Fig. 752.—The Abbey of Inchcolm. Doorway of Chapter House: Interior.
[Fig. 749]), like some of those in Glasgow Cathedral. The building is lighted by pointed and moulded windows (see [Fig. 748]) on three sides, and one window on the north-east side, which is smaller than the others, and has a plain trefoiled arch head in the interior. The window jambs have no caps. A small circular window occurs near the top of the arch of the south-west side of the octagon ([Fig. 751]). The doorway enters through the wall of the east ambulatory. It has jambs containing free shafts and first pointed mouldings ([Fig. 752]). The caps of the shafts are first pointed in style, but they have no bases (see [Fig. 749]). The jamb mouldings terminate in a rather unusual way on a broad splay. The arch is semicircular, or nearly so. A stone bench runs round the interior of the chapter house, and is raised one step above the floor. In the east end are three arched recesses (see [Fig. 748]) with good jamb mouldings, finishing on a splay at bottom, but without caps or bases (see [Fig. 749]). These were, doubtless, the seats of the abbot, prior, and sub-prior. They are raised two steps higher than the other seats. Externally, the chapter house is provided with buttresses on the angles ([Fig. 753]), terminated with gablets, except on the north side, where a continuous water table, with numerous set-offs, is provided, probably because this side was concealed by the choir, and there was no room for buttresses.
Over the east wing of the ambulatory is the dormitory, which is covered with a lofty pointed barrel vault, and is lighted by small, square-headed windows (see [Fig. 743]) looking into the cloister court. There is also a squinch in the east side, from which the high altar could probably be seen. From the east side of the dormitory a steep stair leads to a building which has been erected at a late date over the chapter house. Tradition states that Walter Bower had this upper story built as a quiet retreat, where he might carry on his literary labours undisturbed. It is a rude erection (see [Fig. 753]), and greatly damages the external appearance of the chapter house. It has eight sides, and is clumsily roofed with a pointed barrel vault. There is a large chimney in the north side, a large double window in the south side, and a small window in the south-east side.
The new choir or church erected to the east of the tower has been a structure of considerable size, having been probably about 100 feet in length by about 20 feet in internal width; but this building has now been almost entirely removed, the stones having been used, as we are informed, for the erection of a mansion on the mainland opposite. Only the fragment at the south-west angle, which is incorporated with the dormitory, and in which the ancient window already mentioned exists, now survives. At the east end of the south wall one moulded jamb of the sedilia can be traced (see [Fig. 750]), from which it is apparent that the choir must have extended some feet further eastwards.
Near the sedilia is the entrance to the lady chapel, a structure about 28 feet long by 22 feet wide internally. It is placed at right angles to the choir, and has been covered with a barrel vault, a portion of which
Fig. 753.—The Abbey of Inchcolm. Exterior of South and South-East Sides of Chapter House, &c.