Property in Care (PIC) ID: PIC201 Designations: Scheduled Monument (SM90200) Taken into State care: 1922 (Guardianship) Last reviewed: 2013 HISTORIC ENVIRONMENT SCOTLAND STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE LINCLUDEN COLLEGIATE CHURCH We continually revise our Statements of Significance, so they may vary in length, format and level of detail. While every effort is made to keep them up to date, they should not be considered a definitive or final assessment of our properties. Historic Environment Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC045925 Principal Office:Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH
Historic Environment Scotland Scottish Charity No. SC045925 Principal Office:Longmore House, Salisbury Place, Edinburgh EH9 1SH
LINCLUDEN COLLEGIATE CHURCH SYNOPSIS Lincluden Collegiate Church is situated beside a bend in the Cluden Water, near its junction with the River Nith, 1 mile NNW of central Dumfries. It comprises the standing remains of a collegiate church founded in 1389 by Archibald the Grim, 3 rd Earl of Douglas, on the site of a Benedictine nunnery founded in the 1160s by Uchtred, lord of Galloway. Princess Margaret, the 4 th Earl of Douglas s widow, was buried here in 1450. Following the Protestant Reformation (1560) the church fell out of use, but the provost s residence was retained as a mansion, first for the Douglases of Drumlanrig and thereafter the Maxwells of Caerlaverock. The complex was abandoned by 1700 and, following a period when it became a handy stone quarry, in 1882 the standing remains were tidied up by the Maxwells of Terregles, and in 1922 entrusted into state care. The standing remains comprise the choir, south transept and south nave aisle of the church, and a range of domestic buildings (the mansion ) to their north. The church is a most remarkable piece of late medieval architecture, dating mainly from the first half of the 15 th century and most probably designed by the Frenchman, Jean Morow, whose handiwork is most obviously evident at Melrose Abbey. To the east of the buildings lies a formal garden, of 16 th or 17 th -century date, incorporating what may be a 12 th -century motte on its south side. CHARACTER OF THE MONUMENT Historical Overview: 1160s - a house for black nuns (most probably Benedictine, though one source describes them as being of the Cluniac order ) is founded at the site. The founder is either Uchtred, lord of Galloway (1161-74) or Malcolm IV (1153-65). The scant foundations of the nave walls are perhaps all that remain visible of the 12 th -century nunnery. 1296 Lady Alianore, the prioress, swears fealty to Edward I of England. 1389 Archibald the Grim, 3 rd Earl of Douglas and Lord of Galloway, successfully petitions Pope Clement VII to suppress the nunnery, on the grounds that the four nuns then in residence are leading dissolute and scandalous lives and failing to repair the beautiful buildings. He evicts the nuns and replaces the nunnery with a collegiate church, staffed by a provost and eight prebendaries (priests); 24 poor bedesmen and a chaplain serve the annexed hospital at Holywood Abbey, 1½ miles to the NW. The college staff presumably occupy the existing church and domestic buildings, but work soon begins on providing a new church for them. It seems highly likely that the supervising master-mason is the Paris-born John Morow, whose inscription in Melrose Abbey mentions that he is also engaged on building work in Nyddysdayl (Nithsdale), most probably a reference to Lincluden. 1406 the church is as yet unfinished, according to a letter preserved in the Vatican archives. 1/7
1408 Alexander de Cairns, of Orchardton, is appointed second provost by Archibald, 4 th Earl of Douglas. Shortly after he becomes the Earl s loyal chancellor. 1429 Princess Margaret, daughter of Robert III and widow of the 4 th Earl, endows a chaplain to pray for the soul of her late husband, killed in France and buried in Tours Cathedral. Building work continues. Some of the choir windows bear heraldry of the later Black Douglases (overthrown in 1455) and John Haliburton, provost around 1430. The elaborate founder s tomb in the choir also bears evidence of being a modification of the original planned for there. 1450 Princess Margaret dies at Threave Castle and is laid to rest in the elaborate wall-tomb. By this date two further prebendaries (Kirkandrews and Lochmaben) have been added to the complement. 1455 The Black Douglases are overthrown by James II, and patronage of Lincluden passes to other regional families, including the Herrieses, Maxwells and Stewarts. 1460 Mary of Gueldres, James II s queen, receives Margaret of Anjou, queen of Henry VI of England, and Edward Prince of Wales, at Lincluden, following the Lancastrian defeat at the battle of Northampton. c.1470 oak choir stalls are provided for the church. (The stalls were removed to Terregles parish church c.1585, and two are now in the National Museum of Scotland.) late 1400s two more prebendaries (Kirkbride and Tinwald) are added to the complement. Building of the church is brought to a completion, as attested by heraldic shields in some of the choir s windows bearing the arms of Stewart of Garlies, Herries and Maxwell. Work on the new domestic range to the north also continues. 1505 and 1506 James IV visits, and gives drink-silver to the masons, indicating that building work is still going on. 1508 the collegiate church is annexed to the Chapel Royal in Stirling Castle. 1529 The union with the Chapel Royal in Stirling is dissolved. William Stewart becomes provost. During his term of office (1529-35), the domestic range is completed and extended further to the north. 1560 the church is reportedly attacked by Protestant Reformers, but saved from destruction by William Douglas, younger of Drumlanrig, half-brother of the last provost, Robert Douglas. By way of recompense, in 1564 William is granted the Mains of Lincluden together with the mansion of Lincluden (presumably the former provost s residence). Shortly thereafter, the property passes to John, 8 th Lord Maxwell of Caerlaverock. It is possibly he who lays out the formal garden. 2/7
