ST. MARY’S CHURCH, RATHO, Mid-Lothian.
The village of Ratho lies about one and a quarter mile south from the railway station of the same name, and about eight miles west from Edinburgh.
The parish church is dedicated to St. Mary, and the “Lady’s Well,” in the vicinity, is still in use. Although greatly altered and mostly
Fig. 334.—St. Mary’s, Ratho. South Doorway.
rebuilt, the church still retains some indications of its Norman origin. The view ([Fig. 333]) shows the west end of the church, crowned with its belfry. The buttresses indicate considerable age, but it is scarcely possible to fix their date. The only Norman relic preserved is the doorway in the south-west wall (seen in the sketch). It is built against by the wall of a wing, so that only a portion of the doorway remains visible. This consists ([Fig. 334]) of one jamb, which had a nook shaft and a cushion cap, carrying a plain round arch with a hood mould, carved with a zigzag or saw-tooth ornament.
Ratho Church was connected with Holyrood Abbey, and was a rectory. In 1444 the tiends and patronage were, with the consent of the Archbishop of St. Andrews, made over to the College Kirk of Corstorphine, which was then established. By this means four prebendal stalls were endowed.
ST. PETER’S CHURCH,[184] PETERHEAD, Aberdeenshire.
The remains of the Church of St. Peter, Peterhead ([Fig. 335]), consist of the side walls of the chancel and the entire chancel arch, with a square tower projecting outwards in the centre of the west wall of the nave. No other portion of the nave remains. The tower and west wall are late, but the chancel is of the Norman period. The arch is quite plain, and is supported on square jambs having Norman cushion caps.