The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 3/3 — John Shaqi
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
an oblong or oval form, and one half compartment at each end. At the
foot the compartments are empty. On the right side the 1st compartment
contains a bishop with crosier; the 4th, a bishop at prayer, and, on a
scroll, the name Robert Wyshart (Bishop of Glasgow). On the left, the
1st compartment contains a bishop celebrating, with the name Johes D.
Lychtgow (Abbot of Paisley); the 4th, an abbot at prayer, with the name
of Abbot Lythgow repeated. Several compartments contain monks at prayer,
and others are blank. Mr. Semple thinks that the left side may be part
of Abbot Lithgow’s monument, and the right side part of that of Bishop
Wishart.
Of the cloisters and conventual buildings few traces remain; but the
outline of the cloister court is preserved. It is surrounded (see Fig.
953) with post-Reformation structures, occupying the site of the chapter
house, refectory, &c. These were converted into the “place of Paisley,”
as the residence of the Abercorn family, which has been already fully
described.[16] These buildings probably contain portions of the walls of
the refectory and other conventual structures erected by Abbot Shaw at
the end of the fifteenth century. The western side of the cloister
buildings was removed about twenty years ago, in order to widen the
adjoining street. The wall, gatehouse, &c., erected by Abbot Shaw, have
now almost entirely disappeared.
The cloistral buildings were much altered and added to in 1675 by the
Earl of Dundonald, and fitted up as a mansion house, and they still bear
traces of considerable splendour in panelled walls, with stone
fireplaces and ornamental ceilings. One of the latter on the upper floor
is a fine example of the plaster and painted decoration of the period.
Turning to the ground Plan, it seems highly probable that the walls are,
in part at least, of pre-Reformation date, and that we have here
[Illustration: FIG. 967.--Paisley Abbey. End of Altar Tomb in St.
Mirin’s Chapel.]
part of the work of Abbot Shaw, who erected a refectory and other
buildings at the end of the fifteenth century. It will be observed that
the main wall of the south range, running east and west, is very thick
(4 feet to 5 feet), while the outside wall, forming the south side of
the cloister, is only about 2 feet thick. The latter was probably
erected when the place became a mansion house, in order to form a
passage, and thus obviate the necessity of passing through the rooms,
while the thick wall was the original outside wall of the refectory or
of cellars below it. The south wall of this building also probably
consists in part of the south wall of the refectory, but the large
windows in it are, doubtless, insertions.
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