The Granary stood to the north-east of the New Inn. Part of the east side wall is thought to be still standing, and on the east side of this is the monastery well, shown on the Plan.
The Abbey Mill, with the mill dam and mill lead, sluices, &c., are shown on the Plan (Fig. 457), and are still in use.
The Tiend Barn still stands in the neighbourhood of the mill, and is still utilised.
Numerous other buildings are mentioned by Martine, such as the Brew House (which stood near the mill), the Malt House, Bear Girnell, Promptwarium, Hortus Gladiatorius, Barnsdeall-Yaird, &c., of which no remains survived in his time.
Besides these buildings directly connected with the priory and cathedral there still exists, opposite the west end of the latter, the manse of the archdeacon, “commonlie called the archdeacon’s inns.”[21]
Among other bishops who were builders of portions of the cathedral, not already mentioned, was William Malvoisine (1202-33). According to Spottiswoode, he “advanced the fabrick (which was then a-building) more than any that went before him.” It is probable that part of the nave (most of which Winton credits to Wishart) may have been built by him.
In the time of Bishop William de Landel (1341-85), in the year 1378, the cathedral suffered considerably from fire. The bishop and the prior, Stephen de Pay, repaired the damage. According to Winton they renewed all the woodwork of the roof of the transepts, choir, and aisles with “aiken werk of Tre,” and covered them with “Thak of Lide.” The two pillars in the north and south transepts appear to have been so much damaged that they had to be entirely renewed, the wall above having to be supported. According to Winton—
The pillars are gone, only the foundations of the two south ones remaining; but it is interesting to observe on the spot that the respond still standing against the south transept wall is of the style one would expect to find in work of the fourteenth century. Winton further says that at the same time “a quartare of the stepil of stane wes made,” which probably means that the central tower was raised, but not the spire.
According to Winton,[22] the fire destroyed the south half of the nave, from the west end eastwards to, and including, the ninth pillar. As these nine pillars were renewed, with the help of certain lords whose arms were carved on them, possibly, as in the case of the transepts, the wall and roof above were supported during this operation.
From the Exchequer Rolls[23] of 1381-84, we find that the Crown contributed to the rebuilding of the cathedral at this time. Perhaps the upper portion of the west front above referred to was rebuilt at this period. Although the work is much decayed, its character would lead to that belief. The restoration begun by Bishop Landel was completed by Bishop Wardlaw (1404-40). He improved the interior by the introduction of fine pavements in the choir, transept, and nave. He also filled the windows with stained glass.
Of the minor works of the cathedral almost nothing remains. There are a few flat tombstones with inscriptions[24] still legible, but of the tombs of Bishops Gameline, Lamberton, and Walter Trail not a vestige is left. Winton, who saw these tombs, the last having been built in his own time, thus refers to them in describing the death of Lamberton.
On the north side of the nave, near the west end, there still remains a built tomb, empty and desecrated, with slight indications of what was a stately monument in the wall. Of seventeenth century flat stones a large collection is gathered and preserved in the chapter house. Fig. 452 shows one of these. Against the north wall of the nave, on the outside, there are three square foundations (see Plan). Two of these may possibly be the foundations of a porch.
The cathedral was in a very ruinous state when Martine wrote (1685). Apparently the north half of the west gable fell in his time, and, considering the sudden wrench to the structure caused by this catastrophe, had the remaining half not been a good piece of masonry, it might easily have followed.
Fifty years before Martine wrote, when Spottiswoode was archbishop, in 1635, the restoration of the cathedral was provided for. The rents and fruits of the benefice, except a small sum reserved for the archbishop, were to be applied for “building and repairing the cathedrall,” until the same “be perfected and finisht.” “And the church being finished then and no sooner,” the archbishop and his successors were to have the full privilege of the use of the rents, but subject to the upholding of the fabric. The structure would thus appear not to have been in a very ruinous state at that time. Nothing appears, however, to have been done, and the work of destruction was continued, and soon reduced the church to nearly its present condition.
