Of the rood itself, as a matter of course, nothing remains. The south-west pier is built hollow to contain the stair to the tower. Since the Plan (Fig. [1032]) was made the original doorway to this stair has been discovered, as shown in the view. The door shown on the Plan has been cut out at some later time.
As already stated, the nave is almost of the same length as the choir
Fig. 1040.—St. John the Baptist’s, Perth. Cap and Base of Choir Pier.
(being only about 12 inches less), but each of the arches of the arcade is of rather smaller span than those of the choir, owing to the internal projecting responds at the west end, which may be regarded as fulfilling the purpose of buttresses, and also to the enlargement of the two great piers on the west side of the crossing. Like the choir, the nave is divided into five bays. It has no triforium nor clerestory, but owing to the comparative lowness of the arcade arches (see Fig. [1042]), while the ridge of the roof throughout is kept at about the same level as in the choir, there is a deep blank wall above the arcade arches. This wall is of rough masonry compared to that in the choir, and the whole of this part of the church is of a much coarser and ruder description, betokening a later age. The capitals of the piers are of the very rudest kind, and are a perfect contrast to the delicate work of the choir. In the meagre descriptions of St. John’s to be found in the books on Perth, this rudeness is pointed to as a sign of great antiquity, but the reverse is unquestionably the case. This nave is undoubtedly “the New Kirk of Perth” referred to in the Chronicle, in which “ane Synodall assemblie” was held in April 1606.
It will be seen from the views (Figs. [1043] and [1044]) that the top of the wall over the piers of the nave just shows itself and no more on the
Fig. 1041.
St. John the Baptist’s, Perth.