[Illustration: FIG. 491.--Holyrood Abbey. Cap in cloister.]
The main arcade of the nave (Fig. 492) has consisted of eight bays.
Those of the south side still stand, but on the north side only two
shattered piers survive. The piers are of the simplest form of clustered
columns, each containing a three-quarter round shaft on the four
cardinal angles, with two nook shafts between. The shafts are all
crowned with richly foliaged caps, having rounded abaci. The arch
mouldings consist of rounds and hollows, all deeply marked. From the cap
of the main pier springs a triple vaulting shaft, which runs up through
the triforium and receives the springing of the vaulting ribs on plain
bell-caps some feet below the string course under the clerestory. The
triforium is divided into two arches in each bay by a single central
shaft, springing from a corbel over the apex of each arch of the main
arcade, and running up to the string course beneath the clerestory.
This would appear to indicate that the vaulting was sex-partite, which
view is confirmed by the direction in which the surviving portions of
the groins point.
[Illustration: FIG. 492.--Holyrood Abbey. Interior of West End.]
[Illustration: FIG. 493.--Holyrood Abbey. View from South-East.]
Each arch of the triforium (see Fig. 492) is acutely pointed, and
contains two smaller acutely pointed arches within it, each of which has
an inner trefoiled arch. These arches all spring from single round
shafts, with plain round caps arranged to receive them. The tympanum of
the large arch is pierced with a quatrefoil or trefoil. All the
mouldings are of a bold first pointed character. The triforium, no
doubt, contained the usual passage in the thickness of the wall, which
would tend to weaken the structure. To counteract that tendency, as may
be seen from the south (Fig. 493), strong saving arches have been
introduced to carry the chief pressure across from main pier to main
pier. A similar strengthening arch exists in the outer wall of the
triforium gallery at Amiens Cathedral.
The west end of the edifice has contained the finest work of the
building. The west wall, with its splendid doorway between the two
western towers (Fig. 494), must have presented as bold and ornate a
piece of architecture as was to be found in Scotland.
[Illustration: FIG. 494.--Holyrood Abbey. North-West Tower and West
End.]
The west front is now greatly shorn of its glory, but the portions which
remain only tend to increase the regret for what is gone. As already
mentioned, the south-west tower was removed to allow of the palace being
erected, and even the western doorway is encroached on by
[Illustration: FIG. 495.--Holyrood Abbey. West Doorway.]
the palace wall. A portion of the south-west tower is still visible in
the interior, and contains a doorway. The upper part of the west end
(Figs. 492 and 494) was reconstructed by Charles I. in 1633. It
contains two nondescript windows of seventeenth century Gothic, with an
inscription between them, which events have not confirmed, viz.:--“He
shall build ane House for my name and I will stablish the Throne of his
kingdom for ever. Basilicam hanc Carolus Rex Optimus instavravit 1633.”
The tympanum of the doorway has also been altered at this time, and an
oaken lintel introduced, containing a shield, with the initials of
Charles I.
The western doorway (see Fig. 495) has been a beautiful specimen of
first pointed work. The jambs contained on each side free shafts,
alternating larger and smaller. The caps were beautifully carved with
foliage, and surmounted with rounded abaci. They had also a central
band. The arch orders were very richly carved with running foliage of
different designs, separated by plain mouldings and dog-tooth
enrichments. The tympanum contained a series of small arches and shafts,
resting on a lintel carved with angels’ heads (Fig. 496). The interior
of the doorway (see Fig. 492) was also unusually rich, having shafts in
the jambs, with carved caps and large dog-tooth enrichment in the label.
[Illustration: FIG. 496.--Holyrood Abbey. Carving on Lintel of West
Doorway.]
The north-west tower (see Fig. 494) is about 24 feet square externally.
The west side is ornamented with two tiers of arcades. The lower arcade
(Fig. 497) contains five pointed arches, with a trefoiled arch within
each. These rest on triple shafts, with carved caps and rounded abaci.
Over each shaft and between the arches there is a circle containing a
boldly carved Norman head. This feature is unique, and its effect is
fine. The upper arcade (Fig. 498) consists of three larger arches, each
containing two smaller arches, and all resting on shafts with carved and
rounded caps. The shields in the larger arches are pierced with bold
quatrefoils. Two circles occur in the spandrils over the arches, but
they do not now contain heads.
