east-lothian-1924/05-239

Transcription

YESTER.] -- HISTORICAL MONUMENTS (SCOTLAND) COMMISSION. -- [YESTER.

walls of the transept and along a portion of
the choir walls. A piece of carving repre-
senting two grotesque animals, over one of
which peers a human head, is built into the
south skew of the east gable ; this probably
came from the older church, as there is no trace
of any similar work on the present building,
which is singularly plain. Modern angle
buttresses are attached to the west wall.
Internally the building presents some features
of interest. Each portion is roofed with a stone
pointed barrel vault necessitating, in the ab-
sence of buttresses, walls quite four feet thick.
There are no signs of there having been a
central tower. The transepts are 13 feet wide
and respectively 17 and 18 feet long internally ;
these open into the crossing by semicircular
arches in two orders. In the gable of each
transept is a three-light window with cusped
semicircular heads, all within a segmental arch
stopping on the splayed jambs. In the east
wall of the north transept is a piscina (fig. 29),
the basin of which is almost entirely broken off;
the head is formed of an ogival arch enriched
on the extrados with crockets. On the sinister
side of the head is a shield charged per pale :
dexter, on an inescutcheon three escutcheons
(Hay) ; sinister three fraises (Fraser). The
Fraser arms were assumed by the Hays after
the marriage of Sir Gilbert de Hay of Loch-
erworth with the daughter and co-heiress of
Sir Simon Fraser of Oliver, Peebleshire
(executed 1306), whence the Hay lands in that
county. The piscina, however, is of a much
later date.
An opening in the north wall of the south
transept in proximity to the arch of the crossing
is filled in, as is a doorway high up in the
north wall near the apex of the roof. The
choir arch has been removed, and a later and
wider arch substituted, which rests on console
capitals and renaissance piers. On the vaulted
roof are traces of quasi-vaulting ribs, as at
Seton, Ladykirk, and other churches of the
period. The choir would appear to have been
shortened, as with a width of 18 feet 10
inches from north to south it only measures
13 feet 7 inches from east to west-an unusual
proportion. Moreover the eastern ribs on the
vaulted roof would terminate against the east
gable before reaching the springing level. The
walls show signs of infilling and renewals. In

144

the east gable, at a height of 11 feet from the
ground, is a three-light pointed window filled
apparently with later tracery of a debased
character. On this window exteriorly is incised
the date 1635.
The Church has been and is still used as a
mortuary chapel by the Tweeddale family and
in it are the following memorials. In the south
transept is a monument in Renaissance style
without any dedicatory inscription. Pilasters
set on either side of a recess on a pedestal
and are surmounted by a cornice, on which
is set a pointed arched tympanum bearing a
shield flanked by the initials W H and H C
and charged per pale, a star between three
escutcheons for William Hay of Linplum
(d. 1614) and a crescent between three cocks
for Helen Cockburn his wife (d. 1627)* The
shield has been tinted red and the other details
of the monument outlined in black colour.
In the same transept are two stones dated
respectively 1566 and 1613 ; a third bears a
skull and cross-bones and the motto " MORS
MORTUA MIHI VITA " ; and on a shield parted
per pale : a chevron within a tressure flory
(for Fleming) ; a chevron between three
cinquefoils two and one (for Hamilton of
Pencaitland).
HISTORICAL NOTE.-Bothans was originally
the name of the parish and village. The
" church of Bothans " paid crusading tithe
in 1275-6.1 It was then but a parish
church, and no doubt is the " church of
Yester" (Yestrith) consecrated by David de
Bernham in 1241. In 1448 Alicia de Hay
granted lands to the alter of the B.V. Mary
and a chaplain celebrating there " in the
collegiate church of Bothans." Stephen Kerr,
provost, and two chaplains were witnesses to
the charter.2 In 1539 Hay of Yester gave to
' Robert Walterstoune ' provost of the colle-
gaite church of Bothans, for the support of a
chaplain in the choir celebrating at the alter
of the Holy Cross, a site for a manse (locum
mansionis faciendi) in the township of Bothans
(in pago de Bothanis).3 The same form appears
in another connection, in references of 1592-
" The college of the bothanis, bothane Kirk,
the preistis of the bothanis etc."4 Then in
1645 we have a specification of templar lands
here as in Sanctbothans,5 and this form has

* Ed. Reg. Test. Part ii., pp. 185, 79.