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 one to the south-east, called St. Abb’s Chapel, (1) is situated
in the centre of a churchyard, all the remaining tombstones of which
were thrown into the sea during some law proceedings regarding the
right of access by the public to St. Abb’s Head. At the time Carr wrote
his _History of Coldingham Priory_ (published 1836), the walls of the
church were standing to a height of some three or four feet; now only
the grass-covered foundations remain. These indicate a chancelled
building, the outside dimensions of which are:--length of chancel from
east to west about 21 feet, width
[Illustration]
about 24 feet; length of nave 56 feet by 30 feet in width. The chancel
is full of rubbish, especially at the place where the arch is usually
situated; but it is not unlikely that by digging here some remains
might be found sufficient to indicate the style and period of the
building. From Carr’s description it appears to have been a Norman
building, as he speaks of a “small Saxon arch” (the term frequently
used by writers about the beginning of the century for a Norman arch)
as visible in his time (p. 243).
The other chapel at St. Abb’s Head (2) is in very much the same state
as the one just described, except that more of the masonry is visible.
It measures, on the inside, about 69 feet long by 22 feet wide,
with walls about 4 feet thick. In the centre of the west wall there
is a recess, about 6 feet long by 2 feet 6 inches wide; and at the
north-east corner there is a notch about 9 feet square, cut out of the
chapel, as it were, forming, to all appearance, a chancel, narrower
than the nave on one side instead of in the centre. The remains are
very scanty.
[195] _Caledonia._
[196] Morton’s _Monastic Annals of Teviotdale_.
[197] We are indebted to Mr. Robert B. Armstrong, F.S.A., for the use
of drawings, and to Major W. Bruce Armstrong for some interesting notes.
[198] Original birth brief in the possession of the Comte de Bruce from
Charles I., dated 13th July 1633, to Adam Bruce, younger son of Anthony
Bruce of Waltoun, ancestor of the Comte de Bruce, deducing his descent,
through the families of Bruce of Waltoun, Lethbertschielles, and Airth,
from the house of Clackmannan, in which it is stated that Alexander
Bruce of Airth was legitimate son of Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan.
[199] _Collegiate Churches of Mid-Lothian_, by D. Laing, p. cxx.
[200] Chart, Newbotle, 159. _Caledonia_, Vol. ii., p. 888.
[201] _Ibid._
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