Not much is known about the chapel that lies abut 150 metres from the castle, except that is was built by Duncan MacDougall of Lorn, builder of the castle, as well.
(maybe the place of Lord John's assassination?)
Duncan must have had access to some really good masons because the stonework and the decorations are quite outstanding for the time. The guidebook even says that no other chapel on the Scottish mainland from that time (~ 1220) can rival it.
Well, even its ruins make for some nice photos, and so this is more or less a 'photo spam' post. :) And the last to deal with Dunstaffnage and its history. I really need to sorta 'cross out' some of my sites; the list of future posts is way too long and getting longer.
The chapel is single naved and about 20 metres long (6 metres wide); the chancel was divided from the main room by a timber screen. Paired lancet windows on all three sides illuminated the chancel while only two single windows in the south and north wall let some light into the main room. The altar was thus bathed in light - at least on sunny days.
The windows show some fine dog teeth decorations and widely splayed arches. The three entrances also were decorated, but only some fragments remain. They likely had arched doorways. Nothing is known about possible murals though my guess is there may have been some, going by the overall quality of the building.
The chapel served as family chapel for the lord of the castle, though services there could well have been attended by visitors of the lords and / or keepers as well, including maybe King James IV. Its former splendour certainly may have appealed even to a king.
But the chapel already was in ruins in 1740 when a burial aisle was built to the east end that would serve as cemetary for the Campbell captains of the castle.
Beautiful, beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Vicky.
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