Abbeys -- Scotland; Cathedrals -- Scotland; Church architecture -- Scotland
The first attempt to erect a cathedral was made by Bishop Achaius, whose
episcopate extended from 1115 to 1147, and Mr. Honeyman regards the
portion of the lower church at the south-west angle as the most ancient
part of the structure. He holds that the church built by Achaius was
restored by Bishop Joceline (1175-1199) at the end of the twelfth
century, and that the above portion formed a chapel, and was part of
that restoration. The strongest argument is its nearness to the tomb of
the patron saint. If we assume that the old choir terminated in a
semicircular apse, projecting eastward beyond the aisles, we shall find
that the tomb would be enclosed in such a position as to admit of the
high altar being placed immediately over it. Assuming that the choir was
not apsidal but square, we get the same result. The probability is that
the end of the church erected or altered by Joceline was square, and
that it projected two bays beyond the aisles, as at St. Andrews and
other churches of the same period.[54] The crypt, or, strictly speaking,
"lower church," was evidently suggested by the sloping eastward
character of the site, which would have placed St. Mungo's tomb at a
depth below the level on which a large church could possibly be built;
while Achaius, from his long residence in Italy, would be led to imitate
some notable Italian examples.[55] Some similarities between Glasgow and
Jedburgh (which was in the diocese of Glasgow) have suggested that there
was in the olden times such a servant of the church as a diocesean
architect.[56] "One thing is abundantly clear," says Mr. Honeyman, "to
any one who intelligently studies the building, namely, that the whole
design was carefully thought out and settled before a stone was laid. It
is a skilful and homogeneous design, which could only be produced by a
man of exceptional ability and great experience. Nothing has been left
to chance, or to the sweet will of the co-operating craftsman, but the
one master-mind has dictated every moulding and every combination, and
has left the impress of his genius upon it all. The mark of the master
may be discerned by the practised eye in every feature of the
magnificent edifice; the marks of the craftsmen may be seen on the work
they were told to do, and did so well."[57] To Bishop Joceline is due
the credit of having formed a society to collect funds for the
restoration of Bishop John's church, which was burnt by fire,[58] and he
appears to have rebuilt the choir, and also to have designed, if he did
not also partly build, the nave.[59] This part of his work was
sufficiently advanced for consecration on 6th July 1197.[60] The work
was probably continued by his successors, but the next great benefactor
of the cathedral was Bishop William de Bondington (1233-1258), who
perfected Joceline's work, and built both choir and lower church or
"crypt," as they now are.[61] According to Mr. Honeyman, the foundations
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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