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
at the angles and at intervals; the springing of a diagonal arch
survives in the north-west angle. A well exists in the centre of the
cloister garth, with stone steps leading down to it. The chapter house
enters by a doorway only, without side windows, from the east alley (see
Fig. 819). The jambs and pointed arch are moulded, but there are no
caps. The chapter house is square, and has a central pillar, which
carries fine vaulting (Fig. 823). The vaulting is divided into four
square bays, each with cross ribs, resting on the central pillar and on
responds against the walls, which have bases set on the stone bench. The
bosses have been carved with coats of arms, now obliterated. One of them
has a mitre; another shows indications of an apsidal building. The
abbot’s seat occupies the centre of the east side, between the two
windows; and a stone bench is carried round the walls.
The upper floor, which still survives, above the chapter house and
sacristy (see Figs. 819 and 820) contained the scriptorium and library,
the latter having had a good mullioned window, overlooking the cloister,
now nearly destroyed. Following the ruins which continue the east side
of the cloister southwards, we come first to a vaulted chamber, which
may have been a parlour; then to the slype leading to the eastern garth,
which has a stone bench on each side, and is covered with a segmental
barrel vault. Beyond this are vaulted ruins of an indeterminate
character. On the south side of the cloister garth are the refectory and
part of the buttery, with a hatch which led from the one to the other.
Between these apartments a wide scale staircase formed the day access to
the dormitories above. This range of buildings is evidently of late
date, and may have been the work of Abbot Gilbert M‘Brayar, above
referred to. The refectory has been covered with a barrel vault, and had
a fireplace in the north wall. The windows in the south wall are low,
horizontal openings. The west side of the cloister is believed to have
contained a large common room, but it is now much ruined; the pointed
doorway at the north end, however, still remains.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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