i.»74. 75-] I2 3 



Harris, in describing this abbey in 1774, and Dr. Petrie in later 

 years, writes of the very elegant construction of one of the arches 

 then standing, and we may conclude from their description that some 

 portion of the bell-tower wall was then standing. At Grey Abbey 

 we have some of the walls of this low central tower still remaining 

 over the north transept arch and the nave arch. These fragmen- 

 tary remains of the walls of the central tower show the stone string- 

 courses, or weather mouldings, which serve to mark the slope and 

 height of the original nave and transepts. The intersection of the 

 four arms of the crux was covered with groined barrel vaulting, as 

 may be seen from the remains of the springing of four groined stone 

 ribs over the north transept arch. 



In both abbeys we find the usual side chapels, opening off the 

 east side of the north and south transepts, that is, two chapels each 

 north and south of the choir. In Inch Abbey the scanty remains of 

 quadripartite groined vaulting of these chapels indicate the archi- 

 tectural magnificence of this abbey. We have the corner corbels 

 with caps from which the ribs sprang. Since my first visit a still 

 more beautiful corbel cluster has been brought to light. We have 

 also found the base of the pillar between the north chapels, with 

 responds of the mouldings. At Grey Abbey, the chapels had a 

 simple barrel vaulting, and the arch moulding was very bold, as the 

 scattered fragments show. 



In Grey Abbey we find, in the south transept south wall, the re- 

 mains of a stone newel winding stair ; the existence of this stair is 

 interesting evidence of the Cistercian origin of the building. A 

 pile of debris at present covers its site at Inch, which, when removed, 

 will most probably reveal some traces of this Cistercian conventual 

 feature. We have uncovered at Inch a stairway close to the site 

 usual for the night stair, but it is undoubtedly a more modern con- 

 struction. This abbey was used as a residence and a castle long 

 after the suppression of the monasteries. 



Adjoining the south transept of the church in each abbey we find 

 a narrow chamber as usual ; this would be the sacristy. In both 

 abbeys we have the doorway of communication between this vaulted 



