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 average length of the enclosure as it now stands is about 210 feet.
INNERPEFFRAY CHURCH, PERTHSHIRE.
The structure of this church is still entire, although the building is
now only used as a place of burial. It is situated on a high knoll
overlooking the river Earn, about four miles south-east from Crieff.
Near the church on the bank of the river stands the ruined Castle of
Innerpeffray, elsewhere described and illustrated.[207] Close to the
west end of the church is the Library of Innerpeffray (shown in Fig.
1469), founded by David, Lord Madderty, in 1691. It contains a fine
collection of early printed books, and is open to the public and is well
worth visiting.
[Illustration: FIG. 1468.--Innerpeffray Church. Plan.]
The church (Fig. 1468) is divided, by modern walls, into three parts. It
is a long narrow building, measuring, internally, about 76 feet in
length by about 21 feet 4 inches in width. There was a sacristy on the
north side near the east end, its width and position being indicated by
the
[Illustration: FIG. 1469.--Innerpeffray Church. View from South-West.]
absence of the moulded wall-head plinth (Fig. 1469), which runs round
the whole side walls except at this part. The door between the church
and sacristy still remains, but is built up. On the sacristy side it has
a rough flat arch. To the east of this door there is, on the exterior,
a splayed aperture about 2 feet 9 inches wide (see Plan) by about 2 feet
high, and about the same height above the ground. There is no trace of
it inside, the walls being plastered. This may have been what is called
a squint,
[Illustration: FIG. 1470.--Innerpeffray Church. Arch near West End.]
being situated in the same relative position as those at Seton and other
churches.
The Church of Innerpeffray is peculiar, from having what resembles a
chancel arch, situated at a distance of about 7 feet 6 inches from the
west end. This arch (Fig. 1470) is round and about 14 feet 2 inches
wide. It has a splayed squint about 2 feet wide on the south side, as
shown on the sketch. It is difficult to give a satisfactory explanation
of this arch, but it seems to have formed a vestibule in connection with
the stair leading to an apartment on the upper floor. The archway
appears to have been fitted with some kind of timber screen, which, if
it was a close one, would help to explain the object of the squint.
There is a room on the first floor reached by the wheel stair in the
[Illustration: FIG. 1471.--Innerpeffray Church.
Lintel of Eastmost Window.]
north-west angle. This room, as it now exists, is of later construction
than the church, and is not older than the seventeenth century. The
stair, however, is part of the original construction, and is believed to
have given access to a belfry on the west wall, as well as to the room
which doubtless existed from the first over the vestibule, and which
(see Fig. 1469) was provided with a fireplace and a window in the west
gable.
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