Few of our ancient churches are so complete as regards all the divisions of the plan. The nave retains its central compartment, 118 feet in length by 33 feet in width, divided into six bays, and is separated from the side aisles—which are 17 feet in breadth—by two arcades of six arches each. The outer wall of the north aisle is almost entirely demolished, but this, fortunately, rather adds to the picturesque effect of the ruin, whether viewed from the interior or the exterior. In the former case, the distant glimpses of the country as seen through the arches, and, in the latter case, the beautiful view obtained of the interior of the church as seen from the outside ([Fig. 757]), lend an unusual charm to the edifice. The side aisles have evidently been vaulted, from the remains of the vaults still visible. It should be observed that the main arches are slightly depressed, their centres being below the level of the caps. The western doorway is plain and small, and seems, from the corbels above for the support of a roof, to have had some kind of porch in front of it. The doorway was originally surmounted by a large window filled with tracery; but at a later time the tracery seems to have given way, and has been partly
Fig. 757.—New Abbey, or Sweetheart Abbey. View from North-West.
Fig. 758.—New Abbey, or Sweetheart Abbey. Bay of Nave.
replaced by solid masonry, which sustains a wheel of tracery in the arch (possibly part of the original window), while the lower part is divided into three smaller windows, with little buttresses between, each light having been filled with separate tracery. The nave is also provided with the usual door adjoining the transept and leading into the cloisters. There is no triforium, the wall over the nave arcades ([Fig. 758]) being blank till the clerestory is reached. The latter consists in the interior of a series of three arches in each bay, and on the exterior (see [Fig. 757]) chiefly of semicircular windows filled with five pointed openings in each. The sill of the inner arches is kept considerably below the level of that of the outer windows, so as to diminish the blank space between the clerestory and the nave arcade. The main piers consist of a series of rounds, with larger filleted shafts at the angles ([Fig. 759]), and the caps and arch mouldings (see [Fig. 758]) indicate first pointed work.