Inpassing from the Middle Pointed to the Late Pointed periods in Scotland, we do not find any distinct break in the style of architecture such as exists between the First and Second Pointed periods. The middle pointed style passes by gentle gradation into the late pointed style, and there is some difficulty in fixing the period when the one ceases and the other begins. When buildings such as Melrose Abbey and Lincluden College are compared with Dunglass, Corstorphine, and other collegiate churches of the late period, the difference of style is very apparent, and it is at once seen that these edifices belong to different categories. But between such examples as Haddington Church and Paisley Abbey the distinction of style is not at first sight so striking. It is only when the whole character of the architecture is considered that it can be determined to which category each structure belongs. Although the line of division is thus to a certain extent arbitrary, there are some characteristics of the third pointed period which are peculiar to it, and render it a distinct and well marked epoch. This period, although inferior in many respects to those which preceded it, yet comprises more than any other certain elements which give it a claim to be considered peculiarly Scottish and national.
Many of the structures described in VolII.as belonging (in part at least) to the decorated period bear some resemblance to those of the same style in England. These edifices are mostly of considerable size, and contain all the usual divisions of choir, nave, and transept, nearly always with aisles. They are also generally vaulted with groined vaults, having wooden roofs above the vaults. The details of the buildings are likewise of similar character in both localities.
As in the preceding period, the large churches of the third pointed period in Scotland are nearly all restorations. No new churches of great size were undertaken. Some of the older large churches which had been damaged were reconstructed, but the new churches erected were almostentirely confined to parish or collegiate structures. The largest new church is that of Trinity College in Edinburgh, founded by the widowed queen of JamesII.Only a few of the larger of these churches have aisles, and are roofed with groined vaulting.
Most of the new edifices of the late pointed style in Scotland differ from those in England in many particulars. The Scottish churches are, as already stated, usually smaller in size, and consist of single compartments without aisles. Although frequently designed as cross churches, with choir, nave, and transepts, they are rarely finished, the choir or the choir and transepts being often the only portions carried out. The east end frequently terminates with a three-sided apse. This feature is almost entirely characteristic of the late pointed period. It undoubtedly owes its origin to the Scottish alliance and intercourse with France. But the leading and distinguishing feature of our late pointed style is the vaulting, the pointed barrel vault being almost universally employed. We have seen that a pointed barrel vault was used at Lincluden and Bothwell collegiate churches. It was, however, in the later edifices, after the middle of the fifteenth century, that that form of vault came into general use. This kind of arch was of simple construction, and was much employed in the castles of the period, being found convenient—first, because it was of easy construction; and second, because it could conveniently carry a roof composed of overlapping stones. This style of roof had the double advantage of being fireproof, and in the case of the castles, where it was often kept flat, of forming a platform from which the defenders could operate.
It has already been pointed out[4]that many features of domestic architecture were at this time imported into ecclesiastical architecture, and the above feature of the pointed barrel vault carrying a stone roof is the first and most important.
In carrying out this kind of vaulting in churches, several difficulties were encountered and had to be overcome. The most serious of these difficulties was the junction of the transepts, or side chapels, with the choir and nave. In the earlier Gothic churches this was managed by running the vault of the transepts or chapels into that of the nave, and forming a groin at the intersection. But the peculiarity of the late Scottish churches is that they carefully avoid all groins and intersections of arches. The junction of the vaults at the above intersections is, therefore, managed by a special contrivance, viz., by keeping the barrel vaults of the transepts or chapels quite apart from those of the central nave, the side vaults being stopped on gables carried up on arches in the line of the main side walls to receive them. The main nave vault is thus carried throughout the whole length of the central nave without a break, and where the opening into the transepts or chapels occurs, the mainvault rests on an arch thrown across the side openings in the line of the main walls, and at a level below the springing of the main vault. The outer stone roofs of the transepts are also kept independent of that of the central nave, and do not mitre into it.
The windows of these churches, which have nearly always pointed arch-heads, are necessarily placed at a low level, so as to allow the point of the arch-head to come beneath the spring of the main vault. This is done so as to avoid even a small groin, such as would be required if the window arch-head were carried up into the main vault. The object is two-fold—first, to escape the difficulty of the intersection of the vaults; and second, to avoid the small gablets over the windows and the small stone roofs and valleys which would be required at the junction of these with the main external stone roofs. The above features are all well exemplified at Ladykirk, Seton College, Corstorphine, and many other churches.
