KINLOSS ABBEY, MORAYSHIRE.
This was one of the monastic establishments founded in Moray by David I.
in order to extend the benefits of civilisation to the remoter regions
under his sway.[191] The story told with reference to this foundation is
similar to the legend regarding Holyrood. The king had lost his way in
the wood while hunting, and was guided by a deer to an open place,
where, as was afterwards revealed to him by the Virgin, he was to found
a church in her honour. The abbey was founded in 1150, and colonised by
King David’s favourite order of Cistercians from Melrose. It was endowed
with lands by its founder, and subsequently received grants from his
successors--Malcolm, William the Lion, and Alexander II.--as well as
from private donors. Robert I. presented the abbey with fishings. Edward
I. and Edward III. both visited Kinloss, the former in 1303 and the
latter in 1336.
The chartulary of Kinloss Abbey is not preserved, but its traditions and
an account of the abbots has been written by John Ferrerius, a native of
Piedmont, who was for several years an inmate of the establishment.
Robert Reid, afterwards Abbot of Kinloss and Bishop of Orkney, formed
his friendship while a student in Paris, and brought him over to this
country about 1528, where he acted as lecturer and instructor of youth.
Ferrerius gives a long account of the different abbots and the various
works executed by them, which would have been of great interest had the
buildings survived; but they are now, unfortunately, reduced to such
mere fragments that it is impossible to trace the various structures
referred to.
In 1528 Robert Reid was installed as abbot. Abbot Reid is associated
with several of our ecclesiastical edifices, especially Beauly Priory
and Kirkwall Cathedral. He occupied a somewhat prominent position in
the country, and was sent on several embassies to Henry VIII. and
Francis I. Under him the abbey lands were erected into a burgh of
barony. In 1530 he received the gift of the Abbey of Beauly _in
commendam_, where he erected many new buildings. He also added greatly
to the abbey of Kinloss, and amongst other improvements he built a
spacious fire-proof library, and enriched it with many volumes. The new
abbot’s house, the remains of which are seen in the view (Fig. 377), was
also erected by him about 1537. In 1538 he invited Andrew Bairhum, a
celebrated painter, to come to Kinloss, where he was occupied for three
years in painting altar pieces. He also brought William Lubias, an
intelligent gardener, to Kinloss from Flanders, who introduced great
improvements in the cultivation of fruit trees into the country. In 1541
Abbot Reid, while retaining his existing preferments, was appointed to
the Bishopric of Orkney. There, too, he erected many new structures.
It is to the liberality of this enlightened prelate, who was a great
encourager of learning, that we owe the foundation of the College of
Edinburgh. When the Court of Justice had been instituted by James V.,
Bishop Reid was appointed president in 1549.
Bishop Reid was succeeded in the abbacy of Kinloss by his nephew, Walter
Reid. He was the last abbot, and by him a great part of the lands of
Kinloss and Beauly were alienated. He subscribed the first covenant in
1560, and was married, and his wife after his death became possessed of
the abbey. Certain of the lands and fishings, however, were assigned to
Edward Bruce, who was commendator after the Reformation, and in whose
favour they were raised into a temporal lordship as Lord Bruce of
Kinloss. From him are descended the Earls of Elgin.
Till about 1650 the buildings of the abbey are believed to have remained
tolerably entire. They were conveyed, in 1645, to Brodie of Lethen, by
whom the materials were sold, to be utilised in the construction of
Cromwell’s citadel at Inverness. The chapter house had been used as a
place of worship up to that time, and it was found necessary to erect a
new church in lieu of the chapter house, which had been removed.
From the above cause the remains of Kinloss Abbey, as already mentioned,
are mere fragments. The outline of the cloister garth, which measures
about 100 feet by 90 feet, can be traced (Fig. 378), the walls on the
south and west sides being fairly preserved. On the north side the
foundations of what was, doubtless, the south wall of the nave of the
church are visible, and on the east side part of the wall of the south
transept still stands. Of the church there only survives a small and
tottering fragment of the south transept, with part of the eastern
chapels and a long vaulted chamber to the south, which is on a lower
level than the transept. A small portion of old wall is observable to
the north, opposite the south transept, and is probably a survival of
the north transept wall. This gives an indication of the probable
position of the church, as shown by clotted lines on the Plan. The
church consisted of the usual divisions of nave, choir, and transepts,
with a tower over the crossing. The tower was erected by Abbot Guthrie
about 1470-80, and it fell in 1574.
