2. The second supposition is that, in course of time, the monastery may have dwindled, and the buildings may have fallen into disrepair. The question would then arise whether it would not be better to diminish the size of the church by abandoning the western portion and erecting the tower where it stands. This might have occurred towards the close of the fifteenth century. But there are difficulties connected with this solution of the problem also. The tower shows the springing and jambs of windows on its west side, which appear to be of about the same date as itself, thus indicating the intention of continuing the structure westwards and restoring the old west church. THE OLD PARISH CHURCH OF CULROSS, PERTHSHIRE. A ruinous structure, situated about one mile north-west from the abbey. It is a plain oblong (Fig. 645), 71 feet long by 16 feet wide (inside), with walls about 3 feet thick, but parts of them have been recently rebuilt on the old foundations. It is thus impossible to say what the original arrangement of doors and windows may have been, only one small pointed window, which seems to be original, remaining next the south doorway. A north and south doorway face one another towards the west end, but these have evidently been inserted at a late date. Both doorways have straight lintels (Fig. 646), and these consist of ancient tombstones, carved with foliaged crosses and swords (Fig. 647). [Illustration: FIG. 645.--The Old Parish Church of Culross. Plan.] [Illustration: FIG. 646.--The Old Parish Church of Culross. Interior, looking East.] Numerous other recumbent tombstones are found in the church, and some have been placed against the east wall when it was rebuilt. A top stone containing the socket for a cross is preserved at the east end. The south doorway has probably had a porch. This church had apparently fallen into decay before the Reformation, for in 1633 an Act was passed making the abbey the parish church, and stating that the abbey church had been used for preaching since the Reformation, and that the church called the “Parioche Kirk, where service is not nor has been since the memory of man, is altogether ruinous, decayed, and fallen down in certain parts.” It is still surrounded with the old burying-ground, which contains some interesting monuments. A large tombhouse has been built, like a transept, on the south side of the church. It appears to be an erection of the seventeenth century. [Illustration: FIG. 647. The Old Parish Church of Culross. Tombstones used as Door Lintels.] BEAULY PRIORY, INVERNESS-SHIRE.