THE CHAPEL IN EDINBURGH CASTLE, KNOWN AS “ST. MARGARET’S CHAPEL.”
When treating of Edinburgh Castle in the Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland,[154] this chapel was briefly described and illustrated; but it has been thought of sufficient importance to be included in this volume, with additional illustrations[155] and descriptive matter.
Fig. 192.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. Plan and Sections.
The exterior walls of the chapel ([Fig. 192]) form an oblong, measuring 31 feet 7 inches from east to west, by 16 feet in width at the east end and 14 feet 4 inches at the west end. The angles of the structure are thus not right angles. Although the building is extremely simple in its external aspect, it is more ornamental and of a more developed form of plan in the
Fig. 193.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. Elevations.
interior. The plan comprises a nave with a chancel arch, and a chancel which has a round apse formed within the square east end of the exterior. The nave is 15 feet 10 inches long by 10 feet 4 inches and 9 feet 9 inches wide at the east and west ends respectively. The chancel is 9 feet 7½ inches long, and the same width at the west end. The total interior length is 27 feet 4½ inches. The nave is waggon vaulted, without ribs; and the apse is roofed with a vault forming the quadrant of a dome. The nave vault is about 10 feet 8 inches high. (See sections, Fig. 192.)
The chapel stands on the extreme summit of the Castle rock, and the rock which is seen rising against it on all sides, except the north (on which side the level outside is nearly the same as that of the floor), has, it is understood, in recent years been partially cut away on the south, east, and west sides. ([Fig. 193.]) This operation has to be kept in view in considering the masonry of the exterior walls, for on those three sides there has necessarily been a certain amount of underbuilding, which is consequently of a much more modern character than Norman masonry.
Fig. 194.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. View from South-West.
The genuine surviving Norman masonry begins below the line of the south windows (see [Fig. 194.]). The first two or three courses, which extend up to the sills of the south windows, are built of reddish stone, above which are five courses of a bluish grey stone, the upper course being above the windows. All the masonry above that level on the south and north sides is later work.
The masonry of the north and east sides has been greatly interfered with, as has also that of the west end, where, however, there are several consecutive Norman courses. The east wall appears to have been carried to a greater height than the other walls ([Fig. 194]), as if some higher building had been attached to the chapel.
The alterations above referred to show that the side and end walls have been raised, and we have no doubt that the upper part of the west gable above the window, with the ridge course, is modern, or at least of a date long subsequent to the original building.
The present porch in front of the entrance door on the north side, near the west end, is quite modern, although the doorway itself is ancient. A
Fig. 195.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. Elevation of Chancel Arch.
square-headed doorway, with splayed opening, has, possibly in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries, been cut through the west wall (see [Fig. 194.]). There are indications of a narrow doorway having formerly opened into the chancel on the north side. It is now built up, and forms an ambry on the inside. (See [Fig. 192.])
There are three windows in the south wall, one of them being in the chancel. There is also a window in each of the end walls, the one in the west end being at a considerably higher level than the other (see [Fig. 194.]). All the windows are splayed widely on the inside, and slightly so on the outside, and they are round arched. They are all about 8 inches wide by about 2 feet high. The two westmost windows in the south
Fig. 196.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. Chancel Arch Details.
wall, and the high window in the west gable, give light to the nave; the east window in the south wall, and that in the east wall, light the chancel, the former being in the south side, and the latter in the centre of the circular apse.
There is a locker on the north side of the chancel, and a piscina projects, without any recess in the wall, from the south side. This piscina
Fig. 197.—St. Margaret’s Chapel, Edinburgh Castle. Chancel Arch.
has a very new look, as if it had been rewrought or renewed; but we have no reason to doubt but that it faithfully represents the original piscina. It has the usual drain.
The chancel arch ([Fig. 195]), while quite in proportion to the chapel, is little larger than an ordinary doorway. Its opening measures 5 feet 1 inch wide by 6 feet 4 inches to the springing of the arch, and 9 feet in height, measuring from the nave floor to the soffit of the arch, and there is a step up to the chancel. Each jamb ([Fig. 196]) has two monolithic shafts, set in nooks, with cushion cups. The arch, which is in two corresponding orders, is decorated with the ordinary chevron design. ([Fig. 197.]) Enclosing the arch is a label moulding, enriched with a lozenge pattern. The arch on the chancel side is quite plain.
The arched roof of the nave, which is built with carefully-dressed stones, seems to be of a later date than the walls, the masonry being finer, and of a different and lighter coloured stone.
The existence of this chapel was long lost sight of, till the late Sir Daniel Wilson, in the course of his explorations in Old Edinburgh, discovered the true nature of the building. He thinks that it is in all probability the chapel used by Queen Margaret during her residence in the Castle before her death in 1093, and that it is probably the most ancient chapel in Scotland. It does not, however, appear to be a very early specimen of Norman work, but rather a fairly-advanced example of the style, both in plan and decoration. Had the chapel been erected in the eleventh century, it would certainly have been of a much ruder style of architecture. No Norman building of that period can be shown to exist in Scotland. Sir Daniel supposes it to be earlier than the Norman part of Holyrood, which was founded in 1128; though probably no part was erected till a considerable time thereafter. Now, the doorway on the south side of Holyrood (the only Norman portion of that building remaining) is not unlike the chancel arch here. The caps of the shafts, the chevron decoration of the arches, and the enriched label are all similar in design, and there is no reason whatever for supposing the one to be older than the other.
After the chapel was discovered, it was intended to be used for its original purpose; a font was gifted to it, and the windows were filled with stained glass. It has now, however, degenerated into a shop for the sale of nicknacks to tourists.