WIGTON CHURCH,Wigtonshire.[219]

Fig. 1496.—Selkirk Parish Church. Stoup.

believed, it has a symbolic meaning. The ox and hare, being also animals referred to in Scripture, are probably to be considered in the same category. This example is from Peebles, and was given to Mr. Brown by a gentleman who believes it was found at some ruined building there. It measures about 13 inches across on top by 9¾ inches high, and the bowl is 4 inches deep.

Fig. 1497.—Selkirk Parish Church. Stoup.

Fig.1496shows two views of a stoup, which is square, with the angles cut off, converting it into an unequal-sided octagon. It is decorated in a very curious manner with signs and letters of which we can give no explanation. It was found built into an old house at Selkirk when it wastaken down many years ago. A mason took possession of it and used it for a flower pot, and chiselled a hole in the bottom. The fragment measures about 14⅝ by 16 inches. The basin is 11 inches over by 10 inches deep.

Both of these specimens are cut out of red sandstone.

The third stoup (Fig.1497) is cut out of hard blue whinstone, and has an unfinished appearance. It is decorated with shields, some having an incised cross, and with foliage of a Gothic character. The plan on the under side is in the form of a Greek cross. It measures about 18 inches in diameter by 10½ inches high, with a basin 11 inches wide by 9 inches deep.

An ivy clad ruin standing in the old churchyard of Wigton. Only the east end (Fig.1498) with a considerable portion of the south wall and a small portion of the north wall remain. The first measures 21 feet 2 inches wide on the inside, and the south wall extends for a length of about 55 feet.

Fig. 1498.—Wigton Church. Plan.

Mr. Muir writes of this church as follows:[220]—“By the remains of a string course and other bits of minor detail at the east end, it would appear that the building has been originally of first pointed date, though perhaps still earlier features were destroyed at the various repairs which it underwent in modern times. One or two objects—The stump of a cross, and a small baptismal font of tapering form” (which seems to have now disappeared)—“were to all appearance Norman, and very likely, therefore, the earlier portion of the primitive structure was of twelfth century date.” The church was dedicated to St. Machutus, and belonged to the Priory of Whithorn.

A ruined building of late date, with walls about 7 feet high, projects about 17 feet out from the south wall by about 23 feet in width outside measure.

The ecclesiastical architecture of the mediæval period terminated at the introduction of the Reformation in 1560, but during the latter half of the sixteenth and the greater part of the seventeenth century a number of churches were erected which show some attempt to maintain or revive the style of earlier times. This tendency was doubtless encouraged by the strenuous effort which was made, under JamesI.and CharlesI.andII., to establish the Episcopal forms of Church government and service in Scotland. These forms being contrary to the desire of the Presbyterians, who comprised the great body of the people, gave rise to two opposing parties. The party favourable to the Episcopal form of religion supported the erection of churches and the maintenance of the worship as nearly as possible after the old model, while the Presbyterians and Puritans discouraged everything which savoured of the ancient faith, whether in buildings or services. The result was that during the century which followed the Reformation there were two styles of ecclesiastical structures erected in the country, one style showing some reverence for the house of God in its form and decoration, and in the appropriateness of the divine service; while the other seemed to be designed, both in its buildings and forms of worship, to be as far removed as possible from any outward or visible sign of inward sweetness or grace.

It is proposed to conclude this work with some examples of the different styles of churches erected during the above period.

A number of specimens have already been given in a former work.[221]

These churches were introduced into a work on the domestic architecture of the country, in order to illustrate the influence of the domestic style on the ecclesiastical architecture of this period. Many of these edifices were, therefore, only partially illustrated, and it has been thought desirable to treat some of them more fully in this book, so as to complete the illustration and description of their architecture.

The examples which are now given will amply illustrate the remaining specimens which still survive of this somewhat heterogeneous epoch.

Most of the churches of the seventeenth century are either very poor imitations of Gothic work or tasteless examples of plain walls, while a few contain the germs of what might have been wrought into a picturesque style, founded on the domestic architecture of the period. Such, for example, are the churches of Stirling (west end), Anstruther Easter, and Pittenweem.