It should be borne in mind that the vaulting in England in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries had also to some extent reverted to the plan of relying chiefly for strength on plain surface vaulting, and not on the ribs as in the earlier period. The example from Winchester Cathedral[5]helps to explain this. The intersection of the vaults is there very slight, and the numerous ribs introduced are almost all used ornamentally. This is also the case in the fan vaulting, so common in England in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, in which the ribs or tracery are applied as ornaments on the surface of the vaults.
Ornamental ribs are not uncommon in Scottish roofs. An early example, somewhat similar to that at Winchester, still exists over the presbytery of Melrose Abbey, where the intersection of the vaults is almost entirely abandoned, and numerous ornamental surface ribs are introduced. In later examples, however, the intersection of the vaults is completely given up, and any ribs employed are useless except as ornaments. Such are the roofs of St. Mirren’s Chapel, Paisley, and the choir of Seton College.
An example of the shifts the builders were put to in order to escape intersecting vaults may be seen in the apse of Stirling Church. In other examples, such as Dunglass and Queensferry, the nave, choir, and transepts have walls carried up on the four sides of the crossing, against which the pointed barrel vaults are stopped, and access is furnished to the various arms of the church by small archways like doorways in the walls. At Whitekirk the crossing is exceptional, having a groined vault; but the choir, &c., have pointed barrel vaults, which stop upon walls at the crossing.
In the case of the apse of Linlithgow Church the difficulty of the intersection of the apse with the choir vault was avoided by sticking on the apse against the east end wall, like a large bow window. Thisenabled the apse windows to be carried to a good height. Generally speaking the windows in the apse are very low, being kept down below the main arch, and admit little light, thus rendering the vault extremely dark, as, for instance, at Seton Church.
In most of the collegiate churches the barrel vaults supported a roof composed of carefully wrought flag-stones. These stones are arranged in courses, running from the eaves to the ridge, and every alternate course is higher than, and rests on, the edges of the intermediate courses. Each stone also overlaps the course which is below it in the slope of the roof. There is thus a considerable amount of cutting and fitting required, which is usually carefully executed. Sometimes each stone is hollowed in the centre, so as to carry the water away from the joints. The gutters are also wrought in stone on the same principle. Roofs of this description might evidently be made almost level, and in the case of many of the castles (as on the keep of Craigmillar Castle) that is done, and a platform for defence is thus created. In the churches, however, the stone roofs are usually pretty steep.
It is remarkable that this form of roof was a reproduction in Scotland, in the fifteenth century, of a fireproof form of construction which was much used in Provence in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. But in this country it was to all appearance an independent invention, as Provence in the fifteenth century was, architecturally speaking, very remote, and was cut off from Scotland by the intermediate styles of England and France.
It should be noted that the pointed barrel vault, although very general, was not universally employed in Scotland during the third period. One or two notable examples of well constructed groined vaults are to be found, such as the vaulting of Trinity College Church and that of “Blackader’s Aisle” in Glasgow Cathedral. But these are exceptions to the general rule.
In Rosslyn College we have the finest example of the late Scottish forms of vaulting carried out to their fullest extent, together with some exceptional designs. This church differs from most of the other collegiate churches in having side aisles, and also in having groined vaults in the east end. The plan of the latter portion of the building, being copied from the arrangement at the east end of Glasgow Cathedral, has been carried out with groining, in imitation of the original; but in the other parts of the structure the vaulting conforms to that of the third pointed period in Scotland. The main central roof is covered with a continuous pointed barrel vault without a break, except an ornamental rib over each division of the bays. The soffits of each panel of the arch thus formed are carved with stars, fleur-de-lys, and other enrichments. The side aisles are also covered with a series of pointed barrel vaults. Each of these aisle vaults forms an extension of the main pier arch of the choir, carried across the aisle atright angles to the main choir. The Scottish plan of avoiding groins is thus adhered to. The above arrangement of the aisle vaults also enables the aisle windows to be carried up to a good height. The barrel vaults across the aisles rest on flat arches (made to resemble straight lintels), which run between the caps of the main piers and the responds against the walls. The whole construction recalls that of a castle with a large central hall roofed with a barrel vault, and having a series of side chambers entering off it, each covered with its separate barrel vault running at right angles to the main building. If the partitions between these side chambers were removed, and plain arches or lintels substituted, the construction would be exactly that of Rosslyn Church. Such a series of chambers, with barrel vaults running at right angles to a passage, is of common occurrence in the ground floors of the Scottish castles. An exceptional feature connected with the main vault of Rosslyn Church is that the same stones which form the interior arch also form the outside roof—the usual overlapping stone covering being omitted, possibly to avoid the extra weight. The exterior of the roof is thus curved like the interior.