This church is situated between the cathedral wall on the north-east and the sea (see C, Fig. 457). It was entirely lost sight of till the year 1860, when the foundations were exposed. Little else remains except the foundations. The east wall rises about 3 feet above the ground, and the other walls run from nearly level with the surface to about 2 feet in height. The structure (Fig. 460) consisted of a nave, transepts, and chancel. The nave and chancel do not coincide in their orientation. There was probably a low central tower supported on four arches, with a stair to the tower at the north-west corner, where the foundation of what appears to have been the stair turret is traceable. The remains of a bench are visible in the north transept. The chancel is the best preserved portion, and is of the first pointed period. It has a base all round, including the buttresses, of which those at the north-east corner have disappeared. There has been a narrow splayed doorway on the north side. A projecting piece of masonry in the south wall may have been a sedilia. A large square of masonry, 11 feet by 4 feet 4 inches, at the east end suggests the position of an altar. There is an early slab in the chancel, carved with a cross, set on steps, and a sword beside it. Another monument, of a hog-backed type, lies to the north of the nave. The existence of other stones at further distances indicate this as the position of an ancient cemetery. The masonry of the chancel is finer than that of the nave and transept, but which is the earlier it is not possible to say with any confidence.
The history of this chapel, with a descriptive account, will be found in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Session 1860-61, Vol. IV. p. 82. The internal dimensions of the chapel are:—Length of nave, 27 feet; width, 18 feet 11 inches. Length of chancel, 46 feet 8½ inches; width, 20 feet 2 inches. Total length inside, 97 feet 11½ inches; outside, 105 feet.
The ancient town of Arbroath stands on the east coast of Forfarshire, and the massive ruins of its great abbey, as seen from the sea, rising above the houses of the town, present an image of decay and desolation.
The abbey was founded by King William the Lion towards the end of the twelfth century. It was richly endowed, and soon became one of the wealthiest and most powerful monasteries in the kingdom. The inmates were of the Tironensian order, and the first monks were brought to Arbroath from Kelso Abbey.
King William, having been taken prisoner at Alnwick in 1174, was confined at Falaise, in Normandy, but regained his liberty, and returned to Scotland, in 1176. Immediately on his return he proceeded to found the Abbey of Arbroath, which he dedicated to Saint Mary and St. Thomas à Becket. The latter had been murdered at Canterbury only four years before, and it is doubtful whether King William was attached to his memory by personal friendship or by sympathy with the saint in his opposition to the King of England.
By the year 1178 part of the church was ready for dedication. William the Lion died in 1214, and was buried in the east end of the edifice, which was then finished. Shortly afterwards the south transept was sufficiently well advanced to admit of the burial within it, before the altar of St. Catherine, of Gilchrist, Earl of Angus. On the 18th of March 1233, during the time of Abbot Ralph de Lamley, the church was dedicated. The time occupied in the erection and completion of the structure was thus a little over fifty-five years, and when its dimensions are considered, it will be found in comparison with other churches to have been carried on with great rapidity.
The above dates are useful as indicating the progress of the transition and pointed styles in Scotland. The choir and transept, although still retaining a few reminiscences of the transition in the round arches interspersed among the pointed arches, are essentially first pointed in style. The retention of the round arch here, as elsewhere in Scotland, is a common feature throughout the whole course of Gothic art. In the west doorway, and also in the gallery over it, there are distinct elements of transition work; but the external and internal windows of the gallery, and the main features of the towers, are decidedly first pointed in style. Possibly the west doorway and gallery were begun at an early stage of the building, and the west end, after being stopped for a time, was completed at a later date.
As showing the eagerness with which King William pushed on the buildings, Hollinshed mentions[25] that “the king came by the Abbey of Aberbrothoc to view the work of that house, how it went forward, commanding them that were overseers and masters of the works to spare for no cost, but to bring it up to perfection, and that with magnificence.”
The abbey church (Fig. 461) consisted of a choir of three bays, with side aisles and an aisleless presbytery; a nave of nine bays, with aisles and north and south transepts, with eastern aisles. There were two western towers, and one large tower over the crossing.
The following are the principal dimensions of the edifice:—
Length (external measurement from east to west, not including buttresses), 293 feet.
Breadth (external measurement from north to south, not including buttresses), 74 feet.
Length of transept (external measurement from north to south, not including buttresses), 147 feet.
Width of transept over walls (external measurement from east to west, not including buttresses), 54 feet.
