The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 1/3

by David MacGibbon; Thomas Ross

ST. NICHOLAS’ CHURCH, Aberdeen.

This church, said to be the largest mediæval parish church in Scotland, is still preserved and used as the principal church of Aberdeen; but only two portions of the ancient work remain—viz., the transepts and the crypt at the east end, below the choir. The nave was rebuilt about the middle of last century by Gibbs, the well-known architect of St. Martin’s-in-the-Fields Church, London, and the Radcliffe Library, Oxford. It is, of course, in the Renaissance style of the time, and the interior is very dignified. The choir was entirely taken down in 1835 and rebuilt in the most tasteless fashion. The walls of the crypt and transepts were all refaced except the north front of the transept, which, however, is of no great architectural value, having been altered considerably in the seventeenth century; in any case, it forms a pleasing contrast to the very rigid and inartistic new masonry. The central tower, with the leaded spire, was burned in 1874, and the existing central spire was thereafter erected. In these circumstances, it is only the interior of the transept and crypt which come within the scope of the present work.

The transepts ([Fig. 385]) measure internally about 103 feet by 20 feet 10 inches, and are of the transitional style of the end of the twelfth century. The openings into the nave and choir are now built up. There

Fig. 385.—St. Nicholas’ Church, Aberdeen. Plan.

seems always to have been a solid wall between the transept and the nave aisles, with only a small opening of communication in each of about the size of an ordinary doorway. These openings are of a very plain and simple design ([Fig. 386]). The piers which carry the central tower ([Fig. 387]) are of the usual transitional type, having graceful capitals and square abaci supporting round arches. These are shown in detail in [Fig. 388]. They are not visible in the choir and nave.

On each side of the north transept there are two original clerestory windows, those on the east side are seen in Fig. 389, and one of them, which would overlook the roof of the choir aisle ([Fig. 390]), has angle shafts, with carved caps and mouldings. The present large north window of the transept (seen in [Fig. 389.]), the tracery of which is of very late work, has remains of its original features, and in the low pointed recess seen in the same view there is a transition attached shaft, with carved cap and square abacus. There is only a shaft on one side of the recess (as shown on Plan). The pointed arch of this recess, as well as the tomb alongside, below the large window, are of later work.

On the west side of the north wall there has been a round arched doorway, of which traces are yet visible. This is probably the doorway referred to in the following extract of the 10th January 1518—“The said day, the toone consentit and ordanit thair masteris of Kirkwerk to translat thar ( ) and passag to the rudloft, and big up Sanct Nichell dur, and mak a fair wyndo in that gavill of thar croce kirk.”[193]

Fig. 386.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Doorway between Transept and Nave Aisles.

The “fair wyndo” is, doubtless, the window in the north end wall just referred to as having been altered, and seen in Fig. 389. The foregoing are the only original features of the upper church now remaining, all else is of the fifteenth and following centuries, and consists generally of the wide pointed openings leading into the choir; and in the south transept of a fifteenth century sculptured tablet of fine design ([Fig. 391]) with the following modern inscription beneath—“The above stone represents the Chantry or Annual Mass to be sung for his soul. Founded by William Leith, of Barns, Provest of Aberdeen in 1351, who, with many of his Descendants, is Interred underneath.” The monument has had an inscription, now illegible, and has suffered considerably either from neglect or mischief.

The crypt at the east end of the choir is shown on Plan in its proper relation to the transepts, but it is on a lower level. Although, as already stated, no part of the choir now remains, the walls drawn in outline are

Fig. 387.—St. Nicholas’ Church. The Crossing.

built on the site of the old walls, and show that the choir consisted of five bays, with an apse. The total interior length from the east wall of the apse to the tower is about 102 feet. It may be mentioned that the total internal length of the existing church from the west end of the nave to the apse is about 234 feet.

The crypt was approached by two stairs, one from the north and another from the south aisle of the choir. These are now swept away, and only their round arched openings remain as recesses in the walls of the crypt. As these recesses are at a considerable height, most of the steps were probably in the crypt. The stairs shown on the Plan with the windows and doors are all quite modern. The latter lead out to the street, which is at the level of the floor.

The length of the crypt (which corresponds with the width of the choir) is about 65 feet. The crypt consists of one central and two side aisles, with an eastern apse. The plan of these divisions indicates that the central aisle of the choir was only about 3 feet wider than the side aisles, a very unusual arrangement, the side aisles being generally much narrower than the central one. The width of the crypt is about 16 feet, and the length at the apse is about 36 feet 6 inches. It is internally a very picturesque and interesting structure, but it has been badly treated at the time of the rebuilding of the choir. The wonder is that it escaped from being rebuilt, like the rest of the church. It is at present proposed to restore the building by removing the lath and plaster from the walls, and laying the floor at the original level, and also to fill the windows with stained glass. We may express the hope that before this is done the distressing effects of the stained glass in the crypt of Glasgow Cathedral will be duly considered.