During the late pointed period many varieties of details were indulged in. The buttresses are generally somewhat stunted. They are plain and solid, and have often rather elaborate canopies and corbels for statues placed on the front of the buttresses, without recessed niches. The buttresses have frequently numerous set-offs, and are generally finished with stunted square pinnacles having crocketed finials. The windows are almost always pointed, and contain simple tracery derived from the earlier styles. The copying of the forms of the older styles is specially noticeable in the windows and traceries.
At Ladykirk, the unusual form of elliptical windows is introduced, probably in order to admit as much light as possible at the haunches. As above explained, there are generally no aisles, and the windows, being kept down below the springing of the main arch, are, as usual, low, and here leave on the exterior a high space of blank wall above them.
The above form of construction does not require or admit of a triforium and clerestory. At Rosslyn, where there are side aisles, the side walls of the choir are carried up so as to permit of clerestory windows. The tracery is almost always set in the centre of the wall, and the same mouldings, usually double chamfers, are repeated in the reveal both on the inside and outside.
Where the choir, nave, and transepts have square ends, there is generally a large traceried window carried up in the gable under the barrel vault of the roof, by which the principal light in the church is obtained.
The details of the late pointed churches in Scotland have comparatively little connection with the late work either in England or France, but some signs exist of importations from both these countries.
At Melrose Abbey, Linlithgow Church and Palace, and a few otherplaces, there are distinct indications of the influence of the perpendicular style of England; while the French influence is traceable in the apsidal terminations of the choir and occasionally of the transepts, and in some approaches to Flamboyant tracery. The latter influence may probably have also led to the crown-like terminations of some of the church towers. On the whole, however, it will be found that the details of the Scottish late pointed period are peculiar to itself, and are principally founded on survivals and revivals of details of the earlier styles.
The doorways, for instance, are generally of the old, round-headed form, with late foliage and enrichments. The common English perpendicular doorway, with four-centred arch enclosed in a square frame, is never met with; and although elliptical or three-centred arches occur over doorways and windows, the four-centred arch-head is never used. Fan tracery vaulting is also entirely absent in Scotland.
Porches to doorways are occasionally introduced, as at Aberdeen Cathedral and Whitekirk; and smaller porches are formed by arches thrown between buttresses, as at Rosslyn and Trinity College Churches.
Coats of arms are very commonly carved on shields at this period, and are often useful in determining the dates of portions of the buildings, monuments, &c.
A tower is generally erected, or intended, over the crossing, and is carried on the four walls, which, as we have seen, were generally built in this position, in order to stop the four barrel vaults of the different divisions of the church. The towers are somewhat stunted, and they are usually finished with short, stunted spires, having a number of lucarnes, or small dormer windows, inserted in them. The latter feature was probably imported from France or the Low Countries, where similar dormers abound in late work.
Monuments are of more common occurrence than in the earlier periods. They are frequently placed in arched and canopied recesses, which are ornamented with crocketed labels and finials. The carving of the crockets and other foliage is, doubtless, founded on the conventional perpendicular foliage of England. This, however, is mixed with a considerable revival of carving, copied from older work.
The introduction of numerous small figures of men and animals is a peculiarity of the period generally, and is found both at home and abroad. Much of the carving of Rosslyn Church is of this description, and similar carving may be seen at Melrose Abbey and Stirling Castle, and on the rood screens in Glasgow Cathedral and Lincluden College. Elaborate figure carving is common in other countries at this period, as at HenryVII.’s Chapel, Westminster, and in the churches of France and Spain.
