The rebuilding of the nave was, doubtless, carried out during the restoration subsequent to the ruin caused by the “Wolf of Badenoch,” in 1390. This restoration is in the style of the Scottish decorated work
Fig. 551.—Elgin Cathedral. South Side of Nave.
which flourished during the fifteenth century. It should, however, be kept in view, as above pointed out, that some of the details of the west window of the south aisle wall and the south porch seem to indicate that the south wall had been extended to its present position in first pointed times. The restoration in the decorated period (after the great destruction of 1390) may, therefore, have proceeded on the earlier lines of the thirteenth century. The traceried windows of the south aisle are clearly of the decorated period. The corbels which carry the arches in the towers, in the bay of the interior next the west doorway, are also of fifteenth century work.
There have been cross walls dividing some bays of the outer aisle into chapels. Of these some fragments can be traced in the south aisle, and a few of the piscinas and ambries still remain.
The chapter house ([Fig. 552]) appears to have been originally built about the same time as the east part of the choir, the buttresses being similar in design, but it was afterwards considerably altered.
As it now stands, the chapter house is practically a structure of the late pointed period. It is the only example remaining in Scotland of a similar detached octagonal edifice, with central pillar and vaulted roof ([Fig. 553]). It is 37 feet in internal diameter on the ground floor; but the walls have the peculiarity that, about 8 feet above the floor, they are corbelled out, and overhang towards the interior. On the side opposite the entrance where the bishop’s seat stood the corbelling is carried on an arcade of five arches, enriched with third pointed ornaments. On the other sides the corbelling is horizontal, with foliaged caps and corbels at intervals, and detached leaf ornaments in the mouldings.
It is apparent from the alteration of the masonry of the exterior that the windows have been inserted in an older structure. Probably the chapter house suffered so severely at the hands of the “Wolf of Badenoch” that it had to be almost rebuilt. The interior of the walls appears to have been relined with ashlar work when the restoration took place, new vaulting being erected and enlarged windows introduced at the same time. The new facing of the interior of the wall is carried round all the sides, except that in which the entrance doorway is situated. There it stops short, and the old wall is visible. This lining accounts for the unusual projection of the upper part of the wall above mentioned (see [Fig. 553]).