In New Testament times, devote Jewish families tried to visit the Temple in Jerusalem each year for the Festival of Passover. When he was 12 years old Jesus went with his family as part of a larger group. After the Festival was over, the group set off back for their homes in Nazareth. Jesus’ parents assumed he was with the group and it was only at the end of the first day of walking when they could not find him that they realised their mistake. The anxiety can be imagined as they hurried back to the big city looking for him. After three days of frantic searching they found him in the Temple courts asking questions and debating with the teachers of the Law. People were amazed at his understanding. The full story can be found in St Luke’s Gospel, Chapter 2, verses 41-52.
Mary and Joseph find Jesus debating with the teachers of the Law in the Temple
All the stained glass windows in St Mary’s Chapel feature Mary, Jesus’ mother. In the apse, there is a large window, which depicts three scenes, two of which have featured previously. To the right hand side of the window is a depiction of the scene above, as interpreted by Christopher Whall, the artist who created the window in 1899. The image shows Jesus, obviously making a point in the discussion with the wise old teachers. They have out some of the scrolls they have been talking about and look a little perplexed. In the background, looking through the window, are Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph.
St Mary’s Chapel has a large number of carved stone corbels, some of which will be featured in future posts. However, the one shown here is something of an enigma, because it is hung on the wall and is not part of the structure of the building. Where it was originally is not known.
In years gone by there was an offence, called in Latin communis rixatrix. Those words are in the feminine gender, so it was something that only women could commit. The ‘crime’ was to be a troublesome and angry female, who broke the public peace by habitually arguing and quarrelling. The common phrase was a ‘common scold’. The punishment was to put a bridle on the woman’s head, which included a bit, or something equivalent, in her mouth to press down on the tongue. Some were quite horrendous with sharp spikes on the bit. In Scotland this contraption was often called a brank’s bridle (or simply branks), with the first recorded instance of its use in 1567. It was supposed to be a minor punishment and was often inflicted on female offenders by Kirk Sessions and barony courts. Presumably the intention of the punishment was to stop the woman from speaking, hence the other common name: ‘the gossip bridle’. Quite often, the woman concerned was paraded in public then tied to the town cross or a similar prominent place. The duration of this humiliation would be determined by the Kirk Session or barony court. One assumes that the pain, discomfort and public humiliation was intended to act as a deterrent to others. In England and Wales the actual law was abolished as recently as 1967. It should also be noted that there are records of the branks being used on men – so in reality it was not just for women!
The ‘bridled woman’ head in St Mary’s Chapel
In the photograph the bridle going through the mouth can be clearly seen. So what is a carved head such as this doing in a church? We just do not know! It seems unlikely that it was intended to be part of the building in the same way as the other corbels. Perhaps a previous Kirk Session had decided that this carving should be made and displayed to the congregation as a warning! Any (sensible) suggestions would be welcome!
Following the destruction of the bells in the fire of 1874 and the rebuilding of the spire (see Blog on 13th March 2016), there was common agreement that new bells should be installed. A century and a half ago it was common practice for the bells to be ‘shared’ between church and council, the former using them on Sundays whilst their weekday use was primarily civic. Unfortunately in this case there was disagreement between the Kirk and the civic authorities on who should control the peal and its hours of ringing. In 1881, after 6 years of argument, the Kirk Session relinquished control to the Town Council. During this time without bells, and until new bells were in place, the authorities of St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Huntly Street, which had a chime of nine bells, ‘very courteously rang their bells on Sundays to suit other church-going folk than their own’.
A general view of the carillon keyboard
After considerable debate, it was decided that a carillon would be installed in the Kirk rather than a peal of bells for change ringing. In a carillon, the bells are fixed in position and it is the clapper which is moved to make the sound. The clappers are connected to a keyboard using wires and metal levers. The keyboard looks a bit like a large piano, but rather than keys it has pegs which are struck or stroked by the hand. Each key is connected to the appropriate bell. Most carillons also have a pedal board similar to that on an organ and also connected to the appropriate bell clapper. Thus several bells may be played at the same time, and in quick succession, which allows quite complex music to be played by one person. The photograph shows the carillon ‘keys’ in the present carillon at the Kirk of St Nicholas.