Richly carved sacrament houses, such as are occasionally introduced, are a further indication of the taste for minute sculpture which prevailed at this time. It is not unusual to find in late buildings that some of thesmaller features, such as sedilias, piscinas, and heraldic work, are well designed and carved with much spirit. Perhaps some of this good carving may be due to the French masons who, we know, were numerous in Scotland during the reigns of JamesIV.and especially of JamesV.[6]
During the period now under consideration, the structures chiefly erected were, as already mentioned, either parish or collegiate churches. A considerable number of the latter were built and endowed by private founders during the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. A list of the collegiate churches existing in Scotland at the Reformation is given by Dr. David Laing in his preface toThe Collegiate Churches of Mid-Lothian.[7]They amounted, according to that list, to thirty-eight in number, and were spread over nearly every county in Scotland. Only two of these had been founded in the fourteenth century, the remaining thirty-six being all founded during the fifteenth century and the first half of the sixteenth century.
The structures connected with a considerable number of these college churches are more or less perfectly preserved, and these, as well as several others not mentioned by Dr. Laing, are described in the following pages.
Many of these establishments had previously existed as parish churches or chapels before they were enlarged and made collegiate, and endowed by the munificence of the founders.
Paisley Abbey is fortunate in having found in the Very Rev. J. Cameron Lees, D.D., formerly one of the ministers of the parish, so able a historian. We are largely indebted to his work,The Abbey of Paisley, 1163-1878, for the following historical notices.
The Abbey was founded by Walter, son of Alan, the High Steward of Scotland, who had accompanied DavidI.from Shropshire, and received lands from him in Renfrewshire. Having resolved to follow the example of his patron, and found a monastery on his estate, Alan entered into an agreement with Humbold, prior of Wenlock Abbey, in the native county of his family, to establish at “Passelay” a house of the Cluniac Order of Benedictines, being the same order as the house at Wenlock. Humbold therefore, in 1169, brought thirteen monks from the parent house, and, having settled them in Renfrewshire on an island of the Clyde called the King’s Inch, returned to Wenlock. There would at that time appear to have been a very ancient church in existence at Paisley, dedicated to St. Mirinus, an Irish saint of the sixth century, who had been a disciple of the great school of St. Comgal at Bangor. A new monastery was now to supersede the establishment of St. Mirin,but the name of the ancient saint was preserved in the dedication of the abbey.
It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin; to St. James, the patron saint of the Stewarts; to St. Milburga, the patron of the monks of Wenlock; and to St. Mirinus, the Celtic missionary of the locality. The monastery was at first established as a priory; but, in 1245, it was raised to the rank of an abbey by Pope HonoriusIII.
The establishment was well endowed, and during the first half of the thirteenth century it was thoroughly consolidated under Abbot William, who presided from 1225 to 1248. During the prosperous reigns of Kings Alexander II. and III. the church was erected, but of the work of that period (the thirteenth century) there remain only a portion of the west front and part of the south wall of the nave, including the south-east doorway to the cloister, and three windows. The structure appears to have suffered severely during the War of Independence. It stood in the vicinity of Elderslie, the lands of Sir William Wallace, and doubtless met with a similar savage treatment to that allotted to the patriot leader. It is stated to have been burnt by the English in 1307, and the burning would appear to have led to a very complete destruction of the edifice, as the portions of the original work which survive are very small.
The connection of the Stewart family with the abbey continued till, through the marriage of Walter with Margery, daughter of Robert the Bruce, the Stewarts succeeded to the throne. The earlier Stewarts were all buried in the abbey, which also contains the tomb of RobertIII.
In consequence of the destruction of the monastery, caused by the wars with England, the buildings long remained, like other structures in Scotland at that period, in a dismantled condition; but gifts having been received from the Bishops of Argyle and Glasgow to aid the monks in their distress, and to assist in restoring the fabric, operations were begun. Part of this work was apparently carried out by Bishop Lithgow (1384-1433), who was buried, by his own desire, in the north porch, where the inscription to his memory is still preserved. The chief part, however, of the rebuilding of the Abbey Church was carried out under Abbot Thomas de Tervas (1445-1459). This abbot obtained the privilege of having a tavern and selling wine within the gates of the monastery, and is believed to have raised money thereby for the reconstruction of the church. According to the ancient chronicle of Auchenleck, he found the place in ruin and the “kirk unbiggit.” He carried up the triforium and clerestory, and finished the roof. He also erected a great portion of the steeple, and built a stately gatehouse. Having completed the building of the church, he proceeded to Rome, in order there to procure suitable furnishings, and brought back adornments of sumptuous character—jewels, cloths of gold and silver, precious books, the “statliest Tabernkle in al Scotland,” and “ane lettren of brass.”
