The oldest part of the nave, after the south-east doorway, is the wall of the north aisle ([Fig. 484]). The responds opposite the piers are very bold. Each consists of a central shaft, with sharp edge to the front, and a round shaft on each side of it. The responds have rounded abaci and caps all richly carved with foliage, and a moulded band in the centre. The lower story of the wall contains an arcade of interlacing arches springing from single shafts, the caps of which have square abaci and very rich foliage ([Fig. 485]). The arch mouldings are flat, and contain a quantity of small nail-head ornament between the rolls. The windows above the arcade are single lancets—one in each bay ([Fig. 486].) On the exterior the lower part of the wall is
Fig. 486.—Holyrood Abbey. North Doorway and North Side of Church.
plain, and each lancet has a pair of nook shafts, with simple cap, having a square abacus. The arch head is in two orders, both splayed, the outer order having the splay enriched with a series of plain ball
Fig. 487.—Holyrood Abbey. South Aisle.
ornaments. In the interior (see [Fig. 484]) these windows show a plain splayed ingoing, the inner sconsion being formed into an obtuse nook, containing a bold shaft, with cap spreading its foliage widely so as to fill up the obtuse angle. The arch contains bold first pointed mouldings.