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
of it, together with the style of the mottoes, would rather tend to the
conclusion that the work is of a considerably later date. The arch
forming the entrance from the church to the chapel, with its pilasters,
has certainly the character of sixteenth century work. The group of four
pointed windows in the south end of the south aisle has not the
appearance of decorated work, such as prevailed about 1404. On the
contrary, these windows recall the revived and imitative work of the
sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. This group of windows, with its
four pointed lights (round the inside of which one of the above
inscriptions occurs), is evidently a late design. Possibly an aisle was
built in the beginning of the fifteenth century, when the bequest was
made, but it seems to have been rebuilt in the following century, when
the inscriptions, which are scattered very irregularly over the
structure, were reinserted and added to. The edifice was probably
rebuilt when, about 1543, the Church of Cullen was converted into a
college by Alexander Ogilvie of Deskford and Findlater, for the
accommodation and maintenance of a provost, six prebendaries, and two
singing boys. A bead-house was also erected by the same individual, for
the support of a number of decayed men and women.
The choir, which is a portion added at the east end, contains a richly
decorated monument in the north wall, erected by Alexander Ogilvie at
the date of the church being made collegiate. The monument (Fig. 1334)
is large, and extends from the floor to the roof. It consists of an
arched recess with a group of ornamental shafts at each side, and large
spandrils above, containing two large round panels, each having in the
centre a sculptured figure in bas-relief. Along the top runs a series of
canopies
[Illustration: FIG. 1336.--Cullen Church. Interior of Choir.]
and pinnacles of peculiar design. Within the arch lies an effigy of the
founder clad in armour, supported on a basement, which is divided into
eight panels, each containing a figure attired in a hood and long robe
with book in hand. On a slab at the back of the arched recess is carved
the following inscription:--
CORPUS · ALEX^{r} · OGILVY · DE · FINLATER · HĒROS ·.· AC · SPONSĒ ·
ELEZABETH · GORDON · BTRVMQ · EBBAT PRESIDE · PVRIS · BISTER · PVERISQ ·
DVOBUS ·.· HAS · IACINT · EDES · IV̄ CTVS · VTERQ · PIVS MIGRAVIIT · ET
· HAC · LVCE · HIC · DIE · 4 · MĒNS · IVLII 1554 · ILLA · DIE · · · · ·
· MĒSIS · · · · · · 155-
[Illustration: FIG. 1337.--Cullen Church.
Carved Wooden Pillar.]
[Illustration: FIG. 1338.--Cullen Church.
Carved Wooden Pillar.]
The inscription is accompanied by a variety of curious carvings, and by
the Ogilvie and Gordon arms. The style of the monument corresponds with
the date upon it, being one of the last attempts in the style of Gothic
work executed just before the Reformation.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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