[Illustration: FIG. 936.--Fearn Abbey. View from North-East.]
south wing or chapel, which was dedicated to St. Michael. This chapel is
said to have been erected by Abbot Finlay M‘Fead, who died in 1485. It
is 32 feet long by 23 feet wide, and has been connected to the church by
an archway 14 feet in width. The walls of the aisle are now reduced to
about 5 feet in height, and contain a doorway in the west side and an
ambry on the east side. In the south wall is the monument to Abbot
Finlay M‘Fead (Fig. 937). The canopy is segmental, and the mouldings are
bold, but the enrichments are much decayed. On the shield over the
centre of the arch the arms of the abbot are still legible--a stag
behind a tree, with three stars in chief, and a crozier above. The
inscription, which is much decayed, is said to be, “Hic jacet Finlaius
M‘Fead abbas de Fern qui obiit anno MCCCCLXXXV.” It will be remembered
that, through the liberality of this abbot, the monastery was much
enriched. His effigy still rests, though much mutilated, in its original
place.
[Illustration: FIG. 937.--Fearn Abbey. Monument to Abbot Finlay M‘Fead.]
A small monumental chapel has been erected against the south-east angle
of the church and blocks two of the windows. It is probably, from its
details, of the sixteenth century. There is a pointed doorway in the
east side (see Fig. 936), and a pointed window in each of the east and
west walls. The south wall has contained a monument, but the outer part
of the wall has been broken out, and none of the features of the
monument are preserved.
Another chapel, doubtless also monumental, has been built against the
north wall (see Fig. 936), where there have been two windows of the
church. The walls of the above chapels seem to be built out from two of
the buttresses of the church. The buttress forming part of the east wall
of the north chapel is still quite distinct. This structure is evidently
of a very late date. The windows have had mullions, which simply
intersect one another in the arched head, without any trace of
foliation. The chief peculiarity of this chapel lies in its roof. This
has been constructed with six ribs, composed of portions of wall carried
on plain pointed arches, on which were laid the overlapping stone flags,
of which the roof was formed. Two of the arches and a small part of the
stone roof still survive (see Fig. 936).
All traces of the cloister and domestic buildings of the monastery have
been completely swept away.