During the fifteenth century many altars were erected and endowed by the burgesses, and the Chapel of St. Mirin, which occupies part of the site of the south transept, was erected in 1499, and endowed by James Crawford of Kylwynet, a burgess of Paisley, and his wife.
At the decease of Abbot Tervas, Pope PiusII.decreed that the disposition of the office of abbot and of the whole revenues of the monastery should fall to the Pope. A commendator thus came to be appointed, and the rights of the abbey began to be invaded. However, Abbot George Shaw (1472-1498) endeavoured to guard the possessions of the monastery from encroachments. He also succeeded in having the village of the abbey erected into a burgh, with the usual privileges. Abbot Shaw likewise improved the buildings of the abbey. He erected a refectory and other structures, and reared a lofty tower over the principal gate, and enclosed the grounds and gardens of the convent with a wall of ashlar, about one mile in circuit, and adorned it with statues and shields.
Abbot Shaw placed his arms on several parts of this wall, and in the middle of the north portion he inserted three shields—the central one bearing the royal arms; that on the right the Stewart arms, for the founder; and that on the left the abbot’s own arms. He also erected a tablet on the north-west angle, containing his name and the date of erection. Only a small portion of this wall remains, but the panels containing the royal arms and the inscription are preserved in the Coates Museum. The latter is as follows:—
“Ya callit ye Abbot Georg of SchaweAbout yis Abbay gart make yis wavA thousande four hundereth zheyrAuchty ande fywe the date but veir[Pray for his saulis salvacioun]Yat made thys nobil fundacioun.”[8]
“Ya callit ye Abbot Georg of SchaweAbout yis Abbay gart make yis wavA thousande four hundereth zheyrAuchty ande fywe the date but veir[Pray for his saulis salvacioun]Yat made thys nobil fundacioun.”[8]
“Ya callit ye Abbot Georg of SchaweAbout yis Abbay gart make yis wavA thousande four hundereth zheyrAuchty ande fywe the date but veir[Pray for his saulis salvacioun]Yat made thys nobil fundacioun.”[8]
Mr. Chalmers[9]is of opinion that this inscription was designed by John Morow, whose name appears on a tablet at Melrose Abbey.[10]“The character of the lettering in design and workmanship is the same as at Melrose. The references to the building operations, the poetical form of the compositions, the manner in which the names are introduced—‘Callit was I,’ and ‘ye Callit’—and the devout expressions with which they close, make it clear that the inscriptions are the work of the same author.” Whether that is so, or whether the inscriptions simply reflect the style, both literary and artistic, of the period is questionable. In any case, the idea is ingenious. Mr. Chalmers points out that the fifth line, which is erased, was probably cut out by the Reformers, as being out of keeping with their religious views, while the remainder indicates the care with which the historically valuable part was preserved.
The days of Abbot John Hamilton (1525-1544), who became Bishop of Dunkeld, and was afterwards promoted to be Archbishop of St. Andrews, were evil for the monastery of Paisley, as for all other similar institutions in the country. When driven from St. Andrews, the archbishop sought safety at Paisley; but that house being sacked and burnt by the Reformers, he had to take refuge at Dumbarton Castle, where he was made prisoner, and afterwards executed at Stirling.
The Master of Sempill had been appointed bailie of the monastery, and, at the dissolution, the whole of the church property was handed over to Lord Sempill. The property finally came into the possession of Lord Claud Hamilton, nephew of the archbishop, and the monastic buildings were converted into the “Place of Paisley,” the residence of the Abercorn family.[11]
Before the Reformation the monastery consisted of the church, the cloister, and the conventual buildings. The church (Fig.953) comprised a long aisleless choir, a nave with aisles, a north transept, a south transept, with St. Mirin’s Chapel attached to the south of it, and a tower and spire over the crossing.
