Abbeys -- Scotland; Cathedrals -- Scotland; Church architecture -- Scotland
There is a dormitory above the chapel, arched by stone, and the
entrance is by a doorway in the middle of the south side of the
arch. The apartment is lighted by two windows--one in the east
gable, and the other in the west. In the west gable there is a
private stair leading from the dormitory to the chapel, and the
priest, who was bound by the charter to live at the chapel,
doubtless occupied the sleeping-place above it.[400] The chapel at
the Reformation was converted into a family burying-place by Claud
Hamilton, the commendator, and various members of the Abercorn
family lie buried in the vault below, the chapel belonging to the
present Duke, and being under his control.
On the floor of this chapel there now stands an ornamental altar
tomb, which was found lying in fragments near the Abbey by the Rev.
Dr. Boog, one of the Abbey ministers, and who in 1817 had it brought
within the chapel and erected again. It supports a recumbent figure,
believed to be the effigy of Marjory Bruce, the daughter of Robert
I. and the mother of Robert II. "The head of the figure is
surmounted by a large cusped canopy, placed in a horizontal
position, on the end of which is carved a crucifixion. The pedestal
is carved with a series of Gothic compartments, in each of which
there is carved a shield, enriched with heraldic blazons and figures
of ecclesiastics. The panels at the west end contain--the first the
_fess cheque_ of the Stewarts between three roses; the third the
_fess cheque_, surmounted of a lion rampant, and the central one,
two keys saltierwise, between two crosiers in pale."[401] The chapel
is famed for an echo, described by Pennant in his _Tour Through
Scotland_,[402] but Dr. Lees regards the description of the
far-famed traveller as either much exaggerated, or the strength of
the echo has become diminished since his time. "When any number of
persons are within the building, an echo is scarcely audible at all.
It is amusing sometimes to see a group of people expending the
strength of their lungs in vain by attempting to evoke it."[403]
Crosses seem to have been placed at intervals on the roads leading
to the church. One of the south piers of the nave is called the
Cathcart pillar, and has carved upon it a shield bearing the
Cathcart arms. This is believed to be a memorial of Sir Allan
Cathcart, who has thus been described by Barbour:--
A knycht, that their wis in hys rout,
Worthy and wycht, stalwart and stout,
Curtaiss and fayr, and off gud fame,
Schyr Allane of Catkert by name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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