Fig. 459.—St. Andrews Cathedral. Priory. Harbour Gate.
Among other bishops who were builders of portions of the cathedral, not already mentioned, was William Malvoisine (1202-33). According to Spottiswoode, he “advanced the fabrick (which was then a-building) more than any that went before him.” It is probable that part of the nave (most of which Winton credits to Wishart) may have been built by him.
In the time of Bishop William de Landel (1341-85), in the year 1378, the cathedral suffered considerably from fire. The bishop and the prior, Stephen de Pay, repaired the damage. According to Winton they renewed all the woodwork of the roof of the transepts, choir, and aisles with “aiken werk of Tre,” and covered them with “Thak of Lide.” The two pillars in the north and south transepts appear to have been so much damaged that they had to be entirely renewed, the wall above having to be supported. According to Winton—
“Twa pillaris new on ilka syde
In that Corskyrk war made that tyde,
As yhe may se thaim apperand
Undyre the auld werk yhit standand.” (B. ix.)
The pillars are gone, only the foundations of the two south ones remaining; but it is interesting to observe on the spot that the respond still standing against the south transept wall is of the style one would expect to find in work of the fourteenth century. Winton further says that at the same time “a quartare of the stepil of stane wes made,” which probably means that the central tower was raised, but not the spire.
According to Winton,[22] the fire destroyed the south half of the nave, from the west end eastwards to, and including, the ninth pillar. As these nine pillars were renewed, with the help of certain lords whose arms were carved on them, possibly, as in the case of the transepts, the wall and roof above were supported during this operation.
“Lytil overe sevyn (7) years their gert wyrk
And mak all this werk of the kyrk.”
From the Exchequer Rolls[23] of 1381-84, we find that the Crown contributed to the rebuilding of the cathedral at this time. Perhaps the upper portion of the west front above referred to was rebuilt at this period. Although the work is much decayed, its character would lead to that belief. The restoration begun by Bishop Landel was completed by Bishop Wardlaw (1404-40). He improved the interior by the introduction of fine pavements in the choir, transept, and nave. He also filled the windows with stained glass.
Of the minor works of the cathedral almost nothing remains. There are a few flat tombstones with inscriptions[24] still legible, but of the tombs of Bishops Gameline, Lamberton, and Walter Trail not a vestige is left. Winton, who saw these tombs, the last having been built in his own time, thus refers to them in describing the death of Lamberton.