The apse (Fig. 861), which is three-sided, is somewhat awkwardly fitted on to the choir, being formed like a large bow window, extending beyond the choir, from which it opens by a large semicircular arch in the east wall (see Fig. 859). This wall is continued upwards on the exterior, so as to form a gable, finished with crow-steps. The windows of the apse are large, and the tracery of two of the windows is perpendicular in character.

The transepts (or north and south chapels) and the south porch are constructed in a somewhat peculiar manner (see Figs. 862 and 863), having crow-stepped gables both on their outer walls and also over the inner or aisle wall which separates them from the church. The upper part of these structures does not thus interfere with the aisle roof, but stands apart from it, allowing the aisle roof and the clerestory to pass clear behind them. The north chapel, with its round turret (see Fig. 862), forms a very picturesque feature of the edifice. Each of these partly detached adjuncts contains an apartment over the vault (see Fig. 856). The chambers over the north transept and south porch are approached by turret stairs, while access to that over the south transept is obtained by passing along the gutter from the south porch and entering by a door in the inner gable. The room over the south porch seems to have been a place for preserving documents, there being three wall presses, one having had double doors. The light from the small oriel over the arch of the porch is not good. The room over the south transept is provided with a large fireplace, and may have been used as a kitchen; that over the north transept is empty and bare. The south porch, with its picturesque upper oriel and stair turret (Fig. 863), is a very interesting part of the edifice. The doorway has good mouldings and bold enrichment in the arch, and the corbelled oriel is a peculiar adjunct to the church. A similar one existed at St. Giles’, Edinburgh.

The parapet of the south aisle of the choir is provided with plain gargoyles (Fig. 864), twisted so as to throw the water off the windows; but that of the nave has no gargoyles, the water being removed by pipes. The cornice of the nave is also different from the rest of the building, and has the appearance of being a comparatively recent repair. This may have been executed at the same time as the repair of the tower (to be referred to). The junction of the different parts of the parapet and clerestory is seen in Figs. 860 and 864.

The forms of the buttresses are worthy of notice (see Figs. 860 and 864). Those of the nave have a simpler character than those of the apse and north transept. They are all well enriched with niches, having carved canopies and corbels, but those of the choir and north transept contain a more minute style of carving and ornament than those of the nave. The numerous set-offs of the buttresses of the apse (see Fig. 861),

and the small and paltry character of the finials of the north transept (see Fig. 862), indicate a late date. The canopies of the niches are

ornamented in a somewhat elaborate style (Fig. 865), some of the ornaments having a strong resemblance to the style of many of the enrichments at Rosslyn.

The buttress of the south-west angle of the nave, crowned with the sculptured figure of St. Michael (Fig. 866), forms a striking feature on approaching the church. To the left, under the west window of the south aisle of the nave, may be observed three corbels in the aisle wall, which have apparently carried a pent roof, under which there is an oblong aperture in the wall of the church. It is said that pensioners here received their dole, but the use of the opening is not clear.

The western tower (see Fig. 860) once formed an important feature of St. Michael’s. It was originally terminated with a crown of open stonework, similar to that of St. Giles’ in Edinburgh. But, about 1821, this crown was found to be in a dangerous state, and had to be taken down. The tower would appear to have been an addition to the original structure. The Plan shows that a part of the original west wall has been cut out, and the thicker wall of the tower inserted. This is seen both externally and internally, and the awkward junction of the tower with the nave is also apparent. The tower itself is of good design, but late—probably of the same period as the apse. It contains a remarkable entrance doorway (Fig. 867), quite Continental in style, which may possibly be the work of Thomas French, the king’s master mason. Above this doorway there is a large perpendicular window. The upper part of the tower is plain and solid, and would contrast well with the airy crown on top.

In the interior the tower is designed so as to produce a good effect. It opens into the nave with a wide and lofty arch (Fig. 868) carried up to the clerestory level; and the groined vault of the tower, with the large window below, as seen through the arch, produce a good effect. In

each side wall of the tower there is a richly canopied recess, evidently intended to receive monuments or sculpture, but now empty.

A portion of what appears to have been a carved altar-piece has been preserved in the church (Fig. 869). It consists of two panels, which have evidently formed part of a series, representing scenes in our Lord’s Passion and death. The panel on the left shows the scene in the garden, with the three apostles asleep; and the panel on the right exhibits the betrayal.

