Abbeys -- Scotland; Cathedrals -- Scotland; Church architecture -- Scotland
In 1466 the parish church of St. Giles was erected by charter of James
III. into a collegiate establishment, but it is not called collegiate
till 1475. The chapter consisted of a provost or dean, sixteen
prebendaries, a master of the choir, four choristers, a sacristan, and a
beadle with chaplains. The revenues of the altars and chaplainries in
the church were appropriated for the support of the several officers in
the new establishment. The King reserved the nomination of the dean or
provost, who enjoyed the tithes and other revenues of St. Giles' Church,
with the adjacent manse; the provost had the right of choosing a curate,
who had a yearly allowance of 25 marks with a house adjoining.[266] In
subsequent charters the church is called the College Kirk of St. Geill
of Edinburgh.
About this period a few additions were made. A small chapel, called the
Chapman Aisle, was thrown out from the Preston Aisle close to the south
transept. It was dedicated to St. John the Evangelist by Walter Chapman,
called the Scottish Caxton, from his having introduced into Scotland in
1507 the art of printing. The chapel was dedicated within a month of
King James' death at Flodden. The south transept seems to have been
extended southward during the erection. The chapel to the east of the
north transept contained several storeys and a staircase. It is said to
have been erected after the Reformation. Used as the Town Clerk's
office, and later as a vestry, it has been recently set apart to contain
the monument of Dr. William Chambers, by whose liberality the cathedral
has been recently restored.
In 1829 the church was entirely renewed as regards the exterior, and two
chapels to the south of those built in 1389 and the south porch were
removed. The round arched doorway of the south porch was again erected
between the north pillars of the crossing as the entrance to the central
division of the church. It has now been transferred to the entrance
doorway to the royal pew at the east end of the Preston Aisle.[267] The
only portions of the exterior which escaped the unfortunate renewal of
1829 were the tower and steeple. Fortunately the well-known crown of St.
Giles was not interfered with. It was probably erected about 1500.[268]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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