side openings were unglazed, and were used for seeing and listening to what was proceeding in the chapter house below.
The doorway (Fig. 413) is large and deeply recessed, having three shafts on the sloping ingoing, and plain mouldings above in the round arch, divided into several orders. The jambs and arch over them are enriched with a bold dog-tooth moulding. The outer arches of the windows on each side of the doorway are plain semicircles, filled in with two pointed lights, having a central shaft.
The chapter house is 48 feet in length by 23 feet in width, and retains its round barrel vault (Fig. 414), which is about 20 feet in height. It has three pointed windows in the east end (see Fig. 411.) and two similar windows in the side walls, where the chapter house projects beyond the general line of the buildings. In the interior a round arched arcade runs along the east side, supported on single shafts, and there are traces of a similar arcade having run round the side walls. There is an entrance doorway in the south wall, which is probably not original, and the approach to it has been modernised. The east gable wall over the chapter house still exists (see Fig. 411.) It has simple flat buttresses of a Norman type at the angles and between the windows, but the pointed arches indicate transition work.
Amongst the fragments of carved work preserved in the chapter house is that shown in Fig. 415. It represents the pascal lamb slain,
and is surrounded by a wreath of foliage, above which are the letters I H S. The vine leaves flowing from the lamb may represent the branches springing from the true vine.
To the south of the chapter house is a large apartment, 50 feet in length by 23 feet wide. It has been vaulted at a late period, and the vaulting shafts still remain attached to the east, west, and south walls. Their details are of the third pointed period. There is a fireplace in the centre of the west wall, and an outer doorway at the south end of the same wall. The apartment was lighted by three plain round arched windows in the east wall, one of which has had tracery inserted in after times. At the north-west angle, opening from the level of the cloister, there is a round-headed doorway, and traces of a staircase, which doubtless served as the day access to the dormitory. The large apartment just described was probably the fratery or monks’ day room. This is the more likely from its having a fireplace, where the monks might warm themselves
in cold weather. At the south-east angle of the room, and in the thickness of the wall, a narrow staircase leads up to where the dormitories were situated. South of the fratery is the slype or passage 10 feet in width, with arched openings to the east and west. It has also a doorway to the fratery, and another to the apartment on the south side. The latter now only exists in part, the south end of the range having been destroyed.
The range of buildings above described still retains its eastern wall to the full height of two stories (see Fig. 411.), the upper story being, doubtless, the dormitory. The wall is all built in a simple early style, with flat buttresses between the windows, and the latter are plain round-headed openings, with a single recessed order. The hood mould is in some cases carved with a notch ornament.
On the south side of the cloister, where the refectory once stood, there
are now only the ruins of the vaulted basement on which it stood. At the east end of this range there is a doorway from the cloister giving access to a staircase, which led down to the lower level of the fratery, &c. The remainder of the south side was probably all occupied by the refectory,
which would thus be about 77 feet in length by 27 feet in width. The west wall is almost all that survives. It is ivy clad, and contains a picturesque circular window, with radiating tracery (Fig. 416). Adjoining
this wall in the south-west angle of the cloister there is an arched recess in the west wall, apparently intended for a tomb and monument; but it is empty. Over the doorway in this angle is a large shield (Fig. 417),
which contains the arms of John Stewart, who was commendator in 1555. On the shield are the initials “J. S.,” with the crozier in the centre. He was brother of the Earl of Lennox, and uncle to Lord Darnley, who married Queen Mary. The arms are those of the Stewarts of Lennox.
The cloister occupies a space of 93 feet by 91 feet. It has been surrounded by a vaulted walk, which has entirely disappeared. It is evident that the cloister walk was at least partly vaulted from the small remains of the springing of the vaults which are visible in the eastern wall on each side of the doorway to the chapter house (see Fig. 413.). From the way in which these springings die away to nothing against the wall, without corbel or support of any kind, it is apparent that the vaulting must have been of a late date. The corbels which supported the top of the wooden roof over the vaulting are also still visible in the east wall.
The south wall of the nave of the church extends along the north side of the cloister. At the north-east angle is the doorway which led from the cloister into the nave. It is a handsome specimen of the transition style, having a circular arched head deeply recessed in four or five orders, springing from three shafts, and two moulded members in the jambs. It is noteworthy regarding this doorway that the two inner orders of the jambs and arch had been removed and erected in private grounds, and, after many years’ absence, were restored to their original position only a short time ago.