1593 Robert Douglas is still being referred to as provost. 1629 Robert Maxwell, 1 st Earl of Nithsdale, carries out a partial reroofing of the church, around the same time he is building the Nithsdale Lodging in Caerlaverock Castle. He loses possession of both in 1640 after the Covenanters successful siege of Caerlaverock. 1700 by now the church and mansion are abandoned, and the buildings are being used as a handy stone quarry. 1789 Captain Grose visits and records the royal arms and those of Provost William Stewart (1529-35) on the stair turret in the north range. 1882 the owner, Alfred Maxwell of Terregles, sets about tidying up the ruins, including excavating and laying out the foundations of the nave. He finds the stone effigy of Princess Margaret and reinstates it in the wall tomb. 1922 Lincluden Collegiate Church is entrusted into state care. 1938 the formal garden is reinstated by the Ministry of Works, following the recent successful restoration of the garden at Edzell Castle. 1950s the new suburb of Lincluden is built immediately to the south of the Collegiate Church site. 1999 - the stone effigy of Princess Margaret, under threat from casual vandalism, is removed for safe-keeping, and a cast replica put in its place. Archaeological Overview: Lincluden Collegiate Church was tidied up in the 1880s by the then owner, Captain Maxwell of Terregles. Excavation in the missing nave established that it was of four bays, and that the west door was round-headed and decorated with chevron ornament, indicating a 12 th -century date. He also excavated the site of the cloister to the north of the church and found evidence for a second range, running north from the west end of the church. He also discovered the stone effigy of Princess Margaret, which he reinstated in its (presumed) original position in the monumental tomb in the choir. After Lincluden passed into state care, further excavation works were carried out, most as part of masonry consolidation works, but also in association with the restoration of the formal garden. Numerous artefacts were recovered, including medieval pottery fragments. No recent archaeological excavation has been undertaken, other than the occasional watching brief, and nothing further is known of the site s archaeological potential. However, this must be rated very high. As well as reinvestigating Captain Maxwell s excavations in the nave, the whole cloister area would repay excavation, including establishing whether there was ever a north range. The burial-ground of the nuns and college staff should be on the south side of the church. 3/7
Finally, there may well be potential for garden archaeology (not known of in the 1930s) across the formal garden to the east, and investigation of the so-called motte along its south side may answer the long-standing puzzle as to whether there was an earthwork and timber castle on the site prior to the founding of the nunnery. Architectural/Artistic Overview: The standing remains of Lincluden Collegiate Church comprise the choir, south transept and south nave aisle of the church, and the range of domestic buildings (the mansion ) to their north. To their east lie the earthworks of a formal garden. The church The church is a most remarkable piece of late medieval architecture. The red sandstone structure is of the 15 th century, with most of it dating from the time of the Black Douglases prior to their downfall in 1455. The Black Douglas work is among the best tangible displays of their power, wealth and wide contacts. Although building work may have begun in the time of Archibald the Grim (died 1400), it is to his son, Archibald, 4 th Earl of Douglas and Duke of Touraine (died 1424), to whom we must look as the inspirer of much of what we now see. The choir in particular, standing almost entire, has been described as flashy French-influenced (Gifford) and with good reason, for the duke had intimate links with France. It was probably he who employed the Parisian master mason, Jean Morow, to design new building works in southern Scotland certainly at Melrose Abbey, of which the duke was special protector and defender, but also in Nyddysdayl (Nithsdale) most probably Lincluden. The forms of the window tracery and stone mouldings in particular show close affinities with Morow s work at Melrose. There is no doubting the superb quality of the architecture. Among the highlights are: (1) the pulpitum, its basket-arched doorway above which are two corbelled-out bands of masonry decorated with (lower band) scenes from the life of Jesus, and (upper band) angels and cherubs; (2) the monumental wall tomb, its tomb chest adorned with an arcaded front with nine arches enclosing shields, above which is a semi-circular, richly decorated canopy, the whole framed by buttresses. Its size suggests it was designed for the earl and countess. (3) the sedilia and piscina, both very much in the same style as the wall tomb and regarded as the most magnificent in Scotland; (4) the sacristy door, with engaged shafted orders on either side decorated with foliage and a tympanum overhead decorated with blind cusping, foliage and heraldry. The church shows signs of having been completed later in the 15 th century. Some of the windows, in choir and nave, bear heraldry associated with the Stewarts of Garlies, Herries and Maxwell, whilst the stone vaulting over the choir is of a type, known as tierceron, that only began to appear in Scotland c. 1450 (eg, St Giles, Edinburgh, and St Mary s, Haddington). 4/7
