Mr. Honeyman[69] conjectures that the Rood screen (Fig. 602) which is
erected between the eastern piers of the central tower was built by
Bishop Cameron. It contains a staircase in the space in the north side,
and in the opposite side are cupboards for containing church vestments.
In front of the screen there are two fine stone altars, that on the
south side being known as the altar of St. Mary of Pity, and that on the
north side as the altar of the Holy Cross. The arms and initials of
Archbishop Blackadder (Fig. 603) are carved on the ends of both of these
altars.
The rood screen with its two altars, although evidently a late work,
adds considerably to the picturesque effect of the interior of the
cathedral. It has a large, deeply-recessed and moulded doorway in the
centre, the arch of which is of elliptical form, and has the jamb
mouldings (Fig. 604) continued, without caps or break, round the arch
head. On each side of the doorway the surface of the wall is covered
with shallow panels having trefoiled arch heads. A corbel in each of
these panels (now cut off) once supported a statue, and these would add
much to the effect of the structure. The cornice is large, and is
surmounted by an open parapet containing quatrefoils, and having
standards running up in the centre of each alternate quatrefoil. The
standards are ornamented with small pinnacles, and are supported on
corbels, each of which contains two human figures, which recall similar
carvings at Rosslyn Chapel, but are of finer execution.[70]
The structure begun to be erected in continuation of the south transept
has already been referred to. The building (see Fig. 571) is 57 feet in
length by 25 feet in width internally, and comprises four bays in the
length and two in the width, supported on three central pillars. The
entrance is from the wide landing of the staircase in the south transept
leading down to the lower church, from which point a series of wide
steps leads down to the floor. From these steps a good view is obtained
of the interior (Fig. 605).
[Illustration: FIG. 604.--St. Mungo’s Cathedral.