east-lothian-1924/05-205

Transcription

TRANENT.] -- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. -- [TRANENT.

(2) A recumbent slab of the 16th century
now lying in the lower portion of the grave-
yard bears a shield charged with a lion rampant
apparently surmounting a baton (? for Fer-
guson). Flanking the shield are initials A F
and I C.
(3) On the exterior of the north wall of the
church is a moulded panel, within which,
beneath a helmet and mantling, is a shield
charged with a fess between three roundels
(bezants). " John Fawside of that ilk " is
inscribed on a label below.
(4) The 18th century memorials are heavily
and elaborately carved, the Scott and Seton
table-stones being specially noteworthy.
HISTORICAL NOTE.-The pre-Reformation
church of " Travernent " or Tranent belonged
to Holyrood Abbey, having been granted to it
c. 1150 by Thor, son of Swain, who, as Thor of
Travernent or Trevernent, is a witness to
several charters by David I. Thor's ancestors
had already been benefactors to the church,
apparently its founders, and Thor himself
added two houses and two tofts. The grant
was confirmed by Richard, the contemporary
bishop of St. Andrews, Tranent being in that
diocese, and was repeated by Malcolm IV.
(1153-65), subject to the rights of Walerannus
the chaplain, whose tenure was to continue
till his death. Travernent subsequently (temp.
King William) became the property of the
De Quinceys. The vicarage was rated for
episcopal taxation at £12 (St. Cuthbert's Edin-
burgh at 20 merks) in addition to an assessment
of the alter offerings. In 1250 Roger de
[marginal note]
[?]
Quincey, Earl of Winton, exempted the Abbey
and its tenants in Preston and the grain of
Preston due to the church of Tranent from
multure to his mill at Tranent.2
In 1633 the church was annexed as a prebend
to the new bishopric of Edinburgh3 but, on the
dissolution of the bishopric, reverted to its
purely parochial status.

1 New. Stat. Acct. ii., p. 300 ; 2 Munimenta
Sanctæ Crucis, passim ; 3 Reg. Mag. Sig. s.a.
No. 2225.

ix. N.W. 6 April 1920.

191. Collegiate Church, Seton.-Within the
grounds of Seton House, a modern mansion
built on the site of the 16th century palace of

115

George, fourth Lord Seton, 2 miles east-north-
east of Prestonpans, is an interesting and
unusually complete example, as far as it goes,
of 15th century Scottish ecclesiastical archi-
tecture-the Collegiate Church of Seton (fig.
160). The church, which was dedicated in the
names of St. Mary and the Holy Cross, was
laid out with choir, transepts and nave, but
the last division, as in several other instances,
has not been built (fig. 161). The crossing
is surmounted by a square tower termin-

[illustration inserted]
FIG. 161.-Collegiate Church, Seton (No. 191).

ating in a truncated broach spire, a type
of spire not usually found in Scotland. From
the north wall of the choir there projects an
oblong revestry. The tuskings for the lateral
walls of the nave and the weather table for its
roof can be seen on the west face of the tower ;
the other divisions of the church are entire and
in an excellent state of preservation, the late
proprietor having in 1878 reserved the fabric
to be the burial place of his family. Although
the structure is homogeneous in design, the
various divisions were manifestly not built at
one time.
The site was originally occupied by a parish
church. To this building Catherine Sinclair of
" Hermandston," widow of William, first Lord
Seton who died c. 1409, added a south aisle.
Her grandson George, third Lord Seton, who
died c. 1478, built the present choir and