Adjoining the south transept on the south is the sacristy, now converted
into a vestry, and hardly to be recognised as old, owing to alterations.
The shape and position of this apartment clearly indicate its original
use; it had the usual east window, now built up, and has otherwise been
altered.
To the south of the sacristy was the chapter house, which also occupied
its normal position. Just enough remains to enable it to be identified,
viz., the northmost of the usual three west openings to the cloister
(Fig. 641), with the jamb and springing of the central opening, or as
much of it as can be seen for the modern walls that are built up against
it. This fragment, even in its mutilated state, is a fine example of
first pointed work. The inner order of the arch mouldings has fallen
away, and otherwise the work has been greatly destroyed, its beauty not
having been appreciated. The shafts and arch mouldings (Fig. 642) are
all of very bold and pure design. The caps and bases are rounded, and
the hood mould, which was also a string course, is ornamented with the
dog-tooth. The chapter house had two rows of columns, as is evident from
the remains of the springing of the first arch from between the two
existing openings as shown in Fig. 641 and the Plan (Fig. 642). It was
usual for the two side openings to be unglazed windows rather than
doors, but
[Illustration: FIG. 641.--Culross Abbey. Opening to Chapter House.]
Mr. Sharp, in his paper on “The Architecture of the Cistercians,”[85]
points out that it was common for the three openings to be doorways,
with the peculiarity seen here that they were not intended to have
doors.
[Illustration: FIG. 642.--Culross Abbey. Door to Chapter House.]
[Illustration: FIG. 643.--Culross Abbey. Entrance to West Side of
Cloister.]
Of the western alley of the cloister there are considerable remains. The
manse, adjoining the nave, appears to include a part of the original
buildings. It is dated on the Plan “1647,” that figure being carved on a
dormer; but portions of the walls are undoubtedly older, and possibly a
thorough examination might reveal ancient features. To the south of the
manse is the vaulted entrance to the cloister (Fig. 643), and further
southward the truncated remains of the building shown in Fig. 644. The
latter enters from the exterior by a narrow door, having a stair in the
thickness of the wall adjoining leading to the upper floor. As already
mentioned, there are extensive cellars beneath. This range of buildings
was what Mr. Sharp calls the Domus Conversorum,[86] or the place for the
workmen and servants of the monastery, which contained their day room on
the ground floor and dormitory above.
[Illustration: FIG. 644.--Culross Abbey. Chamber on West Side of
Cloister.]
About a quarter of a mile north from the abbey there exist the remains
of a lodge, with indications of an arched “pend.” The lodge is still in
use, but quite modernised. This archway was probably an entrance to the
grounds of the abbey.
The most remarkable feature of the edifice is the tower which divides
the east church from the west. From its architecture we may at once
conclude that the upper portion is a structure of late date, probably of
the sixteenth century. The interior doorway (see Fig. 636) is clearly of
about that period, but some of the features of the lower story seem, as
above mentioned, to point to that part being of an earlier time,
probably thirteenth century.
The puzzle here is to understand how this solid tower should have been
set down in the centre of the church, thus completely cutting off the
western portion from the eastern, and forming two separate churches. Two
possible solutions of this difficulty present themselves.
1. The two churches may have been intentionally kept separate, the
western portion being the parish church and the eastern that of the
monks. Such an arrangement is unusual in Scotland, but Mr. Freeman has
described several churches in England where one portion belonged to the
parishioners and the remainder to the monks. The chief difficulty
connected with this theory is that the parish of Culross (as above
mentioned) was provided with a separate parish church at a little
distance away.[87]
2. The second supposition is that, in course of time, the monastery may
have dwindled, and the buildings may have fallen into disrepair. The
question would then arise whether it would not be better to diminish the
size of the church by abandoning the western portion and erecting the
tower where it stands. This might have occurred towards the close of the
fifteenth century. But there are difficulties connected with this
solution of the problem also. The tower shows the springing and jambs of
windows on its west side, which appear to be of about the same date as
itself, thus indicating the intention of continuing the structure
westwards and restoring the old west church.