DURNESS CHURCH,Sutherlandshire.[230]

Fig. 1530.—Michael Kirk. View from South-West.

It is interesting to find in the neighbourhood of Cape Wrath a specimen of ecclesiastical architecture, even though of the seventeenth century. The old parish church, which is now a ruin, occupies the site of a cell of Dornoch monastery. It was built in 1619. The Plan (Fig.1531) is somewhat irregular, but not unlike, in general form, to many of the churches of Scotland at the same period, having the pulpit placed in the centre of the long side wall, and facing the wing.

In a recess is the grave of Duncan MacMorroch, a relation of the chief of the clan, believed to have been very serviceable in getting rid quietly of

Fig. 1531.—Durness Church. Plan.

troublesome hindrances. This gentleman was desirous to be buried in the sacred edifice, but as some doubts existed as to his sanctity, it was resolved

Fig. 1532.—Durness Church. View from South-West.

not to admit his body quite into the church, so he was buried under the wall. His tomb is dated 1619, and his epitaph hands down his name to posterity in the following words:—

“Duncan MacMorroch here lies lowWas ill to his friend, waur to his foeTrue to his master in weird and wo.”

The adjoining gable has crowsteps and is topped with a belfry (Fig.1532). The lintel of the doorway in the wing bears the letters and figures16 · HMK · A. In the gable of the wing there is a two-light window with a pointed arch, a central mullion dividing into two small arches at the head (the space between being left solid), and a transom.

An old font lies in the main part of the church.

This edifice was the parish church of East Calder till 1750, when a new church was erected at Kirknewton, and East Calder was united with that parish. These two parishes lie about ten miles west from Edinburgh.

The Church of East Calder was dedicated to St. Cuthbert. At the accession of William the Lion the church was granted to the monks of Kelso. This parish was formerly called Calder-Clere, to distinguish it from

Fig. 1533.—East Calder Church. Plan.

Mid-Calder, which lies about one mile west of it, on the opposite side of the river Almond. The church, which is now a ruin, stands in its old churchyard. It is a simple oblong (Fig.1533), internally 56 feet in length by 17 feet in width. The north wall has been removed, and the interior divided into burial-places, separated by walls and railings. The doorways and windows have been built up, and few of the wall openings can now be seen. One window is still partly preserved in the east end (Fig.1534). It has evidently been divided into two lights by a mullion, which is removed, and each light has had a round-arched head. Another windowin the south wall, near the east end, is of similar form. The mullion and round heads of the opening have been preserved by being built up. A doorway, also built up, adjoins the window in the south wall on the west.

Fig. 1534.—East Calder Church. View from South-East.

There may be other built up openings, but the wall is so thickly covered with ivy that they cannot be identified. The belfry on the west gable is plain, and evidently late in date. The few details which survive indicate a post-Reformation style, probably of about 1600.

Two ruined parish churches, each in its churchyard, situated within two miles of each other and about nine miles south-west of Forfar. They are small buildings, measuring respectively 56 feet 6 inches by 15 feet 6 inches, and 53 feet 6 inches by 18 feet 6 inches within the walls (Fig.1535). Neither church has any openings in the north wall. At Eassie (Fig.1536) all the doors and windows are square-headed, and at Nevay they are the same, except that the west doorway is round-headed, but not arched, being cut out of one stone. At Eassie the westmost doorway on the south side is of eighteenth century work, but the eastmost one is original. An ivy-mantled belfry crowns the west end of each edifice.

On the lintel of the south door at Nevay there is the date 1695, with the initials D. N. between the first two and last two figures. These are

Fig. 1535.—Eassie and Nevay Churches. Plans.

doubtless the initials of David of Nevay, whose father, a Senator of the College of Justice, died shortly before this date. The church, however,

Fig. 1536.—Eassie Church.

appears to be of earlier date, as a tombstone of 1597 is built into its walls.

These churches were in the diocese of St. Andrews, and in 1309“RobertI.gave the advocation and donation of the Kirk of Eassie to the Monks of Newbottle.[231]”

St. Neveth, martyr, to whom the church was dedicated, and from whom it received its name, was a bishop “in the north,” who was slain by the Saxons and the Picts, and Bishop Forbes[232]suggests that the martyr was buried at Nevay.

