Attention has been specially directed in the Introduction[126] to the
fact that while, during the Norman and first pointed periods, a strong
resemblance is observable between the architecture of England and
Scotland, after the first pointed period there is a break in the
continuity of the architecture of the two countries. Towards the end of
the thirteenth century, owing to the political events which then took
place, architecture in Scotland came to a standstill, and was not
generally resumed till the end of the fourteenth or the beginning of the
fifteenth century, when the country began to recover from the disastrous
effects of the long struggle with England. Various restorations had been
encouraged by royal grants during the fourteenth century, but some of
the edifices so aided were only reconstructed to be again demolished by
raids from the South.
In consequence of the unfortunate condition of the country, there is
thus a wide gap in the continuity of the architecture of Scotland during
the fourteenth century. When the country revived, and building again
began in the fifteenth century, attention was chiefly devoted to the
restoration of the churches throughout the country, which had nearly all
suffered severely during the constant disturbance of the previous
hundred years. Few new works were undertaken, all the energy and
resources available being required for the rebuilding and completion of
some of the more venerated and cherished cathedrals and monasteries.
The nave of Glasgow Cathedral appears to have been completed in the
early part of the fourteenth century, and the west end of St. Andrews
Cathedral was also to some extent repaired and rebuilt about that time.
Elgin Cathedral was in a large measure rebuilt after the great
destruction by the “Wolf of Badenoch” in 1390, and the Northern
Cathedral of Ross, at Fortrose, was enlarged about the same period.
Of the ancient monasteries, those in the Border lands were much
destroyed. Melrose Abbey now retains not a single portion of the
original church. It had been completely demolished in the first part of
the fourteenth century, but was partly rebuilt, through the liberality
of Robert I., after the middle of that century; only to be again
destroyed by Richard II. during his raid in 1385. To that savage raid
was due the destruction of most of the sacred edifices of the south-east
of Scotland. Richard’s troops penetrated as far as Edinburgh, when the
town and church of St. Giles were consumed; and, in their retreat, the
invaders set fire to the abbeys of Newbattle, Dryburgh, and Melrose.
Paisley Abbey, in Renfrewshire, and Crosraguel and Kilwinning Abbeys, in
Ayrshire, were also greatly injured during the contest with England.
Jedburgh was likewise much damaged in the Border warfare, and Holyrood
and Arbroath Abbeys show signs of having required restorations in the
fifteenth century.
When all the adverse circumstances of the country during the fourteenth
century are considered, it is not astonishing to find that examples of
the decorated style which prevailed in England at that time are rare in
Scotland. The representatives of that style are not only scanty in
number, they are also late in date. When building in Scotland revived,
the decorated style had been superseded in England by the perpendicular;
but the two countries being no longer in unison, the former style did
not reach Scotland till it had passed away in England. It was, however,
ultimately adopted in the northern part of the island, and the
architecture of Scotland, during the early part of the fifteenth
century, was carried out in a style which approaches nearer to the
decorated than any other style.
This style, as we shall see, passes gradually into a later and somewhat
debased style, which, while it exhibits many features borrowed both from
France and England, yet possesses some interesting peculiarities which
render it a distinctly Scottish style, and will be treated of as the
third or late pointed style of Scotland.
The decorated structures of Scotland, though somewhat belated and
inferior in size, are yet in many respects not unworthy in point of
design to take their place beside those of the later part of that period
in the sister country.
The decorated or middle pointed period in Scotland extends till about
1460. Up to that time the architecture is comparatively pure in style,
and is chiefly based on the decorated work of England; but after that
date it degenerates and becomes of a debased and mixed character, and
contains indications of late importations from abroad.
