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
[Illustration: FIG. 249.--St. Blane’s Church. Plan.]
the stones. The lower rubble portions of the side walls contain no
openings, but the upper freestone portions contain windows. The window
in the north wall (see Fig. 248) is a single-pointed light, with
freestone ingoings and sconsion arch. There has at one time been a
similar one-light window in the south wall, but at a later date a
two-light window has been introduced instead of it. The latter being
placed at a higher level than the former, part of the older window still
remains below the sill of the later one. The older windows in the side
walls are moulded on the jambs; the later one is splayed. A piscina has
also been inserted in the south wall close to the window.
The eastern wall of the chancel, like the east portions of the side
walls, has the lower part built with whinstone rubble, and the upper
portion with freestone. As the ground slopes to the east, the east end
wall is carried deeper than the side walls. The lower portion (which
extends also for a short way along the north and south sides) is brought
up with whinstone rubble for about two feet (see Fig. 248), when a
[Illustration: FIG. 250.--St. Blane’s Church. Chancel Arch.]
freestone splayed base (quite different from, and at a lower level than,
that of the nave) is laid above it. The wall over the base is carried up
in the interior with whinstone rubble for nearly four feet (see Fig.
250), and on the exterior with rubble mixed with freestone for two
courses. Above this the wall is built in the interior for two courses,
and in the exterior for four courses, with carefully-constructed and
jointed freestone blocks, similar to those of the nave walls. A set-off
occurs on the exterior above these courses. The upper part of the wall
and the exterior of the gable are composed of freestone, built
irregularly, like the upper portions of the side walls. The upper
portion of the interior is of similar work up to the top of the windows,
above which it is of rubble work.
In the east wall there are two single-light pointed windows, similar to
the window in the north wall. They have the same mouldings, and similar
sconsion arches. The inner sills are stepped in three courses. An ambry
is inserted in the east wall.
There is some difficulty in explaining the sequence of the construction,
and the comparative dates of all the different portions of the chancel.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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