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 pointed Gothic style, which, as we have seen, had its origin in the
North of France about the middle of the twelfth century, appeared in
England about 1170, but can scarcely be said to have reached Scotland
till after the close of the twelfth century. The Abbey of Arbroath,
founded by William the Lion in 1178, contains a few traces of transition
work, passing later into first pointed; and other structures containing
a good deal of Norman design were erected in Scotland as late as 1210.
The Anglicising process, begun in the twelfth century, was continued in
the thirteenth century. The Orders of the Cathedrals were founded on
those of England. “Thus the Chapter of Glasgow took that of Salisbury as
its guide; Dunkeld copied from the same type, venerable in its
associations with the name of St. Osmund, whose ‘use of Sarum’ obtained
generally throughout Scotland. Elgin or Murray sent to Lincoln for its
pattern, and transmitted it, with certain modifications, to Aberdeen and
Caithness. So it was also with the Monasteries--Canterbury was the
mother of Dunfermline, Durham of Coldingham; St. Oswald’s at Oxstall,
near Pontefract, was the parent of Scone, and through that house of St.
Andrews and Holyrood. Melrose and Dundrennan were daughters of Rievaux
in the North Riding; Dryburgh was the offspring of Alnwick, Paisley of
Wenlock.”[56]
Building in Scotland appears to have gone on in the thirteenth century
as busily and with the same enthusiasm as in the previous century. But
being far from the seat of the origin of the pointed style, and having
received the principles of that style at second hand through England,
time was required for its adoption in the North, and even when cordially
welcomed there, some of the features of the earlier Romanesque still
lingered and were slowly dispossessed.
The pointed arch, for example, although generally adopted, did not
entirely displace, as it had done in the South, the round form of the
Normans, a feature which, especially in doorways, continued to be
employed not only in the thirteenth century, but throughout the whole
course of Gothic art in Scotland. In other respects, the thirteenth
century style in this country corresponds very closely with that of
England. Its features are, however, generally speaking, plainer and the
structures are smaller. But the forms of the doors, windows, buttresses,
piers, &c., and the mouldings and enrichments are similar in character.
The wall openings frequently have the shafts detached and carrying
moulded caps, with round abacus, and the arch mouldings are arranged in
orders, each set on a rectangular plan over the shafts. The piers are
usually solid, with bold clustered mouldings and rounded caps. The
windows are almost invariably of the lancet form, either single or
arranged in couplets or triplets in the wall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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