Abbeys -- Scotland; Cathedrals -- Scotland; Church architecture -- Scotland
_Middle Pointed or Decorated Architecture._--_New Abbey_ or _Sweetheart
Abbey_ (Cistercian), Kirkcudbrightshire, was dedicated to the Virgin. It
was called New Abbey because it was founded a considerable time after
Dundrennan, which was regarded as the old abbey. The founder was
Devorgilla, daughter of Allan, Lord of Galloway, wife of John Baliol of
Castle Barnard in Yorkshire, and mother of King John Baliol. When her
husband died in 1269, Devorgilla had his heart embalmed and placed in an
ivory coffin, which she carried about with her; at her death it was
buried with her in a grave in front of the abbey high altar, hence the
touching name of Sweetheart Abbey. She endowed the abbey, founded
Balliol College, Oxford, and built the bridge over the Nith at Dumfries,
portions of which still survive. The abbey suffered much last century,
but it has since been well cared for, and is in good preservation. Few
of our ancient churches are so well preserved, and the ruins represent a
period of Scottish Gothic of which not many examples survive. The
conventual buildings have been almost entirely demolished, but the
church is complete, although the roof is gone, and the walls are much
damaged. It comprises a nave with two side aisles, a choir without
aisles, N. and S. transepts (with eastern chapels opening off them), and
a square tower over the crossing. The precinct--a level field of about
20 acres--surrounds the abbey, and is still partly enclosed with a
strong wall, built with large blocks of granite. _Melrose Abbey_ (p.
184). _Lincluden College_, Kirkcudbrightshire, was founded anew about
the end of the 14th century by Archibald, the Grim, who expelled the
nuns. It was a frequent residence of the Earls of Douglas, and consisted
of choir separated from nave and transept by stone screen with wide
doorway. The choir is aisleless, consisting of three bays; the nave had
three bays with a window in each, and aisle on S. side. The architecture
is of great beauty. _Fortrose Cathedral_ (p. 52). _Crossraguel Abbey_
(Cluniac), Ayrshire, was founded by the Earl of Carrick and dedicated to
St. Mary. The last abbot, Quentin Kennedy, in 1562 held a famous dispute
with John Knox at Maybole. The abbey was much associated with the
Bruces. In 1570 occurred the cruel "roasting of the abbot." George
Buchanan received a pension out of the abbey revenues, and King James
intended to restore it as a residence for his son Henry. The abbey ruins
comprise, with the remains of the church, cloisters, and usual
buildings, an outer court to the S.W. with picturesque gate-house,
pigeon-house, and domestic buildings. The church is a simple oblong with
choir and nave, without aisles and transepts. _St. Giles'_, Edinburgh
(p. 89). _St. Michael's_, Linlithgow (p. 105). _St. Monans_, Fifeshire,
derives its name from St. Monanus, a missionary of the 8th century, who
suffered martyrdom by the Danes on the Isle of May. The original chapel
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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