The Oreyfriars" Convent of Dumfries. 27 



Redeemer) situated next the altar of Blessed Mary outwith the 

 choir, one (Mass) to be of 'Corpus Christi ' with the office 

 'Cibavit,' and with the usual fifth Feria (Thursdays) (commemora- 

 tion) and the other to be of the ' Five wounds ' with the office 

 ' Hamiliavit ' without the usual sixth Feria (Fridays) (Com- 

 meration.)" It is said that altars of Saint Salvator are ex- 

 tremely rare; and special conditions are required for the ser\ice 

 of the "Five Wounds." There is also an instance recorded in 

 the Burgh Court books (last day of July, 1533) of a Friar in- 

 heriting property. AVilliam Saidlar, one of the friars, appeared 

 in Court, and was served heir to his brother Sir John Saidler, 

 Chaplain and Vicar of Dimifries. These details are submitted 

 for the purpose of indicating the nature of the local revenues, but 

 it is not intended to offer an estimate of the proceeds either of 

 local or other sources of income. 



I now turn to the more difficult, but at the same time more 

 interesting task of endeavouring to locate the convent, and map 

 out the main lines of the plan of the historic church. Before 

 proceeding, it may be jjroper to notice for the purpose of 

 comparison and guidance some of the general arrangements 

 of such mediaeval edifices. The church was generally built 

 in the form of a cross, having a nave, witli aisles, a central 

 tower, and transepts north and south of the tower, whilst east- 

 wards of the tower was the choir. In general design, the churches 

 of the Friars materially differed from those of other monastic 

 orders, being more simple. According to Professor Banister 

 Fletcher's "History of Architecture": — "Their churches were 

 large, plain, and without aisles, being designed for preaching 

 purposes." I have searched the comprehensive volumes on 

 Scottish Ecclesiastical remains by Messrs M'Gibbon and Ross 

 for an example of such a monastery, and the Friar}- of Elgin 

 appears to be the only one in Scotland of which anv remains exist 

 sufficient to admit of the plan being traced. It is imperfect as 

 regards the conventual offices, but the illustrations show the plan 

 of the church entire, and a perspective elevation of the remaining 

 walls. The plan is in agreement with the description of Pro- 

 fessor Banister Fletcher, being a simple oblong consisting of a 

 nave and a choir separated by a rood loft which is evidenced bv 

 corbels for the reception of beams in the north and south walls. 

 The length internallv is one hundred and ten feet bv twentv-two 



