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]