CORSTORPHINE CHURCH.

It has been generally supposed that Scotland, while possessed of several magnificent and extensive remains of gothic architecture, is deficient in the small antique rural churches which so beautifully harmonize with the landscape scenery of England; and that their place is too often occupied by some bare, unadorned edifice, conveying no outward sign of the pious purposes to which it is applied. Perhaps the result of our labours may be, to shew that Scotland is not so deficient in the minor retiring beauties of gothic architecture as it is generally supposed to be; and that there are many specimens deserving a much fuller notice from the ecclesiastical and architectural antiquary than they have hitherto obtained. Among these is the unobtrusive little Church of Corstorphine, situated about three miles west of Edinburgh, in the lowest level of the valley lying between the Pentland and the Corstorphine Hills. It is a plain edifice, of mixed date, the period of the decorated gothic predominating. It is in the form of a cross, with an additional transept on one of the sides, but some irregularities in the height and character of the different parts make them seem as if they were irregularly clustered together without design. A portion of the roof is still covered with old grey flagstone. A small belfry tower at the west end is surmounted by a short octagonal spire.

The interior is kept in decent order as the parish Church. It is conspicuous as containing the monuments of the Forresters of Corstorphine, whose connection with the endowment of this Church, will have to be noticed farther on. One of these monuments and apparently the most ancient, is in a niche under the window of the southern transept, and is a recumbent armed male figure, with a dog at his feet. On the north side of the chancel there are two other niches. The author of the Statistical Account, says "The figures in the recess nearest to the body of the Church, represent Sir John Forrester, the founder of the collegiate Church, and one of his ladies. Fronting this arch are five shields armorial, viz., 1st, Forrester, three hunting horns, stringed; 2nd, Forrester impaling St. Clair of Orkney-quarterly, first and fourth a ship, second and third a cross; 3rd, Forrester; 4th, Forrester impaling a fesse cheque Stewart; 5th, Forrester."* The niche is plain and flat, but the figures are boldly cut, and in good condition. The lady, whose costume is so minutely sculptured as to admit of being compared with the fashions of the present day, has a book clasped in her hands. The other niche in the chancel is represented in the accompanying engraving. The recumbent figures are supposed to represent Sir John Forrester, the son of the founder, and his wife. The cutting of the figures is sharp, and the drapery is in many parts well preserved and curious. The male figure has been decapitated; the female, whose hands are crossed over her breast, is in more perfect condition. Opposite to these monuments are the remains of a piscina, and of a niche, canopied, and divided into three departments.

This edifice was not the original parish Church of Corstorphine, but a separate establishment, founded and highly endowed by the enthusiasm of the affluent family whose monuments it contains. Notices have been found of the existence of a Chapel attached to the manor of Corstorphine, and subordinate to the Church of St. Cuthbert, now in the new town of Edinburgh, so early as the year 1128. This Chapel was subsequently converted into a parish Church. In its

vicinity another Chapel was founded, towards the end of the fourteenth century, by Sir Adam Forrester, the edifice of which is supposed to form part of the present Church, because after this latter was begun to be built, no mention has been found of the second Chapel, as a separate edifice. The building at present under our notice, formerly a separate collegiate Church, was founded, as an inscription on the wall of the chancel and other authorities testify, in 1429, by Sir John Forrester. The author of the Statistical Account of Corstorphine, who has investigated the ecclesiastical history of his parish with great zeal and success, says:

"The original foundation of the collegiate Church was for five prebendaries, of whom one was to be called the Provost, and two boys; and for their maintenance, Sir John consigned the annual rents of 120 ducats of gold, on condition that he and his successors should have the patronage of these appointments, and on the understanding, that if the kirk of Ratho were united to the Provostry, other four or five prebendaries should be added to that establishment, and maintained out of the fruits of the benefice of Ratho. Pope Eugenius IV. sanctioned this foundation by a Bull, in which he directed the Abbot of Holyroodhouse, as his Apostolic vicar, to ascertain whether the foundation and consignation had been made in terms of the original grant; and on being satisfied on these points, to unite and incorporate the Church of Ratho, with all its rights, emoluments, and pertinents to the College for ever."*

In 1475, Hugh Bar, a burgess of Edinburgh, founded an additional chaplainry in this favoured Church. "This chaplain, in addition to the performances of daily masses for the souls of the King and Queen, the Lords of the Manor, and the founder's own mother and wife, and of all the faithful dead, was specially directed, at the commencement of each season of Lent, to exhort the people to say one Pater Noster, and the salutation of the Angel to the Virgin Mary, for the souls of the same persons."+ The provostry of Corstorphine was a lucrative office, held by many important personages. In the beginning of the sixteenth century it was held by Robert Cairncross, who holds an unenviable reputation in Buchanan's history, by the manner in which he obtained the preferment of the abbacy of Holyrood, without subjecting himself to the law against simony. Having, it is said, ascertained that the Abbot was on the point of death, he laid a considerable wager with the King, that he would not be offered the first vacant benefice, and lost his bet by being appointed the next Abbot. The temporalities of the Church were dispersed at the Reformation, a portion falling into the hands of lay improprietors, and other parts being transferred to educational, and to other ecclesiastical institutions. The old parish church was demolished in 1644, and the collegiate establishment, in which the minister had for some time previously been accustomed to officiate, became the regular parish Church.

* New Statistical Account, Edinburgh, 224.

+ Ib. 226.

Buchanani Hist. chap. xvi § 35.