The nave of the church is entered through this handsome doorway by ten steps up from the cloister. It presents a scene of terrible destruction. All the piers of the nave are demolished, and only slight traces of the north wall remain; of the south wall, more is preserved. The west end wall (Fig. 418), however, has to some extent escaped destruction, and shows by the responds attached to it the form of the nave piers, with their caps and bases. The position of the piers along the nave is now roughly indicated by a collection of fragments arranged, as nearly as possible, in the original position and form. The mouldings indicate a late date, and were, doubtless, restorations; but the responds, which were not so liable to destruction, are of first pointed date. The responds which form part of the west wall show that there was a central nave 28 feet wide and side aisles, each about 13 feet 6 inches wide, making a total width of 55 feet. There have been side chapels in the nave, apparently divided by walls, some portions of which remain, with ambries in the chapels.
The western doorway (Fig. 419) has a round arched head, but its details show that it is of late design. This part of the edifice has apparently been restored in the fifteenth century, after the destruction of the abbey by Richard II. in the end of the fourteenth century.
The transept has a slight projection to the north and south. It is 80 feet in length internally from north to south and 37 feet in width, including an eastern aisle.
This part of the building and all to the east of it are evidently of
thirteenth century work, but, unfortunately, only a few detached portions remain. These include (see Fig. 412.) the very picturesque gable of the south transept, with its large window filled with simple pointed tracery, rising in steps above the roof of the dormitory (Fig. 420). The arch through which the stair to the dormitory passed is visible in this wall. (See Fig. 420.)
To the east of the transept is a choir of two bays, with aisles, beyond which is an aisleless presbytery, 42 feet long by 24 feet wide, now almost reduced to foundations. The buttresses and base course are traceable, and a doorway in the north-east angle, which probably led to a small staircase. The portion of the structure still preserved to the north is a part of the north transept wall, with the eastern aisle of the transept and the two north bays of the choir (Fig. 421).
These portions are of very beautiful design, both internally and externally. The exterior (Fig. 422) is of very simple, but elegant, first pointed work, while the interior shows symptoms of somewhat more advanced design. The angle pier of the crossing and the piers of the choir consist of round shafts with fillets, divided by square angles. These are surmounted by moulded caps, with round abacus and first pointed mouldings. From these spring the pier arches, composed of three orders of plain splays, with hood moulding. Over the main arches is a low triforium marked by string courses above and below. It has flat arched openings filled in with circles having six cusps.
The clerestory is of beautiful design. Each bay contains an arcade of three arches, the central one, which is opposite the window, being larger than the side arches. The arches are supported on detached piers, behind which runs a gallery. These piers each consist of two shafts, with central fillet. They have first pointed round caps, over which a round block receives the arch mouldings as they descend.
A small portion of the north end of the transept adjoins the above, which shows that the structure has been carried up in two stories of richly moulded windows (see Fig. 420.), all in the same style as the adjoining portion of the choir. The remaining portion of the aisle is vaulted with moulded ribs springing from responds and corbels corresponding in style with the choir.
The whole of this part of the church is of very fine design and workmanship, but it is, unfortunately, a mere fragment. Additional interest attaches to it from its forming the last resting-place of Sir Walter Scott and members of his family.
AIRTH CHURCH.[197]
This ruined church adjoins the old Castle of Airth, which lies half a mile from the Forth and eight miles south-east of Stirling. The church is in part a building of considerable antiquity, dating from the transition period about the end of the twelfth or the beginning of the thirteenth century, but it has undergone many alterations, and only a small part of the early structure remains. The building as it now stands (Fig. 423) consists of a
nave and chancel, having a south wing or aisle, containing the Airth vault, and forming a transept, with a tower at the re-entering angle of the Airth aisle, and with indications of an aisle on the north side of the choir. There are also two burial vaults attached to the building, one on the north side and the other at the south-west angle, called respectively the Bruce and Elphinstone aisles. The internal length of the church is 79 feet 3 inches by about 19 feet 9 inches in breadth. The most ancient part of the church (Fig. 424) is on the north side of the nave, and consists of a bay of what has been a nave arcade, opening into a north aisle. One pillar and respond (tinted black on the Plan), with the connecting round arch, still
stand. The original arcade probably consisted of three bays extending to near the west gable, where there are indications, at the ground level, of what appears to have been the western respond. Whether there was originally a south arcade or not cannot now be determined, as this part has been entirely rebuilt, and all traces of the north and south aisles of the nave, if there was a south aisle, have perished. The existing north bay is 11 feet 3 inches wide, and the pillar, which is circular, is about 17 inches in diameter. It has a capital, carved with simple foliage (Fig. 425), and has a square abacus. The arch has a double set of plain arch stones, with plain soffit.