Some of the bells in the present carillon
With the decision taken to have a carillon, it was agreed to order 36 bells from Severin van Aershodt of Louvain in Belgium. An indication of popularity of the move can be gauged from the fact that no less than 30 of the bells were donated by local churches, public bodies and individuals. The remaining six were gifted by the Council. A thirty-seventh bell was later given by Alexander Lyon Jr when he became Convener of the Bells Committee.
The procession of the bells around the streetsThe bell ‘Victoria’ during the procession
When complete, the bells were shipped to Leith and brought to Aberdeen by rail. On the afternoon of 12th May 1887 they were paraded on horse-drawn lorries on a circuitous route on the streets of Aberdeen eventually arriving at the Kirk for mounting in the spire (see photographs). The inauguration and dedication ceremony took place on 18th June 1887, during the Jubilee celebrations of Queen Victoria. The largest bell was duly named ‘Victoria’ and was used for striking the hours. However, it rapidly became obvious that there was a big problem because the sound produced by the bells was not good, some reports suggest barely audible. Reports suggest that there were three problems: the design of the mechanical action was poor; the bells were not tuned accurately; the metal used for the bells had insufficient tin, which produced a very poor tone. Thus after the excitement, there was disappointment, resulting in the bells hardly being used, apart from playing hymn and psalm tunes on the lower pitched bells before church on Sunday mornings.
We will bring the story up to date in the next Blog on the bells in a few weeks.
There are several large memorials along the wall of the Kirk of St Nicholas Kirkyard which backs onto Back Wynd. One of these is for George Davidson of Pettens. Pettens was a farm just north of Balmedie, but George Davidson acquired a large estate covering the area near modern day Kingswells, Newhills and Bucksburn.
It is not known when he was born, nor who his parents were. He never married and was probably illiterate. Despite this he was a burgess of the city of Aberdeen and amassed a substantial amount of wealth, part of which he used to extend the estate. However, most of his wealth was used to fund projects for the benefit of others. Travelling home from Aberdeen one day he saw a man nearly drown in attempting to cross the Buxburne (the modern day Bucksburn, which flows through the Aberdeen suburb of Bucksburn to join the River Don). This moved him to have a stone bridge built, including the provision of money for its upkeep. In addition, he repaired the bridge at Inche (Insch), built the chapel at Newhills and the walls around St Clement’s Church in Aberdeen, where there is a memorial plaque to mark his generosity. Apart from this type of beneficence he also left endowments to the ministers of both St Nicholas and St Clement’s Churches.
Memorial to George Davidson of Pettens
As can be seen in the photograph, the central part of the memorial is a Latin inscription. The following is a translation, taken from ‘Collection of Epitaphs and Monumental Inscriptions: Chiefly in Scotland’ published in 1834, which indicates the wide range of good works which George Davidson did before his death in 1663.
“To the eternal memory of George Davidson of Pettens, a man truly notable for the integrity of his life, and profuse liberality towards the poor, and for his piety towards God, and who deserved very well from the church and all the commonwealth, and from this city of Aberdeen. This man, beside many donations for the perpetual help of the poor and publick uses, caused the bridge of Inche to be repaired, and the bridge of Buxburne to be built of a notable structure. He gifted to the church of Aberdeen the lands of Pettens and Bogfairlie, with certain sums of money, for the perpetual use of a preacher of God’s word there; he also caused build the church of Newhills, and, for the more increase of the kingdom of God, by a singular example and preparative, he dedicated and mortified the saids lands of Newhills also, for the maintenance of the ministers of the gospel thereat. He died in the year 1663.”
In his first letter to the Corinthian Church, Paul wrote his famous passage about the gifts of faith, hope and love and concluded that the greatest of these is love – or ‘charity’ as it appears in some older translations. Although the meaning is far deeper than romantic love, the time around Valentine’s Day is an appropriate reminder of the gift of love, be it human or divine.