Considerable portions of these different divisions of the edifice still remain, but the greater part of the north side of the choir, the north transept and nave, and almost all the piers and pillars have been swept
away. Beginning at the east end, the eastern wall (Fig. 462) is entire for nearly half its height, having an arcade below, and three lancet windows above, with the lower portions of an upper row of similar windows. Somewhat less of the return wall of the south side of the presbytery, which comprises two bays, remains, and adjoining it is the sacristy (Fig. 463), a late building in a fair state of preservation. The end wall of the south transept is almost complete, together with a considerable portion of the west wall of the transept (Fig. 464.) This, being the best preserved portion of the structure, gives a good idea of the grandeur of the church. The whole of the south wall of the nave remains, showing a row of windows and indications of the groining of the aisle (Fig. 465). The main or centre aisle was not vaulted, but covered with a wooden roof. Most of the bases of the pillars of the nave
are in position, as are also the foundations of the north transept. The fragment of the west end with the two towers left standing (Fig. 466) is very striking, and impresses one with the sense of bold, vigorous work rather than of refinement of detail, although there is also a mixture of both, of which the west doorway (Fig. 467) is an example. It is round arched, and its outer order, if it may be so called, extends inwards for about five feet, unadorned as a bold and plain tunnel arch, having a
pointed arch in each ingoing. It then becomes shafted and richly moulded, after the transition manner. This arrangement, while it gives a fine shadow under the arch, has a feeling of rudeness, which, to a considerable extent, characterises the whole west front. There is a remarkable resemblance in the decoration of this doorway to that of the doorway in the porch of Lerida Cathedral, Spain, supposing the tunnel arch of Arbroath away, and the moulded part brought forward to the face of the wall (Fig. 468), as is the case at Lerida (Fig. 469.) In both instances the outer enrichment of the zig-zag ornament is separated by a few mouldings from a large bead enriched at regular intervals by a ring
round the bead. The inner mouldings at Lerida are further enriched, while at Arbroath the orders are simply moulded; but the sequence of the first two orders of enrichment is interesting from its occurring in two buildings probably erected at about the same time and at such a great distance apart. A similar ring ornament, on a large scale, is also to be seen in a doorway at Lamington, Lanarkshire,[26] where it is likewise used along with the zig-zag, but there the ringed order is the outer enrichment.
The rude appearance of the west front, to which we have referred, is increased by the removal of the outer part of a gallery which existed over this doorway. The inner part of this gallery still remains, and a
view and plan of it are given (Figs. 470 and 471). From these it will be seen that within the great thickness of the wall (20 feet 3 inches) a chamber of considerable size has been obtained, which opens into the nave by six pointed arches (Fig. 472), and to the outside over the doorway by three arches (see Fig. 467). As already stated, the original outer features are gone, and only the rugged skeleton remains. It is quite obvious from Fig. 467 and from the Plan (see Fig. 471) that three gablets projected outwards from the wall for a distance of about 4 feet, supported on two intermediate shafts (marked X X), and that the gallery was closed in at each end with walls or haffits, both of which still in part remain. It is thus apparent that we now see the west front robbed of its most unique features, and the bare masonry exposed, which was never meant to be seen. This gallery was reached by a long passage at each end from stairs in the angle buttresses. It probably was a gallery for an orchestra, and it would also be suitable as a pulpit from which to address an audience in the open air. As above mentioned, it is probable that this part of the building was erected at two different times, the west doorway and some of the pillars of the gallery being in the early transition style, while the triple windows to the front and the six-light
arcade towards the interior are in the first pointed style. When the gallery was completed in the first pointed period, the floor space was enlarged by extending it to the front, hence the necessity for the deep tunnel arch over the west doorway. The pointed arches in the ingoing also indicate the first pointed period.
Above this gallery there was an immense circular window, of which only a portion survives.
The western towers opened with arches into the north and south and central aisles (see Fig. 472), but only the north tower retains its massive pier and arches. Of the south tower nothing but the foundation of the pier exists.
