The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 2/3MacGibbon, David
History
The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 2/3
MacGibbon, David
Church architecture -- Scotland
with some details, will be found in _The Castellated and Domestic
Architecture of Scotland_.[120]
GOGAR CHURCH FONT, MID-LOTHIAN.
Scarcely a vestige remains of the old Church of Gogar, but the burial
ground still survives. It is situated about five to six miles west from
Edinburgh. The church was ancient, but after the Reformation the parish
was divided amongst the three adjoining ones. The bowl of the old font
still exists in the churchyard. It is very simple in design (Fig. 736),
and would appear from its mouldings to be of first pointed date. The
stand on which it is set is modern.
[Illustration: FIG. 736.--Gogar Church. Font, with Section.]
THE ABBEY OF INCHCOLM, FIFESHIRE.
An account of this abbey is given in _The Castellated and Domestic
Architecture of Scotland_,[121] in connection with its occupation by the
English, in the time of Henry VIII., as a fortification. But being an
important ecclesiastical structure, and in some respects a unique one,
it is thought desirable to give it a place in this volume, with some
additional particulars and illustrations.
The Island of Inchcolm, or Æmonia, as it was originally called, is
believed to have formed the cradle of religion in the East of Scotland,
as the more famous Iona did in the West; and it is thought that the
first seeds of religion were implanted in it by St. Columba himself. In
early times the founders of Christianity loved to establish themselves
on islands, and in the Frith of Forth ecclesiastical remains are found
not only at Inchcolm, but also on Inchkeith, the Bass, the Isle of May,
and the Island of Fidra.
Like Iona, the Island of Inchcolm became especially celebrated as a
place of burial, and large sums were paid for the privilege of
interment on the island. This circumstance is referred to in
_Macbeth_,[122] in connection with the defeat of “Sweno, Norway’s
King”--
“Nor would we deign him burial of his men
Till he disbursed at St. Colm’s Inch
Ten thousand dollars to our general use.”
The island appears to have been inhabited up to the twelfth century by a
Columban hermit. Fordun narrates that the abbey owes its foundation to
Alexander I., who, in 1123, was driven ashore on the island by a storm,
where he and his followers were maintained for three days by the hermit
who then made Inchcolm his retreat, and who divided with them his scanty
fare of shellfish and the milk of one cow. In recognition of his safe
delivery, Alexander founded and endowed a monastery, and brought to it
Augustinian Canons from the abbey he had established at Scone. The
monastery continued to prosper, and, in 1216, received a large addition
to its possessions from Allan Mortimer, proprietor of the domain of
Aberdour, on the mainland adjoining, who purchased the right of
interment in the church by bestowing on the abbey one half of his
estate.
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