Fig. 404.—Pier in South Transept.
The east wall of the cloister, which partly remains, has traces of an old doorway (see Plan) about 4 feet 6 inches wide, now built up. It was secured by a sliding bar, the channel for which is still in existence. This doorway is shown in Cardonnell’s Picturesque Antiquities of Scotland as a round arched door. Above it is shown a pointed arched window, and at about 20 feet to the south a great pointed archway, not unlike the arching of the “Pends” at Arbroath. This great archway is also shown by Grose, but the above-mentioned doorway with the sliding bar is not seen in Grose’s view owing to a wall hiding it from his point of view; however, he shows the pointed arched window above. Both the above authors indicate that a wall ran eastward at right angles.
There are several grave-slabs at Coldingham, of which four are illustrated. Three of these are small in size, and the fourth is considerably larger. That shown in [Fig. 405] has bevelled edges, with a foliaged cross containing thirteenth century carving. At the top of the cross there is a wasted bust, and at the foot there are Calvary steps. The slab measures 2 feet 2 inches high by 11½ inches wide at the top, tapering to 8 inches at foot. The other three crosses are apparently of a later date.
Figs. 406 and 407 are, like Fig. 405, of small size, the first measuring 32 inches high by 10⅜ inches at the top of the slab, and tapering to 8⅛ inches at the base, and the latter 27 inches high by 10 inches without taper.
[Fig. 406] is of an elaborate and peculiar design. On the flat slab a shallow bead with a circular head encloses the design. This consists of two stars at the top, and then of three upright flat-beaded figures about 6 inches high, with corded lines across them; then a Greek cross, a star, and, finally, a double row of three stars. The arrangement of the stars somewhat resembles the similar features at the chancel arch of Legerwood, Berwickshire. The small slab ([Fig. 407]), which may be
Fig. 405.