The Church of St. Michael’s is one of the largest of the ancient parish churches of Scotland. The wall which separated the nave and choir has recently been removed, and the whole thrown into one church. In 1559 the building was taken possession of by the Lords of the Congregation, in their march from Perth to Edinburgh, when the altars and images were destroyed, the figure of St. Michael (see Fig. 866) only escaping demolition.

The steeple contains three old bells—one dated 1490, and the other two recast during the eighteenth century.

ST. MONANS CHURCH, Fifeshire.

St. Monans is the name of one of the numerous fishing villages on the Fifeshire coast of the Frith of Forth, and lies about three miles west from Anstruther. The village derives its name from St. Monan, who, by tradition, is believed to have been a missionary to the Picts in the eighth century, and to have suffered martyrdom by the Danes on the Isle of May. His body is said to have been buried on the mainland; and over it a small chapel was subsequently erected, which had a reputation for cures. Dr. Skene, however, thinks that St. Monan was Bishop of Clonfert, and that his relics were brought from Ireland to Fife about 845, and deposited in a church erected in his honour.[162] This original chapel was replaced with a larger edifice by David II. in 1362, in gratitude for his miraculous escape, through St. Monan’s influence, from the fatal effects of the barb of an arrow with which he was wounded at Durham. Sir William Dishington, of the adjoining estate of Ardross, was appointed master of the works;[163] and between 1362 and 1370 the sum of £613, 7s. was paid to him in connection with the fabric, besides £6, 13s. 4d. for the carpenter work. Dishington hired a ship from a burgess of Inverness to convey timber from there for the building; and there appear to have been three freights, which cost for transit £20, £10, and £7, 17s. 8d. In 1364 and 1366, before the church was finished, there are payments to at least three chaplains celebrating at St. Monans, two of whom had £10 and the other 20 merks yearly.[164]

About a century after the founding of the church, it was bestowed by James III. on the Dominicans. In 1544 it is said to have suffered a good deal at the hands of the English. The structure, however, still survives, and has long been used as the parish church. It is most picturesquely situated on the rocks, at the junction of a small stream with the sea; and, although exposed to the violence of the tempests and the waves for several centuries, it still retains more of its original architecture than most of our more favourably situated churches.

The building (Fig. 870) consists of a chancel, north and south transepts, and a tower and spire over the crossing. Although a nave has evidently been intended, it has never been built. The chancel is 50 feet long by 23 feet wide internally. It is divided into four bays, marked externally by buttresses, with traceried windows between them (Fig. 871); and, internally, by groined vaults, springing from wall shafts between the bays (Fig. 872). The east end (see Fig. 871) has two traceried windows, with a buttress between, surmounted by a small oblong light, filled with tracery. The north and south transepts are each 17 feet in length by 18 feet in width. The north transept (Fig. 873) has a three-light window to the north and a two-light window to the west; and the ceiling is covered with a groined vault, having numerous ribs. The south transept (Fig. 874) has two windows to the south and one to the west. The crossing has large clustered piers supporting the arches (see Fig. 872), which carry the tower and spire. The western end is built up with a solid wall (see Fig. 874), without any indication of an arch to the nave. It contains a tall traceried window of two lights, with a transom in the centre of the height. A turret stair at the north-west angle leads to the top of the tower.

The evidence of the Exchequer Rolls is conclusive as to a church having been erected here, at considerable outlay, in the fourteenth century; but,

to judge from the architecture alone, it seems scarcely possible to believe that the church we now see is the one erected in the time of David II. All

the features of the structure point to a date later by about a century. The church having been bestowed by James III. on the Dominicans, one would be inclined to ascribe the erection or, perhaps, restoration of the edifice to his reign. The style of church erected in the fifteenth century was generally a cross church, without aisles. St. Monans is designed on

that plan, and, like many of the other cross churches, remains incomplete, the nave not having been erected. In almost all its details it corresponds with the Scottish structures of the fifteenth century. The windows have all splays running round the jambs and arches, without caps; and the tracery is of an undoubtedly late Scottish form (see Figs. 871 and 875). The curious small upper window in the east end could scarcely be of fourteenth century date.

