The base is supported on a continuous corbel carved with foliage, and
has in the centre a shield, bearing a lion rampant.
The initials A. G. twice repeated and the date, together with the late
style of the work, point to the sacrament house having been designed by
Alexander Galloway, who was rector of Kinkell in 1528, and who was also
the architect of the first bridge of ten arches over the Dee at
Aberdeen.
Another panel (Fig. 1318) is built into the north wall of the church a
little to the west of the sacrament house. It contains a Crucifixion,
with a figure of the Virgin Mary on one side and an angel on the other.
The initials of Alexander Galloway occur three times on this sculpture,
and the date 1525.
The font which was removed from the Church of Kinkell long stood in a
garden, but is now restored and placed in St. John’s Episcopal Church,
Aberdeen. Of the original font only the granite basin now exists. It is
octagonal in form, and each face is illustrated with one or more sacred
emblems, as shown in Fig. 1319, except one face, on which occur the
initials of Alexander Galloway, parson of Kinkell. He was one of the
best known ecclesiastics in Scotland before the Reformation, and gifted
this font to the Church of Kinkell. Galloway appears to have been one
of the most able public men of his time, of whom Boece says,[148] “He
was so great a favourite
[Illustration: FIG. 1319.--Kinkell Church. Font.]
with the Bishop (Elphinston) that none of his concerns of moment were
transacted without him.”