The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 3/3MacGibbon, David
History
The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 3/3
MacGibbon, David
Church architecture -- Scotland
arches required to be kept below the springing of the vaults, the
interior is but imperfectly lighted. There are three doorways in the
building--the south-west door in the nave, the priest’s door in the
chancel, and a door in the south transept. These are all semicircular in
the arch-head, as is common in Scottish examples. That in the south
transept is now built up.
The tower at the west end is 14 feet square externally. The lower part
is of the same date as the church, and has the base courses returning
round it. The upper part has been rebuilt. The doorway to the tower is
from the outside.
SETON COLLEGIATE CHURCH, HADDINGTONSHIRE.
A disused edifice situated in the private grounds of Seton Castle, about
two miles east from Prestonpans Railway Station. The parish of Seton
having been joined to that of Tranent in 1580, service in the church has
from that time been abandoned.
There was a church here from an early date. It is rated in the ancient
Taxatio at 18 merks. In a MS. pedigree of the family of Seton, by
Maitland of Lethington, quoted by Grose,[105] it is stated that Sir
Alex. Seton, in the time of David II., was buried in the Parish Church
of Seton. Also that Katherine Sinclair, wife of William, first Lord
Seton, about 1390, “Biggit ane yle on the south side of the Paroch Kirk
of Seton of fine estlar, pendit and theikit it with stane, with ane
sepulchar thairin quhair she lies.” Her son John (died 1441) was buried
in this aisle.
George, the second Lord Seton, in 1493, made the church collegiate. He
built the sacristy and covered it with stone in the reign of James IV.
He died in 1507, and was buried near the high altar.
George, the third Lord Seton, who was slain at Flodden, “Theickit the
Queir of Seton with stane.” Jane Hepburne, his widow, after his decease,
“Biggit the forewark of Seton above the zit, and also she biggit the
northomoss yll of the College Kirk of Seton and took down the yll biggit
be Dame Katherine Sinclair on the south side of it, the said college
kirk, because the syde of it stood to the syde of the kirk, to mack it a
parfecte and a proper cornet and a cross kirk and biggit up the steeple
as ye see it now to ane grit hight swa that it wants little of
compleiting.” This lady also presented the church with many ornaments of
silver and rich vestments.
From the above quotations it would appear that the parish church existed
in the fourteenth century. This church was probably rebuilt towards the
end of the fifteenth century, and was added to by the second Lord Seton
when he made the church collegiate in 1493, and completed by the third
Lord Seton. The transepts and tower and spire would appear to have been
erected by the Dowager Lady Seton in the sixteenth century, after her
husband’s death at the Battle of Flodden.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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