The vaulting (see Fig. 874) is groined, and has main and subsidiary ribs or tiercerons. This is not usual in the collegiate churches of the fifteenth century, in which the pointed barrel vault is commonly used; but we have one prominent example in the Trinity College Kirk of Edinburgh, built about 1460, in which groined and ribbed vaulting was fully carried out. The ribs at St. Monans are arranged in a rather singular manner. There is a well-marked ridge rib, and there are also transverse ridge ribs; but the latter stop at the point where the tiercerons meet them; and from that point the transverse ridge ribs slope down to the apex of the windows, where they are received by a small corbel (Fig. 875). The tiercerons are also irregularly placed; they do not spring, like the other ribs, from the cap of the vaulting shaft, but die away into the wall some way up the wall rib. These peculiarities have the appearance of late and imperfect workmanship. It will be observed that the single wall shafts, from the capital of which the vaulting ribs spring, have no bases.

The sedilia (see Fig. 875) in the south wall of the choir of St. Monans may be regarded as decorated work. We find similar, and even finer, work of this description at Crosraguel Abbey in the fifteenth century.

The buttresses are simple, and might belong to almost any period. It should be stated that the tops of the buttresses were “restored” early in this century. The want of a parapet at the roof is peculiar, and may possibly be the effect of restoration. It is evident that a parapet has been intended at the gable of the south transept, where there is a door for access to the parapet walk (see Fig. 874). The peculiar character of this transept is remarkable. The two small round-headed windows, with their deep recess, and the great expanse of dead wall above them, must certainly be considered as of late design.

The stunted style of the square tower (see Figs. 871 and 873), which just rises above the roofs, is quite in keeping with the Scottish towers of the fifteenth century. The parapet is supported on corbels, which are different on three of the sides. The tower is surmounted by an octagonal spire, which is of the usual rather stunted form common in the fifteenth century. Some of the details, such as the numerous lucarnes, may be even later.

It will be observed that the sedilia is placed at a considerable height above the floor. This may arise from the steps leading to the altar having been removed, and the floor of the whole of the east end lowered to the general level of the choir; or, perhaps, the floor of the whole church has been lowered. The bases of the piers at the crossing, which are of a very unusual height, would rather support the latter view (see Fig. 872).

It is not clear where the original entrance to the church was situated. Two doors in the east end now give access to it, but these are clearly modern innovations. There is a pointed doorway in the north wall of the choir (see Fig. 872), which now gives access to a vestry, and, from its position, it seems likely to have originally led to the sacristy.

Whether viewed from the village as one approaches the church from the opposite high bank of the burn (see Fig. 873), or as seen from the rocky shore (see Fig. 871), the Church of St. Monans, both from its situation and the completeness and charm of its ancient architecture, is one of the most picturesque and interesting structures of its class in Scotland.

Although, from what is above said, we cannot regard this structure as so old as 1360, still we consider it worthy of being included amongst the Scottish examples of decorated work.

WHITHORN PRIORY, Wigtonshire.

The name of Whithorn is a venerable one in Scottish annals. Here, according to tradition, St. Ninian, in the beginning of the fifth century, planted the first seeds of Christianity in Scotland. It is disputed whether his first oratory, called Candida Casa, was established, after the manner of the early hermits, on a small isle or peninsula at the point of the promontory which lies between the bays of Luce and Wigton, about three miles south from Whithorn, or on the spot where the monastery afterwards arose. There are the ruins of a small chapel[165] on “The Isle,” and although that structure evidently belongs to a much later time, it is surmised by Mr. Muir and others that it is probably the successor of St. Ninian’s first foundation.

It has been mentioned in the Introduction[166] that other indications exist in this region in the form of ancient sculptured stones, which point to its early Christianisation, and that after a great school of religious instruction had been established here, it gradually died out, and became practically extinct. But under David I. a new religious fervour arose, and the diocese of Candida Casa was established between 1124 and 1130. This part of Galloway having been long under the sway of Northumbria, the bishop remained under the jurisdiction of the see of York till 1472, when the archbishopric of St. Andrews was constituted; and, in 1491, when Glasgow was made a metropolitan see, the Bishop of Galloway became Vicar-General.

The priory of Whithorn was founded in the time of David I. by his friend Fergus, Lord of Galloway. It was colonised by Premonstratensian Canons, and became the chief church of the diocese of Galloway.