There have been vaulted apartments on the south side of the long vaulted
chamber lying south of the transept, as is apparent from the remains of
pointed arches on the outside of the south wall (see Fig. 377). This
sketch also shows the height of the transept chapel above the vault to
the south of it. Similar remains of pointed arches on the west side of
[Illustration: FIG. 377.--Kinloss Abbey. Abbot’s House from South-East,
and portions of the Church.]
the west wall of the cloister show that vaulted apartments ran along
that side also.
All appearance of ornamental work or hewn work of any kind has been
removed, with the exception of one archway in the south wall of the
cloister and an arched recess adjoining (Fig. 379). These seem from
their style to have been part of the original abbey. The ornament of the
gateway is distinctly transitional in character, and was probably
erected in the beginning of the thirteenth century. Although the arch is
circular, the dog-tooth of the hood mould is first pointed, while the
large undercut cross enrichment is a survival of Norman character. The
round abacus of the caps, however, is decidedly first pointed in style.
This seems to have been an archway leading into the cloister. The arched
recess to the eastward, which was doubtless a monument, is rather later
in
[Illustration: FIG. 378.--Kinloss Abbey. Plan.]
style, but seems to belong to the thirteenth century. The corbels which
carried the roof timbers of the cloister walk still survive. They are
moulded in the first pointed style. The water table above the roof is
also partly preserved.
[Illustration: FIG. 379.--Kinloss Abbey. Archway in South Wall of
Cloister, and Abbot’s House from North-West.]
The abbot’s house (see Figs. 377 and 379) stands to the south of the
abbey. It consists of an oblong structure, which now measures about 50
feet in length by 27 feet in width within the walls, with several
vaulted cells on each side, all now in ruins, and thickly clothed with
ivy. The best preserved parts of the structure are the east wall, with
its gable, and the round tower at the south-east angle, which contained
the entrance doorway and staircase. Over the doorway is a panel (Fig.
380) with ogee arched head containing the shield of Abbot Reid (a stag’s
head) and his initials and crozier.
The plan of the abbot’s mansion resembles that of a baron’s house of the
sixteenth century. The basement appears to have contained the kitchen,
with cellars, and a passage with small windows. On the first floor would
be the hall, with small rooms opening off it, and bedrooms on the upper
floor.
The ruins stand on level ground near the mouth of the Findhorn, a short
way from Kinloss Station, between Elgin and Forres.
The ground has always been fertile, and is well watered by a stream
which passes close to the ruins. The whole space in which the ruins of
the abbey stand is now enclosed with a wall, and used as a
burial-ground.
[Illustration: FIG. 380.--Kinloss Abbey. Panel in Abbot’s House.]
THE NUNNERY, IONA.
When Reginald, Lord of the Isles, in 1203, introduced Benedictine monks
into the Monastery of Iona, a convent for Benedictine nuns was founded
in the island, of which Beatrice, sister of Reginald, was the first
abbess. The deed of confirmation of the nunnery still exists at the
Vatican, dated 1203.
The ruins of the building, which apparently was erected soon after that
time, still survive. (Fig. 381.) They consist of a quadrangle about 68
feet square, having the church on the north side; foundations of the
chapter house and other apartments on the east side; and the refectory
on the south side. There may have been other buildings on the west side,
as the walls are broken at the ends; but, if so, they are now removed.
The church is an oblong structure, 58 feet in length by about 20 feet in
width. It has been divided into nave and choir, and has had a northern
aisle extending along both.
The choir is about 20 feet square, and has been vaulted. It is separated
from the nave by a group of shafts at each side (Fig. 383), which
supported a round arch with early mouldings (Fig. 382), and there are
[Illustration: FIG. 381.--The Nunnery, Iona. Plan.]
vaulting shafts in the angles of the east wall. The choir has had two
windows to the east, separated by a small piece of wall. The floor is
raised two steps above the level of the nave. There is a doorway in the
north wall leading into the eastern portion of the aisle, which may have
been the Lady Chapel or sacristy. This building is vaulted, and has an
upper story, approached by a very narrow stair in the thickness of the
north wall.