Several of the monuments of the period are also given.

The following examples are arranged in alphabetical order.

A village about eight miles west of Fraserburgh. In theBook of Deerit is written, “Columcille and Drostan son of Cosgrach his pupil came

Fig. 1499.—Aberdour. Plan.

from I as God had shown to them unto Abbordo-boir and Bede the Pict was mormaer of Buchan before them, and it was he that gave them that

Fig. 1500.—Aberdour. View from South-West.

Fig. 1501.Aberdour.Jamb of Arch to Aisle.

Fig. 1501.

Aberdour.

Jamb of Arch to Aisle.

town in freedom for ever from Mormaer and tosech.” In these words a scribe, writing in the eleventh or twelfth century, tells of the planting of Christianity in the North aboutA.D.580. It is probable that the clerics tarried at Aberdour for a time, and founded a monastery on the land which had been granted to them.[222]In later times the parish church was dedicated to St. Drostan, and in 1178 and 1318 there are notices of its erection into a prebend of St. Machar’s Cathedral.[223]In 1557 there is a mandate

Fig. 1502.—Aberdour. Tomb in North Wall.

by William, Bishop of Aberdeen, for the institution of Master Robert Carnegy in the canonry and prebend of the Rectory of Aberdour. Again, in 1599, there is a seisin of Robert Ramsay in the kirk lands and glebe with the vicar’s manse of Aberdour. The existing ruins (Fig.1499) are not earlier than the sixteenth century, and consist of a nave 70 feet long by 21 feet 3 inches wide, and a south aisle 30 feet 4 inches long by 17 feet 4 inches wide, all outside measure. The

Fig. 1503.—Aberdour.Font.

Fig. 1503.—Aberdour.

Font.

walls (Fig.1500) are still tolerably entire, but are fast crumbling away. The west end of the nave has been partitioned off into two burial vaults, as also is the aisle. The arch between the nave and aisle is round, with an impost moulding (Fig.1501) at the springing of the arch. The arch and jambs are chamfered, the chamfer terminating on a splayed base. In the north wall of the nave is the round arched mural tomb shown in Fig.1502.

The font is still in existence. It is quite plain and octagonal, being 2 feet in diameter by about 2 feet 2 inches high. After the abandonment of the church the font appears to have been built into the wall, and to have had a sundial carved on its lower end (Fig.1503).

These adjacent towns form one of the very interesting group of ancient seaports and places of commerce on the northern shore of the Frith of Forth. Anstruther is divided into two portions by the little river Dreel, which formed the harbour of Anstruther Wester, while Easter Anstruther extends in a wide crescent along the coast, and has a larger harbour of its own.

Anstruther Wester belonged to the Priory of Pittenweem, and the parish church was dedicated to St. Nicolas. The town obtained a charterfrom the monastery in 1549, and another in 1554.[224]The church is now modernised, but the old tower (Fig.1504) is a fair specimen of the keep-like structures so often erected in connection with Scottish churches in the sixteenth century.

Fig. 1504.—Anstruther Wester.

Anstruther Easter was, before the Reformation, in the parish of Kilrenny, and was disjoined from it by the General Assembly, with the consent of the bailies and council of the town, in 1639. In 1640 Anstruther Easter was erected into a separate parish, and the reason assigned in the Act was “the Burgh being a part of the parish of Kilrenny a mile distant of deep evil way in winter and rainy times.”[225]

A proposal to build a church at Anstruther Easter had thus been in contemplation for some time, and in 1636 an agreement was come to regarding it between Mr. Colin Adams, the first minister of the parish, and the bailies and council. The new church was erected, and “ten years later a steeple was added after a Dutch model.”[226]

The arrangement of the Plan (Fig.1505) and the design of the tower seem, however, to contradict the latter statement. The debased but picturesque architecture of the tower (Fig.1506) so strongly resembles the other Scottish church towers of the period as to render its origin beyond dispute. It combines the ornamental treatment of the upper part with the plain features of the lower portion, so usual in the castles of the time; and the classic balustrade and the gabled termination of the staircase recall similar domestic features of Scottish castellated architecture very common in the seventeenth century, both in churches and houses.