The sanctity of St. Ninian’s shrine was universally recognised, and it was constantly visited by thousands of pilgrims, many of them the most distinguished persons in the land. King Robert Bruce made the pilgrimage to Whithorn in 1329, not long before his death. Other royal personages also visited the ancient seat. James IV. paid annual visits, and sometimes went twice in the year. From the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer we learn that he made the pilgrimage in state, accompanied by a large retinue, including his minstrels. The priory naturally became wealthy, and the church and other buildings were of great extent.

In 1587 the property was, by Act of Parliament, annexed to the Crown; and in 1606 it was granted by James VI. to the Bishop of Galloway. It became transferred, in 1641, to the College of Glasgow, and finally, in 1689, it reverted to the Crown.

All the documents which might throw light on the history of the monastery have, unfortunately, been lost. They are supposed to have either been destroyed or carried abroad by the canons at the Reformation. Some distinguished men held the office of prior, amongst whom were Gavin Dunbar, who was prior in 1514, and afterwards tutor to James V., and Archbishop of Glasgow; and James Beaton, who also subsequently became Archbishop of Glasgow and St. Andrews.[167]

Of the extensive buildings of the monastery there remained standing, in 1684, according to Symson, only the steeple and the body of the great church; all the remainder was in ruins, or had been carried away. The

tower at the west end of the church, which contained the belfry, fell more than a century ago, and, in falling, destroyed the west gable of the church.

The buildings of the priory have now been reduced to the nave (Fig. 876), an aisleless structure, 74 feet long by 24 feet wide internally, and to some underground vaulted buildings, which no doubt formerly supported the choir and other erections above. Considerable excavations and investigations have recently been made on the site by the Marquis of Bute, under the careful superintendence of Mr. William Galloway, architect, whom we have to thank for the accompanying Plan (Fig. 877) showing the outline of all that remains of the priory. The explanations attached to the Plan give Mr. Galloway’s views as to the various parts of the edifice.

The west tower (1), which fell in the beginning of last century, is now a mere ruin a few feet in height, and the new west wall (2), built in consequence of the destruction of the old gable wall, diminishes the size of the nave. The eastern wall of the nave (Fig. 878) is a post-Reformation erection, evidently added to enable the old nave to be used as a parish church. The cloister (5) lay to the north of the nave, which accounts for there being no windows in the north wall of the latter. Not a vestige now remains of the cloister walk or garth.

The chapter house (10), slype (8), and (6) site of domestic buildings extended to the north of the transept. The old foundations and portions of walls remain in connection with the parts tinted black. The parish church (6) is now built on old foundations, with a porch at 7. 9 shows a piece of causeway flooring in situ, and 11 is the foundation of a pillar of the chapter house. The crypts (14), which are on a basement floor, show the extent of the choir, and 13 is the crypt or basement of a large building to the south. A considerable portion of the vaulting of these crypts has been preserved. To the east 17 probably indicates the foundations of the lady chapel. To the north of the choir is a detached structure (16), believed, from the remains of feathers, &c. found in it, to have been a larder. The remainder of the ground is entirely covered with graves, so that it was only accidentally that a small portion of the foundation of the south transept (12) was discovered.

The nave (see Fig. 878) still retains its ancient side walls, which are probably of the fifteenth century. The south-east doorway is of good form, and the mouldings are also good. “It bears the arms of Alexander Vaus, Bishop from 1426 to 1450.”[168] In the interior (Fig. 879) the north wall

contains two pointed recesses for monuments, of which the design is excellent. The general design is of first pointed character, but the moulding on the left side has been repaired with ornament of fifteenth

century work. The most important feature connected with the nave is the doorway at the south-west angle (Fig. 880). It is set in a slight projection of the wall, which contains features, such as the pointed window over the doorway, which indicate a late period. The doorway itself is undoubtedly Norman, and probably of an early date. It is much worn away, and has been greatly damaged by the erection of a porch (now removed), the roof of which has cut into the mouldings. The shafts are built in nooks, and have caps carved with owls’ heads and other ornaments, now much decayed. One cap is carved with a quatrefoil, which is certainly a late addition. The abacus is of simple section, and is carved with sunk faceted ornaments. The arch comprises four orders, besides a hood mould. Three of these orders are enriched with chevron ornaments, and one order (the second from the inner opening) has an irregular arrangement of geometric patterns and circular discs. Similar geometric patterns are introduced in the west doorway at Dunfermline Abbey. It will be observed that some of the voussoirs are incomplete. Thus in the outer order the second voussoir to the left of the head over the centre has the chevron very imperfectly cut, and is evidently an insertion. The same remark applies to the voussoir below it to the right, which has only one half of a chevron, and in the next order straight below the head a rounded stone is substituted for the proper voussoir. All these divergences from the usual careful work of Norman building seem to indicate that there has been an alteration of the doorway. Most probably it has been rebuilt and the imperfect voussoirs introduced to make up deficiencies in the old work.

