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
round the bead. The inner mouldings at Lerida are further enriched,
while at Arbroath the orders are simply moulded; but the sequence of the
first two orders of enrichment is interesting from its occurring in two
buildings probably erected at about the same time and at such a great
distance apart. A similar ring ornament, on a large scale, is also to be
seen in a doorway at Lamington, Lanarkshire,[26] where it is likewise
used along with the zig-zag, but there the ringed order is the outer
enrichment.
[Illustration: FIG. 467.--Arbroath Abbey. West Doorway and Gallery
over.]
The rude appearance of the west front, to which we have referred, is
increased by the removal of the outer part of a gallery which existed
over this doorway. The inner part of this gallery still remains, and a
[Illustration: FIG. 468.--Arbroath Abbey.
Jamb and Arch Mouldings of West Doorway.]
[Illustration: FIG. 469.--Larida Cathedral.
Doorway of Porch.
(From Street’s _Spain_.)]
view and plan of it are given (Figs. 470 and 471). From these it will be
seen that within the great thickness of the wall (20 feet 3 inches) a
chamber of considerable size has been obtained, which opens into the
nave by six pointed arches (Fig. 472), and to the outside over the
doorway by three arches (see Fig. 467). As already stated, the original
outer features are gone, and only the rugged skeleton remains. It is
quite obvious from Fig. 467 and from the Plan (see Fig. 471) that three
gablets projected outwards from the wall for a distance of about 4 feet,
supported on two intermediate shafts (marked =X X=), and that the gallery
was closed in at each end with walls or haffits, both of which still in
part remain. It is thus apparent that we now see the west front robbed
of its most unique features, and the bare masonry exposed, which was
never meant to be seen. This gallery was reached by a long passage at
each end from stairs in the angle buttresses. It probably was a gallery
for an orchestra, and it would also be suitable as a pulpit from which
to address an audience in the open air. As above mentioned, it is
probable that this part of the building was erected at two different
times, the west doorway and some of the pillars of the gallery being in
the early transition style, while the triple windows to the front and
the six-light
[Illustration: FIG. 470.--Arbroath Abbey. Gallery over West Doorway.]
arcade towards the interior are in the first pointed style. When the
gallery was completed in the first pointed period, the floor space was
enlarged by extending it to the front, hence the necessity for the deep
tunnel arch over the west doorway. The pointed arches in the ingoing
also indicate the first pointed period.
Above this gallery there was an immense circular window, of which only a
portion survives.
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