The choir can still be traced, as the walls remain standing to the height of 9 feet, and contain an elegant sedilia and piscina. The choir measures, internally, about 124 feet in length by 22 feet in width. It may be questioned whether the choir was ever finished during the restoration. The walls present rather the appearance of having been abandoned at a certain stage in the progress of their erection than of a building which had fallen into ruin. They stand at a uniform level, marked by a string course all round, and have not the irregular heights generally found in ruins. The building is of fifteenth century work, and doubtless occupies the place of an earlier choir, which had been demolished.
The wall at the east end of the nave, which separates it from the transept, is of a substantial kind, and may have been erected when the structure was restored in the fifteenth century, with the intention of rendering the nave a complete church, until the transept and choir were restored. The latter seems never to have been carried into effect, but to have been in progress when all work was interrupted by the Reformation.
There are no indications at the junction of the choir and transept of the large piers which would naturally be built so as to correspond with those at the west side of the crossing (Fig.954). The fine sedilia, although greatly mutilated (Fig.955), is the principal feature in the eastern part of the edifice. It is 11 feet 2 inches long, and contains four seats, contrary to the usual practice, which is to have three seats. The design is elegant, and resembles that of the sedilia at St. Monan’s, Fifeshire. Adjoining thesedilia is the piscina, the basin of which is broken, but the aperture is still visible. The recess, which has an angled head, slopes backwards.
Fig. 953.—Paisley Abbey. Plan.[12]
Fig. 953.—Paisley Abbey. Plan.[12]
Fig. 953.—Paisley Abbey. Plan.[12]
In this respect it resembles one at Auchterarder. On each side are two small recesses, about 12 inches wide, for holding the sacred vessels.
The north transept (see Fig.954) is in ruins, but the north wall, with the remains of a fine traceried window (Fig.956), still exists, as well as a traceried window in the west wall. These traceries were restored a few years ago. The mode in which the turrets at the angles above the buttresses are corbelled out recalls similar features at Dunkeld Cathedral. These turrets resemble the roofed bartizans of castellated structures.
Fig. 954.—Paisley Abbey. Junction of Nave with North Transept.
Fig. 954.—Paisley Abbey. Junction of Nave with North Transept.
Fig. 954.—Paisley Abbey. Junction of Nave with North Transept.
The south transept is also in ruins, and the tower and spire have disappeared. The Chapel of St. Mirin, however, is still well preserved, but the openings connecting it with the south transept have been built up.
The nave is the only part of the main divisions of the church which survives as a whole. It measures, internally, 92 feet in length by 60 feet in width, and contains six bays, divided by massive piers, all surmountedby a triforium and clerestory. There is a porch on the north side and two doorways from the cloister on the south side.
The oldest portion of the building is, undoubtedly, the eastern part of the south wall of the south aisle of the nave, where it adjoins the transept. This portion of wall consists of three bays (Fig.957), containing the south-east doorway from the cloister to the nave, and three pointed windows in the upper part. The doorway is of the transition style, having a round arch-head, with numerous bold mouldings springing from carved and foliaged
Fig. 955.—Paisley Abbey. Sedilia in Choir.
Fig. 955.—Paisley Abbey. Sedilia in Choir.
Fig. 955.—Paisley Abbey. Sedilia in Choir.
caps with square abaci (Fig.958). The windows above are very simple in style, and are apparently early first pointed work. This part of the building probably dates from the first half of the thirteenth century. The western portion of the south aisle of the nave (Fig.959) and the whole of the south clerestory (see Figs.957and959)) are evidently portions of the restored church of the fifteenth century. The south aisle wall contains the south-west and south-east doors from the nave to the cloister. The windows of the south wall have the sills placed at a high level, soas to admit of the roof of the cloister walk being placed against it. The corbels which supported the roof still exist, and are shown in the sketches.
Fig. 956.—Paisley Abbey. Windows in North Transept.
Fig. 956.—Paisley Abbey. Windows in North Transept.
Fig. 956.—Paisley Abbey. Windows in North Transept.
Fig. 957.—Paisley Abbey. East Part of South Side of Nave.
Fig. 957.—Paisley Abbey. East Part of South Side of Nave.
Fig. 957.—Paisley Abbey. East Part of South Side of Nave.
