Old forms were long adhered to and new features were slowly adopted, and when adopted were not followed entirely or exactly in accordance with the original model, but with certain distinct modifications in details.
The mouldings are generally rather massive and heavy. The buttresses (as at Melrose) strongly resemble English middle pointed work. The pier and arch mouldings are not quite so light and well marked as in England, and the tracery of the windows, although geometric, is not always so elegant as in the South.
Good chapterhouses and sacristies of this period still exist at Glasgow, Crosraguel, Pluscardine, and elsewhere, which are square, and have a central pillar supporting groined vaulting. The very elegant chapterhouse of Elgin Cathedral is octagonal, and beautifully vaulted with a central pillar.
THIRD OR LATE POINTED STYLE.
In the latter half of the fourteenth century, Gothic art, both in France and England, again showed symptoms of a change of character. In France the architects seemed to have exhausted their powers of development as regards constructional elements, and were now occupied with the elaboration of details. The earlier geometric tracery now assumed a very flowing character, which, from the flame-like shapes of the bars of the stone work, was called “Flamboyant.” In England, on the other hand, the tracery assumed a rigid form, and from the mullions of the windows being carried up in straight lines from the sill to the arch, the style received the name of “perpendicular.” (Fig. 25.) In many respects, connected with ornament and decoration, the styles of the two countries resembled each other, but in one respect they differed widely. In France the simple intersecting pointed vault was never departed from, but in England the development of the vaulting into new forms made great progress at this period. It has been mentioned that in their “decorated” work the English had begun, in the thirteenth century, to introduce “liernes” or intermediate ribs into the vaults. This process still continued and advanced till the vaulting surface became covered with ribs. (Fig. 26.) The ribs were latterly used as ornamental features, spread over the surface of the vault, which again became the supporting arched surface, as it was before the introduction of Gothic bearing ribs in the twelfth century. A favourite form of this kind of vaulting is known from its appearance as fan vaulting. In working out this kind of vaulting, it was found desirable to bring all the ribs to the same level at the apex, and in order to accomplish this it was found convenient to use arches of double curvature, or four centred arches, a depressed form which is characteristic of perpendicular work.
From this peculiarity there followed many changes in style almost unknown abroad. The use of the depressed arch in the vault soon led to its adoption in the clerestory windows placed under the vault, and from these it spread to the other windows, and ultimately to all the arches of the building. From these features a perpendicular structure is at once recognisable. The panelling of the vaults led, in sympathy, to panelling in the wall surfaces, in the buttresses, and everywhere. A linear system of ornamentation was thus produced, which was developed to an extreme degree—the mouldings were thinned off till they became mere strings, with wide shallow hollows between, and all interruption to the stringy or liney effect thus produced was objected to. Thus the caps of shafts were almost abolished, and the thin arch mouldings carried down the piers without interruption from the arch to the base. The piers were divided up with large shallow hollows or splays, and the subordination of mouldings was lost. When caps were used they were generally small and octagonal in shape, and stood meaningless amidst a cluster of mouldings. Doorways were less deeply recessed than formerly, and the four-centred arch was usually enclosed in a square moulding, the spandrils between the square head and the arch being filled with tracery or sculpture, often of a heraldic nature.
In France the two-centred arch was adhered to, and traceried windows were frequently introduced over doorways. Some of the carving, both at home and in France, is executed with great delicacy and spirit, but much of the foliage is of a very conventional form peculiar to the period. In running ornaments the stems frequently become more important than the leaves, thus carrying out the thin linear character of the style.
The English architects always showed a fondness for wooden roofs, and at this the latest period of Gothic these open timber constructions became very common. In France, on the contrary, vaulted roofs were preferred till the revival of classic art.
THIRD OR LATE POINTED STYLE IN SCOTLAND.
During the latter part of the fifteenth and in the sixteenth centuries the erection of cathedrals and monasteries in Scotland was almost entirely superseded by collegiate churches. These structures are generally designed on a cruciform plan, with a central tower over the crossing. They have usually a porch at the south-west and a sacristy at the north-east angle, and occasionally one or more chantry chapels attached. Except in the larger examples of collegiate churches, such as St. Giles’ and Trinity College, Edinburgh, aisles are rarely introduced, and groined vaulting, although used in the above structures, is also uncommon. The churches are generally covered with pointed barrel vaults, for the most part plain, but sometimes ornamented with ribs applied to the barrel surface. The latter style of decoration is sometimes employed in the vaulting over the
Fig. 26.—Winchester Cathedral. West End of the Nave. (From Britton’s Chronological History of English Architecture.)
presbytery, so as to distinguish it by its richness. This class of vaulting carries out in its simplest elements the principle adopted at this period in England of making the vaulting surface more important than the ribs, and using the latter as ornaments upon the surface of the vault.
The exterior of the churches is generally marked by rather heavy buttresses, crowned with small and debased-looking pinnacles. The buttresses have often a great many set-offs. In other examples buttresses are entirely omitted. The doorways vary considerably. The semi-circular arch, which is sometimes preserved in the earlier styles, is now of very frequent use, not only in doorways, but also in pier arcades and clerestories (as at Paisley and Dunkeld). Elliptic arches and three-sided door heads are also used.
At this period we find indications of English influence in a few perpendicular traceries, as at Melrose Abbey, and of French influence in some Flamboyant forms, and in the three or five sided apse which frequently forms the eastern termination of the churches. Western and central towers are usual features, generally rather squat in form, and sometimes surmounted with a short spire, having numerous small lucarnes and pinnacles. Four of these towers were once finished with spires of open work resembling a crown, but the number is now reduced to two—viz., St. Giles’, Edinburgh, and King’s College, Old Aberdeen.
The piers are often of a plain circular form, and the arches have frequently plain chamfers instead of mouldings. The caps of piers are peculiar and heavy, the abacus consisting of a deep series of mouldings. Grotesque ornaments and large flowers are common, and frequently of rather coarse design; but in some instances, as in the cloisters of Melrose, the ornaments are beautifully sculptured.
A revival of early enrichments, such as the dog-tooth or nail-head, is a curious characteristic of this period, as it was also in the case of the late domestic architecture. Other early features are also revived, such as detached shafts, with well-marked caps and bases of early form. This is specially observable at Iona and in Argyleshire and the Western Islands, where, as already mentioned, a peculiar style prevailed.
In course of time, as pointed out elsewhere,[60] the ecclesiastical elements were invaded by the features of domestic architecture, and a mixed, but picturesque, style was developed which had more of a Scottish than a Gothic aspect.
Many examples of Scottish structures of the third period will be illustrated. The buildings, though comparatively small, are numerous and interesting, as they illustrate a specially Scottish branch of Gothic architecture. They consist largely of collegiate edifices, and amongst them is the well-known collegiate church of Roslyn.
A number of churches showing the mixture of domestic and ecclesiastical features which prevailed in the latter half of the sixteenth and seventeenth century have already been illustrated, as above indicated.
That series of churches will be continued so as to exhaust the subject.
The contrast they present with the churches of the earlier centuries is very striking, and affords much food for reflection.