Eassie was dedicated to St. Brandon.

At Eassie Church there is one of the finest of the Scottish sculptured stones.

The annexed sketch (Fig.1537) shows the old pulpit of St. Cuthbert’s Church as it stood in St. Cuthbert’s Poorhouse, Lothian Road, Edinburgh, before that building was removed in 1868. It appears[233]that when St. Cuthbert’s Church was demolished in 1773, the pulpit was transferred to the Poorhouse. Its date can be pretty well ascertained. From a minute of the kirk-session of 15th August 1651, we find that Cromwell’s soldiers had so completely sacked the church that there was “nayther pulpit, loft, nor seat left therein,” all doors and windows having been broken, and the roof by cannon shot completely ruined. Steps were immediately taken to repair the damage, and in April 1652 the church was reopened for public worship. This pulpit was doubtless made between the above dates, and its style is characteristic of the time. It is of oak, and probably in the old church it stood on a loftier base than is shown in the sketch.

The parish of Fetteresso included a considerable part of the town of Stonehaven on the east coast of Kincardineshire. The old church, the ruins of which stand in a large churchyard, is situated near the Carron Water, about one mile and a half south-west from Stonehaven. The structure probably occupies the site of a very ancient church, dedicated to St. Cavan, which stood at the Hamlet of Fetteresso. It is beautifully situated amongst fine old trees.

Fig. 1537.—Pulpit from St. Cuthbert’s Church, Edinburgh.

The existing edifice, which is roofless, appears, from the style of its architecture, to be chiefly post-Reformation. The walls and gables are well preserved and much covered with ivy.

Fig. 1538.—Fetteresso Church. Plan.

The church (Fig.1538) is, internally, 81 feet in length from east to west by 17 feet 6 inches in width from north to south. It has a wing

Fig. 1539.—Fetteresso Church. View from North-West.

thrown out to the north, which is about 17 feet square, and bears the date of 1720. A small adjunct to the west of the wing carries the date of 1857.The wall openings are almost entirely in the south wall, in which there are three doorways and six windows. There is one window in the east end and one pointed doorway in the north wall. The north wing contains a north doorway and two windows in the east wall. This wing, doubtless, contained a gallery. The openings in the south wall are all built up, and the interior is converted into a private burial-ground. The details have all the character of eighteenth century work. The belfry (Fig.1539) stands on the top of the west gable and still retains its bell, which is used on the occasion of funerals. The church and its surroundings are very picturesque.

This is a private chapel in the beautiful grounds of Fordel Castle,[234]about two miles north from Inverkeithing. It bears the date of 1650, and tradition has it that the works were interrupted by Cromwell’s soldiers.

The edifice is now used as a mortuary chapel by the proprietors of Fordel House.

Fig. 1540.—Fordel Chapel. Plan.

The structure bears the mark of the period when it was erected in the mixed style of its architecture, being partly an imitation of Gothic and partly Renaissance. It measures (Fig.1540) about 40 feet in length by 16 feet in width internally, and is a simple oblong in plan, with a doorway in the centre of the south side. It is lighted (Fig.1541) by four symmetrically arranged windows in the south side, one in the centre of the north side, and a large three-light window at each end. The windows are divided by mullions, and have a species of tracery in the round arch-heads.

The west gable is crowned with a belfry having a small spire. The stone cresting on the ridge has the small ornaments common at the period.

Fig. 1541.—Fordel Chapel.

Over the doorway (Fig.1542) are the quaintly carved arms of J. Henderson and his wife, M. Monteath (the Hendersons being the ancient

Fig. 1542.—Fordel Chapel. Arms over Doorway.

proprietors of the domain), with their initials and the date 1650. The same initials are repeated on tablets both on the exterior and interior of the chapel.

Situated about five miles south-east from Haddington, in the secluded valley of the Papana Water, stands the rebuilt Church of Garvald. Only a very few fragments remain (Fig.1543) of the ornament of the ancient

Fig. 1543.—Garvald Church. String Course.

