Amongst the principal structures of the Scottish decorated period, Melrose Abbey holds a prominent place. This building, which had been partly restored through Bruce’s influence, was destroyed by Edward II. in 1322. The restoration was again proceeded with, and the structure was again partly demolished by Richard II. in 1385. The works had to be once more restored, and the structure was not completed till the beginning of the sixteenth century.
A considerable mixture of styles, as would in the circumstances be expected, is therefore found in the different parts of Melrose Abbey; but there can be little doubt, from the nature of the work, that some parts of the building belong to the Scottish decorated period, while other parts have a stronger leaning to the perpendicular style than any other Scottish church. A comparison of the details of this structure with those of York Minster, to which they bear a close resemblance, is convincing evidence of the decorated character of much of the work at Melrose. Whether we look at the beautiful windows and tracery, or at the buttresses, with their simple, but elegant, outlines and panelled surfaces; or at the elaborate and beautiful niches which adorn them, with their fine tabernacle work and spirited sculptures and figures; or at the pinnacles, with their carved crockets and foliaged finials, the style of the whole of the details will be found to correspond very completely in the decorated portions of these two buildings at York and Melrose. Other portions of the work have likewise considerable similarity to the later perpendicular work at York.
The details which connect the other structures of this period with the decorated style will be more particularly referred to in the descriptions of the buildings. A general statement of the characteristic features and details of the style has already been given.[127]
Special attention should, however, be drawn to one feature of Scottish architecture which became very prominent in, and characteristic of, the later phase of its development—viz., the pointed barrel vaulting carrying a stone roof, which covered almost all the churches of the third period.
This we find introduced for the first time during the Scottish decorated period at Lincluden College, a building which was erected early in the fifteenth century, and is a very fine example of decorated work. The roof was designed as a double one, the lower roof over the choir being groined and vaulted in the usual manner; while above this vault there was a pointed barrel vault, with strengthening ribs at intervals, on which rested a roof composed of dressed overlapping stones. Beneath the slope of the upper vault a small room was introduced between the two vaults. At the parish church of Bothwell, also erected by the same Earl of Douglas about the year 1400, a pointed barrel vault supporting a stone roof is employed, but there is no inner groined vault.
These two structures are early examples of a mode of construction which specially distinguishes the churches of the late pointed architecture of Scotland—viz., the almost universal use of the pointed barrel vault supporting a stone roof.
The above two edifices further illustrate another circumstance in connection with the churches of the fifteenth and subsequent century. We have seen that during the fourteenth century, and in the early part of the fifteenth century, attention was chiefly directed to the restoration and completion of the large cathedrals and abbeys begun in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. After the latter date large edifices of a similar description ceased to be undertaken. The religious enthusiasm of the people which gave birth to these splendid structures seems to have exhausted itself, and pious efforts were now chiefly confined to the liberality of individuals who endeavoured to raise monuments to commemorate themselves by the erection of small collegiate and other churches, or by founding altarages and chantries in the large edifices already in existence.
As already mentioned, the decorated style in Scotland is of a belated character, and is not generally so pure as that of the corresponding period in England. It will, however, be recognised that the examples given are sufficient to justify the division of the styles herein proposed. It will also be observed that the examples of the decorated style form a striking contrast, both to the preceding edifices of the first pointed period and to the buildings of the later or third pointed style, by which they were succeeded.
NEW ABBEY, OR SWEETHEART ABBEY, Kirkcudbrightshire.
The remains of this beautiful edifice are situated in a quiet sequestered vale near the base of the hill of Criffel, about seven miles south from Dumfries. The abbey stood on level ground near the Pow Burn, a stream which flows into the estuary of the Nith.