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
already mentioned, there are two to the quadrangle and one in the west
end, all having elliptic arched tops. The mouldings of the west doorway
have bases, but no caps. The south side of the chapel (Fig. 1209) forms
a complete contrast to the north side. Instead of large windows
occupying each bay, small clerestory windows, with flat arch-heads,
occur at intervals along the top of the wall, while the lower part of
the wall is left plain, being doubtless intended as a provision for a
covered cloister walk. This, however, was never carried out, but instead
of it Bishop Stewart (1532-1545) erected a building against this side of
the chapel, consisting of two floors, and containing a library, a jewel
house, vestry, and class-rooms. These were taken down and re-erected on
the same site about 1725, and about fifty years afterwards were
destroyed by fire, when the south side of the chapel assumed its present
appearance, being “cased and buttressed with granite as we now see
it.”[118] Dr. Macpherson further tells us that the coats of arms which
now adorn this side of the chapel had been nearly all on the walls of
the library, and, having escaped the fire, were, along with some others,
inserted in the new granite work. These arms, along with many other
coats throughout the building and the college, have been minutely
described.[119] We need only mention here the arms of the founder of the
college, Bishop William Elphinston, which occur at the west end of the
south side of the chapel, viz., a chevron between three boars’ heads
[Illustration: FIG. 1209.--King’s College Chapel. South Side.]
erased, surmounted by a mitre between the initials W. E. and “at sides
O. B. A. D. MDXIV. Æ.S. LX (XX) IV.” The royal arms occur on the
northmost buttress of the west front of the tower, dated 1504, while
those of Margaret Tudor, wife of James IV., appear on another shield in
the west front. Adjoining the west doorway an inscription informs us
that the chapel was begun by James IV. in 1500. It apparently occupied
about
[Illustration: FIG. 1210.--King’s College Chapel. Rood Screen.]
six years in building, as the contract for covering it with lead is
dated 1506.
[Illustration: FIG. 1211.--King’s College Chapel. Tower, from
South-East.]
[Illustration: FIG. 1212.--King’s College Chapel. Upper Part of Tower.]
The interior is divided by a wooden screen of very rich carved work, the
central portion of which (Fig. 1210) is about 9 feet 7 inches wide, with
[Illustration: FIG. 1213.--King’s College Chapel. Plan of Crown.]
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