east-lothian-1924/05-219

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WHITEKIRK AND] HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. [TYNNINGHAME

pet borne on corbels, within which rises a
pyramidal spire of wood. Towards the west
end of the nave on the south side there is a
porch. On the north side, within the angle
formed by the transept and the nave wall, a
turret contains a circular staircase giving
access to the floors in the crossing tower.
West of the stair a loft has been added as a
projection. On the east side of the transept
another projection was formed to contain a
staircase leading to a loft within this north
arm. In a previous alteration the nave was
restored and the south transept re-erected.
The chancel was covered with a steeply-
pitched wooden roof over a pointed barrel
vault of stone. The east gable terminates in

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 168. - Whitekirk, Front of Gallery (No. 200).
(From Drawing by J.S.Richardson.)

crow-steps above an east window of unusual
type for the position, being small, circular and
quatrefoiled. Above it is a panel on which is
carved a shield, charged with a fess, appare-
ently cheque, behind which is a crozier-
possibly the arms of Abbot Crawford of Holy-
rood (1460-83 Crawford=gules, a fess ermine).
If this window is original, as it appears to be,
its size and position may indicate that there was
an unusually high reredos behind the altar.
In alinement with the gable are buttresses in
three stages, and similar buttresses divide the
chancel externally into two bays. Each bay
on the south contains a pointed window filled
with tracery with soffit cusps, but the sill of
the easter of these south windows has been
raised for the later insertion of a doorway
below. Only the eastmost bay of the north
wall of the chancel contains a window.
The south-western porch (fig. 34) has typical

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15th century diagonal buttresses in two stages,
with niches on the inner flanks, which terminate
in square pinnacles surmounted by finials. The
porch is entered through a pointed archway
with roll-and-hollow mouldings on the jambs
and archivolt, which are separated by impost
members. On a panel above the archway is
carved a canopied recess with little buttresses
at the sides terminating in crocketed pinnacles.
Within the recess so formed is a plinth with a
quatrefoil on its face, and on the back can be
seen the backing of the absent effigy. This
panel may not be in situ, as local tradition
says it was found in the churchyard and placed
in its present position for preservation. The
gable is crow-stepped. The roof of the porch
is a pointed barrel vault with diagonal ribs
springing from projecting corbels. Stone
benches return along the lateral walls, and a
doorway with roll-and-hollow mouldings on
jambs and lintel admits to the nave. Over
this doorway is an empty niche.
The interior of the church is plain. The
crossing and the chancel are the only portions
retaining features of interest. The piers
supporting the central tower are massive and
have chamfered edges. In the east face of
the south-western pier is an opening, now
built up, which had a depth of 6 feet by 12
inches wide. The crossing arches are semi-
circular and also have chamfered edges;
between these rises a vaulted roof with
diagonal ribs meeting at a central shield-shaped
boss charged with a saltire to dexter and a
Latin cross at sinister, the latter suggesting
that the upper sinister angle was looped.

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