The domestic buildings The range of domestic buildings to the north of the choir is lacklustre by comparison. It dates from at least two building episodes. The southern half, immediately north of the sacristy, known as the Provost s Lodging, has masonry of the same quality as the sacristy, indicating a 15 th -century date; it was originally three storeys high but only the two ground-floor cellars survive. The remainder is of 16 th -century date, and terminates at the north end in a fourstorey tower house. If Grose s transcription of the armorial panel on the octagonal stair turret part-way along the west side is correct, this part may date from Provost Stewart s time (1529-36). Social Values: To be assessed Spiritual Values: The collegiate church, and the nunnery before it, are manifestations of the paramount importance attached in medieval times to ensuring the smooth passage of souls through purgatory into everlasting life. The sole purpose of both institutions was to offer up prayers, through the saying of masses and private devotions, on behalf of their patrons and benefactors. That role ended by and large at the Protestant Reformation (1560). Since then Lincluden Collegiate Church has played no known spiritual role. Aesthetic Values: Lincluden Collegiate Church has the potential of great beauty. The red sandstone ruin, nestling in a green sward close beside a winding in the tree-fringed Cluden Water, evokes spiritual memories of a romantic medieval past; values that were clearly recognised by Burns, who used the place to inspire his muse (eg, The Minstrel at Lincluden). After World War II the Lincluden area was developed for much-needed housing. On close inspection, the ruin holds great charm, particularly the church itself, which possesses a delicacy and richness of detail unsurpassed by any of the churches of the decorated period in Scotland (RCAHMS). On the outside, the smooth red sandstone walls are interspersed with the graceful curves of traceried windows, whilst internally high quality sculptural work and decoration abounds, silently telling of the power and wealth and spirituality of the mighty Black Douglases. What are the major gaps in understanding of the property? Is the mound on the south side of the formal garden a motte? Archaeological excavation might well answer the origin and function of the feature, but if it is a 12 th -century castle, identifying the builder presents more of a challenge. What was the layout of the nunnery and college, and how did it change over time? Here again only archaeological investigation can resolve the issues. 5/7
What was the history of the nunnery and college? The lack of a cartulary for the former, and the dearth of material available for the latter, makes a more exhaustive survey of associated documentary sources long overdue. How was the complex used after the demise of the college at the Reformation? A full standing building survey of the domestic range may provide further clues, whilst exploration of the formal garden may add to our knowledge of early gardens in Scotland. ASSESSMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Key Points The nunnery, although scarcely represented in the physical remains, provides a rich archaeological potential for the study of this imperfectly understood aspect of medieval monastic life in Scotland. The collegiate church, although a comparatively modest undertaking, has some of the finest quality Gothic architecture in Scotland, putting it on a par with the great churches of the realm (eg, Melrose Abbey and Paisley Abbey). Of especial note are the monumental wall tomb, sedilia and piscina, pulpitum and sacristy door. The collegiate church is perhaps the best surviving tangible expression of the power, wealth and wide cultural contacts of Archibald, 4 th Earl of Douglas and Duke of Touraine. It seems most likely that it was he who invited the Frenchborn master mason, John Morow, to embark on its construction. The domestic range, albeit modified at a later date, is a rare survival in Scotland of the domestic accommodation associated with a collegiate church. Only Seton has a similar survival. The formal garden is a rare example in Scotland of a Renaissance garden layout. Associated Properties: (other associated properties in Galloway) Holywood Abbey, hospital (site of); Sweetheart Abbey (also refounded by Archibald the Grim); Threave Castle (residence of Princess Margaret, Countess of Galloway) (some other relevant properties of the Black Douglases) Bothwell Castle and Bothwell Church; St Bride s, Douglas (other buildings associated with John Morow) Glasgow Cathedral; Melrose Abbey; Paisley Abbey; St Andrews Cathedral; Whithorn Cathedral (?) (other collegiate churches in Historic Scotland s care) Castle Semple; Dunglass; Maybole; Seton; Tullibardine (other nunneries with standing remains in Scotland) Eccles; Elcho; Iona; Manuel; North Berwick (some other 16 th -/17 th -century formal gardens) Aberdour Castle; Drummond Castle; Edzell Castle; King s Knot, Stirling; Kinross House; Pitmedden Keywords: nunnery; college; motte; monumental tomb; effigy; Black Douglas; formal garden, John Morow 6/7
Selected Bibliography: Brown, M., The Black Douglases: War and Lordship in Late Medieval Scotland 1300-1455 (East Linton, 1998) Cowan, I B & Easson, D E., Medieval Religious Houses: Scotland (2 nd ed.london, 1976) Fawcett, R., The Architecture of the Scottish Medieval Church (New Haven & London, 2011) Gifford, J., The Buildings of Scotland: Dumfries and Galloway (London, 1996) MacGibbon, D & Ross, T., The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1896-7) McDowall, W., Chronicles of Lincluden, as an Abbey and as a College (Edinburgh, 1887) RCAHMS Inventory of Monuments and Constructions in Galloway, vol. 2: County of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright (HMSO, Edinburgh, 1914) 7/7