On the north wall of the former East Kirk there is a window of three lights with tracery which features depictions of Faith, Hope and Charity – the ‘three graces’. The window was created in 1908 as a memorial to George Donald, an elder of the church, and his wife Elizabeth Milne. They had died in 1890 and 1901 respectively. George Donald owned ‘Potty’ Donald’s Paint and Glass merchant business in Netherkirkgate, Aberdeen.
The presently available records do not indicate who made this memorial window. One possibility suggests that it was produced by the family business, but there is no direct evidence for this. Others have indicated that it was produced by the company Shrigley and Hunt of Lancaster, but many of their records were destroyed in a fire. If anyone who reads this can provide further information we will be pleased to hear from you.
The company of Shrigley’s had been in Lancaster from the mid-1700s initially carrying out painting, carving and gilding. Arthur Hunt ran a successful stained glass and painting company in the south of England. He acquired the company in 1868 and developed it to become a leading stained glass company, under the name of Shrigley and Hunt. Their work can be found throughout the UK and Europe, although there are relatively few examples of their work in Scotland. There are two other windows known to be made by them in the former East Kirk of St Nicholas building. The company finally closed in 1982. The window is described as being in the ‘Aesthetic’ style of stained glass which drew on the pre-Raphaelite movement. The right-hand light of this window depicts ‘Charity’ and is shown in the accompanying photograph. It demonstrates the characteristic use of boldly contrasting colours beneath canopies of dark green foliage and red fruit with the name in a scroll. ‘Charity’ carries a child in her arms.
The window was restored and cleaned during the Phase 1 work in 2010-11.
From around 1500 until the drastic fire in 1874, featured in the Blog on 10 October 2015, the spire at the Kirk of St Nicholas had been of lead-covered wood. It also housed a peal of eight bells hung for change ringing, which were lost in the fire. Subsequent posts will recount the story of the bells. Following the fire considerable repair was required to the East Kirk, although the outer walls survived. It was reopened for worship in 1876. The work was overseen by William Smith, son of John Smith who designed the 1829 Colonnade on Union Street. William Smith also designed the new spire and the present façade of Drum’s Aisle. Looking at the building from the Union Street side we see a mainly granite building – the East Kirk, Drum’s Aisle and the spire. This gives the impression that the West Kirk is an ‘addition’ even though it predates it by more than a century. Work on the spire was completed in 1877 at a cost of £8,500. It is described as ‘a crocketted and finialled square-plan clock-tower with recessed stone spire with clasping polygonal corner towers’. The present day bells are located behind the pointed-arch louvred openings. Above is the clock face and above that the inset spire rising to a total height of 196 feet.
The photographs show a general view of the West Kirk and spire shortly after the latter had been built. Note that there are no trees to obscure the view!
The second photograph gives a typical ground-level view of the spire.
A building like this requires maintenance but work on the spire is not for the faint-hearted as shown in the final photograph!
The Blog on 15th November told something of the life and ‘good works’ of Queen Margaret. This one will tell more of her and King Malcom as depicted in another section of the same window in the former East Kirk.
King Malcolm III was later given the nickname ‘Canmore’, derived from the Gaelic, which literally means ‘big head’ but perhaps should be ‘Great Chief’. Lasting 35 years, his was a long reign at a time of considerable turmoil. Those familiar with Shakespeare’s Macbeth can equate the Malcolm of the play to this historical Malcolm. Indeed Malcolm killed Macbeth in Lumphanan on 15 August 1057. These were indeed turbulent times, with constant battles taking place and Malcolm was involved in many during his reign and the Battle of Alnwick was the one which ended his life.
His first wife was Ingibiorg Finnsdottir, widow of the Earl of Orkney. They had three sons, one of whom became King Duncan II. When Ingibiorg died is not clear, but Malcom was a widower when he encountered the future Queen Margaret following the shipwreck of the boat in which she and her family were trying to flee to the continent. She became a great influence on his life, bearing him eight children, six boys and two girls. All the children were given English names breaking the tradition of Scottish names. Four of the boys assumed the throne in later life – Edmund, Edgar, Alexander I and David I.
