ECCLESIASTICAL, ANTIQUITIES. 3 87
Church‘s censures. This same apartment served as the prison in which Sir John Gtordon
of Haddo was secured in 1644, previous to his trial and execution, from whence one of
the places of worship into which the nave of the ancient Collegiate Church was divided
derived its singular name of “ Haddow’s Hole.” Both the porch, and the two chapels to
the east of it, have disappeared in the recent remodelling of the church, although they
formed originally very picturesque features externally, with their pointed gables, and steep
roofs ‘‘ theikit with stane,” and with them also the deep archway which had formerly gives
access to the most ancient fragment of the Parish Church. The eastmost of these chapels,
which is now replaced by what appears externally as the west aisle of the north transept,
was the only portion of the church in which any of the coloured glass remained, with which,
doubtless, most of its windows were anciently filled. Its chief ornament consisted of an
elephant, very well executed, underneath which were the crown and hammer, the armorial
bearings of the Incorporation of Hammermen, enclosed within a wreath. From these
insignia we may infer that this was St Eloi’s Chapel, at the altar of which, according to the
traditions of the burgh, the craftsmeu of Edinburgh who had followed Allan, Lord High
Steward of Scotland, to the Holy Land, and aided in the recovery of the Holy Sepulchre
from the Infidels, dedicated the famous Blue Blanket, or “ Banner of the Holy Ghost.”
The large and beautiful centre key-stone of this chapel
is now in the collection of C. K. Sharpe, Esq. It
is adorned with a richly-sculptured boss, formed
of four dragons, with distended wings, each different
in design, the tails of which are gracefully extended,
EO as to cover the intersecting ribs of the groined
roof. The centre is formed by a large flower, to
which an iron hook is attached; from whence, no
doubt,, anciently depended a lamp over the altar
of St Eloi, the patron saint of the Hammermen
of Edinburgh. The painted glass from the chapel
window-which, from the rarity of such remains
in Scotland, would have possessed even a greater
value than the beautiful key-stone - has either
gone to enrich aome private collection, or been
destroyed like the old chapel to which it belonged, as we have failed in all attempt8
to recover any clue to it. The view of the church from the narth-west will sufice
to convey some idea of the singularly picturesque appearance of this part of the old
building externally, even when encumbered with the last of.the Krames, and with its
walls and windows defaced with many incongruous additions of later date. A restoration
of this would have well rewarded the labour of the architect, and merited a grateful
appreciation, which very few indeed will consider due to the uniformity that has been
effected by its sacrifice, The two western chapels still remain, with B yery light and
elegant clustered pillar, adorned with sculptured shields on a rich foliated capital, from
vhich spring the ribs pf the groined roof and the arches that divide it from the adjoining
aisle. The ornamental sculptures of this portion of the church are of a peculiarly
‘
Pennecuick’s History of the Blue Blanket, p. 28. -.
