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is a Norman doorway, of beautiful proportions and with richly 

 carved arch, at the south-western corner of the nave. Mr Galloway 

 is of opinion that this interesting fragment does not occupy its 

 original position ; and the presence of interpolated stones in the 

 arch courses is apparent on a careful survey. It had probably 

 been " restored " when additions were made to the buildings in the 

 fourteenth or fifteenth century. But in any case we have preserved 

 what is undoubtedly twelfth century workmanship. Several 

 quaintly sculptured stones are built into the wall at the same place. 

 In one of these a small animal is seen to be entering the mouth of 

 a larger; and it has been conjectured that it may have been 

 intended to symbolise the Christian's hope that death shall be 

 " swallowed up in victory." On the outer side of tlie north wall 

 are still to be seen some of the corbels which had carried the beams 

 of the cloister arcade. The crypts to the east form a long double 

 row, with barrel-vaulted roof ; but the remains of two short pillars 

 indicate that originally the more ornamental form of the groined 

 arch had been used. In the northern-most crypt have been found 

 remains of the red deer, the boar, and other animals of the chase, 

 indicating that it had served the purpose of a larder. In one of 

 the walls there is constructed a beehive-shaped apartment of which 

 the purpose can only be conjectured. It may have served either as 

 a punishment cell or as a place of solitary retreat for some of the 

 more spiritually-minded brethren. Within the nave are two low 

 tombs built into the southern wall, and enriched with dog-tooth 

 ornament. They have no doubt been the resting-place of persons 

 of distinction ; but there is now nothing to indicate their name or 

 condition, whether lay or clerical. In the coui-se of recent exca- 

 vations, the skeletons were found, in cists partly cut out of the 

 rock and partly built, but there were indications that the graves 

 had been previously opened. The nave is now a perfect antiquarian 

 museum. There has lately been deposited within it, for better 

 preservation, a curious monolith that long stood, like a mile-stone, 

 by the road-side about a quarter of a mile from the burgh. On it 

 are traced a peculiar combination of the circle and cross and this 

 inscription, in irregular letters : " Lociti Petri Apustoli." (1) It is 

 supposed to be as old as the fourth century, contemporary therefore 

 M^th St. Ninian, and to have marked probably a place of worship 

 dedicated to St. Peter. It is now taken under the protection of 

 the board charged with the administration of the Ancient Monu- 

 ments Act. Ancient crosses have been collected in large number 



