Fig. 488.—Holyrood Abbey. Details of South Aisle: Inside.
The south wall of the south aisle ([Fig. 487]) is designed in a similar manner to the above, but the details are different and of a rather later character. The responds, although bold, are different from those of the north wall, the shafts being all round, and the centre shaft is separated from the side shafts by a square member, having the angle chamfered. The caps have the same round abacus and bold foliage as those of the north side. The lower story contains a wall arcade, having single pointed arches, with first pointed mouldings. The shafts are free, and the richly foliaged caps ([Fig. 488]) have round and square abaci. The windows over the arcade correspond generally to those in the north wall; but being above the cloister roof, they are short externally, and the sill is deeply
Fig. 489.—Holyrood Abbey. South Wall: Exterior.
sloped on the inside. The windows are all pointed, except those of the two east bays already mentioned. The obtuse nooks for the shafts on the sconsions of the pointed windows are repeated in the two round-headed east windows. The lower part of the exterior of the south wall running westwards from the Norman doorway ([Fig. 489]) is arcaded with a series of large pointed arches, each enclosing five smaller pointed arches, and having a plain wall space between the large and small arches. The caps of these arcades are all of early first pointed work. The one shown in [Fig. 490] is of peculiar design, having probably been worked on at some period. [Fig. 491] shows one of the caps of the triple shaft supporting the springing of the large and small arches. The above large arches were, doubtless, the wall arches for a groined roof over the cloister walk; but whether that vault was ever built it is now impossible to say. The south aisle is the only portion of the edifice which retains its vaulting (see [Fig. 487]). This is of a very simple character, consisting of transverse ribs and diagonal ribs. The vaulting of the north aisle has apparently been similar.
Fig. 490.—Holyrood Abbey.