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
The nave is 75 feet in length, and its width varies, being 23 feet 8
inches at the east and 27 feet 2 inches at the west end. This difference
seems to have arisen from the south wall having been rebuilt. The nave
has a north aisle connected with it by four arches, two of the piers and
arches of which are still standing (Fig. 536). The caps, bases, and
sections of piers and arch mouldings (Fig. 537) are all good first
pointed work. The west doorway is also very fine, and is pretty well
preserved (Fig. 538). It comprises a central pointed doorway with deep
ingoing, having numerous shafts with moulded caps and bases, and a deep
series of first pointed mouldings in the arch head (Fig. 539). On each
side of the central doorway are two pointed wall arches with similar
caps and mouldings, but with only a shallow recess. The spandrils
between the arches contain trefoil and quatrefoil recesses.
There are the remains of a tower at the north-west angle of the nave
(Fig. 540), but this has been a later addition. There seems, from the
original base course, to have been a tower of some kind here from the
first, but it has evidently been rebuilt, and divided into stories, as
if for habitation. In this operation the arches of the nave and aisle
adjoining, which were originally open, were built up with rubble, but
that has now been cleared out again.
On the south side of the choir is situated the chapter house (see Fig.
533), 24 feet in length by 15 feet in width internally. It is vaulted
with a semicircular tunnel vault, over which there is a room in the roof
(see Fig. 534). The chapter house has a good east window, and there is
the usual stone seat all round. An outside staircase led to the upper
apartment. The cloisters and cloister garth have been situated to the
south of the nave; the corbels for the cloister roof still remain. There
is no south aisle, and there are no south windows or buttresses to the
nave along what was the cloister walk. To the south of these structures
are several remains of the monastic buildings, but much destroyed.
The kitchen and offices at the south end (see Plan) are the best
preserved portions, having the fireplace, windows, water drain, &c., and
the kitchen is still covered with a plain round tunnel vault, over which
there was an upper floor. The refectory probably ran along the south
side of the cloister. A staircase near the kitchen led to the dormitory,
of which it would form the day access.
[Illustration: Pier.
Arch Mouldings.
Cap and Base.
FIG. 537.--Inchmahome Priory. Details of Nave.]
There is at first sight a strange confusion amongst the conventual
buildings, owing to what turns out, on careful examination, to be a
comparatively recent erection built in the middle of them.
The chapter house seems to have been appropriated as a mausoleum by the
Earls of Menteith and Airth, and a long avenue has been
[Illustration: FIG. 538.--Inchmahome Priory. West Doorway.]
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