The first building which illustrates the Scottish decorated period is
the Abbey of Sweetheart in Dumfriesshire. This edifice was probably
begun about the time when hostilities broke out between England and
Scotland, and is intimately associated with the name of Baliol. What
length the works may have gone when stopped by the war cannot now be
ascertained, but the original design in the early decorated style has to
all appearance been carried out when building was resumed. The large
traceried windows and the details of the nave arcade and clerestory all
point to the decorated period. Possibly, owing to the English connection
of the Baliols, the design may have been brought from the South in the
latter part of the thirteenth century, and carried out with
modifications at a later time.
Amongst the principal structures of the Scottish decorated period,
Melrose Abbey holds a prominent place. This building, which had been
partly restored through Bruce’s influence, was destroyed by Edward II.
in 1322. The restoration was again proceeded with, and the structure was
again partly demolished by Richard II. in 1385. The works had to be once
more restored, and the structure was not completed till the beginning of
the sixteenth century.
A considerable mixture of styles, as would in the circumstances be
expected, is therefore found in the different parts of Melrose Abbey;
but there can be little doubt, from the nature of the work, that some
parts of the building belong to the Scottish decorated period, while
other parts have a stronger leaning to the perpendicular style than any
other Scottish church. A comparison of the details of this structure
with those of York Minster, to which they bear a close resemblance, is
convincing evidence of the decorated character of much of the work at
Melrose. Whether we look at the beautiful windows and tracery, or at the
buttresses, with their simple, but elegant, outlines and panelled
surfaces; or at the elaborate and beautiful niches which adorn them,
with their fine tabernacle work and spirited sculptures and figures; or
at the pinnacles, with their carved crockets and foliaged finials, the
style of the whole of the details will be found to correspond very
completely in the decorated portions of these two buildings at York and
Melrose. Other portions of the work have likewise considerable
similarity to the later perpendicular work at York.
The details which connect the other structures of this period with the
decorated style will be more particularly referred to in the
descriptions of the buildings. A general statement of the characteristic
features and details of the style has already been given.[127]
Special attention should, however, be drawn to one feature of Scottish
architecture which became very prominent in, and characteristic of, the
later phase of its development--viz., the pointed barrel vaulting
carrying a stone roof, which covered almost all the churches of the
third period.
This we find introduced for the first time during the Scottish decorated
period at Lincluden College, a building which was erected early in the
fifteenth century, and is a very fine example of decorated work. The
roof was designed as a double one, the lower roof over the choir being
groined and vaulted in the usual manner; while above this vault there
was a pointed barrel vault, with strengthening ribs at intervals, on
which rested a roof composed of dressed overlapping stones. Beneath the
slope of the upper vault a small room was introduced between the two
vaults. At the parish church of Bothwell, also erected by the same Earl
of Douglas about the year 1400, a pointed barrel vault supporting a
stone roof is employed, but there is no inner groined vault.
These two structures are early examples of a mode of construction which
specially distinguishes the churches of the late pointed architecture of
Scotland--viz., the almost universal use of the pointed barrel vault
supporting a stone roof.
The above two edifices further illustrate another circumstance in
connection with the churches of the fifteenth and subsequent century. We
have seen that during the fourteenth century, and in the early part of
the fifteenth century, attention was chiefly directed to the restoration
and completion of the large cathedrals and abbeys begun in the twelfth
and thirteenth centuries. After the latter date large edifices of a
similar description ceased to be undertaken. The religious enthusiasm of
the people which gave birth to these splendid structures seems to have
exhausted itself, and pious efforts were now chiefly confined to the
liberality of individuals who endeavoured to raise monuments to
commemorate themselves by the erection of small collegiate and other
churches, or by founding altarages and chantries in the large edifices
already in existence.
As already mentioned, the decorated style in Scotland is of a belated
character, and is not generally so pure as that of the corresponding
period in England. It will, however, be recognised that the examples
given are sufficient to justify the division of the styles herein
proposed. It will also be observed that the examples of the decorated
style form a striking contrast, both to the preceding edifices of the
first pointed period and to the buildings of the later or third pointed
style, by which they were succeeded.