Norman structure which formerly existed. These are built into the walls of the church, which was restored and enlarged in 1829.

This church, dedicated to St. John the Evangelist, has a splendid situation, standing high above the cliffs overlooking the sea, and having a small fishing village on the beach immediately below. The building is now a ruin, only the walls remaining. It is a curious looking structure and

Fig. 1544.—Gamrie Church. Plan.

has been built at two periods. The east end is the earliest part. The total length of the church internally (Fig.1544) is about 94 feet 4 inches by 15 feet 6 inches wide. The later part of the structure is about 10 inches wider than the earlier, the walls being thinner. The externaldimensions are 96 feet long by 21 feet 8 inches wide. The chancel or east end was probably heightened at the time when the west end was built. The east gable has a sett-off at the level of what was apparently the original height (Fig.1545). There are two doors on the south side, that in the chancel being lintelled and having a hole for a sliding bar, while the other in the nave is round arched, as is also a door in the opposite wall. These doors have all beaded mouldings. There is only one window on the north side. On the south side the windows are of various sizes, and are scattered about in an irregular way. Two of them, which are placed high in the wall, are checked for outside shutters; the others have all simple splays.

Fig. 1545.—Gamrie Church. View from South-East.

There is a plain ambry in the east wall at a high level, and adjoining it in the north wall there is a recess, probably acredence, as suggested by the Rev. Dr. Pratt.[235]This part of the building is in a neglected condition, being fitted up as a toolhouse for the gravedigger’s implements. There is built into the interior of the east gable a memorial tablet, with very quaintly carved letters and mouldings, to the memory of Patricius Barclay dominus de Tolly, and his wife, Joneta Ogilvy, who died in 1547.[236]There were other interesting memorials connected with the church which are referred to by Dr. Pratt, but of these only mutilated fragments remain. The indignant remonstrance of the Rev. Dr. against the condition of the building, written thirty years ago, backed up by a poem by Principal Geddes, has not availed to secure any respect for the old walls.

The Church of Gamrie is frequently referred to in the twelfth and following centuries. It was granted by William the Lion to Arbroath between 1189 and 1198,[237]and in 1513 Mr. Henry Preston was presentedto the Church of Gamrie by the Abbot of Arbroath. Probably the existing walls were erected about the latter date, but the details indicate that great alterations have been made on the building, which convert it into a seventeenth century structure.

A ruin near the village of Longniddry.

The parish of Gladsmuir was formed out of several other parishes in 1695, at which time this church (Fig.1546), now in ruins, was erected.

Fig. 1546.—Gladsmuir Church.

It was an oblong structure, and measures about 71 feet long by 25 feet

Fig. 1547.Gladsmuir Church.Sundial.

Fig. 1547.

Gladsmuir Church.

Sundial.

6 inches wide outside. There was, as frequently happens, an aisle on the north side about 24 feet square, opening into the church by the wide and lofty arch seen in the view. This arch, which is simply splayed on both faces, has two of its voussoirs projected about 6 inches beyond the others. These may have been rests for diagonal pieces to carry the continuation of the roof at the arch. A sundial (Fig.1547), bearing the date 1700, stands in the usual place at the south-west corner.

The district was formerly served by a chapel which stood a mile or so to the south of Gladsmuir, of which all traces having been recently removed, only its site can be pointed out.

Fig. 1548.—The Tron Steeple, Glasgow.

This tower, with its spire, stands in the Trongate, the most crowded thoroughfare of the city of Glasgow, and, as will be seen (Fig.1548), it projects on to the street. It is believed that it is in contemplation to remove it; and as the old college buildings were got rid of a few years ago without much regret being expressed, the removal of a small steeple like this will, doubtless, be regarded as a very simple matter. Yet its destruction will deprive us of a very interesting example of a genuine seventeenth century spire, of which few were erected or now survive in Scotland. This steeple was erected in 1637. It has clearly been built in imitation of that of the cathedral, having similar features translated into the style of its time, and with rather a happy effect.

The steeple was attached to a church of older date, which was burned down in 1793. This was the Collegiate Church of St. Thenaw, which was erected in 1525, with the consent of the archbishop, Gavin Dunbar.

