east-lothian-1924/05-092

Transcription

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

the Douglases when he was restored to his
Scottish possessions in 1409, these bearings can
apply only to him and must therefore have
escaped the destruction of 1488.

1 Miller's Dunbar, p. 4 ; 2 Scotich. Lib.,
xiii., c.xli. ; 3 Acta Parl. Scot. ii., p. 211 ;
4 Accts. Lord High Treas. s.a. ; 5 Pitscottie's
Chronicle of Scotland, S.T.S., vol. I., p. 303 ;
6 Scot. Pap. i., No. 174 ; 7 Ibid, p. 208 ;
8 Ibid, No. 862 ; Cal. St. Pap. For. 1559-60;
pp. 404, 482 ; 9 Scot. Pap. i., No. 855 ; 10 Ibid,
p. 484 ; 11 Act. Parl. iii., p. 33 ; 12 Archaeo-
logical Association Journal (with illustration)
xxv. (1869) p. 344 ff. See also Grose's Anti-
quities of Scotland i., p. 88.

vii. N.W. 25 May 1920.

37. Town House.-Midway along the High
Street on the north side and opposite to the
Edinburgh road, is the Town House, a very
harmonious little composition in the Renaiss-
ance style as rendered in Scotland in the early
17th century, probably about 1620 (fig. 63).
On plan the building is oblong, the major axis
running approximately north and south. From
the west wall there projects to the street a
semi-hexagonal tower containing a staircase on
the two lower storeys and a clock chamber
on the uppermost. The main block is in three
storeys with dormer windows.
The masonry is of the local red freestone
and is built in rubble with polished and
moulded dressings but was originally rough-
cast, remaining so until improvements were
effected on the structure a few years ago, at
which time the little projecting shops or
booths, which had been erected against the
west face, were removed. The lower windows
have been enlarged. The dormers, set one on
each side of the tower, have a quirked edge-roll
on jambs and lintel ; the pediments contain
oval panels. The gabletted crowsteps are un-
usual and noteworthy. The tower is carried
above the wall head level and is divided into
four stages by an intake and stringcourses. The
entrance to the building is through the straight
arched doorway in the north-west face of the
tower. The jambs and arch are simply moulded.
The tower terminates in a very graceful timber
spirelet, the lower portion of which is slated,
the upper sheathed in lead and pierced by oval

28

lucarnes, above which is a weathercock. The
spire is not original. Internally there is little
of interest. The lower portion, which was
the tolbooth, now houses the municipal offices ;
in the council chamber, which lies above, are
painted wooden panels depicting the arms of
the Union. One of these is dated 1686.
SUNDIALS.-The tower bears on two faces
a sundial of stone with copper gnoma.

MISCELLANEOUS.

38. Cross at Town House.-In the south-
eastern re-entering angle there stands a com-
posite "cross" (fig. 63) made up of a 16th century
octagonal shaft with symmetrical cap and base
mouldings, surmounted by three skewputs
bearing grotesque human heads, the whole
crowned by a stone thistle. The fragments of
which this object is composed are in no way
related in date, but the skewputs are probably
relics of the old parish church, which was re-
placed by the present modern structure on the
same site. The shaft may well be that of the
" castle cross " referred to in the historical
note on No. 36.

vii. N.W. 25 May 1920.

39. Sepulchral Monument, Parish Church.-
The parish church, which dates from 1819, re-
placed an earlier building, the collegiate church
of Dunbar on the same site, an eminence at
the south-east end of the main street.
Within the church is a fine mural monument
of Renaissance design (Fig. 2) in memory of
George Hume, Earl of Dunbar, Lord High
Treasurer or Chief Treasurer of Scotland and
Chancellor of the Exchequer in England1 who
died in 1611.

1 Act. Parl. Scot., iv.,p. 293.

vii. S.W. 25 May 1920.

40. Lochend.-Within the grounds of Loch-
end House near the south lodge are the frag-
ments of a two-storeyed 17th century mansion.
Some 20 feet of the lateral walls are standing to
the wall-head, as well as the gable, from which
projects a semi-octagon not unlike a modern
oriel. The gable is continued as a courtyard

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Douglas Montgomery

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