In the survey of the province of Moray, in Scotland, we have the following particulars respecting the priory of Pluscardinc, situated six miles west of Elgin, which, in the distribution of its internal buildings, is said to be after the plan of the French priories and convents of that xra. It was surrounded by a stone wall about 15 feet high, including an area of ten acres. The first edifice is the church, originally intended to have been built in the form of a cross.
Dimensions of Pluscardine Priory.
Feet. In.
Length from north to south, (on the east has been a suit aisles,) 94 4i Breadth within the aisles, 27 8 Ditto including the aisles, 46 10 Length of the eastern transept, 56 1 Breadth of ditto, 26 4 Contiguous to the church, on the south, is the Lady or Virgin's aisle, extending from cast to west, 56 1 Breadth of ditto, 13 0 To the south of the Lady's aisle is the chap ter-house, supported by a clustered pillar, an elegant room, having four very large windows, it is (square,) 30 0 Contiguous to this, on the south, is a vault ed lobby, leading to a cloistered court on the west.
Feet. In.
Beyond this, to the south, is the kitchen, sup ported by two pillars; length 45 6 Breadth 29 8 Beneath the southmost half of the kitchen was a large vault, employed as a cemetery ; the doors to it arc still to be seen.
Contiguoua to, and at right angles with the kitchen, on the Nvcst, was the refectory, a large hall ; length 94 0 Beneath this there was a range of cellars.
On the west of the Lady's aisle and chapter house, kc. was a cloistered court, for en joying the benefit of the open air in rainy weather ; its south wall was formed by the north wall of the refectory ; length . . 99 8 Breadth 94 4 Along the roofs of the Lady's aisle, and chap ter-house, and kitchen, was the dormitory ; length 114 2Breadth 29 8 It was divided by a passage in the middle into two suits of bedchambers, in number thir teen.
At the south-cast corner of the kitchen stood the prior's house, communicating with tile church by a door in the south-east cor ner of the dormitory, the passage in the mid dle of which led by another door to the church.
Immediately above the east gate of the ga ble of the Lady's aisle was a chamber, in which the prior usually spent the forenoon.
Contiguous to the north side of the transept, and with it by a dour, was the vestry, a vaulted building, . (square) 16 0
The garden was well stored with fruit trees, and a stream was conducted within the boundary wall, and drove a corn mill.
This priory was founded in 1230, by king Alexander 11. The monks were Cistercians.
After the very full discussion respecting the progress of the Norman and Gothic styles, which we have alrea dy introduced into the heads of History and Practice, we shall be very succinct in the following references to the engraved specinitns, for which we are indebted to the pencil of Mr Wore.
Plate CLX Vl. Fig. 1. Crypt at Minstrc, in the Isle ol Thanct. Mr Flaxman states, ou the authority of one of our ancient historians, that there was a monastery at this place, which was destroyed by the Danes in the year 600 and which was never afterwards rebuilt. It is therefore probable, that this crypt (which now forms the cellar ol a fat m house) was pan of this early monastery. The style is very simple, and might with propriety be refer red to an early dale, without this additional circumstance in its fa% our.
Fig. 2. \Vest door of the church of Cliff near Dover. This is a specimen of the early Norman style. The pe diment over the semicircular door is decorated with the billet moulding, an ornament peculiar to this style. The keystone of the outer semicircular arch consists of a rude representation of the Deity in the act of benedic tion, and on each side is an angel. Within is a narrow border of semicircular interlacing arches ; next to which is the embattled fret, another ornament also peculiar to this style. The innermost moulding is decorated with a series of flowers, in the execution of which there is no variety.
Plate CLXVII. Fig. 1. South entrance to the church of Jedburgh in Roxburghshire. The monastery of Jed burgh was founded by David I., consequently its age can be nearly ascertained. The north entrance is the latest Norman style. On the outside is the zig-zag, or chev ron ornament, the most common of all the decorations used by the Normans. Next to this is a moulding, co vered with a series of grotesque figures and flowers. The capitals of the columns arc finished with foliage, and the columns themselves clustered.