From the proximity of the public weighing machine or Tron to the church, it gradually came to be known as the Tron Church, and latterly the instrument itself stood in the ground floor of the steeple, which was then enclosed with solid walls. About forty years ago the Tron was removed, and the ground floor of the building was opened up to form an open passage along the street pavement. The wide arches on the street floor are thus modern.

This chapel stands a little to the east of Grandtully Castle at a place called Pitcairn (anciently Petquharne), about three miles from Aberfeldy. It is situated at a considerable height above the valley of Strathtay, and commands an extensive view of mountain scenery. Any one seeing the chapel for the first time, and unacquainted with its existence, might easily mistake it for part of the adjoining farm buildings, it is so plain and humble in appearance. Only the presence of the churchyard surrounding it, and a very small cross on the east gable, serve to call attention to the fact that it is a sacred edifice, which on inspection is found to possess features of considerable interest.

The building (Fig.1549) may be said to be entire in walls and roof. It measures on the outside about 79 feet long by about 23 feet 3 inches wide, and is at present divided into two parts by a stone partition.

There are two doors and several small windows on the south side. These openings are all straight lintelled and quite unadorned. A door onthe north side is probably modern. There is a small locker, 14 or 15 inches square, in the usual position in the north wall near the east end. This ambry, which is about four feet from the floor, is of great interest, as it is quite entire, having a wooden door and hinges, an almost unknown condition in Scotland. There is another small recess about 17 inches square and about 3 feet from the ground in the east wall. But the principal feature of the chapel, and what renders it almost unique, is the

Fig. 1549.—Grandtully Chapel. Plan.

painted ceiling at the east end. This ceiling is constructed, as shown on the sketch (Fig.1550), at the west end of the eastern division. The roof consists of rafters and ties, on which, at the east end, boards are fixed so as to present a circular form, in the same way as in several of the other painted ceilings of Scottish castles and mansions, such as Pinkie, Culross, and Earl’s Hall. It is not known whether this painted roof extended the whole length of the chapel or was confined, as it now is, to the east end. The painting presents four rows of circular discs, each containing six circles, which are variously ornamented. Four of them are occupied with the four Evangelists, and others with coats of arms, including the royal arms—1st and 4th, Scotland; 2nd, England; 3rd, Ireland, with an inner-escutcheon. The arms of England and Scotland also occur on separate shields, as well as those of the Earls of Athole and of the Laird of Grandtully and his wife, Dame Agnes Moncrieff. The paintings were rather exposed for some years to damp, and in many places the subjects and inscriptions, which are numerous, are considerably effaced; but further decay is arrested by the roof having recently been put in good order. Amongst the paintings there are complicated monograms, and a large panel in the centre contains an elaborate composition showing buildings with quaint figures.

This chapel is first noticed in a “Notarial instrument, recording sasine given by Alexander Steuart of Garntulye, from devotion and with the view of promoting divine worship” of certain lands, “in terms of a charter to be made, to Alexander Young, sub-prior of St. Andrews, as representing the curate who is to officiate at the chapel built near the manor-place of Petquharne, and to be consecrated to God, the Virgin Mary, St. Andrew the Apostle, St. Adamnanus and St. Beanus. Dated 9th May 1533.”

Following this, in the 3rd June of the same year, is the charter referred to conveying the land and privileges to the church and to a chaplain, “who was to be a suitable curate, personally residing and celebrating divine worship and the sacraments irreproachably in the Church of St. Mary of Grantulye.” The church was “to be held for prayers to be made by the

Fig. 1550.—Grandtully Chapel. Interior.

said chaplain for the universal church, the prosperity of King JamesV.and his kingdom, the granter’s own soul, and the souls of certain of his relatives,” &c.

This gives us the period of the erection of the church, but the painting is later, being shown by the style and by the arms to have been done bySir William Steuart about the year 1636. Sir William was an intimate friend from childhood of King JamesVI., and was by him greatly beloved. He married Agnes Moncrieff, daughter of Sir John of that Ilk, and, as already mentioned, their arms are on the ceiling, and their initials are also carved over a small window in the east gable.