Fig. 1505.—Anstruther Easter. Plan.

The church measures, externally, 92 feet in length by 41 feet in breadth. The entrance doorway leads into a simple barrel-vaulted passage 9 feet wide. This originally opened directly into the body of the church, having a staircase to the gallery on the south side and a small room or vestry on the north side. The body of the church is of the usual oblong form (Fig.1507) and is lighted with windows, which, from their mullions and round arches, retain a slightly ecclesiastical appearance. This is chiefly striking in the large east window. There were originally two doorways in the south wall, but one has been built up.

Altogether, this church, the date of which is known, forms a complete and characteristic example of the Scottish ecclesiastical architecture of the earlier part of the seventeenth century.[227]

Fig. 1506.—Anstruther Easter. West End and Tower.

Fig. 1507.—Anstruther Easter. View from South-East.

Fig. 1508.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.Chancel Arch.

Fig. 1508.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.

Chancel Arch.

The village of Kirkton or Auchterhouse is situated about five miles north of Dundee.

Fig. 1509.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.Section of Chancel Arch Mouldings.

Fig. 1509.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.

Section of Chancel Arch Mouldings.

Fig. 1511.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.Jamb of Doorway in Chancel.

Fig. 1511.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.

Jamb of Doorway in Chancel.

The old church consists of a nave and chancel, with a square west tower. The nave is about 56 feet long by 33 feet wide, and the chancel is about 27 feet long by 21 feet 6 inches wide. The date (1630)

Fig. 1510.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.South Doorway in Chancel.

Fig. 1510.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse.

South Doorway in Chancel.

is carved on the east gable, but the building undoubtedly is, in part at least, of older date. There are a great many stones, pieces of window tracery, and other carved work lying about the churchyard, which show that there was a formerbuilding, probably of fifteenth century work, here, which was doubtless in part taken down and rebuilt in the seventeenth century. The chancel arch (Fig.1508) belongs to this earlier church. It is 12 feet 3 inches wide and is acutely pointed; the wall is about 3 feet 2 inches thick. The mouldings of the arch consist of double hollows, as shown on section (Fig.1509), with a cap moulding of the form shown on the same figure.

Fig. 1512.—St. Mary’s, Auchterhouse. South Doorway.

The south doorway in the chancel (Fig.1510) also belongs to the earlier church. The moulded jambs (Fig.1511) abut against a square lintel, somewhat in the same manner as occurs in one of the windows in the tower at South Queensferry. The jambs rise at the base from a splay sloping inwards. The doorway to the nave (Fig.1512) is more classic in design, and is of the seventeenth century. No other features of the church, except its sundials (seeThe Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland, Vol.V.), call for special notice.

The town of Aytoun (formerly written Eytun) stands on the river Eye, about seven miles north from Berwick-on-Tweed, and half a mile from the railway station.

The old church is situated in an open burial-ground, in connection with which a new church was erected some years ago. The old building appears, from the remains of its ivy-covered walls, to have been of considerable extent, but no details can now be made out. The only portion which remains in a tolerable state of preservation appears to have formed a south aisle or wing.

Fig. 1513.—Aytoun Church.

There is a plain segmental headed doorway in the east side, and a large circular headed window in the south end (Fig.1513). The latter is divided by two mullions into three lights, each finished at the top with a round-arched head. The window has a transom in the centre. It is evident from the nature of the design and the form of the mouldings that the window is of late date, probably of the end of the sixteenth century.

Aytoun was granted by the Scottish Edgar to St. Cuthbert’s Monks, and thus became the property of the Priory of Coldingham, and shared its fate.

