In repairing the capitals of the pillars, the work is exe cuted so much in the manner of the old carving, that the difference cannot be perceived ; and in the small vestibule, the ffonts of the galleries, the pulpit, and indeed all the modern parts, the Gothic style is perfectly preserved. The whole is painted of a grey colour, which appears suffi ciently neat and clean, without the least glare or tawdri ness ; and the sober imposing effect of the church is worthy the memory of the architect, who, by the pure and classical taste of his public buildings, has done so much to ornament this city.
About the same time leave was given to a society of sacred music to erect an organ in what is commonly called the choir ; and this was executed by Mr David Hamilton, architect, in a manner creditable to his taste.
In 1811, the seats in the outer High Church were com pletely removed, and the whole of the interior renewed in a manner well suited to the magnificence of the place ; the pulpit has been removed from the south side to the west end of the church ; and in 1812, the great western window, immediately over the original grand entrance, was opened, at an expellee upwards of 5001. This window is 44 feet 6 inches high by 23 feet 6 inches wide.
The heritors of the Barony parish, taking into conside ration the ruinous condition of the seating of their church, and finding the space not large enough for the increased population of the parish, agreed to abandon it as a place of worship. Accordingly, in the year 1801, the seats were removed, and it was again converted into a burying-place, such as it had originally been. This repository for the dead contains 65 pillars, with capitals of curious work manship, supporting the groined arches, underneath the stone floor of the Inner High Church ; the whole is ren dered visible by a glimmering light passing through small apertures retained from the former windows. When a stranger enters this place and examines the monuments of art, and those erected to the memory of departed worth, he is insensibly struck with veneration and awe.
The entrance to the choir is now by the south front. It is 74 feet 6 inches long, 63 feet wide, and 90 feet high, and has a grand imposing effect, the pillars being more than 80, and the windows 40 feet high.
The south transept has long been used as a burying place for the clergymen of the city : the style and execu tion of the work in this aisle is much admired. Imme
diately over this, a flower garden was placed ; but in 1812, it was removed, and a stone pavement, concealed by a parapet, substituted in its place. The north transept, for merly the Chapter House, has been fitted up as a private burying-place.
The Bishop's Palace or Castle, erected in 1430, stood somewhat to the south-west of the cathedral, nearly in front of where the Royal Infirmary now stands : it was in closed with a strong wall of hewn stone by Archbishop Beaton : the ruins of the castle were removed in 1739, to make way for the erection of the Infirmary.
The College church is situated on the east side of the High Street, a little below the College. It is a plain build ing, partaking of the Gothic, with a small steeple in front, containing a clock and bell. It was built in 1699, on the site of a tenerable Gothic pile, termed the church of the Black Friars, wnich %1 as unfortunately destroyed in 1666 during a violent storm. At the Reformation this church was made over to the College, but was some time after wards conveyed to the community under certain restric tions.
The Tron church, situated on the south side of the Trongate, a little to the eastward of King Street, was found ed and endowed by the community in 1484, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Prior to the Reformation, a number of chaplainries were founded in it, by pious and wealthy citizens. In the year 1592, this place of worship under went a thorough repair ; and on the 8th February 1793, it was destroyed by fire. The steeple belonging to this church, which is of mixed ancient architecture, projects into the Trongate, and forms a striking feature in that street : it was built in 1637, is 126 feet high, and has a Clock and two bells in it. The under part of the steeple being formerly used as a tron, gave to it its present name. In 1794, this church was rebuilt on the site of the old one, from designs by Alt. James Adam. It is a plain modern building, surmounted by a spacious cupola.
The north-west church, situated in Canon Street, front ing Candleriggs Street, was erected by the community in 1721. Its form is oblong, lying east and west, with a trans verse aisle. A steeple 140 feet high, having a clock and bell in it, is placed at the south front of the church. The steeple displays less taste than might have been expected from the period in which it was built.