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 effigy is that of a knight in complete plate armour. The head rests
on a tilting helmet, with a dog’s head for crest, which is attached to a
cap put on over the helmet. The round hollow visible to the spectator
represents the inside of the helmet. The feet rest upon a lion. The
figure is considerably worn, but the plate armour and the gauntlets are
still distinctly seen. The bottom of the shirt of mail worn under the
cuirass and the jewelled sword belt and hilt of the sword are also
clearly visible. A coat of arms, similar to that on the pedestal, is
carved on the breast, being intended to represent the arms wrought in
embroidery on the surcoat.
The lower part of the monument has been divided into panels, each
containing a quatrefoil, and between the panels there were at one time
small
[Illustration: FIG. 1356.--St. Mary’s Abbey, Rothesay. View from
South-East.]
figures of armed knights, each holding a spear. When Mr. Mackinlay
wrote, one of these figures survived; now they are all gone, together
with parts of the quatrefoils, and an irregular empty space is left
where they once stood. Mr. Mackinlay mentions that some excavation was
made, and an arched recess was found under the monument in which the
coffins had been placed, and three skulls were discovered therein. In
the upper part of the monument over the arch are two recesses, which
probably at one time contained coats of arms.
[Illustration: FIG. 1357.--St. Mary’s Abbey, Rothesay. Monument in South
Wall.]
The other monument (Fig. 1358) in the north wall of the chancel has been
erected in memory of a lady and child, whose effigies it contains. The
[Illustration: FIG. 1358.--St. Mary’s Abbey, Rothesay. Monument in North
Wall.]
figures of the lady and child are cut in a thin slab of stone, and have
not the bold effect of the knight in armour. There are no arms or
inscription on this monument, and the name of the person commemorated
is unknown. The arch over the figures is of the same description as that
of the opposite monument, but it is lower and not so effective. The
mouldings are also similar, and there have been crockets over the arch,
which are now greatly decayed. The width of the monument over all is
fully 8 feet.
The lower part of the monument on which the effigies rest is divided
into eight panels by shafts, and each panel contains a sculptured
figure. Mr. Mackinlay says that they represent saints, and that amongst
them is the Virgin and Child. In their decayed condition the latter is
not now recognisable. The figures seem rather to resemble persons in the
dress of the fifteenth century, and some of them appear to be kneeling.
At the east end of the chancel there is a pointed piscina in the south
wall (see Fig. 1357) and an ambry in the east wall.
The style of the structure and of the monuments is undoubtedly late,
probably sixteenth century.
THE PARISH CHURCH AND THE COLLEGIATE CHURCH OF ST. MARY, DUMBARTON,
DUMBARTONSHIRE.
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