The present church of Ballingry is a modern structure built in 1831. It stands on the site of a pre-Reformation edifice, which has entirely disappeared. The window shown in Fig.1514clearly belongs to the seventeenth century, being part of a north aisle, which was evidently built about that time. The window is the only feature of interest in the

Fig. 1514.—Ballingry Church. Window in North Aisle.

building, and it is a good example of the Renaissance style, modified by the grafting on to it of Gothic features.

The walls of this old church (Fig.1515) still stand within the grounds of Blair Castle, the seat of the Duke of Atholl, and about five minutes’ walk from the Castle. The building is roofless and the walls are almost complete, but they have been much slapped and altered to make the place suitable for Presbyterian worship.

The masonry is rubble work, built with stones gathered off the hills. The doors and windows have hewn jambs and lintels of freestone, all square-headed and splayed. A gravestone, dated 1579, has been built in the inside of the north wall. The chief interest of the ruin arises from its containing the vault in which Claverhouse is buried. A tablet on the inner face of the south wall of the church, west of the aisle which contains the vault, bears the following inscription:—

Fig. 1515.—Blair Church. Plan.

Within this vault beneathAre interred the remains ofJohn Graham of ClaverhouseViscount DundeeWho fell at the Battle of Killiecrankie27 July 1689, aged 46This memorial is placed here byJohn, 7th Duke of Atholl, K.T.1889

The ruined Church of Boyndie or Inverboyndie stands on a slight elevation near the mouth of the small river of the same name, about two miles west from the town of Banff. The parish was formerly conjoined with Banff till 1634, when it was erected into a separate parish. The church is of ancient foundation, and was granted in 1211-14, along with that of Banff, to the monks of Arbroath.

The old church stands in the churchyard, which is still used. It was abandoned in 1773, when a new church was built. Since that time it has fallen into complete decay, so much so that the plan cannot now be properly distinguished. The only portions still preserved in tolerable condition are the west wall and belfry (Fig.1516). These do not appear to be of great age. The wall contains the entrance doorway of the church. It has a round arch and jambs with a small splay, such as was common in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The top of the gable has a small belfry, which has latterly occupied the position of a former one, which was much larger. The older belfry must have been of considerable size, as is apparent from the large corbels which carried it, and which projectboldly from both sides of the wall. These were arranged so as to carry an octagonal erection, which must have had a very picturesque effect.

Fig. 1516.—St. Brandan’s, Boyndie.

They are evidently copied from the domestic architecture of the period. This structure seems to belong to the seventeenth century.

The old Church of Cupar having become decayed, the Prior of St. Andrews, in 1415, erected a new church on a new site in the town. But in 1785 this church was also found to be in a decayed condition, and was rebuilt on the same site as that of the fifteenth century. Part of the old structure at the north-west angle was, however, not destroyed, and still survives. This portion (Fig.1517) comprises three arches of the main or central nave and the tower at the north-west angle. The latter (Fig.1518) is quadrilateral, and its north and west walls are raised upon the outer walls of the church at the north-west angle, portions of which walls still exist, together with the jamb of a large west window. The tower is unrelieved by buttresses. On the east and south the walls are carried on arches, the lower story being thus included in the interior of the church.

Fig. 1517.—St. Michael’s Church, Cupar.

The pier at the south-east angle which supports these arches is hexagonal in form, while the remaining piers of the church are round. The caps and bases are of the usual late form. The tower is oblong in plan, being 22 feet from east to west, and 18 feet from north to south. This inequality produces a peculiar effect in the broached spire which surmounts it, and which was erected in 1620 by the Rev. William Scott, the minister of the parish, at his own expense. The balustrade forming the parapet and the other features of the spire are quite in the character of the Scottish seventeenth century steeples, common in Fifeshire, such as those at Anstruther and Pittenweem.

The tower itself is plain with simple pointed lights, those of the upper story being double, so as to be suitable for the belfry. In the west wall there occurs a small window with peculiarly shaped head, and below it the string course is studded with square shaped flowers.

