Fig. 332.—Kirkliston Church. North-East Doorway.
received a freer treatment. The divisions may be regarded as composing four orders, of which the inner order and the third order are enriched with chevron ornaments. The hood moulding has also been carved with the chevron, but the ornament has now almost all disappeared.
The wall of the church in which the above doorway stands is undoubtedly of considerable antiquity, the cornice which carried the original parapet being still in situ. (See [Fig. 330.])
At the north-east angle of the existing church another Norman doorway, removed from elsewhere in the building, has been re-erected. ([Fig. 332.]) The round arch consists of three plain square orders, which spring from the enriched caps of two nook shafts and the jamb moulding. Most of the caps have a transition character, and the carving is fairly preserved.
At the south-east angle of the church is erected the burial-house of John, Earl of Stair, born 1672, died 1747. Over the moulded doorway is the inscription, “Virtute decet non id sanguine niti. 1629.”
Kirkliston from an early period belonged to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John, who held much land in the locality. The church, as altered, is still used as the parish church of Kirkliston.
Fig. 333.—St. Mary’s. Ratho. View of West End.