The few details which survive are extremely interesting, and show this to have been a building of some importance. Behind the above bay now stands the burial aisle of the Bruces of Powfoulis. It bears over the doorway the initials of Sir James Bruce and his wife, Dame Margaret Rollox, of Duncrub, and on another part the date 1614. It seems probable that this, as well as the other aisles shown on Plan, contained, on the upper floor, the family seats or galleries of the respective houses whose arms they bear, and a burial vault beneath.
Judging from the few details left, the Airth aisle is a structure of the fifteenth century. It measures about 24 feet 3 inches long by 13 feet 3 inches wide, and has contained a large traceried south window, which is now destroyed, and brought to the condition shown in Fig. 426. The external hood moulding of the window remains with nicely carved terminations (Fig. 427). Beneath this window is seen the top of an arched tomb, in which probably the recumbent effigy (Fig. 428) once lay. There is a small square-headed window in the east wall, divided by a mullion; but, as appears from its mouldings, it is an insertion of perhaps the seventeenth century. Adjoining this is the usual ambry. Beneath this aisle is the burial vault (indicated by dotted lines on the Plan), which is reached by the stair shown. On the outside of the east wall there is a niche for a statue (Fig. 429). It has the usual canopy and bracket so frequent on the churches of this late period. The bracket (Fig. 430) contains the Bruce arms—viz., the chief and saltier; the chief being charged with two incised cinquefoils, which may point to an alliance with the Livingstone family. The same arms, but without the cinquefoils,
appear beneath each of the first crow steps of the gable. This aisle was probably erected by Alexander Bruce of Stenhous and first of Airth (1452 to 1483), who was a son of Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan,[198] and is stated to have married (first) Janet, daughter of the first Lord Livingstone, by whom he had no issue. It was probably “our Ladie Aisle, founded and situated on the south side of the Kirk of Airth,” the chaplainrie of which was presented by Sir Alexander Bruce of
Airth, the patron, to Robert Bruce, younger, his son, on 30th October 1572.
The effigy (see Fig. 428.), which, as already stated, probably occupied the tomb in the Airth aisle, lies at present in a mutilated state in the
eastern portion of the church. There is no certainty whom the recumbent figure represents, but it is in all likelihood an effigy of one of the ladies of either the family of Erth or of the Bruces of Airth. It has been stated that another effigy lies beside the one referred to, but we understand from a person who has examined the ground that nothing of the kind is to be found. This effigy, which is 6 feet 3 inches long by 1 foot 10 inches in breadth, is greatly mutilated; but the coverlet extending from the waist downwards is well preserved, and is very finely carved, and, so far as we know, is unique amongst Scottish figures.
In Airth Castle is preserved the stone shown in Fig. 431. It appears to have been taken from the church and to have formed a part of a piscina or ambry. The fragment measures about 2 feet high, with an opening about 12½ inches wide. It doubtless belonged to the Airth aisle.
The Elphinstone aisle, which is separated from the nave by a semicircular arch, presents no architectural features of note; but on the exterior of the gable towards the south there is a well-preserved stone (Fig. 432), with shield bearing the Elphinstone arms, parted per pale with those of Livingstone and Calendar quarterly, with the motto “Cavis Cavis” (Caus Caus), the date 1593, and at either side the letters M A ♢ E and I ♢ L ME, the initials of Alexander, fourth Lord Elphinstone, and his wife Jane, eldest daughter of William, sixth Lord Livingstone.
The tower contains, on the lintel of the doorway, the inscription I V L Y + THE + 15 + 1647, doubtless the date of its erection. The other parts of the church appear to be of late seventeenth century work, and need not be further referred to.
LASSWADE CHURCH, Mid-Lothian.
Lasswade is a village on the south bank of the river Esk, about six miles south from Edinburgh. The old Parish Church stood, till 1866, in the ancient churchyard, on a height above the south side of the river. “It became a mensal church of the Bishopric of St. Andrews in the twelfth century, forming a prebend of St. Salvator’s Church; but was annexed to the Collegiate Church of Restalrig, in the reign of King James III.”[199]
The old structure having become unsuitable, a new church was erected in 1793, and the old building was allowed to fall into ruins. Some portions, however, were preserved, and converted into mausoleums. In one of these aisles lie the remains of Henry Dundas, first Lord Melville; in another is buried the poet Drummond of Hawthornden.
