[Illustration: FIG. 982.--Iona Cathedral. Plan.]
choir, 62 feet 6 inches long by 23 feet wide, with a south aisle; a
nave, 60 feet 9 inches long by 22 feet 6 inches wide; north and south
transepts,
[Illustration: FIG. 983.--Iona Cathedral. The Choir, looking East.]
and a tower over the crossing. The eastern part of the choir (Fig. 983)
forms the presbytery, which, like that of most Scottish churches, is
without aisles, and is lighted by a large central and two side windows,
all containing late tracery. On the south side of the choir, west of the
presbytery, is an aisle, separated from it by two circular piers and
three arches. From above the caps of the piers two bold arches are
thrown across the south aisle, after the manner of flying buttresses
(Fig. 984). It will be observed from this view that there is a
peculiarity of construction in the upper part of the choir walls, the
clerestory windows being placed over the piers and not over the arches,
as is usual. This arrangement has had the effect of preventing the
flying arches or buttresses from being carried as high as they might
have been (Fig. 985) had the windows been placed over the arches in the
ordinary manner. The flying arches or buttresses are thus very low, and
interfere with the space in the aisle (see Plan). There are a sedilia,
with three divisions, and a piscina (Fig. 986) near the east end of the
south wall of the choir. Part of the pavement there still exists, and
two steps are observable in the floor.
On the north side of the choir is the sacristy, which occupies the place
of the north aisle. The door to the sacristy (Fig. 987) is of fine
design, and the ornament of the caps of the shafts (Fig. 988), together
with the caps of the piers between the choir and the south aisle and the
arches of the crossing (Figs. 989 and 990), exhibit fine examples of
Celtic carving, mixed with grotesque figures. Carving of an identical
description is shown in Figs. 991 and 992 on slabs in St. Oran’s Chapel,
one of which, dated 1489, also exhibits late Gothic ornaments on the
edge. This stone bears the following inscription, from which it would
appear to be in memory of the father of Abbot Macfingone, and of the
abbot himself (whose tomb and monument are preserved in the choir, as
will be pointed out further on):--“Hec: est: Crux: Laeclanni: Meic:
fingone: et: ejus: fil--Ohannis: Abbatis: de: Hy: facta: Anno: domini:
Mº. CCCCLXXX: IXº. Numerous examples of carving of a very similar
description occur throughout the West Highlands, and, where dated, are
all of about the above period. The undated specimens are also distinctly
in the same style and of the same epoch. There can, therefore, be no
hesitation in assigning the sculpture in the cathedral, which is of a
similar character (such as the caps in Figs. 988 and 990), to about the
same date. The dog-tooth ornaments in Fig. 993 and other similar
examples, which are not rare at Iona and throughout the Western Islands,
are thus clearly a revival, at a late date, of ancient forms.
Close to the sacristy door, but raised to a considerable height above
the choir floor, stands a round column (see Fig. 983), which supports
two pointed arches. These arches appear to have opened into an upper
aisle or chapel. They are carved with rows of dog-tooth or nail-head
ornaments, which have the appearance of thirteenth century work; but as
they are
[Illustration: FIG. 984.--Iona Cathedral. View from South-East.]
much decayed, they are probably of the late date to which, as we have
seen, many examples of imitation dog-tooth enrichments at Iona and
elsewhere belong.
The parapet of the choir (see Fig. 984) is simple, and is supported on
massive corbels, like those common in the castles of Scotland. The water
of the gutters escapes by small apertures through the parapet.
[Illustration: FIG. 985.--Iona Cathedral. Choir Pier and Arch of South
Aisle.]
The nave contains a good western doorway of late design (Fig. 994), with
three orders of mouldings in the jambs, which have no caps, but have the
jamb mouldings carried round the pointed arch. The nave and transepts
have no aisles. The windows of the nave (Fig. 995) are much damaged. At
each end of the south wall is a small single pointed light,
[Illustration: FIG. 986.--Iona Cathedral. Sedilia and Piscina in
Choir.]
and there has been a triple light window, with tracery, in the centre.
The single light window at the east end of the nave has a carved head,
with a water table over it, inserted above the window. Part of the north
[Illustration: FIG. 987.--Iona Cathedral. Door to Sacristy.]
wall of the nave is demolished (see Fig. 994), and a door to the
cloister near the west end has been built up (see Plan).
The north transept has two deeply-arched recesses in the east wall,
containing small windows and a central arched recess, which seems to
have contained a statue. This is apparently the oldest part of the whole
edifice, the arches, shafts, and caps in the east wall (Fig. 996)
having very much the character of transition work. A small window in the
west wall, raised so as to be above the cloister roof (see Fig. 994),
throws light on the point where the altar stood.
[Illustration: FIG. 988.--Iona Cathedral. Caps of Doorway to Sacristy.]
The south transept is 22 feet by 17 feet, and is lighted by a three
light traceried window in the south gable wall (see Fig. 984), and a
small window placed at a considerable height in the west wall (see Fig.
995). The parapet and corbel table are the same as those of the choir.
The crossing has four arches opening into the choir, nave, and
transepts, which carry a tower, 29 feet by 25 feet, over the walls,
rising to two stories in height above the eaves, and crowned with a
plain parapet, supported on simple corbels (see Figs. 984 and 994). The
upper story has rectangular windows on each face, three of them filled
with tracery of late patterns, and the one on the north with a window
containing simple tracery
[Illustration: FIG. 989.--Iona Cathedral. Caps of Piers of Choir and
Crossing.]
(Fig. 997). The lintels are composed of straight arches, supported by a
remarkable shaft on the inside, which recalls the turned shafts of
pre-Norman work. The access to the tower is by a small wheel staircase
at the south-west angle of the crossing. The original doorway of the
staircase entered from the nave, but, after the Reformation, the
adjoining
[Illustration: FIG. 990.--Iona Cathedral. Caps of Crossing, &c.]
west arch of the crossing was built up, and a new door, with a small
enclosing wall, was formed from the crossing into the wheel stair (as
shown in the Plan). In the upper part of the tower are built recesses,
as if meant for pigeons’ nests; and the upper floor in the roof of the
[Illustration: FIG. 991.--Iona Cathedral.