The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland, vol. 1

Airth Church. [197]

This ruined church adjoins the old Castle of Airth, which lies half a mile from the Forth and eight miles south-east of Stirling. The church is in part a building of considerable antiquity, dating from the transition period about the end of the twelfth or the beginning of the thirteenth century, but it has undergone many alterations, and only a small part of the early structure remains. The building as it now stands (Fig. 423) consists of a

nave and chancel, having a south wing or aisle, containing the Airth vault, and forming a transept, with a tower at the re-entering angle of the Airth aisle, and with indications of an aisle on the north side of the choir. There are also two burial vaults attached to the building, one on the north side and the other at the south-west angle, called respectively the Bruce and Elphinstone aisles. The internal length of the church is 79 feet 3 inches by about 19 feet 9 inches in breadth. The most ancient part of the church (Fig. 424) is on the north side of the nave, and consists of a bay of what has been a nave arcade, opening into a north aisle. One pillar and respond (tinted black on the Plan), with the connecting round arch, still

stand. The original arcade probably consisted of three bays extending to near the west gable, where there are indications, at the ground level, of what appears to have been the western respond. Whether there was originally a south arcade or not cannot now be determined, as this part has been entirely rebuilt, and all traces of the north and south aisles of the nave, if there was a south aisle, have perished. The existing north bay is 11 feet 3 inches wide, and the pillar, which is circular, is about 17 inches in diameter. It has a capital, carved with simple foliage (Fig. 425), and has a square abacus. The arch has a double set of plain arch stones, with plain soffit.

The few details which survive are extremely interesting, and show this to have been a building of some importance. Behind the above bay now stands the burial aisle of the Bruces of Powfoulis. It bears over the doorway the initials of Sir James Bruce and his wife, Dame Margaret Rollox, of Duncrub, and on another part the date 1614. It seems probable that this, as well as the other aisles shown on Plan, contained, on the upper floor, the family seats or galleries of the respective houses whose arms they bear, and a burial vault beneath.

Judging from the few details left, the Airth aisle is a structure of the fifteenth century. It measures about 24 feet 3 inches long by 13 feet 3 inches wide, and has contained a large traceried south window, which is now destroyed, and brought to the condition shown in Fig. 426. The external hood moulding of the window remains with nicely carved terminations (Fig. 427). Beneath this window is seen the top of an arched tomb, in which probably the recumbent effigy (Fig. 428) once lay. There is a small square-headed window in the east wall, divided by a mullion; but, as appears from its mouldings, it is an insertion of perhaps the seventeenth century. Adjoining this is the usual ambry. Beneath this aisle is the burial vault (indicated by dotted lines on the Plan), which is reached by the stair shown. On the outside of the east wall there is a niche for a statue (Fig. 429). It has the usual canopy and bracket so frequent on the churches of this late period. The bracket (Fig. 430) contains the Bruce arms—viz., the chief and saltier; the chief being charged with two incised cinquefoils, which may point to an alliance with the Livingstone family. The same arms, but without the cinquefoils,

appear beneath each of the first crow steps of the gable. This aisle was probably erected by Alexander Bruce of Stenhous and first of Airth (1452 to 1483), who was a son of Sir Robert Bruce of Clackmannan,[198] and is stated to have married (first) Janet, daughter of the first Lord Livingstone, by whom he had no issue. It was probably “our Ladie Aisle, founded and situated on the south side of the Kirk of Airth,” the chaplainrie of which was presented by Sir Alexander Bruce of

Airth, the patron, to Robert Bruce, younger, his son, on 30th October 1572.

The effigy (see Fig. 428.), which, as already stated, probably occupied the tomb in the Airth aisle, lies at present in a mutilated state in the

eastern portion of the church. There is no certainty whom the recumbent figure represents, but it is in all likelihood an effigy of one of the ladies of either the family of Erth or of the Bruces of Airth. It has been stated that another effigy lies beside the one referred to, but we understand from a person who has examined the ground that nothing of the kind is to be found. This effigy, which is 6 feet 3 inches long by 1 foot 10 inches in breadth, is greatly mutilated; but the coverlet extending from the waist downwards is well preserved, and is very finely carved, and, so far as we know, is unique amongst Scottish figures.

In Airth Castle is preserved the stone shown in Fig. 431. It appears to have been taken from the church and to have formed a part of a piscina or ambry. The fragment measures about 2 feet high, with an opening about 12½ inches wide. It doubtless belonged to the Airth aisle.

The Elphinstone aisle, which is separated from the nave by a semicircular arch, presents no architectural features of note; but on the exterior of the gable towards the south there is a well-preserved stone (Fig. 432), with shield bearing the Elphinstone arms, parted per pale with those of Livingstone and Calendar quarterly, with the motto “Cavis Cavis” (Caus Caus), the date 1593, and at either side the letters M A ♢ E and I ♢ L ME, the initials of Alexander, fourth Lord Elphinstone, and his wife Jane, eldest daughter of William, sixth Lord Livingstone.

The tower contains, on the lintel of the doorway, the inscription I V L Y + THE + 15 + 1647, doubtless the date of its erection. The other parts of the church appear to be of late seventeenth century work, and need not be further referred to.