This church, with its venerable tower, overlooks, in a very prominent manner, the small county town of Greenlaw. The present building occupies the site of an early church, and probably dates from the

Fig. 1551.—Greenlaw Church.

beginning of last century. It is a very simple structure, and harmonises well with the ancient tower. The latter (Fig.1551), which is a part of anearlier church, is an interesting example of a Scottish church tower. It is quite plain in its lower stages, and has a corbelled out parapet at the top, which is reached by a stair in the projecting turret, seen in the sketch. The tower is a place of considerable strength, being vaulted on the ground floor, and is probably a building of the fifteenth century.

The manor of Greenlaw belonged to the Earls of Dunbar and Gospatrick, and the third Earl granted the church, in 1159, to the Abbey of Kelso. Greenlaw was one of the churches dedicated by Bishop David de Bernham.

The town of Insch is a station on the Great North of Scotland Railway between Aberdeen and Huntly. The old parish church, which is

Fig. 1552.—Insch Church. Front and Side View of Belfry.

abandoned, stands in the churchyard. The west wall, crowned with its belfry, is almost all that now survives. The belfry (Fig.1552) is ornate, and is a good specimen of the Scottish Renaissance designs erected in the beginning of the seventeenth century. It bears the date of 1613, when it is believed the church was erected. On the south side the tympanum carries a shield with the Leslie arms and the initials M. I. L.

Situated at the entrance to Duraden, near Dairsie Railway Station, are the ivy-covered ruins of the sixteenth century church of Kemback, surrounded with its ancient burial-ground. The building (Fig.1553)

Fig. 1553.—Kemback Church. Plan.

retains the Gothic feeling in the external splays on the square-headed doors and windows, but the Renaissance influence is apparent in the east window. Contrary to the usual practice, the door and windows are in the north wall.

About half a mile distant the site of an older church is pointed out, but all that remains of it is the late headless effigy of a lady.

The Church of Kilmaurs, situated near the village of that name about two and a half miles north-west from Kilmarnock, was formerly collegiate, having a provost and six prebendaries. It has been rebuilt, and the

Fig. 1554.—The Glencairn Monument, Kilmaurs.

burial aisle of the Earls of Glencairn, which no doubt was formerly attached to it, now stands apart. The aisle was erected by the seventh Earl in 1600, and contains the fine monument (Fig.1554) of William, ninth Earl, who was Lord High Chancellor of Scotland. He died in 1664, and was buried in St. Giles’, Edinburgh.

The monument is of a classic design, somewhat resembling some others in the south of Scotland, such as that of the Kennedies at Ballantrae andM‘Lellan at Kirkcudbright,[240]having shafts at each side, and an entablature crowned with a panel containing the family arms.

Within the frame formed by the pillars and entablature are half-length figures of the Earl and his lady, with open books in front of them, and a panel between which contained a long inscription, now illegible. A row of small figures beneath doubtless represents the family of the deceased.

The ruins of this old parish church are situated a few yards to the west of the ancient mansion house of Kinneil, near Bo’ness. The church

Fig. 1555.—Kinneil Church.

was abandoned about 1636, at which time a new one was built at Bo’ness, about one mile distant. What remains of the old church is the west wall, crowned with a double belfry (Fig.1555), and the returns of the side walls. The end wall measures 26 feet wide outside, and is 3 feet 9 inches thick. The length of the church cannot now be traced, but there are indications of buildings at a distance eastwards of about 64 feet.[241]From indications on the north side of the church, there appear to have been some attached buildings. The ruins are quite overgrown with ivy, and nothing definite can be said further regarding them.

Situated on the right bank of the Earn about two miles south from Auchterarder, this church, which is a post-Reformation one, stands in the centre of a small churchyard on a hillock overlooking the river, and

Fig. 1556.—St. Bean’s Church, Kinkell.

is entire, but roofless (Fig.1556). It is now divided by cross walls into three burial-places. The building (Fig.1557) measures about 65 feet 2 inches in length by 23 feet wide externally. Like most of the earlyPresbyterian churches it has a considerable resemblance, in plan, to those of the Gothic period, being long and narrow, with a south door near the west end, south windows, and an end window high up in each gable. All the openings are lintelled and splayed. There was a belfry on the west gable.