The south wall of the transept (see Fig. 464) is comparatively plain on the outside, merely the upper part being visible above the dormitory roof. The façade presents two plain lancet windows, one very much shorter than the other to admit of the before-mentioned roof, and above the lancets a large wheel window occupies the gable. The interior of the transept (Fig. 473) is a very grand design in the early pointed style. The lancets are splayed to a great width in the interior with banded nook shafts on the sconsions, and arched above in the simplest manner without any mouldings. Beneath the lancets there is a round arched open arcade having a passage behind it, and beneath this two tiers of wall arcades with pointed arches, the central arcade being very acutely pointed, and the lower one not so decidedly pointed, and with trefoil cusps in the arches. A staircase in the south-east angle of the transept gave access to the dormitory by the door which is seen built up on the outside (see Fig. 464). This staircase also leads to the various passages in the thickness of the walls shown in Fig. 473. The doorway leading from the church to this stair (Fig. 474) ranges with the lower pointed arcade, and is round arched. The west return wall of the transept is very bold and grand, as seen from the interior (see Fig. 473). The lower arcade of the south end is continued along the west wall, and above this two
windows widely splayed, and having nook shafts on the sconsions, rise to a great height and are finished with moulded circular arches in the interior and pointed lancets in the exterior. All the lofty windows in the south transept have passages on two floors. The upper passage running along this wall must have been connected with some kind of bridge thrown across the windows. There are indications of rests for beams doubtless connected with this arrangement, which would probably
be of a temporary nature. The transepts had chapels on the east side. The respond of the great arcade against the south wall (see Fig. 474) is beautiful in detail. Above this there exist fragments of the responds of
the triforium story and the clerestory. All the above features of this part of the abbey point plainly to its having some lingering remains of transition style, retaining as it does some round arches along with the general pointed features of the design.
The sacristy or vestry was built by Abbot Walter Paniter between 1411 and 1433. It is a two story building, the ground floor having a groined ceiling still entire, but the upper room being roofless. Externally, this structure is severe and simple in style (see Fig. 463), while in the interior there is considerable richness of ornament, with details of a somewhat rude kind. It contains many features which identify it as work of the fifteenth century, such, for example, as the caps of the shafts of the doorway (Fig. 475). The sacristy is in a good state of preservation.
Of the conventual buildings only fragments now remain. An octagonal turret (see Fig. 461) marks the south-east corner of the chapter house with the south and east return walls, and adjoining the south transept is the slype, the walls of which determine the other walls of the chapter house. On the wall of the south transept is clearly seen the mark of the dormitory roof, with the door between the church and dormitory now built up.
A range of erections, and a lofty wall which formed the northern enclosure of the abbey precincts (Fig. 476), extend westwards from the church, in a line with the south aisle, for a distance of about 190 feet. This north wall, and a portion of the west wall proceeding southward from it, are all that remain of the extensive enclosure of the abbey, which is
said to have been of great height, and to have extended 1150 feet on the east and west, 760 feet on the north, and 480 feet on the south. There were great towers at the angles and entrance gateways on the north, and at the south-east angle. In the centre of the existing north wall is the portcullis entrance gatehouse, which is about 24 feet wide, with a vaulted enclosure about 65 feet long. The front wall (Fig. 477) is almost entire, and
the upper floor window is crossed by the corbels which carried the movable wooden hoarding which was erected over the gateway when required for its defence. The side walls are entire, and show remains of the groined roof and strong gates for defence. The roof and gates were destroyed by the Town Council in 1800. At the western extremity of the north enclosing wall (see Figs. 466 and 476) there exists a large square tower, three stories in height, in the inside, but four stories on the outside, owing to the fall of the ground. The two lower floors are round vaulted, the upper vault having ribs, with a door of access from the precinct secured with a sliding bar. The upper floors (see Fig. 461), which were living apartments, were reached by a high door, and only communicated with the floors below by means of a trap, as in the case of many of the pele towers. The two upper floors, which contained fireplaces and windows with stone seats, are connected with a wheel stair in the north-west corner. The cape house on top is said to have been removed during this century. This tower formed the north-west corner of the abbey precinct.[27]
The building adjoining the tower to the east was called the Regality Court-house. It entered from the street, and was about 40 feet long by 18 feet wide, and had a groined ceiling. The next apartment running up to the gateway entered from the precinct. It was about 28 feet long, and had a barrel vault, with massive splayed ribs similar to those of the tower. The range of buildings between the gateway and the church are of two stories, the lower story having a groined ceiling.
