stirling-1963-vol-1/05_253

Transcription

No. 192 -- CASTLES AND TOWER-HOUSES -- No. 192

[Plan Inserted]
Fig. 83. Stirling Castle (No. 192); the Chapel Royal

W. to E., and there is consequently an undercroft at
the E. end of the building, while the W. end of the
Chapel floor stands about 3 ft. above the E. part. The
lower part of the undercroft (Fig. 77) appears to be
older than the Chapel itself, and contemporary with the
transe on the W, and N. sides of the Great Hall. Except
on the S. front, which is built of ashlar throughout, the
masonry is rubble with freestone dressings. On the N., S.,
and E. there is a splayed offset-course. The S. font
(Pl. 91 A) has a central arched doorway, slightly advanced
and flanked by twin columns set on pedestals and support-
ing a simple entablature, all of the Composite order (Pl.
91 B, C). Above the entablature, within a moulded frame,
there is a small raised panel dated 1594. Three windows
are set on either side of the entrance, each window having
two lights with semicircular heads set within an outer
order. The tympana of the windows once contained
painted decoration in the form of the Royal Cipher and
Crown, ¹ and slight traces of the design are still visible
upon the stonework.
At the E. end of the S. façade there is an anteroom,
which appears to be slightly later in date than the Chapel
and was probably added early in the 17th century; but
tusking was left at the SE. angle of the Chapel in 1594,
as if the anteroom had been contemplated from the
beginning. The S. wall of the anteroom was largely
rebuilt in the 19th century. The eaves-courses are
moulded and both gables are crow-stepped. At the foot
of the E. gable there is a splayed basement-course which
rises and returns round the small chamfered doorway
that gives entry to the undercroft. Above this doorway
there is a small chamfered window. In the centre of the
gable, above the offset course, there is a long two-light
window with moulded jambs; its semicircular arch-
heads seem to be original, but the transom is modern
and at a lower level than the one shown in a drawing of
1719. ² In the uppermost part of the gable there is a
small window with moulded jambs and lintel. In the
W. gable the only feature to be noticed is a chamfered
doorway, now built up, which admitted to the W. and
higher part of the chapel. In the N. wall there is an
original doorway in which a modern window, now blocked
up, has been inserted, as well as an inserted doorway
towards the E. end of the wall.
Internally the Chapel is bare and unfurnished, and is
open to the roof timbers, which are modern and have
recently been strengthened with steel girders. The
original roof, which was painted (cf. p. 187), was
probably waggon-vaulted. The drawing of 1719 ³
suggests that by that time a flat ceiling had been inserted
below the original one, cutting off the tops of the two E.
windows. The raised W. end of the Chapel floor is
reached by steps placed close to the S. wall.
Quite the most interesting feature of the interior is the
painted decoration of 1628-9 (cf. p. 187) which is
executed in tempera, for the most part in white, yellow
and red. This is carried round all four walls as a frieze,
and originally extended over the coving of the ceiling as
well. On the W. gable Jenkin painted a window to match
the upper part of the E. window, and set out a scroll-

1 M of W Accts., ii, 256.
2 National Library of Scotland MS. 1645, Z 2/18.
3 Ibid.

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