east-lothian-1924/05-057

Transcription

[Note] Anglian cross-shaft from Aberlady , now at Carlowie Castle , see West Lothian Inventory. No 350.

INVENTORY
OF THE ANCIENT AND HISTORICAL MONUMENTS AND
CONSTRUCTIONS IN THE COUNTY OF EAST LOTHIAN
OR HADDINGTON ASSIGNED TO A DATE BEFORE 1707

(The Monuments are grouped in their parishes, and the parishes are in
alphabetical order. The Roman numerals with letters at the end of each
article give the O.S. map on the 6-inch scale on which the position of the
subject of the article may be found. The date is that of the visit upon
which the account is based.)

ABERLADY.

ECCLESIASTICAL STRUCTURES.

1. Luffness Convent. - The remains of an
establishment of Carmelite Friars¹ are situated
within the policies of Luffness House equi-
distant 1/4 mile from the House and the village
of Aberlady. The foundations of the church
can be discerned, but the conventual
buildings have almost entirely disappeared.
About 100 yards to the north-north-east of
the church are the remains of two fishponds, and
100 yards farther in the same direction is a
fragment of building, now incorporated in a
boundary wall.

[Plan inserted]
FIG. 32 .- Church, Luffness Convent (No. 1).

The church (fig. 32) was an oblong structure,
orientated and unaisled, comprising nave and
choir both apparently contained beneath one
roof. The eastern portion of the choir is ele-
vated to form a sanctuary 11 1/2 feet in length.
From the north wall of the choir there projected
a sacristy, which can be traced for only some
few feet of its east and west walls. At the
angles of the church two buttresses are placed
at right angles to each other. On the east gable
there is a central buttress, and on the west
gable are two intermediate buttresses. A
splayed basement course returns around the
gables and the buttresses, except at the south-
west angle, where the course abuts on the
buttress projecting westwards. The gables are
3 feet thick ; the lateral walls 2 feet 4 inches.
Traces of other buildings can be seen on the
north and south of the church.
The nave, which is 20 feet 2 inches wide and
43 feet 8 inches long is separated from the
choir by a pulpitum 2 feet 9 inches thick. The
choir is the same width as the nave and is
48 feet 7 inches long. The doorway in the north
wall opening into the sacristy had a pointed
arched head. The sanctuary is elevated on two
steps above the level of nave and choir, the
lower step being 6 inches east of the sacristy
door.
EFFIGY. - In the north wall of the sanctuary
is an arched tomb recess containing a much
weathered effigy of a knight, 6 feet 6 inches
in length by 2 feet 4 inches broad, wearing a
surcoat over armour apparently of mail and
having a heater shaped shield inclined to the
left. At present lying on the effigy is a frag-
ment of masonry, which is circled on its upper
surface and wrought within the circle in flutes
to resemble a six pointed rowel 1 1/4 feet in
diameter. A very similar object in Bodmin
Church, Cambridgeshire, is a piscina.
MONUMENTAL SLAB. - In the centre of the
sanctuary is a mutilated 15th century monu-
mental slab 7 feet by 4 feet bearing a patriar-
chal cross on a step. On the uppermost arm
is inscribed I N R I ; below the lower arm a

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