The church has been originally constructed in the late Norman style of about the end of the twelfth century, passing into the transition style; but the upper part of the tower has been rebuilt at a later period.
A portion of each of the departments of the church survives, but in the case of the chancel there remains only a fragment. The chancel is the only part which had aisles, but these have now entirely disappeared; and of the chancel itself, all that remains ([Fig. 312]) is two of the south main piers, with their arches, and two stories of arcades above, which represent the triforium and clerestory. This arrangement is peculiar, and the effect is striking.
Fig. 316.—Kelso Abbey. West Doorway.
The main piers consist of a circular column, five feet in diameter, with smaller attached half-columns on three sides to carry the moulded arches between the main piers and the arches between the latter and the aisles. The piers have caps of the usual Norman modified cushion pattern, and the arches were moulded and arranged in several orders. The arcade immediately over the main arches has a row of single round shafts, with spreading Norman caps, which carry a series of moulded arches, occupying the position of the triforium. The upper arcade, which takes the place of the clerestory, has shafts of triple form, with wide-spreading bases and caps of Norman and transition design. On the latter rest the round boldly-moulded arches. The arches opposite the windows in the outer wall are slightly larger than the others. It will be observed that there is no main vaulting shaft carried up over the main piers, as is almost invariably the case, for the purpose of strengthening the wall. On the contrary, the triforium arcade is continuous, and no provision is made to support the side wall, except the single shafts of the running arcade, which have a very weak effect. In the usual arrangement the triforium arches are separated by a substantial piece of wall, including a vaulting shaft, and the triforium arch, which is generally subdivided into several subordinate arches, is introduced between the vaulting shafts.
That is a much more substantial form of construction, and also more satisfactory to the eye, than the plan adopted here of a simple continuous arcade.
Fig. 317.—Kelso Abbey. North End of Transept.