In the present church is preserved a good recumbent effigy (Fig.1519) of one of the Fernies of Fernie, but it is without date. The arms over

Fig. 1518.—St. Michael’s Church, Cupar. Tower.

the monument—a fesse between 3 lions’ heads erased—are those of Fernie of that Ilk. Several members of this family were Constables of Cupar in

Fig. 1519.—St. Michael’s Church, Cupar. Monument of one of the Fernies of Fernie.

ancient times. The lands of Fernie lie a few miles to the west of the town.

A remarkable structure, which stands near the Forth at the head of a small bay about two miles south-west from Aberdour, the road to it passing through the beautiful grounds of St. Colm House.

The old church (Fig.1520) forms the eastern part of the structure, while to the west has been erected a two-story building, containing on the ground floor a burial vault, and on the upper floor a “laird’s loft” or room for the Lord of the Manor, from which access was obtained to a gallery in the church.

The ancient church was dedicated to St. Bridget in 1244. It retains a simple pointed doorway at the south-west angle, a number of altered and square-headed windows in the south wall, and a piscina at the east end of the same wall, but there are scarcely any of the old details preserved to indicate the date of the building. It has evidently been greatly altered,to make it suitable for Presbyterian worship after the Reformation. There are two projecting buildings on the north side and one on the south

Fig. 1520.—St. Bridget’s Church, Dalgety. Plan of Ground Floor.

side, all much ruined, but the mouldings of the jambs of the northern projections at the openings into the church are preserved and indicate Renaissance work. These outside structures were probably burial vaults.

Fig. 1521.—St. Bridget’s Church, Dalgety. View from South-West.

The house at the west end is undoubtedly post-Reformation. In the vault is buried the celebrated Chancellor Seaton, and the building, to judge

Fig. 1522.—St. Bridget’s Church, Dalgety.Plan of First Floor.

Fig. 1522.—St. Bridget’s Church, Dalgety.

Plan of First Floor.

from its style (Fig.1521), was probably erected by him about the beginning of the seventeenth century. The upper floor is reached by a projecting octagonal stair turret on the north side. The interior of the walls of the principal room on the first floor (Fig.1522) is built with ashlar work, and the walls are divided into moulded panels in stone work and a stone cornice runs round the room.

A wide aperture in the east wall of the room opens into the church at a high level, and no doubt gave access to a gallery at the west end. The belfry is placed on the west gable of this room and still contains a small bell, the chain for ringing which has cut a deep groove in the wall outside. The small room at the south-west angle contains a fireplace. There has been another gallery at the east end of the church. The outside staircase for access to it still remains. A good monumental slab is built into the north wall of the church, bearing date 1540.

The village of Dalry or St. John’s Town stands on the east bank of the Dee, in the northern or Glenkens district of Kirkcudbrightshire, and is about ten miles north from Parton Railway Station. The old parish church was removed in 1829-31, when a new church was erected on the old site.

An old burial vault formerly attached to the church, and known as the Kenmure burial aisle, has, however, been preserved, which (Fig.1523), with its crow-stepped gable and large antiquely grilled window and panelled coat of arms, forms an interesting relic of the seventeenth century.

This adjunct to the old church formed a projection on its south side, and measures internally 17 feet in length by 14 feet 2 inches in width (Fig.1524). The entrance from the church, which was about 7 feet wide, was by a plain rubble archway, which is now built up. The doorway in the west wall is square-lintelled, and 2 feet 8 inches wide. The window in the south wall is also square-lintelled, and the iron grillappears to have been built in along with the wall. The coat of arms in the panel over the window is divided in pale, having the three boars’ heads of the Gordons on the dexter side, and a lion rampant on the sinister side. These, Mr. Galloway suggests, may be the arms of John Gordon of Kenmure, who was Justiciar of the Stewartry in 1555, and died in 1604, and who here combines the provincial with the family arms—the lion rampant being the heraldic emblem of the province of Galloway.

There is an ambry in the south-west angle 1 foot 7 inches wide by 1 foot 9 inches high, and 1 foot 3 inches deep.

Fig. 1523.—St. John’s Church, Dalry. View from South-West.

