254 Dr. R. Hood on Coldingham Priory. 



record, to be Symon; a.d. 1141, and gives the succeeding list 

 until the year 1622. 



Whether the monastery anterior to this was double or not 

 may continue doubtful, but Edgar's erection contained monks 

 only. The chief remains of Edgar's magnificent structure are 

 the north and east walls of what is stated to have been the 

 choir of the church, built, as has been before stated, over the 

 ruins of the chancel of the former nunnery; — the south transept, 

 to the height of about 8 feet, which last the Heritors have re- 

 cently wholly disinterred, having been filled up with rubbish ; 

 it has a circular arch at the upper part, which communicated 

 with the aisle of the nave; — the foundations of two massy 

 clustered pillars, also recently disinterred, which had supported 

 the arches situated between the body of the transept and its 

 east aisle. To the south, and parallel with the present church, 

 and running nearly in a line with the south end of the transept, 

 was an apparently shapeless massy wall, which traditionally went 

 by the name of Edgar's Walls, or Palace. This the Heritors 

 have also disinterred, to the depth of about 10 feet, and have 

 been rewarded with the discovery of the Refectory. A noble 

 dining-hall it must have been, reaching nearly the whole length 

 of the present church. The under portions of the east and 

 north walls are all that remain, and these show portions of the 

 pillars from which the arches that supported the roof had 

 sprung. At its east end had been the kitchen ; and the knead- 

 ing-trough and oven have been uncovered, as well as the ash- 

 pit, containing the ashes, with small pieces of wood charcoal. 

 There is also a portion of massy wall to the east of the church, 

 which has been preserved from being used as a quarry, like 

 many other portions of the ruins, by being constituted part of a 

 hearse-house, which last has been removed. The north and 

 east walls of the choir were, fortunately, in a state of good pre- 

 servation, and, with the recent renovations, which do very great 

 credit to the architect, show how magnificent the whole fabric 

 must have been. 



Mr. William Gray, whom the Heritors employed as architect, has 

 very kindly furnished me with the accompanying Plan (PI. III.), 

 which he was enabled to trace in the recent excavations that have 

 been executed. The north transept is incomplete, on account of 

 its having stretched into where many interments take place, but 

 a massy tower is stated to have existed at the north-west angle, 

 which had been frequently fortified, and stood sieges. This, 

 Cromwell, on his invasion of Scotland in 1648, knocked down 

 with his artillery, and at the same time blew up the church with 

 gunpowder, the north and east walls of the choir being saved 

 alone from destruction. Although Mr. Gray has not traced it 



