plain tracery in the arch-head. The whole details of the choir are very
simple and refined for their period, and contrast favourably with most
of our late Scottish churches. The section (Fig. 1039) shows that the
pillars are simply and beautifully moulded. They are surmounted with
good caps, and rest on plain bases (Fig. 1040). The mouldings of the
arches (Fig. 1041) are distinctly marked, and rest well on the caps
above the shafts or mouldings of the pillars. Some of these details
resemble first pointed work, especially the section of the piers which
is almost identical with that of the choir piers of St. Andrews
Cathedral, from which it is probably copied. The details of the crossing
(Fig. 1042) are simple and effective, even as seen under the very
unfavourable circumstances that a partition wall blocks up the east
arch, and that there are galleries beneath the others. There is a west
gallery, but it is omitted in the sketch. The massive piers, with their
rounded shafts and very broad fillets, have a striking effect. The
groining is of the usual kind found in this position in Scotland. It
will be observed that in the ridge ribs, holes for bell ropes are most
carefully wrought through the ribs, which are strengthened at those
parts. The holes are not all equidistant from the centre. On the two
great western piers of the crossing there are projecting corbels to
carry the beams on which the rood was placed. Strong iron hooks are
fixed in the tower arch above, which were doubtless used for the support
of the rood, or to steady it.
Of the rood itself, as a matter of course, nothing remains. The
south-west pier is built hollow to contain the stair to the tower. Since
the Plan (Fig. 1032) was made the original doorway to this stair has
been discovered, as shown in the view. The door shown on the Plan has
been cut out at some later time.