I28 MEMORIALS OF EDINBURGH. .
In 1595, the following entry occurs in the records of the Presbytery of Edinburgh:-
“Anent the desyre of James Reid, Constable of the Castell of Edinburgh, in effect
craving that, seing thair was ane paroche kirk within the said Castell, command wald be
given to John Brand to baptese the barnis borne in the Castell. The Presbyterie understanding
that the kirk thairof is unreparitt, willis the said Constable to repair the same,
and to dedicatt it for na uther use bot for preiching. Thairefter his desyre sal be
answerit.” Eight years afterwards, it appears, from the same records, that the question of
its being a parish was disputed, and still under discussion, and so it remains even to our
own day. When Maitland wrote, the old church was divided by floors, and converted
into an armoury and storehouse; and soon after his time, it must have been entirely
demolished.
We have been the more careful in describing the site
and general character of the ancient Church of the Castle,
in order to prevent its being confounded with a singularly
curious and interesting ecclesiastical ediiice still remaining
there, immediately to the west of the garrison chapel, the
existence of which seems to have been totally lost sight of.
Its external appearance, though little calculated to excite
attention, leaves little reason to doubt that the original
walls remain. It is still in a tolerably perfect condition,
consisting of a very small building, measuring sixteen
feet six inches, by ten feet six inches within the nave, probably
the smallest, as well as the most ancient chapel in
Scotland. At the east end, there is a neatly carved,,
double, round arch, separating it from a semicircular chancel,
with a plain alcoved ceiling. It is decorated with the
usual Norman- zigzag mouldings, and finished on the
outer side by a border of lozenge-shaped ornaments, the
pattern of which is curiously altered as it approaches the spring of the’ arch. No traces
of ornament are now apparent within the chancel, a portion of the building usually BO
highly decorated, but the space is so small, that the altar, with its customary appendages,
would render any further embellishment immaterial. There have been formerly two
pillars on each side, supporting the arch, with plain double cushion capitals, which still
remain, as well as two of the bases, but the shafts of all the pillars are now wanting, and
the opening of the arch is closed in with a rude brick partition in order to adapt the
chancel to its modern use as a powder magazine. The original windows of the chapel have
all been built up or enlarged, but sufficient remains can be traced to show that they have
been plain, round-headed, and very narrow openinga. The original doorway is also built
up, but may still be seen in the north wall, close to the west end, an arrangement not
unusual in such small chapels, and nearly similar to that at Craigmillar Castle. This
interesting edifice is now abandoned to the same uses as the larger church was in
Wodrow &fisc., vul. i. p. 463.
\’rGNETm-Mouldioga of the Chancel Arch, from the Chapel in the Castle.