One of the most interesting and best preserved buildings is the abbot’s house on the south side of the cloister (see Fig. 461). It is three stories high, the two upper floors being converted into a modern private dwelling-house (Figs. 478 and 479). Having been used at one time as a thread manufactory, the house has been altered externally and spoiled of its ancient internal fittings, with the exception of two fine carved panels, one representing the Virgin (Fig. 480), and the other a large Scotch thistle (Fig. 481). The ground floor contains the kitchen—a fine apartment with central pillars supporting a groined roof—with a large arched fireplace in the west end. The other offices connected with the kitchen are all vaulted. The house is extremely picturesque and valuable, being the best preserved abbot’s house in Scotland.
During the 350 years of the existence of Arbroath Abbey many events happened entailing changes in the buildings. Thus, in 1272, a great fire occurred in the town, in which the abbey suffered. In particular the north-west tower is supposed to have been partly wrecked, and to have been rebuilt and carried to a greater height than formerly, or, at least, higher than the other tower. Again, in 1350, a grant was made by William, Bishop of St. Andrews, to enable the repairs to be completed of the “almost irreparable injuries” the abbey had suffered “from the frequent assaults of the English shipping.”[28] In 1380 the church was again injured by fire. So serious was this conflagration that the monks had to be distributed among other religious houses till the roofs of the choir, nave, and transepts were repaired. In connection with the repairs there is preserved in the Chartulary an interesting contract between
Abbot John Gedy and William of Tweddale, plumber, which is as follows:—
“This endentur beris wytnes that the yer of grace MCCCXCIIII. (1394-5), the xvi. day of the moneth of Feveryer, this cunnande (covenant) was made betwene Johnne, abbot of Aberbrothoe, of the ta part, and Wilyam Plumer of Tweddale, burges of the cite of Andirstoun (St Andrews), of the tothir part; that is to say, that Wilyam Plumer sal theke the mekil quer wyth lede, and guttyr yt al abowt sufficiandly wyth lede, for the quhilkis thekyn and gutteryn the abbot sal pay till him xxxv. marcis at syndry termys, as he is wyrkand; and of the xxxv. marcis, v. marcis sal dwel style in the abbotis hand quhillys the quer be thekyt and alurryt (battlemented) al abowyt with stane, and quhen it is allurryt about with stane he sal dycht it abowt wyth lede sufficiandly, as his craft askys; and quhen he has endyt that werk he sal be payt of v. marcis and a gown with a hude till his reuarde. Quhilk Wilyam Plumer sal fynd a man on his awn cost, and the abbot and convent a man alsua of thar cost quhil the werk be fullyly endyt. The abbot and the convent sall fynd al maner of gratht that pertenys to that werk quhil is wyrkande. Willam sal haf alsua for ilk stane fynyne that he fynys of lede iijd. (3 pennies), and a stane of ilk hynder that he fynys til his travel, and that day that he wyrkis he sal haf a penny till his noynsankys (luncheon).” The indenture was then cut into two parts, and one half given to each of the parties, after receiving the seal of the other party.[29] About fifteen months after the work was finished William granted a receipt to the abbot for £20 sterling, paid to him for the architectura magni chori, and in full of all his claims for purifying or fining the lead, for his nonesankys, and the gown with the hood, as specified in the indenture.
In 1470, and for a few years after, there were extensive repairs made, especially in connection with the roofs and other woodwork of the monastic buildings, and mention is made of the “building of our dormitory of new.”
The structures of the abbey do not appear to have suffered at the hands of the Reformers, but the revenues having become the property of the Hamiltons, and being probably appropriated to their private use, there were no funds to keep up the buildings, and hence they gradually fell into decay, and were freely used by the magistrates and towns people as a quarry. In 1580 the Duke of Lennox, Esme Stuart d’Aubigne, gave a grant to the Town Council,[30] to “tak away all and hail ye stainis, tymmer, and other pertinents of our house, ye dormitory in ye said Abbey.” This was for the purpose of supplying materials “for biggyn of ane kirk.” That work does not appear[31] to have been accomplished till ten years later, up to which time service was conducted in the lady chapel, “stripped of its altars and images.”