The death of Malcolm III came on 13th November 1093 at the Battle of Alnwick, along with his son Edward. His wife was already mortally ill in Edinburgh Castle which was being besieged by her brother-in-law. Her son Edgar brought the news of the deaths. Margaret died three days later on 16th November.
That is not the end of the story. Margaret’s sons and attendants managed smuggle her body out of the castle by a postern amidst thick mist. She was then buried in Dunfermline. However on 19th June 1250, her body and that of Malcolm III, were exhumed and removed to a magnificent new shrine. That date was celebrated for a long time as Margaret’s saint day until it was changed to the present 16th November, the date of her death. In 1560 the shrine was desecrated by Scots Calvinists and Mary, Queen of Scots had St. Margaret’s head removed as a reliquary to Edinburgh Castle. However, in 1597 Margaret’s head was taken home by a ‘private gentleman’, then arrived in Antwerp and finally reached the Scot’s College at Douai, France from where it disappeared during the French Revolution. Phillip II of Spain had the remains of Margaret and Malcolm Canmore taken to a shrine at El Escorial in Spain, but they are now missing.
Queen Margaret reading to King Malcolm III
Margaret had been well educated whilst Malcolm was probably illiterate. It is reported that Margaret used to read, usually Bible stories, to her husband – a sign of the close bond between them. This final section of the window features the royal family with Margaret reading to her husband which accounts suggest was a common practice.
St Margaret’s Day is celebrated on 16th November, although in earlier times it was on 10th June.
Who was St Margaret? She was born Margaret Atheling in Hungary in 1046 and was a direct descendant of King Alfred and granddaughter of Edmund II (Edward Ironside) who had been king of England for about eight months in 1016. She and her brother Edgar and sister Christina were brought up under the care of the King of Hungary. Margaret and her family came to England towards the end of the reign of her great-uncle Edward the Confessor. The return may have been with a view to her father Edward Atheling being named as heir to the throne, but he died a few months later. Following the Norman Conquest the family were forced to flee, heading for the continent via Northumbria. However, their boat was battered by storms, blown off course and they eventually landed in Fife. The place, now called St Margaret’s Hope, is just to the west of modern day North Queensferry. There they were welcomed by King Malcolm III (Malcolm Canmore) who looked after them. Indeed, a widower, he was greatly attracted to the beautiful Margaret, although she resisted his attention for a while, rejecting several proposals of marriage. However, Malcolm’s persistence paid off and they were married in Dunfermline in 1069.
This proved to be a very happy marriage in many different ways. Margaret and Malcolm had eight children. Alexander and David followed their father to the Scottish throne, whilst their daughter, Edith (who changed her name to Matilda upon her marriage) married King Henry I of England. It is probable that King David build St Margaret’s Chapel in Edinburgh Castle in honour of his mother.
St Margaret with her coat of arms and Dunfermline Abbey
The first photograph shows a small section of the stained glass window in the apse of the former East Kirk and features St Margaret in the centre, with her coat of arms to the left and Dunfermline Abbey to the right. The Queen brought her early experience of life in Hungary with her and made changes to life in Scottish court circles. Under her influence, ceremonies became more elaborate, tapestries were used to adorn the walls, gold and silver tableware was introduced whilst fur and velvet were used in clothes, adorned with jewellery. She had a great moderating influence on her husband, and often gave advice on matters of state.
Margaret was also very devout, spending much of her time in prayer, devotional reading, and ecclesiastical embroidery. She rose each night to attend a midnight service. This inner devotion spread to her making reforms to the church bringing it more in line with continental practice. For example, she changed Mass to use Latin rather than the multitude of Gaelic dialects, Benedictine monks were invited to found an Abbey at Dunfermline in 1072 and she promoted Easter communion. Pilgrimage was seen as being important. Margaret was fond of the old Scottish saints and she encouraged pilgrimage particularly to St Andrews by instigating ferries across the Firth of Forth, one at North Berwick, the other at Queensferry – named in her honour.
