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
As the whole building is harled or rough cast on the outside and
plastered on the inside, it is impossible to say definitely whether the
tower is Norman or later. The work of the sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries consists of the south porch (Fig. 288), built up against the
Norman doorway (Fig. 289), and a north aisle or chapel, which opened
from the nave with a round arch, now built up. This chapel, which is
ruined, was barrel vaulted. The windows in the south wall are also of
this period. The mullions and tracery of those of the nave are modern,
as is also a monument erected against the interior of the east wall,
which may possibly conceal a Norman east window. The four-light window
in the south wall of the chancel (Fig. 290), although of this late
period, is quaint and pleasing, the small circle in the apex giving it
quite a touch of originality.
[Illustration: FIG. 290.--Stobo Church. Window in South Wall of
Chancel.]
A round arched recess for a monument in the north side of the chancel
also belongs to this period. It has contained a coat of arms, which is
effaced.
The original windows in the north side of the chancel remain. The
daylight is about 7 inches wide by about 2 feet high. There has been a
Norman doorway in the north side of the nave. It has a plain arch, and
was probably not unlike the doorway in the opposite wall, which is of
very simple design, with octagonal shafts. The capitals are slightly
mutilated.
The window to the west of the porch is modern, as are the doorway and
stair in the tower. The latter is of wood, and leads to the gallery
already referred to. There does not appear to have been a stone stair in
the tower. The belfry is late, as is the present tower roof. It is
impossible to say how the tower was originally finished.
The walls being lined with wood on the inside, the usual fittings are
concealed, the only feature visible being the locker, shown on Plan,
near the east end. It is widely splayed in the ingoing, and is not
Norman. The south chancel door is probably of the period of the
adjoining windows.
Stobo Church, like most of the churches of Peeblesshire, “belonged to
the diocese of Glasgow at the epoch of Earl David’s Inquisitio in 1116,
and both the church and manor were confirmed to that see, by several
bulls of successive Popes, in the twelfth century.” In Bagimont’s Roll
(1275) it is mentioned as the “Rectoria de Stobo” and the “Vicaria de
Stobo.”[179] It was the church of a _Plebania_,[180] having subordinate
churches or chaplainries within its territory, over which its priest,
who was styled dean, exercised a certain authority. There were four
subordinate parishes--viz., Broughton, Dowie, Drummelzier, and
Tweedsmuir. In 1116 the rectory of Stobo was converted into the valuable
prebend of Tweeddale in Glasgow Cathedral.
DUDDINGSTON CHURCH, MID-LOTHIAN.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account