The chapel on the ground floor has had an altar to the east, and a
piscina in the south wall. The east window is a mere slit, and has a
straight-sided arch head, doubtless a late insertion.
The arch in the west wall of this chamber (Fig. 384) has Norman responds
and mouldings, and the groins of the vault have simple rolls.
The nave has three round arches (see Figs. 383 and 384) opening into the
north aisle. These arches spring from circular pillars and responds,
which have caps of apparently Norman design. They are much decayed, but
the ornament has some resemblance to that of the caps in the chapter
house and high aisle of the cathedral. The arches are now built up, but
the mouldings seem to correspond with those of the chancel arch. The
doorway from the cloister, in the south-west angle of the church, has
two nook shafts supporting a round arch.
[Illustration: FIG. 382.--The Nunnery, Iona. Arch Mouldings of Chancel
Arch at =A= on plan.]
The most of the above portions of the structure appear to belong to the
transition period, and were probably erected soon after the convent was
founded. The choir and sacristy are undoubtedly original, but the nave
and aisle and upper part of the structure appear to have been rebuilt,
probably at a late date. The upper part of the nave is of an undefined
character. The small windows have round arches, and might be transition
work; but they are placed over the piers, not over the arches, as was
invariably the case in early buildings.
The west wall is very plain. It has a tall round-headed window on the
church level, with a string course stepped over it, and a small window
is introduced in the gable, which might be of almost any period. A
series of corbels occurs in the south-west wall over the doorway. They
are carved with grotesque heads, and appear to have supported a wooden
floor--perhaps an organ gallery. There has been a doorway in the north
wall of the aisle. It had two nook shafts, but it has now almost
disappeared. A portion of a cross wall is visible in the aisle, with
what may have been the seat of an altar against it.
Within recent years considerable excavations and repairs have been
[Illustration: FIG. 383.--The Nunnery, Iona. View from South-East.]
[Illustration: FIG. 384.--The Nunnery, Iona. View from North-West.]
made in the building. The position of the cloister garth has been
defined by a low wall; and the site of the chapter house on the eastern
side, with its stone seat running round it (see Fig. 383), has been
disclosed. The other apartments on this side remain indefinite, but the
position and walls of the refectory on the south side are distinct. This
part of the structure has had an upper story, probably a dormitory. The
south, east, and west walls, with their small windows, are still
preserved. There was, no doubt, a dormitory over the east side of the
quadrangle, but the walls there are now only a few feet in height.
At a distance of about 30 feet north from the convent church stands
another building, said to have been the parish church. (See Fig. 381.)
It is dedicated to St. Ronan, and is a simple oblong chamber, 37 feet
long by 16 feet wide internally.
It has a small window in the centre of the east wall, and the seat of
the altar still remains. In the north and south wall, near the east end,
are the remains of two windows, which have apparently been rather wider
than the east window.
The doorway has been at the north-west angle, and has had a single nook
shaft in each jamb; but that part of the structure is now much
destroyed. The whole building is constructed with the plain rubble work
usual in West Highland churches.
Numerous very fine specimens of Celtic carved work are preserved in the
monumental stones which have been found and are preserved in the
convent.[192] Amongst these is the monument of the last prioress. On it
are carved the figure of the prioress, surmounted by a rude Gothic
canopy, and an inscription bearing the date of 1543. It also contains
the ancient symbols of the mirror and the comb.
ST. NICHOLAS’ CHURCH, ABERDEEN.
This church, said to be the largest mediæval parish church in Scotland,
is still preserved and used as the principal church of Aberdeen; but
only two portions of the ancient work remain--viz., the transepts and
the crypt at the east end, below the choir. The nave was rebuilt about
the middle of last century by Gibbs, the well-known architect of St.
