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 openings have inclined jambs, being 1 foot 8 inches at base and 1
foot 5 inches at top, and the height from the sill to the springing is 4
feet 9 inches. Each window has two orders on the exterior--a plain inner
order and an outer order, containing a shaft wrought on the jamb angle.
The inner order has plain square-edged jambs and round arch. The outer
order has also a square-edged round arch, springing from the caps of the
shafts. This arch, however, is not concentric with the inner arch, but
is carried considerably above it, leaving a flat space or shield between
the arches. The caps and bases of the shafts are now much decayed, but
they have a distinctly Norman character.
Above the highest string course the wall rises about two feet, so as to
form a parapet. The diameter within this wall is 8 feet 8 inches, and
the wall is about 2 feet 6 inches thick. The top of the wall is covered
with broad stones, each the full width, which have an ogee moulding
wrought on the outer edge.
The masonry of the tower is constructed in regular courses of ashlar
work, carefully wrought to the circle. The lower twelve courses are of a
hard grey freestone, and the portion above consists of a yellowish
freestone of similar workmanship, which is softer, and has decayed
considerably both on the exterior and interior. This difference in the
materials of the lower and upper portions has led to the belief that the
upper part has been rebuilt at a later date than the lower part.
[Illustration: FIG. 114.--Abernethy Tower. View from North-East.]
The tower is slightly less in diameter at the top than at the bottom,
but it tapers so little that the difference is scarcely observable.
In this tower we find features which belong both to the Celtic and
Norman styles of building. The circular form of the tower and the
disposition of its parts, the door raised some feet above the ground,
the small windows in the lower stories, the four large windows in the
top story, and the inclining jambs of door and windows, all point to the
Irish origin of the design; while the distinctly Norman character of the
details of the four upper windows, and the regular coursing and dressing
of the masonry, show the influence of the Continental style of the
twelfth century.
RESTENNET PRIORY, FORFARSHIRE.
The remaining towers of the group above enumerated are all square on
plan, and certain of them are connected with churches, and form a part
of them. In these respects, therefore, they differ considerably from the
towers of Abernethy and Brechin. They were all probably built during the
twelfth century. Possibly Restennet is an exception. It is the only one
of the square towers which has very marked features of a pre-Norman
character. The outside dimensions of the Tower of Restennet (Fig. 145)
are 15 feet 11 inches from north to south by 15 feet 6 inches from east
to west, and the walls are 2 feet 8 inches in thickness.
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