On the outside of the north-east angle there is an interesting relic of the south wall of the old church, a portion of one rybat of a window having been preserved. Three courses of freestone yet remain, having a bold splay externally, a groove for glass, and a splayed ingoing. This shows that the chancel of the old church must have extended some distance to the eastward.

Some of the dressed granite stones of the old church have been reused in the modern building.

Fig. 1524.—St. John’s Church, Dalry. Plan.

These two churches are examples of the revived Gothic architecture of post-Reformation times. The parish of Drainie was formed by the union of the two old parishes of Kineddar and Ogstown. They both lie on the Morayshire coast, about five to six miles north of Elgin, and fully two miles from Lossiemouth. The country is low lying, and used in former times to be marshy. Kineddar was a seat of the Bishopric of Moray before it was moved to Spynie, and ultimately to Elgin. There too stood a large fortified castle (of the first period), consisting of a great wall of enceinte surrounded by a deep ditch, but it has now been taken down, and the plough passes over the site. This castle formed the residence of some of the Bishops of Moray before Spynie Palace was erected.

The Church of Drainie was built in 1666, and is a good example of the period. It has evidently been designed to meet the requirements of the Presbyterian service of the time (Fig.1525). The pulpit would be in the centre of the south wall, with a window placed on each side of it. Beyond these, on either hand, are two doors, each admitting to a short passage, which would give access to a central one. The main body of the church is 62 feet in length by 24 feet in width, and in the centre of the north side is a wing 24 feet by 18 feet. This wing or “aisle” is spanned by a stone arch, which may have carried a gallery above, to light which a small window is introduced in the north gable. The ground floor of the north wing would be seated in the usual manner, and is provided with an entrance door and two windows. Similar arrangements of plan are common in the Scottish churches of post-Reformation times.

Fig. 1525.—Drainie Church. Plan.

The windows and doors (Fig.1526) have pointed arches, and the windows are each divided by one mullion, which branches into two in the arch-head. These door and window dressings are all chamfered on the edges. The cornice is of classic form, and the gables are crow-stepped. The west gable is finished on top with an ornamental belfry in the Renaissance style of the period, in which some revival of Gothic features was attempted.

Michael Kirk.—About half a mile west from Drainie stood the ancient church of Ogstown, the site of which is now occupied by the remarkable specimen of revived Gothic shown in Fig.1527. This edifice was erected as a mausoleum for his family by Lodvic Gordon of Gordonston, an estate in the vicinity. Mr. Gordon belonged to a branch of the

Fig. 1526.—Drainie Church. View from South-West.

Sutherland family, the first baronet being Sir Robert Gordon, the author of theHistory of Sutherland.

Fig. 1527.—Michael Kirk.Ornaments in East Window.

Fig. 1527.—Michael Kirk.

Ornaments in East Window.

The edifice (Fig.1528) is 45 feet in length by 20 feet in width externally. It has large pointed and traceried windows in the east and west gables, and the south wall contains a central door and a two-light window at each side of it. The openings are all pointed, and the windows have a kind of tracery. The north wall has no openings, being apparently designed to receive monuments, of which it already contains several. This structure bears the date of 1703, and is a remarkable product of that period. The forms of the tracery (Fig.1530) indicate a very slight acquaintance with Gothic, and the mouldings have all more of a

Fig. 1528.—Michael Kirk. Plan.

classic than a Gothic character. The ornaments introduced in the transoms are peculiar. Those in the east window consist of a series of Cupids’ heads

Fig. 1529.—Michael Kirk.Ornaments in West Window.

Fig. 1529.—Michael Kirk.

Ornaments in West Window.

(Fig.1527), while those of the west window show a variety of flower patterns (Fig.1529) carved with considerable spirit. The urns which act as finials on the gables betray the Renaissance feeling of the period. In the architrave-like moulding which surrounds the door and windows are introduced a series of alternating stars and roses.

It may be thought astonishing to find a revival of Gothic so prominent in this northern region; but it must be borne in mind that the Episcopal form of Church government encouraged by royalty in the seventeenth century found considerable favour in this part of Scotland.

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