Martin’s-in-the-Fields Church, London, and the Radcliffe Library,
Oxford. It is, of course, in the Renaissance style of the time, and the
interior is very dignified. The choir was entirely taken down in 1835
and rebuilt in the most tasteless fashion. The walls of the crypt and
transepts were all refaced except the north front of the transept,
which, however, is of no great architectural value, having been altered
considerably in the seventeenth century; in any case, it forms a
pleasing contrast to the very rigid and inartistic new masonry. The
central tower, with the leaded spire, was burned in 1874, and the
existing central spire was thereafter erected. In these circumstances,
it is only the interior of the transept and crypt which come within the
scope of the present work.
The transepts (Fig. 385) measure internally about 103 feet by 20 feet 10
inches, and are of the transitional style of the end of the twelfth
century. The openings into the nave and choir are now built up. There
[Illustration: FIG. 385.--St. Nicholas’ Church, Aberdeen. Plan.]
seems always to have been a solid wall between the transept and the nave
aisles, with only a small opening of communication in each of about the
size of an ordinary doorway. These openings are of a very plain and
simple design (Fig. 386). The piers which carry the central tower (Fig.
387) are of the usual transitional type, having graceful capitals and
square abaci supporting round arches. These are shown in detail in Fig.
388. They are not visible in the choir and nave.
On each side of the north transept there are two original clerestory
windows, those on the east side are seen in Fig. 389, and one of them,
which would overlook the roof of the choir aisle (Fig. 390), has angle
shafts, with carved caps and mouldings. The present large north window
of the transept (seen in Fig. 389), the tracery of which is of very late
work, has remains of its original features, and in the low pointed
recess seen in the same view there is a transition attached shaft, with
carved cap and square abacus. There is only a shaft on one side of the
recess (as shown on Plan). The pointed arch of this recess, as well as
the tomb alongside, below the large window, are of later work.
On the west side of the north wall there has been a round arched
doorway, of which traces are yet visible. This is probably the doorway
referred to in the following extract of the 10th January 1518--“The said
day, the toone consentit and ordanit thair masteris of Kirkwerk to
translat thar () and passag to the rudloft, and big up Sanct Nichell
dur, and mak a fair wyndo in that gavill of thar croce kirk.”[193]
[Illustration: FIG. 386.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Doorway between Transept
and Nave Aisles.]
The “fair wyndo” is, doubtless, the window in the north end wall just
referred to as having been altered, and seen in Fig. 389. The foregoing
are the only original features of the upper church now remaining, all
else is of the fifteenth and following centuries, and consists generally
of the wide pointed openings leading into the choir; and in the south
transept of a fifteenth century sculptured tablet of fine design (Fig.
391) with the following modern inscription beneath--“The above stone
represents the Chantry or Annual Mass to be sung for his soul. Founded
by William Leith, of Barns, Provest of Aberdeen in 1351, who, with many
of his Descendants, is Interred underneath.” The monument has had an
inscription, now illegible, and has suffered considerably either from
neglect or mischief.
The crypt at the east end of the choir is shown on Plan in its proper
relation to the transepts, but it is on a lower level. Although, as
already stated, no part of the choir now remains, the walls drawn in
outline are
[Illustration: FIG. 387.--St. Nicholas’ Church. The Crossing.]
built on the site of the old walls, and show that the choir consisted of
five bays, with an apse. The total interior length from the east wall of
the apse to the tower is about 102 feet. It may be mentioned that the
total internal length of the existing church from the west end of the
nave to the apse is about 234 feet.
The crypt was approached by two stairs, one from the north and another
from the south aisle of the choir. These are now swept away, and only
their round arched openings remain as recesses in the walls of the
crypt. As these recesses are at a considerable height, most of the steps
were probably in the crypt. The stairs shown on the Plan with the
windows and doors are all quite modern. The latter lead out to the
street, which is at the level of the floor.
The length of the crypt (which corresponds with the width of the choir)
is about 65 feet. The crypt consists of one central and two side aisles,
with an eastern apse. The plan of these divisions indicates that the
central aisle of the choir was only about 3 feet wider than the side
aisles, a very unusual arrangement, the side aisles being generally much
narrower than the central one. The width of the crypt is about 16 feet,
and the length at the apse is about 36 feet 6 inches. It is internally a
very picturesque and interesting structure, but it has been badly
treated at the time of the rebuilding of the choir. The wonder is that
it escaped from being rebuilt, like the rest of the church. It is at
present proposed to restore the building by removing the lath and
plaster from the walls, and laying the floor at the original level, and
also to fill the windows with stained glass. We may express the hope
that before this is done the distressing effects of the stained glass in
the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral will be duly considered.