The west end of the nave (Fig.960) is also in part amongst the ancient portions of the structure. The western entrance doorway is clearly, from the style of its architecture, a work of the thirteenth century. The doorpiece
Fig. 958.—Paisley Abbey.South-East Doorway in Cloister.A. Door Jamb.B. Arch Moulding.
Fig. 958.—Paisley Abbey.South-East Doorway in Cloister.A. Door Jamb.B. Arch Moulding.
Fig. 958.—Paisley Abbey.
South-East Doorway in Cloister.
A. Door Jamb.B. Arch Moulding.
projects, and has a nook shaft on the projecting angles. The doorway is a single pointed opening, deeply recessed, with a series of free shafts in the jambs, having rounded and moulded caps, and the arch mouldings are arranged in square orders. The outer order contains a dog-tooth ornament. A sharply pointed arch flanks the doorway on each side, and has similar shafts and mouldings to those of the central opening. The aisle windows of the west front also belong to the first pointed period. The thin nook shafts, with moulded caps having round abaci and central bands, are all in the style of the thirteenth century.
The upper portion of the west front above the two large windows is undoubtedly of considerably later date. The design of the west front, which contains above the doorpiece two large windows, with pointed niches and small circles inserted between the arch-heads, is probably original, but the upper portion and gable, including the large traceried window, are doubtless part of the restoration of the fifteenth century. The tracery of the two central windows is peculiar, and may possibly be of the fourteenth century, but that of the large upper window is later, probably of the same period as the restoration of the interior of the nave. The tracery of the large upper window is a specimen of the late kind of design employed in Scotland in the fifteenth century. The change of style caused by the restoration of the fifteenth century is well marked in the interior at the west end of the nave. The first or western bay of the main arcade is original (Figs.961and962), including the first arches (one on each side), the first pillars and the arches between them, and the aisle responds. These pillars and arches are of large dimensions and first pointed section (Fig.963), and appear to have been designed to carry western towers, but a part of their thickness has been cut off next the choir. A portion of the triforium wall, a piece of the string course over the main arcade, and the corbelled vaulting shaft in the angle as high as the top of the triforium, are also parts of the original structure. The later work has been joined to the above old parts in a very awkward manner. The wall over the large pillars has been thinned on the side next the nave, and the different width and sections of the mouldings have not been properly adjusted, the result being that part of the older moulding is left at the springing of the second arch on the north side, and the mouldings of the later section are butted against it (see Fig.961).
Fig. 959.—Paisley Abbey. West Part of South Side of Nave.
Fig. 959.—Paisley Abbey. West Part of South Side of Nave.
Fig. 959.—Paisley Abbey. West Part of South Side of Nave.
Fig. 960.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave: Exterior.
Fig. 960.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave: Exterior.
Fig. 960.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave: Exterior.
Fig. 961.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of North Side.
Fig. 961.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of North Side.
Fig. 961.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of North Side.
Fig. 962.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of South Side.
Fig. 962.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of South Side.
Fig. 962.—Paisley Abbey. West End of Nave and Part of South Side.
There are signs of further alteration above the west arch. A clumsy new string course is introduced, which slightly changes its section after passing along half a bay. A second vaulting shaft is carried up in the
Fig. 963.—Paisley Abbey.West Piers and Respond in Nave.
Fig. 963.—Paisley Abbey.West Piers and Respond in Nave.
Fig. 963.—Paisley Abbey.
West Piers and Respond in Nave.
angle beside the original one as high as the triforium arch and there stops. The first triforium arch, which is pointed (all the others being round), abuts against the wall in an awkward manner (see Fig.961), the original design being changed.
The cap of the west pier on the north side belongs to the first pointed work, while the corresponding cap on the south side (see Fig.962) and all the other caps belong to the restoration of the fifteenth century. The above cap and all the later caps in the nave have the upper mouldings run in a straight line without any break, while the lower mouldings break round the section of the piers (Fig.964).[13]A moulded shaft, considerably off the perpendicular, rises from the top of the above cap to the string course at the junction of the old and the restored wall.
The piers of the nave, except the west piers, are of a clustered form not uncommon in late work in Scotland. The caps and main arches have good mouldings, and might be about the date of the restoration of St. Giles’, Edinburgh (which they resemble), in the early part of the fifteenth century.
