The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 1/3MacGibbon, David
History
The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 1/3
MacGibbon, David
Church architecture -- Scotland
the peculiarity at the impost. The doors and windows are flat-headed.
The former have rebates, which is not the primitive form, though Egilsey
has them--the latter have the early form of jambs. Taking all the
points, it may be assigned with probability to the fourteenth century.
The interior length of the nave is equal to the diagonal of the square
of the width. The length of the chancel is that of an equilateral
triangle on the east end of the nave. The height of chancel walls is
equal to the width of the chancel.
According to Mr. Irvine there was, a few years ago, a rude cross
gravestone here, like those at Uya.
A bell, which in 1856 was lying on the shore at Cullyavoe, once hung at
this church. It is said to have been obtained from a wrecked ship, but
is evidently a church bell. It has an inscription in Dutch, and the date
1694. The late Mr. Irvine of Midbrigg had a small bell, said to have
come from this church. It had no inscription.
Since 1856 the chancel arch and gable over it have fallen.
The church was surrounded with an enclosing wall.
CHURCH AT CULBINSBROUGH, BRESSAY.
This ruin is on the north-east coast of Bressay, on a small low
promontory. It is enclosed in a “garth” or churchyard, the wall of which
is ruinous, and which appears not to have been used for many years.
[Illustration: FIG. 127.--Church at Culbinsbrough. Plan.]
The dedication is not known. It originally consisted of a nave, north
and south transepts, and chancel, and lies about west by north and east
by south. (Fig. 127.) There remain now only the lower portion of the
north transept, lower portions of the chancel, and a small fragment of
the east wall of the south transept. It is built of the grey stone of
the locality in rude courses of moderate-sized stones. On the north side
of the nave, and at the west end, is a modern wall about 3 feet high,
but as this is on the foundation of the original north wall, it is
probable that it marks the extent westward of the old nave. Assuming
this, the nave was 21 feet 6 inches by 10 feet inside. The walls were
probably 2 feet 3 inches thick. The position of the doorway is not
evident, but probably was in the west end. Traces of the south wall
remain. The north transept is 12 feet north and south by 8 feet 6 inches
east and west inside. The north wall is 2 feet 3 inches thick, and the
east and west walls 2 feet thick. The north end is 9 feet high, and
retains the window, which is square-headed (Fig. 128), 1 foot 9 inches
high, and 1 foot 3 inches
[Illustration: FIG. 128.--Church at Culbinsbrough. East and North
Elevations.]
wide outside. It is slightly splayed inwards. The sill is 5 feet above
the present ground, but the original level of the floor has not been
ascertained.
The height of the eaves and of the original apex of gable cannot be
ascertained, but it is probable that the eaves of the whole church were
not more than about 7 feet high, and the ridges of roofs about 12 feet
high.
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