Fig. 1557.—St. Bean’s Church, Kinkell. Plan.

The church was probably built about the end of the sixteenth century. It was repaired about the year 1680 at the instigation of the Bishop and Synod of Dunblane, and shortly afterwards the parish of Kinkell was absorbed into that of Trinity Gask, when the building was allowed to fall into ruin.

The Church of Kinkell was dedicated to St. Bean, and was a cell of Inchaffray.

The old church of Kinnoull stood on the east side of the Tay opposite Perth. It may be said to have entirely disappeared with the exception of an aisle which was attached to the church, and now contains a seventeenth century monument to the Earl of Kinnoull (Fig.1558). The monument is of a pompous kind, and inspires none of those feelings of reverence begotten by the monuments of the Middle Ages. It occupies the full width and height of the aisle, and has a high dado richly sculptured on the pedestals and sides with arms and insignia of power, and contains an ornate central panel. From the dado there rise three columns resting on pedestals. The columns themselves are twisted and carved. The capitals, which are in imitation of Corinthian, are very debased. The two end columns are backed by projecting pilasters at the wall. Above the columns there runs a carved entablature with cornice, supporting, by way of finish, a heraldic slab in the centre, with various separate figures on each side of it.

The principal feature of the monument, to which all the above are accessories, is the life-sized statue of George, first Earl of Kinnoull and Chancellor of Scotland. His history will be found in Crawford’sLives of the Officers of State. The monument was erected in 1635.

Fig. 1558.—Monument in Kinnoull Church.

Kirkoswald is a village on the road between Girvan and Maybole in Carrick, containing an old church and churchyard. The church (Fig.1559) is a simple oblong measuring about 93 feet 6 inches in length by 28 feet 4 inches in width over the walls. It seems originally to have consisted of plain walls without buttresses, but within modern times the

Fig. 1559.—Kirkoswald Church.

structure has been converted into a mausoleum by building up all the windows, and by adding buttresses along the south side. The pointed blank windows and the large pointed doorway in the south wall are also modern additions. The modern applied buttress at the south-west angle is now falling away.

At first sight the building presents an ancient appearance, but closer examination shows that it has been modernised beyond recognition.

The small town of Lauder stands in the wide and fertile vale of the Leader Water, about six miles (over a high hill) from the nearest railway station at Stow. The ancient parish church of Lauder was bestowed, in the reign of David i., on Sir Hugh Morville, Constable of Scotland. It was afterwards given by Devorgilla, wife of John Baliol, to DryburghAbbey, to which it remained attached till the Reformation. It appears that there were two chapels connected with the parish church in different parts of the parish.

The existing parish church (Fig.1560) stands in the ancient churchyard. It has apparently been entirely rebuilt in 1673, which date is carved on the north gable. Chalmers, however, says that the ancient church was relinquished in 1617, when a new church was erected. The present structure, although very late, shows some reminiscences of Gothic forms, both in its plan and elevations.

Fig. 1560.—Lauder Church. Plan.

The plan is a Greek cross having four equal arms extending from a central crossing. The latter is 14 feet square, and each arm is 28 feet 6 inches in length by 16 feet in width internally. The crossing is surmounted by four pointed arches, which spring from a massive pier at each angle, and carry the central tower. In the north-west and south-east angles of the arms there are introduced two entrance lobbies, giving access to the four arms and to staircases, leading to a gallery in each arm. The space on the ground floor below the galleries is low, and is lighted by two square windows in the end wall of each arm (Fig.1561), with moulded jambs and lintel, while each upper floor or gallery is lighted by means ofa large pointed window in the gable, filled with plain intersecting tracery, with mullions and transoms.

The entrance doorways have round arches with hood moulding, and the side windows of the staircases are pointed. The external angles of the building and the outline of the windows are all finished with a broad fillet, projected so as to receive rough casting. The skews of the gables are plain and do not project, and the joints are horizontal. Each skew has a large projecting stone at bottom. These appear to have carried small pyramidal ornaments, two of which are still preserved.

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