While engaged upon their work on The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland, the authors were frequently brought in contact with the various ecclesiastical structures throughout the country, and they naturally availed themselves of such opportunities to make notes and sketches of these interesting edifices.

These notes and sketches, together with others made during a long series of years, formed a considerable fund of information and a collection of drawings, the possession of which has induced the authors to undertake the completion of the illustration and description of the Ancient Architecture of Scotland, by adding an account of the Ecclesiastical to that of the Castellated and Domestic Architecture of the country already given to the public.

The size of the former book has been found to be somewhat restricted for many of the illustrations of the churches, but it has been thought best, for the sake of uniformity, to adhere to the same size and style as in the former work.

The subject of the Castles and Mansions, having been previously little investigated, afforded a fresh field for enquiry. The history and gradual development of the design and construction of these buildings had to be wrought out and arranged in periods according to the dates and the peculiarities of the structures, and an appropriate nomenclature had to be invented. These considerations added greatly to the interest of the subject.

In Ecclesiastical Architecture the case is different. The various styles and periods of Gothic architecture, both in this country and abroad, have for long been carefully investigated and defined. It thus only remains to apply to our Scottish edifices the system already adopted in the rest of Europe. An attempt is made in this work to do so, and attention is drawn to the various points in which Scottish Church Architecture agrees with and differs from that of other countries.

It has been suggested that our Ecclesiastical Architecture might be arranged in connection with the various orders of ecclesiastics by whom it was employed, and the specialities of the architecture of the various orders pointed out. This matter has not escaped attention; but it has been found impossible to form a system of nomenclature on that foundation.

The more this subject is investigated, the stronger is the conviction that there is, in this country at least, practically no difference in the style of architecture of the different orders of Churchmen from the twelfth to the sixteenth century. The cathedrals and parish and other churches were all built on general and well understood principles. The monasteries also were all constructed on the same general plan. Whether the occupants were Canons Regular or Monks of the Cistercian, Tyronensian, Premonstratensian or other order, or even Franciscans or Dominicans, their convents were all designed on one general system.

The plan consisted of an open court or cloister, surrounded by a covered walk, having on one side (generally the north side) the nave of the church; while on the east side, in connection with the transept, lay the sacristy, chapter house, and frequently the fratery or day-room of the monks, on the upper floor of which range extended the dormitory, library, &c. The south side of the cloister was occupied by the refectory and kitchen; and the west side contained cellars and stores, and apartments for the lay brothers and guests.

These dispositions were sometimes extended and modified, but were invariably adhered to on the whole.

None of our Scottish monasteries are sufficiently well preserved to exhibit these arrangements in their entirety; but the various portions of the different convents which survive always correspond with the parts which would be expected in the positions they occupy.

As regards the style of the architecture and ornamentation, the only difference observable is that which is common to all the structures of the respective periods.

While it is intended to include in this work all the examples of ancient church architecture discoverable in Scotland, such subjects as ancient sites, demolished structures, and mere foundations do not fall within its scope, and are only referred to incidentally. These matters belong to the province of archÆology, not to that of architecture.

Most of the ancient ecclesiastical structures of the West Highlands and Islands, and also those of Orkney and Shetland, being of a special and somewhat indefinite, although very interesting, character, are treated separately, before the main subject of the work is entered on.

In connection with the churches of Orkney and Shetland, the authors have to express their obligation to Sir Henry E. L. Dryden for his kindness in allowing his drawings and descriptions of these buildings to be incorporated in this work. They have also to thank the Council of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, with whom these drawings and descriptions are deposited, for their permission to use them.

The descriptions of the churches of the Highlands and Islands are, as stated in the book, chiefly abstracted from the late Mr. T. S. Muir’s interesting volumes.

The authors further take this opportunity of returning their sincere thanks to the many friends and well-wishers who have rendered them assistance in their labours. The names of many of these gentlemen are mentioned in connection with a number of the different structures. They would also express their indebtedness to all those whose permission was necessary to enable them to visit and make drawings of public and private buildings, which permission was invariably freely given.

They have specially to acknowledge their indebtedness to Dr. Joseph Anderson, of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, for his goodness in revising the portion of the work dealing with Celtic Art; to Mr. T. S. Robertson, Architect, Dundee, and Mr. William Galloway, Architect, Wigton, for their assistance in supplying drawings, and otherwise; and to Dr. Dickson, late of the Register House, Edinburgh, for valuable aid in many ways.

Edinburgh, January 1896.