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
south respectively. The south wall of the church appears, from a return
and tuskings at the east end, to have continued further eastwards. In
the south wall, adjoining the tower, there is a plain, round, arched
doorway. As will be seen from the plan, the present choir is not in the
line of the centre of the tower. Probably the existence of earlier
monastic buildings on the south side may have prevented extension in
that direction; and so, in order to get the width required for the new
choir, it was necessary to extend the building northwards. From the
presence of the sloping skew recess on the west face of the tower, it is
obvious that the nave, which now no longer exists, and is only indicated
by this roof mark, was built nearly in continuation of the walls of the
choir. In Dr. Jamieson’s time, when the foundations of the nave existed,
it was so, and is shown in his drawings running westwards to the west
wall of the cloister, a distance of about 59 feet. The plan shows that
the west enclosing wall is broken off just at the point where the west
wall of the nave joined it.
[Illustration: FIG. 149.--Restennet Priory. View from North-West.]
On the south side of the tower and choir there are raglets, indicating
where the monastic buildings have abutted against them. Of these
buildings all that exist are the boundary walls, shown on plan. These
contain a doorway to the south, and another to the west. They are quite
plain, with segmental arched heads. In front of the west door lies a
flat tombstone, probably
[Illustration: FIG. 150.--Restennet Priory. Interior of East End.]
the one referred to by Dr. Jamieson as being dated 1553. Dr. Jamieson
further mentions that the courtyard was paved, and that the present
trees and shrubs, which encumber and confuse the place, are recent. In
describing the situation of the priory, he says that it stands on ground
which “juts out into a lake, or loch, of the same name. This, although
now drained in part, has nearly surrounded it. There is a small neck on
the west, where it is said there was a deep ditch and a drawbridge.”
[Illustration: FIG. 151.--Restennet Priory. Piscina.]
The date of the foundation of the priory is not known, but it is
recorded that David I. granted to the Prior and Canons 20s. yearly from
the rents of the burgh of Monros, as well as the teinds of these
rents.[141] The monastery was dedicated to St. Peter, and was of the
Order of St. Augustine. Between 1159 and 1163 it was attached to
Jedburgh by Malcolm IV.
After the Reformation, it continued to be the parish church of Forfar,
where, says Dr. Jamieson, there was only a private chapel, “an aisle of
the old church, till it was pulled down a few weeks ago, as they are
about to build a new church.”
[Illustration: FIG. 152.--Restennet Priory. Font.]
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