About a mile to the west of this, on the Tweed, stands the village of Newstead, a place remarkable for another abbey on the east side of it, called Red Abbey-stead; and about half a mile from Newstead, on the south side of the river, stands the present abbey of Melrose. This monastery, from the ruins which yet exist, appears to have been truly magnificent and spacious. It still con tinues to be the admiration of strangers ; and from the height and embellishment of its columns, the symme try of its parts, the beauty of the stone of which it is built, and the delicacy of its sculpture, it may be re garded as one of the finest specimens of Gothic archi tecture which exist in this country. It was founded by king David in t t36, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and endowed with large revenues and many immuni ties, as appears by the charters granted to the abbot and convent by our kings. The monks were Cister tian, and the monastery of Melrose was a mother church or nursery for all that order, in many various and remote regions of Scotland.
The church is built in the form of St. John's cross. The chancel, which is a very stately fabric, is still standing ; its roof is very curious, and has much of the scripture history sculptured upon it. Much of the western part of this building is so entirely demolished, that it cannot be precisely ascertained how far it reach ed in that direction. What still exists is of the follow ing dimensions. Its length is 258 feet, breadth t37-1, circumference about 943 ; height of the east window 24, breadth 16 ; height of the south window 341, breadth 15-1 ; height of the steeple 75, the spire gone. The east window, at which was the great altar, is a beautiful structure, consisting of four pillars or bars, with a great deal of curious work between them ; and on each side a great number of niches for statues ; on the top, an old man with a globe in his left hand, rest ing on his knee, and a young man on his right, both in a sitting posture, with an open crown over their heads (See Plate CLXX. of Civil ARCHITECTURE) On the north and south of this window are two others of smaller dimensions. The niches are curiously carv ed, both the pedestals and canopies, on which seve ral figures of men and animals are curiously cut. On the south•cast of this church are a great many mu sicians, admirably cut, with much pleasantness and gaie ty in their countenances, accompanied with their vari ous instruments; also nuns with their veils, some of them richly dressed. The south window is very much admired for its height and curious workmanship. There
are niches on each side and above it, where have bet.n statues of our Saviour and the apostles. Besides, there are many other figures on the east, or on the west side of this window : monks curiously cut, with their beards, cowls, and 'beads ; a cripple on the hack of a blind man ; several animals cut very nicely, as boars, grey hounds, lions, monkeys, and others. There are about sixty-eight niches in the whole, standing ; the statues were only demolished about the year 1649.
With regard to the inside of the church, on the north side of the cross, there are beautiful pillars, the sculp ture as fresh as if it had been newly cut. On the west side is a statue of St. Peter ; and to the south of it one of St. Paul. In the middle of the cross stood the steeple, a piece of noble architecture ; a quarter of it yet standing, but the spire gone. The roof of the south side of the cross is still standing, where there is a beautiful stair-case, much admired, the roof of it wind ing like a snail cap. There was within the church a vast number of fonts, curiously carved, and altars dedi cated to various saints. In the portion of the church where worship is at present performed, there arc two rows of pillars of excellent workmanship, especially that to the south-east, which, for fineness, looks like Flanders lace.
With regard, lastly, to what was in part or altogether separated from the body of the church, there was a cloister on the north side, a part of the walls of which are still remaining ; and where may be observed plea sant walks and seats, with a great many fine flowers of various kinds, nicely cut. The door at the north entry of the church is curiously embossed; and the foliage here, and in several places of the church, very beautiful. There were also here a great many fine buildings within the convent, for the use of the abbot and monks, with gardens and other conveniences ; all inclosed within an high wall, about a mile in circuit. Besides the high church, there has been a large fine chapel where the manse now stands ; and another house adjoining to it, where the foundation of the pillars is still to be seen. On the north side of this house, there has been a curi ous oratory, or private chapel, the foundation of which has been lately discovered, and a large cistern of one stone, with a leaden pipe, conveying the water to it. See The Statist. Account of Scotland, vol. ix. ; Forsyth's Beauties of Scotland, vol. ii. ; and the Description of the Parish of Melrose, by the Rev. Mr. Milne, 1743. (z)