Following this, in the 3rd June of the same year, is the charter referred to conveying the land and privileges to the church and to a chaplain, “who was to be a suitable curate, personally residing and celebrating divine worship and the sacraments irreproachably in the Church of St. Mary of Grantulye.” The church was “to be held for prayers to be made by the
Fig. 1550.—Grandtully Chapel. Interior.
said chaplain for the universal church, the prosperity of King James V. and his kingdom, the granter’s own soul, and the souls of certain of his relatives,” &c.
This gives us the period of the erection of the church, but the painting is later, being shown by the style and by the arms to have been done by Sir William Steuart about the year 1636. Sir William was an intimate friend from childhood of King James VI., and was by him greatly beloved. He married Agnes Moncrieff, daughter of Sir John of that Ilk, and, as already mentioned, their arms are on the ceiling, and their initials are also carved over a small window in the east gable.
GREENLAW CHURCH, Berwickshire.
This church, with its venerable tower, overlooks, in a very prominent manner, the small county town of Greenlaw. The present building occupies the site of an early church, and probably dates from the
Fig. 1551.—Greenlaw Church.
beginning of last century. It is a very simple structure, and harmonises well with the ancient tower. The latter (Fig. [1551]), which is a part of an earlier church, is an interesting example of a Scottish church tower. It is quite plain in its lower stages, and has a corbelled out parapet at the top, which is reached by a stair in the projecting turret, seen in the sketch. The tower is a place of considerable strength, being vaulted on the ground floor, and is probably a building of the fifteenth century.