58 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF ABERDEEN AND DISTRICT 
Norman Work.—The two great medieval churches—St. Machar’s 
(the cathedral of the ancient diocese of Aberdeen) and St. Nicholas’ (the 
Burgh Church)—were originally complete Norman edifices. At St. 
Machar’s scarcely a worked stone of that period remains—none 7m situ. 
At St. Nicholas’, some early Norman building may be seen in the tran- 
septs; and at the crossing, Transitional work of fine character has 
escaped the changes and chances of seven centuries; the noteworthy 
capital of the south-west pier seems to be of French derivation, possibly 
through Canterbury. 
The only other Norman masonry in the county is at Monymusk 
Church, if a ruined fragment at Peterhead may be disregarded. 
Earty EnciisH Work.—The small ruined Chapel of Cowie, near 
Stonehaven (consecrated May 22, 1276), has a simple, well-proportioned 
gable with three lancet-lights. This is the only remaining example near 
Aberdeen of the pure and graceful style of the thirteenth century. Good 
Early English work occurs also at Kildrummy Castle and at Auchindoir 
Church. The ruined church of Kincardine o’Neil, which was one of the 
largest in the medieval diocese, shows some interesting advanced Early 
English work. Built early in the fourteenth century, the lateness of the 
development of style in the North is apparent. 
DecoraTED Work.—After the middle of the fourteenth century (c. 1366) 
a mew crossing, transepts and nave were planned for the Cathedral of 
Aberdeen, which at that time had a Norman nave and an Early English 
choir. The existing western piers at the crossing, their extension upwards 
—above the capitals—in tas-de-charge, the carved capitals which show 
natural knife-cut branches and wavy leafage and good animal and figure 
sculpture, along with some adjacent masonry, executed in the highest 
style of Decorated Gothic, are apparently all that was accomplished before 
this effort ended abruptly. 
Tue GRANITE INTERREGNUM.—It was not until after Bishop Henry de 
Lichtoun was translated from Moray to Aberdeen, in 1422, that the re- 
building of St. Machar’s was resumed and the present nave and west front 
built of granite. The earliest granite ashlar in Aberdeen is that outside 
the north wall of the north transept. Lichtoun’s work, which must be 
dated between 1423 and 1440, bears unmistakable marks of his direction : 
it was he who decreed that the west end of the cathedral should have two 
steeples, and that the west doorway should resemble that of Elgin, the 
Cathedral of Moray. Whether it was that freestone or that masons of 
freestone could not be procured at that juncture is not known. The 
mason whom Lichtoun employed was clearly no accomplished master, 
expert in the style of the day ; but it is equally clear that he could handle 
granite—probably he had done so hitherto as a castle-builder. For he 
raised two strongly buttressed fortress-towers, boldly machicolated (for 
use, if need be) with pathways behind battlemented parapets (since 
lowered) ; and for the rest, he could—and did—hark back to Norman 
forms and simplify mouldings to rough rounds and channels. But more : 
he contrived to build a great west window of seven very tall round-headed 
lights in a row, having sturdily built mullions between the lights—a 
window this, different from anything done before or since, and to be taken 