The old church (Fig. 433) consisted of a single oblong chamber 20 feet in width, with a tower 16 feet square at the west end. The aisles, or
mausoleums, above referred to, are projected from the north side. The westmost is roofed with stone slabs, and has a picturesque appearance.
The tower and a portion of the church were of considerable age, and may be classed as Transition work. In 1866 the tower had become much crushed and dangerous. While steps were being taken by the heritors
to have it strengthened the tower fell. The accompanying drawings were made before that event.
The tower (Fig. 434) was three stories in height, besides the gables of the saddle roof which crowned it. The entrance to the tower was from the inside of the church by a round-headed doorway (see East Elevation), with simple impost and plain arch with hood moulding. Above this was a large round-arched opening into the roof of the church. The two lower stories had narrow pointed windows. The top story had double-pointed lights, with central mullion in each face. This story had an enriched cornice, above which rose the east and west gables, each with a small round-headed window. A door had been knocked into the tower on the south side (Fig. 435), which, doubtless, helped to weaken it.
In a portion of the south wall of the church, near the tower, there was preserved an original doorway (see Fig. 435.) about 5 feet 6 inches wide. It resembled that to the tower in design, having plain jambs, with a string course forming the imposts, and a plain round arch above, enclosed with a hood moulding. All the above features seem to point to the structure being one of the first half of the thirteenth century.
Annexed is a sketch of the effigy of a knight in armour (Fig. 436), which is lying in the churchyard. There is no record of the knight’s name.
BATHGATE CHURCH, Linlithgowshire.
About one mile east from the town of Bathgate stands the old ruined church, surrounded by an ancient burial-ground. It is a long, narrow,
ivy-covered building (Fig. 437), measuring internally about 91 feet 2 inches from east to west by 19 feet 5 inches from north to south, with walls from 3 to 4 feet in thickness. The doorway, which was probably round arched, is almost the only feature of its architecture left. The opening is unusually wide, showing 7 feet of daylight (see Fig. 437.), and, judging from its details, the church belonged to the transitional period. The doorway was decorated with shafts placed in square nooks or recesses, with carved capitals having the square abacus, a certain feature of early work. (Fig. 438.) Both inside and outside the walls are so entirely covered either with ivy or tombstones that almost no part of the masonry can be seen; only one small window on the north side, about six inches wide, being partly visible.
The grave slab (Fig. 439) has lately been fixed into the south wall. Some time ago it was lying on the floor. It measures 6 feet 2 inches long by 2 feet 3 inches wide, and bears a beautifully lettered inscription to the memory of Andreas Crichton. In the centre of the slab there is a cross, with the Calvary steps, and beneath the cross limb a shield with the Crichton arms (a lion rampant), and on the dexter side a long sword.
In the Exchequer Rolls for the year 1497, Andrew Crichton of Drumcorse (the name of the estate adjoining the church on the north) first comes into view. On the 1st May 1502, Crichton entered office as the Chamberlain of the Lordship of Linlithgowshire. He presents his accounts yearly, his last being rendered from July 1513 to July 1514, when he presumably died. His monumental slab was, doubtless, carved shortly after that date.
There is a very beautiful recumbent statue (Fig. 440) lying in the church. It appears to be an early work, but no record exists to tell whose memory it commemorates.
Malcolm IV. (1153 to 1165) granted the church of “Bathket,” with certain lands, to Holyrood.[200] Robert, Bishop of St. Andrews, who died about 1159, confirmed those grants. There was, further, a Papal confirmation in 1164. In 1251, by a taxation of churches in the diocese of St. Andrews, the vicar of the Church of Bathgate was to receive 12 merks of the altar dues, to be assigned him at the sight of William, Archdeacon of Lothian, and Master Alexander, of Edinburgh. This was confirmed by Bishop Gamelin.
The church and lands were afterwards given by the monks of Holyrood to Newbotle, in payment of arrears of rent for lands and salt works in the Carse of Callender, and this was confirmed by Bishop Landels, of St. Andrews, in 1327.[201] The church remained with Newbotle, and was served by a vicar till the Reformation.
The old church was probably abandoned in 1739, when a new church was erected in the town of Bathgate.
INDEX.
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, R, S, T, U, V, W.