The hood mould, which is plain, had a terminal at each end, carved as a large human head.

The remarkable figures carved on the projecting wall, above each side of the arch, are worthy of observation. The sculpture on the right side and the lower one on the left have a strong resemblance to the figures often found on the ancient sculptured stones, and, when taken in connection with the sculptures at Dalmeny, point to a close affinity between the sculptured figures on the ancient stones and the architecture of the twelfth century in Scotland. It may be mentioned that many fragments of sculptured stones, chiefly carved with interlacing work, have been dug up in the neighbourhood, and are kept in the existing part of the old church.

The ancient font (Fig. 881) has been preserved. It is bowl shaped and extremely simple in design, and may be of Norman date. Mr. Galloway informs us that it was long used as a trough for pounding stucco, and stood at the Town Hall. It is now reverently placed in the church.

TEMPLE CHURCH, Mid-Lothian.

The ancient Church of Temple is beautifully situated in the valley of the river South Esk, about three miles from Gorebridge Railway Station, and seven miles south from Dalkeith. As the name implies, this site was (in the time of David I.) the residence of the Knights Templars.

Before the Reformation there were three churches in the upper valley of the Esk, which belonged to the monks of Newbotle. One of these, called Balentradoch, was granted by Pope Clement V., in 1312, after the suppression of the Templars, to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John. At the Reformation the three churches were united into one parish, and the existing structure was used as the parish church till 1832, when a new church was erected near it.

The plan of the church (Fig. 882) is a simple oblong, 55 feet in length by 17 feet 9 inches in width internally. A portion at the west end, measuring about 17 feet 6 inches externally, has been added since the Reformation. This portion contained a gallery, entered by a high outside doorway in the north-west corner. There are in the west wall a round-headed doorway on the ground level and a high window with two pointed lights over it. Some doorways have also been opened in the older part of the structure about the same time—viz., one in the centre of the north wall and one at the east end of the south wall.

The more ancient part of the building is in good preservation, although roofless. It contains a large traceried window in the east wall (Fig. 883), and has had two traceried windows, each with three lights, in each of the side walls. These windows are well preserved, except the west one in the north wall, which has been practically removed and built up, only the interior sconsions being now traceable. To the west of the above windows there occur two narrow lancet windows, one in the north and one in the south wall, opposite one another. There is an ancient trefoil-headed doorway in the north wall (Fig. 884), and at the north-east angle of the same wall a broad set-off is visible at a high level,

indicating that there must have been some structure with a sloping stone roof (possibly a monument) under it. The wall at this place has been rebuilt. In the interior of the north wall (Fig. 885), under the eastmost side window, a segmentally-arched recess is introduced. It is about 6 feet 2 inches long, and has had good mouldings springing from small shafts and caps, but is now greatly destroyed. This may have been an easter sepulchre. In the interior of the south wall there has been a sedilia with two seats (see Fig. 885), each having a trefoil-headed arch, with bold roll on edge, of which only a small portion survives.

Externally (see Fig. 883) the building is provided with a buttress at each side of the east end, and another at right angles to it at the south-east angle. A similar buttress occurs on the south wall between the two south windows. These buttresses are all finished with acute gablets and fleur-de-lys ridges, and the string course and base are returned round them.

The east window has a double splay on the jambs (Fig. 886), and the arch mouldings, which consist of bold rolls, partly filleted, die against the splays. The hood moulding has carved terminals, apparently of animals. The intersecting tracery is simple, and the mullions are splayed, and each aperture between the curved branches of the mullions contains a chamfered circle. There is no cusping.

In the interior (see Fig. 885), the opening of the east window being wider than on the exterior, the arch is larger and the springing is lower. It is moulded with a large filleted roll, and has a hood (Fig. 887). The roll rests on a round moulded cap, which crowns the angle shaft of the sconsion.