The traditional story connected with the foundation and name of this monastery is well known—viz., that a rood or cross miraculously passed into the hands of King David I., and thus saved his life when attacked by a stag in hunting, in commemoration of which he erected an abbey to the Holy Rood. The abbey was founded by David I., and richly endowed early in the twelfth century, and building is said to have commenced in 1128. The house was colonised by Canons Regular of the Order of St. Augustine, brought from St. Andrews. Being so near the capital, the abbey became a favourite place of sojourn of the kings of Scotland, especially after the accession of the Stewarts to the throne. Robert III. and James I. lived in the abbey. James II. was born and resided there, and was buried in the church. James III. and James IV. stayed much at Holyrood, and the latter began the erection of a palace attached to, but distinct from, the monastery. The palace was extended by James V., and formed the chief scene of many of the incidents in Queen Mary’s reign.[32]
The abbey church was a structure of great size and of beautiful architecture. It consisted of the usual divisions, having nave, choir, and transepts, with aisles and probably a lady chapel to the east, two western towers, and a tower over the crossing. But of all that splendid structure there now only remain the ruins of the nave and one western tower. The abbey and palace were frequently attacked and burnt by the English, particularly under Hertford in 1544, and the abbey was again destroyed by Somerset in 1547. At the latter date the monks had left the abbey, and the invaders stripped the lead off the roofs of the buildings. These “visitations” seem to have led to the serious injury of the choir; but the choir and transept do not appear to have been completely ruined till after 1569. At that date, Adam, Bishop of Orkney and Commendator of Holyrood, stated to the General Assembly that “the Abbay Church of Halyrud house hath been these 20 years bygane ruinous, through decay of two principall pillars, so that none were assured under it ... he purposed to provide the means that the superfluous ruinous parts to wit the Queir and Croce Kirk might be disponed to faithfull men to repair the remanent sufficiently.”[33] The bishop’s proposal was apparently carried out, and the materials of the choir and transept were demolished and sold “to provide funds for converting the nave into the Parish Kirk of the Canongate.”
The two pillars referred to by the bishop as unsafe were probably the east pillars of the crossing, which are now removed, but the two west pillars still stand. They form the east end of the existing nave. Sir D. Wilson believes that, when the choir was taken down, the vault which contained the remains of the kings and queens of Scotland was built in the south-east angle of the nave, and their coffins transferred into it.
Holyrood Palace was the principal residence in Scotland of James VI. and Charles I. The latter took considerable interest in the church, and wished to restore it as the chapel royal. He had the west end re-edified, as the style of the architecture of the upper portion and the inscriptions thereon bear witness.
James VII. of Scotland (while Duke of York) lived for a considerable time in the palace, and had a wish to restore the church and make it the place of meeting of the Knights of St. Andrew. But his operations were disapproved of by the populace, and all the fittings were destroyed by the mob in 1688. The tombs of the royal family were, at the same time, desecrated, and the remains scattered over the pavement. After the middle of the eighteenth century an attempt was made to restore the nave, and the roof was covered with heavy stone flags. But the materials employed were too heavy for the old walls, and the new roof fell in 1768, drawing down with it the whole of the vaulting and clerestory. At the same time, the tombs of the kings were again pillaged, and Captain Grose describes having seen some of the remains exposed and defiled by the populace.
The nave (Fig. 482), which now alone survives in a ruinous state, consists of eight bays, the main piers of which are complete on the south side, but are only represented by two fragments on the north side. The vaulting of the south aisle also survives, but that of the north aisle is gone. The north wall of the aisle, however, still stands, and the east and west ends of the nave are restored. The north-west tower is still preserved, but its companion tower, which formerly stood at the south-west angle, was demolished when the palace was rebuilt in the seventeenth century. Some remains of the cloister are still observable on the south side of the nave.
The chief part of the architecture is of the first pointed period; but at the south-east angle, the doorway (Fig. 483), which led from the cloister into the nave, is of genuine, though late, Norman architecture. The doorway had a nook shaft on each side, the divided cushion caps of which survive. The arch is round, and contains two orders, both ornamented with varieties of zigzags. These orders are enclosed with a label, containing a double row of square facets and sinkings. Some alterations have taken place in the building adjoining the doorway. On the west side of it runs the wall of the south aisle, the roof of which rested on a ledge at some height above the doorway. Under this ledge are the windows of