St Margaret giving alms to the poor
The second part of the window depicts how St Margaret’s piety worked out in her charitable works. She would serve orphans and the poor each day before she ate, including washing their feet in imitation of Christ. She founded hostels for the poor, tended the sick and held feasts in Advent and Lent for as many as three hundred commoners. In recognition of her life Pope Innocent IV issued a Papal Bull in 1249 declaring her a saint in the Catholic Church.
The account of her death will be recorded in the next Blog which will also say a little more about Malcolm Canmore.
The choir were practising in the East Kirk of St Nicholas on 9th October 1874. The church had a fancy new, perhaps experimental, chandelier lighting system which had multiple gas jets. Water in glass bowls above the jets was intended to keep it from overheating. On this night, however, the water evaporated and left the bowls dry. The resulting overheating set fire to the roof timbers in the East Kirk and the fire spread to the wooden 16th century steeple. Press reports at the time indicate that it was a ferocious fire. The steeple had been built around 1500 as part of the expansion of the building in the late 15th century and housed a peel of 9 bells. One of these was called Laurence, or ‘Lowrie’ – 1.2m in diameter at the mouth and 1.1 m high, made of thick metal. After the fire some of the metal was retrieved and reused and can be seen in the West Kirk as the pelican lectern. Fragments were also used to make the bell at Mannofield Church. More will be said at a future date about the bells.
The East Kirk was in ruins and there was damage to the rest of the building. Major rebuilding works had to be undertaken, during which time both congregations worshipped in the Music Hall. Repair work took two years before the congregation could move back into the building. The East Kirk was restored much as it had been before the fire, with the difference that two external doors had been added. Even though they were in the original design by Archibald Simpson, who had died nearly 40 years earlier, these had never actually been put in the original building. Worship resumed in the East Kirk in 1876. The new granite spire was designed by William Smith – which is the spire you see today.
Press drawing of the fire and crowds
Two pictures are attached. One is a drawing from the press at the time, showing the crowds which gathered to view the spectacle. The other is of an anonymous painting of the scene. One of the photographs in the Blog on 19th August shows remaining smoke damage on the currently exposed inside wall in the East Kirk.
September 16th is St Ninian’s Day. But who was St Ninian? Nothing can be said with any certainty. He is reputedly a 4th or 5th century saint. Nothing was written about him until the 8th century when the Venerable Bede included ‘traditional’ information about him in his ‘Ecclesiastical History of the English People’ in about 731. Reference was made to Ninian being British, being instructed in Rome and sent to the UK (in around 397 according to the Catholic Church) to found a Christian community in south-west Scotland.
There is little doubt that there was an early Christian witness, at around that time in the region of modern Galloway, whether or not he was called Ninian. The missionary built a monastery of stone (unusual at that time) called the ‘Candida Casa’ – the White House. The name of Whithorn, where it was situated, derives from the name of the building. So long after the events it is not certain whether it was white because of the stone used or whether it was whitewashed. The complex of buildings which developed around the original chapel still remain.
These early saints were often credited with miracles and St Ninian was no exception. In about 1160 Abbot Aelred of Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire wrote a book ‘The life of St Ninian’ in which he records 10 miracles, 6 in his lifetime and 4 after his death. Whilst there is considerable uncertainty about the historical St Ninian, there certainly was an early missionary, often referred to as ‘the Apostle to the Southern Picts’, some 150 years before St Columba came to Iona.
Part of window in East Kirk apse featuring St Ninian
In the former East Kirk of St Nicholas there are three large stained glass windows in the apse. The right hand of these windows was installed in memory of Charles A Wilson who had been an elder for many years and had died in 1958. The bottom of each light of this window shows an aspect of St Ninian. This section of the window is shown in the photograph. On the left, St Ninian is seen with two of his followers setting out to preach the gospel to southern Picts. In the centre there is a representation of St Ninian robed as a Bishop, whilst to the right hand side, St Ninian stands in blessing, with the Candida Casa behind him. The window was designed by Gordon Webster.