The design of the triforium is very remarkable (see Figs.961and962)), consisting of large segmental arches the same width as the main arches, springing from short clustered piers introduced between them. Each arch is filled in with two pointed arches resting on a smaller central shaft. These arches and the spandril between them are treated with bold cusping.
The triforium of the nave of Dunkeld Cathedral somewhat resembles that at Paisley Abbey. It contains a series of semicircular openings filled with similar pointed arches and cusping, but the work at Paisley is superior, and would appear to be the earlier of the two. In neither church is there any vaulting shaft to divide the bays.
The clerestory is probably designed in imitation of that of Glasgow Cathedral. It is divided into two pointed arches in each bay. These spring from a series of clustered shafts with round moulded caps, which have an early character, but are evidently late imitations of early work. The exterior views (see Figs.957and959)) show that each clerestory window contains a central shaft, with two cusped arches and quatrefoil in the arch-head.
The parapets of the nave and nave aisles are evidently, from the style of the mouldings and ornaments, of late date.
There seems to be no reason to doubt that, as above stated, the upper portions of the nave were carried out about the time of Bishop Tervas, in the middle of the fifteenth century. The earlier part of the restoration, including the main piers and arches, and perhaps the tracery of the two lower windows of the west front, were possibly executed by Bishop
Fig. 964.—Paisley Abbey. Pier of Nave.
Fig. 964.—Paisley Abbey. Pier of Nave.
Fig. 964.—Paisley Abbey. Pier of Nave.
Lithgow, who built the north porch, and the completion of the nave was carried out by Bishop Tervas. A striking peculiarity of the interior of the nave is a series of large corbels (see Figs.961and962)), which project from the spandrils of the triforium arcade. The object of these corbels appears to have been to enable a passage, which is formed in the interior of the clerestory windows, but does not run through the wall in a straight line from end to end as is usual, to becarried round the solid piers introduced between the windows. These projections recall, by the small corbels arranged in rows into which they are divided, the corbels generally used for the support of the bartizans of castles. Each of the large corbels springs at its lowest point from the sculptured grotesque figure of a man or animal. Dr. Lees states (p. 209) that these figures “were mostly the work of Thomas Hector, a sculptor who lived at Crossflat, and whom the abbot retained for his skill in his art.” One of the corbels on the south side (near the west end) represents a man wearing the garb of Old Gaul. It may be mentioned that a somewhat similar gallery exists in Rouen Cathedral. It is carried round the piers of the nave on the side next the aisles, and is supported on shafts springing from corbels. This gallery has a light stone parapet resting on it. The design is of the thirteenth century, and is elegantly carried out; but it has, notwithstanding, a rather heavy appearance. It must be admitted that the projecting corbels at Paisley are clumsy, and considerably mar the effect of the interior. There appears to have been a parapet in front of the clerestory passage opposite the windows, and a similar parapet may have been carried round the large corbels, otherwise walking round them would have been dangerous. This would add still more to the heaviness of their appearance. Vaulting shafts are carried up between the windows of the clerestory, but the buttresses being very light, a vaulted roof has apparently not been contemplated. The present plaster vaulting is modern. The north wall of the nave aisle, except the doorway of the north porch, which is of first pointed work, has been rebuilt in the fifteenth century. The ingoing of the window jambs and arches consists, both on the inside and outside of the wall, of a great hollow, with the tracery set in the centre of the wall. The large north porch (shown in Billings’ work) was taken down in 1863, in order to be erected anew, in what was considered a finer style. The porch contains the tomb of Bishop Lithgow, who selected this porch as his burial-place, and was interred there in 1433. Some of the tracery in the aisle windows is good for the period, like that in some of the windows of Dunkeld Cathedral, which building (as above mentioned) has considerable affinity with Paisley Abbey Church.
St. Mirin’s Aisle (Fig.965), as already pointed out, occupies the south end of the south transept, and was erected in 1499. It is a chapel 48 feet 3 inches long by 23 feet wide, having a vaulted roof about 32 feet 6 inches high. The main vault, like that of so many structures of the latter part of the fifteenth century, consists of a pointed barrel vault, the curve of which is drawn from a point lower than the springing of the arch, and thus forms an angle at the junction with the side walls. The surface of the vault is strengthened with a series of ribs, most of which spring from corbels in the side walls. The ribs are arranged so as to cross one another at the ridge, as if the roof were