The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 2/3 — John Shaqi
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
restorations, probably constructed in imitation of Norman windows which
existed there originally. It will be observed that the inner order of
the arch contains two reprises wrought on the stone, which were
evidently the ends of two simple pieces of tracery springing from a
central mullion. This form of design shows that the construction was
undoubtedly of a late period. Besides, the sconsions of these windows
are wrought with an obtuse nook containing a shaft, so as to correspond
with the other first pointed windows of the south aisle. It is not
improbable that the choir was built before the nave, and was of Norman
work. This supposition may account for the Norman work found in the
first bay of the nave, which may have been erected in connection with
the choir and crossing.
[Illustration: FIG. 485.--Holyrood Abbey. Arcade in North Aisle.]
The oldest part of the nave, after the south-east doorway, is the wall
of the north aisle (Fig. 484). The responds opposite the piers are very
bold. Each consists of a central shaft, with sharp edge to the front,
and a round shaft on each side of it. The responds have rounded abaci
and caps all richly carved with foliage, and a moulded band in the
centre. The lower story of the wall contains an arcade of interlacing
arches springing from single shafts, the caps of which have square abaci
and very rich foliage (Fig. 485). The arch mouldings are flat, and
contain a quantity of small nail-head ornament between the rolls. The
windows above the arcade are single lancets--one in each bay (Fig. 486.)
On the exterior the lower part of the wall is
[Illustration: FIG. 486.--Holyrood Abbey. North Doorway and North Side
of Church.]
plain, and each lancet has a pair of nook shafts, with simple cap,
having a square abacus. The arch head is in two orders, both splayed,
the outer order having the splay enriched with a series of plain ball
[Illustration: FIG. 487.--Holyrood Abbey. South Aisle.]
ornaments. In the interior (see Fig. 484) these windows show a plain
splayed ingoing, the inner sconsion being formed into an obtuse nook,
containing a bold shaft, with cap spreading its foliage widely so as to
fill up the obtuse angle. The arch contains bold first pointed
mouldings.
[Illustration: FIG. 488.--Holyrood Abbey. Details of South Aisle:
Inside.]
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