The same design is continued round the south side of the tower and along
the west wall of the nave as far as the main doorway, but the north and
east sides of the tower are plain. Above the two arcades the tower
contains a large two-light window (see Fig. 494) on the north, east, and
west sides. The jambs are lofty, and each contains two round shafts (see
Fig. 498), with splays between, ornamented with plain balls similar to
those of
[Illustration: FIG. 497.--Holyrood Abbey. Lower Arcade of North-West
Tower.]
the windows in the north wall. The caps are carved and have square
abaci. The large outer arch of each window is of square section and
perfectly plain, having only a small chamfer on the edge, and a label
moulding. Each window is divided into two openings by a single central
shaft, having a carved cap and broad square abacus, on which rest the
two plain pointed arches of the inner openings. The shield above is
pierced
[Illustration: FIG. 498.--Holyrood Abbey. Upper Part of Tower.]
with a bold quatrefoil. The jambs and central shaft have a moulded band
in the middle of their height, and the windows are built up solid to
that level, one of the mouldings of the band being carried across as a
cornice; but this is probably a late insertion. On each external angle
of the tower a large nook shaft is carried up, and finished with a cap
on top and base at bottom.
As above mentioned, the two western piers of the crossing (see Fig. 493)
are still standing. They consist of shafts similar to those of the main
piers of the nave, but considerably larger, and are carried up to the
same height as the vaulting shafts of the nave, where they have similar
caps and a bold pointed arch thrown across the nave. Within this arch
there has been erected, in modern times, a large traceried window. The
spaces below the window and across the side aisles have been built up
with fragments of the demolished structure, and a window is thus formed
at the east end of each aisle.
During the fifteenth century the church has evidently undergone a
thorough repair. It is thought that this was undertaken by Abbot
Crawford, who presided over the abbey from about 1460 to 1483. The work
executed at this time consisted of the addition of seven buttresses on
the north side and several buttresses on the south side of the aisles.
Those on the north side (see Fig. 486) are large, and may either enclose
the old buttresses, or have been substituted for them. They have a
set-off near the centre, above which each contains an elaborately
ornamented and canopied niche. Beneath and above the niche there are
carved panels which have contained angels and shields, with coats of
arms. The arms of Abbot Crawford are said to have been carved on the
panels, but they are now too much decayed to be distinguishable.
Above the upper panels the buttresses are continued with several
set-offs, and finished with a small square pinnacle. The pinnacles have
been crocheted and terminated with a carved finial, but they are now
greatly wasted away. There were, doubtless, flying arches from the above
buttresses to the clerestory (see their springing in Fig. 484), but they
must have fallen with the roof.
A somewhat elaborate north doorway (see Fig. 486) has been introduced,
in a style similar to that of the buttresses, in the second bay from the
west tower. The arch is semicircular, and has an ogee canopy. There are
small niches above the arch on each side which contained statues, now
demolished. This doorway was probably constructed by Abbot Crawford at
the same date as the buttresses.
A series of buttresses was also erected about the same time on the south
side of the fabric. It is believed, however, that these buttresses are
partly old, or are on old foundations. In order not to interfere with
the cloister walk, which ran along next the south wall, and where it
would have been inconvenient to have any projections, the buttresses
were carried in the form of flying arches over the top of the cloister
roof. At the clerestory level (see Fig. 493) flying arches, similar to
those on the north side, rested against the upper portions of buttresses
and pinnacles introduced between the windows. On the outside of the
cloister walk the flying arch abutted upon oblong masses of masonry,
which, probably, at one time were finished with pinnacles, but these no
longer exist. Fig. 499 shows the lower part of the eastmost of these
buttresses, from which it is evident that the outer enclosure of the
cloister walk was connected with them, and extended as an open arcade
between them.
[Illustration: FIG. 499.--Holyrood Abbey. Buttress in Cloister, showing
Arcade.]
Abbot Crawford was succeeded by Robert Bellenden, who presented the
abbey with many costly gifts. Amongst these were the bells, a great
brass font, and a chalice of gold. He further completed the restoration
of the fabric begun by Abbot Crawford by covering the roof with lead.
This took place before 1528.
In 1539 the office of commendator was bestowed on Robert, natural son of
James V., while still an infant.
The “great brass font” was carried off by Sir Richard Lee, an officer of
Hertford’s army, in 1544, and taken to St. Alban’s Abbey. It was
afterwards sold for old metal.
The brass lectern of the abbey seems also to have fallen into Sir
Richard Lee’s hands, and was by him presented to the parish church of
St. Stephen’s, at St. Alban’s, where it still stands. It is a handsome
lectern of the usual form, having an eagle with outstretched wings to
receive the volume. It contains a shield with a lion rampant and a
crozier, with the inscription, “Georgius Crichton, Episcopus,
Dunkeldensis.”[34] Before becoming bishop, Crichton was Abbot of
Holyrood, 1515-24.