Fig. 388.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Details of Piers of Crossing.

The roof is groined throughout, the three compartments in the length ([Fig. 392]) being separated by pointed arches, which spring from moulded caps on octagonal responds. The ribs are the same in all the compartments, except that in the centre and north a length of the ridge rib is omitted (see Plan). The opening into the apse has a stunted

Fig. 389.—St. Nicholas’ Church. North Transept.

round arch ([Fig. 393]), and is a prominent example of the love of the Scottish builders for this form of arch all through the Gothic period. This is the only place in the crypt where the width is sufficient to allow

Fig. 390.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Clerestory Window.

of such an arch reaching the roof without the necessity of undue gabling above the arch, and it further has the effect of giving a dignity and effect of separation to the apse which it would not have possessed with a pointed arch. Each compartment of the apse has a central boss, two of these are shown ([Fig. 394]). All the intermediate ribs spring from corbels at a lower level than the caps of the responds ([Fig. 395]), from which the separating arches spring, and the long diagonals of the centre compartment cut through these caps and rest on the notch formed in the centre of the wide diagonal respond at the opening to the apse (see [Fig. 392.]).

There is a considerable amount of carved woodwork—bench ends and backs of seats—in the crypt, some of the fifteenth or sixteenth century ([Fig. 396]), and some of a later period. These are probably part of the work done by John Ferdour, “wricht,” who, in 1507, contracted to make twenty-four stalls and other furniture “substanciusly and honourable as he may,” as they are begun, “and bettir gif he can” (p. 77).

The height from the present floor, which is about 18 inches above the original level, is 13 feet 4 inches to the centre rib and 7 feet to the top of the respond caps. The walls, being plastered, hide the wall ribs and any of the usual architectural features, if any such exist.

The choir so recently taken down superseded an older one.

Fig. 391.—Tablet in South Transept.

Fig. 392.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Crypt, looking South-East.

It does not appear to be quite certain when the latter was begun, but throughout the Council Register there are numerous references to the “kyrk werk,” and to the “reparacion of the perise kirk of Sanct Nicolace.” These references begin in 1442 and continue for about a century. In 1474 there is a contract for delivering six score stones of lead to “Schir Andro

Fig. 393.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Crypt, looking North-West.

Wricht, maister of the kirk wark” (p. 32), and three years later “Alexander of Charmyr,” alderman, was appointed “vpper and principale maister of wark of the bigeing of Sanct Nicholace qveyr for twa yeris to cum” (p. 33). Sir Andrew was probably an ecclesiastic, and he and Chalmers appear to have been the paymasters.

Fig. 394.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Bosses in Crypt.

Fig. 395.—Plan of Piers in Crypt, with Caps and Ribs.

In 1483 David Menzis, elder, was master of the kirk work, and purchased a boat load of lime for the building, and in the following year “Maistre Johne Gray, mason,” was appointed “to the bigging of Sanct Nicolace wark.” He engaged to work in his own person, and to superintend the masons and other workmen. He was “to be lele and trew to the said wark for al the dais of his life, unto the completing and ending of the same” (p. 41). It would appear that there were but few skilled workmen employed in the building, as only some five or six men are mentioned by name in the register. They are frequently referred to, and appear to have been bound to remain at the building during the pleasure of the Council. In the same year that Gray was appointed the feeing of a single mason was a matter of so much importance as to occupy a whole sitting of the Town Council and “diuerse of the communite” (p. 41), and in the year following (1493) three masons were sent to Cowie (a few miles south from Aberdeen) to work there for a year quarrying stones for the church. The shifts and expedients to find funds for the building run through all the deliberations of the Council. In 1495 about fifty

Fig. 396.—St. Nicholas’ Church. Carved Bench End.

citizens advanced the money “to pay Johne Ferdour for the making of the roff and tymmir of the queyr” (p. 56), and in 1500 a contribution of “salmond and money” was made for lead for the church. This offering was not sufficient, and we find other negotiations had to be gone into to raise funds, and it was not till 1510 that they were able to order the master of the kirk work, George Bisset (a new master), to “cause the plumbar to pass and ende his werk, and theik the body of thar kirk with leide” (p. 80), and at last, in 1513, a gilded “weddercok” is set up on “Sanct Nicholace stepill.”