[Illustration: FIG. 388.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Details of Piers of
Crossing.]
The roof is groined throughout, the three compartments in the length
(Fig. 392) being separated by pointed arches, which spring from moulded
caps on octagonal responds. The ribs are the same in all the
compartments, except that in the centre and north a length of the ridge
rib is omitted (see Plan). The opening into the apse has a stunted
[Illustration: FIG. 389.--St. Nicholas’ Church. North Transept.]
round arch (Fig. 393), and is a prominent example of the love of the
Scottish builders for this form of arch all through the Gothic period.
This is the only place in the crypt where the width is sufficient to
allow
[Illustration: FIG. 390.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Clerestory Window.]
of such an arch reaching the roof without the necessity of undue gabling
above the arch, and it further has the effect of giving a dignity and
effect of separation to the apse which it would not have possessed with
a pointed arch. Each compartment of the apse has a central boss, two of
these are shown (Fig. 394). All the intermediate ribs spring from
corbels at a lower level than the caps of the responds (Fig. 395), from
which the separating arches spring, and the long diagonals of the centre
compartment cut through these caps and rest on the notch formed in the
centre of the wide diagonal respond at the opening to the apse (see Fig.
392).
There is a considerable amount of carved woodwork--bench ends and backs
of seats--in the crypt, some of the fifteenth or sixteenth century (Fig.
396), and some of a later period. These are probably part of the work
done by John Ferdour, “wricht,” who, in 1507, contracted to make
twenty-four stalls and other furniture “substanciusly and honourable as
he may,” as they are begun, “and bettir gif he can” (p. 77).
The height from the present floor, which is about 18 inches above the
original level, is 13 feet 4 inches to the centre rib and 7 feet to the
top of the respond caps. The walls, being plastered, hide the wall ribs
and any of the usual architectural features, if any such exist.
The choir so recently taken down superseded an older one.
[Illustration: FIG. 391.--Tablet in South Transept.]
[Illustration: FIG. 392.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Crypt, looking
South-East.]
It does not appear to be quite certain when the latter was begun, but
throughout the Council Register there are numerous references to the
“kyrk werk,” and to the “reparacion of the perise kirk of Sanct
Nicolace.” These references begin in 1442 and continue for about a
century. In 1474 there is a contract for delivering six score stones of
lead to “Schir Andro
[Illustration: FIG. 393.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Crypt, looking
North-West.]
Wricht, maister of the kirk wark” (p. 32), and three years later
“Alexander of Charmyr,” alderman, was appointed “vpper and principale
maister of wark of the bigeing of Sanct Nicholace qveyr for twa yeris to
cum” (p. 33). Sir Andrew was probably an ecclesiastic, and he and
Chalmers appear to have been the paymasters.
[Illustration: FIG. 394.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Bosses in Crypt.]
[Illustration: FIG. 395.--Plan of Piers in Crypt, with Caps and Ribs.]
In 1483 David Menzis, elder, was master of the kirk work, and purchased
a boat load of lime for the building, and in the following year “Maistre
Johne Gray, mason,” was appointed “to the bigging of Sanct Nicolace
wark.” He engaged to work in his own person, and to superintend the
masons and other workmen. He was “to be lele and trew to the said wark
for al the dais of his life, unto the completing and ending of the same”
(p. 41). It would appear that there were but few skilled workmen
employed in the building, as only some five or six men are mentioned by
name in the register. They are frequently referred to, and appear to
have been bound to remain at the building during the pleasure of the
Council. In the same year that Gray was appointed the feeing of a single
mason was a matter of so much importance as to occupy a whole sitting of
the Town Council and “diuerse of the communite” (p. 41), and in the year
following (1493) three masons were sent to Cowie (a few miles south from
Aberdeen) to work there for a year quarrying stones for the church. The
shifts and expedients to find funds for the building run through all the
deliberations of the Council. In 1495 about fifty
[Illustration: FIG. 396.--St. Nicholas’ Church. Carved Bench End.]