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
The edifice (Fig. 1316) was a simple oblong 73 feet in length by 18 feet
6 inches in width internally. There has been a large east window, only
one jamb of which partially remains, and there are no other window or
door openings preserved. The north wall seems to have been entirely
without openings. A large modern burial vault has been erected in the
centre of the church.
One or two features of the former fine ornamentation of the structure
still remain _in situ_, but other portions have been removed, and are
now to be found elsewhere, as will be pointed out.
In the north wall near the east end is a fine sacrament house (Fig.
1317). The design consists, as usual in these details, of a buttress on
each side of the ambry, with crocketed finials, the carving of which is
of a late style. Between the pinnacles is a panel which seems to have
been
[Illustration: FIG. 1317.--Kinkell Church. Sacrament House.]
ornamented with the usual monstrance supported by two angels, but the
carving is nearly obliterated. Above this panel there runs a small
crenelated parapet, supported by a double row of corbels. Immediately
over the parapet is an oblong panel, which doubtless contained a
Crucifixion or similar sculpture, but it is now empty.
To the right and left of the pinnacles are two panels, each containing a
ribbon of different design. That on the left bears the inscription “HIC
EST SVATV,” and that on the right the words “CORPS DE VIGIE NATUM,”
which may be read, “Hic est servatum corpus de Virgine Natum.”
On the base of the ambry are the letters ANO. DNI. 1528, in the centre
MEORARE, and on the right the initials A. and G. united by a cord. The
letter G. also occurs at the end of the inscription in the right hand
panel, and is probably a repetition of the last letter of the initials
A. G.
[Illustration: FIG. 1318.--Kinkell Church.
Panel in North Wall of Church.]
The base is supported on a continuous corbel carved with foliage, and
has in the centre a shield, bearing a lion rampant.
The initials A. G. twice repeated and the date, together with the late
style of the work, point to the sacrament house having been designed by
Alexander Galloway, who was rector of Kinkell in 1528, and who was also
the architect of the first bridge of ten arches over the Dee at
Aberdeen.
Another panel (Fig. 1318) is built into the north wall of the church a
little to the west of the sacrament house. It contains a Crucifixion,
with a figure of the Virgin Mary on one side and an angel on the other.
The initials of Alexander Galloway occur three times on this sculpture,
and the date 1525.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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