east-lothian-1924/05-210

Transcription

TRANENT.] -- INVENTORY OF MONUMENTS IN EAST LOTHIAN. -- [TRANENT.

Beside the north-eastern crossing pier is the
entrance to a turnpike-stair giving access to
the tower. The crossing is ceiled with quad-
ripartite vaulting with moulded ribs meeting
at a central oeil-de-boeuf. The wall ribs spring
from corbels, three carved with foliage, the
fourth with a grotesque. In the eastern piers
are socket holes apparently for the rood beam
and in the intrados of the arch other sockets
for supports of a veil or screen. The western
piers also have socket holes, but these are
apparently later. In the south-west angle,
there is a benatura with an ogival head and a
circular basin supported on three grotesque
heads. In the south-east corner is a font 2 feet
6 inches in diameter, on plan octagonal on top
but square at base. The sides are panelled,
and three of the panels have shields. The
central shield is charged with the Seton
arms. On one side the shield bears the en-
grailed cross of the Sinclairs, while the other
has the cross (? chrysma) symbol of Jesus,
with apparently two initials.
Another font lies in the north-east corner.
It is circular, 2 feet 4 inches in diameter at top
and, like the other, is reduced to a square below.
Around the rim is a band of nail-head ornament,
and on the upper surface can be seen the holes
for securing a font cover. Both fonts have
outlets in the bottom ; they may be assigned
to a date rather anterior to that of the building
(described Proc. Soc. Ant. Scot. xxi., p. 431-2).
BELL.-The tower is two storeys in height.
Within the lower hangs a bell brought from
Holland by George, seventh Lord Seton, in
1577. It was long hung in the tower of Tranent
Parish Church, from which it was removed to
Gosford and afterwards replaced in its original
position in the tower of Seton Church. Besides
the arms and name of George (7th) Lord Seton,
it bears the following Dutch inscription " Jacop
eis mynen naem ghegoten van Adriaen Stey-
laert int iaer mccccclxxvii." (James is my
name, made by A.S. in the year 1577). The
arms are the quartered crescents and garbs of
Seton. There are two small figure panels on
the skirt.
HERALDIC PANEL.-Within the choir there
lies, against the infilling of the south doorway,
a fine heraldic panel wrought in high relief.
At base a scrolled label bears the (Seton)
motto " Invia virtuti via nulla " ; above this

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is a scrolled panel bearing the Seton arms with
an inescutcheon at fess having a star of six
points within a double tressure flory-counter-
flory : all surmounted by an Earl's coronet
beneath a helm and mantling. The helm bears
the Seton crest, a dragon spouting fire, with
wings elevated bearing a star of six points.
Above the crest is a second label bearing the
second (Seton) motto " Hazard . Zit . Ford-
ward." The shield panel is supported by two
lions collared. Robert Seton was created Earl
of Winton in 1600, when the star on an in-
escutcheon was added as an augmentation, but
the workmanship of the panel suggests a mid-
17th century date.
Another panel, a pediment with strap
ornament, is charged with the arms of Elizabeth
Maxwell, daughter of the seventh Lord Herries
and second wife (c. 1628) of the third Earl of
Winton : 1st and 4th a saltire with label in
chief, 2nd and 3rd three hurcheons.
Seton Church is unusually well preserved and
singularly free from Post-Reformation additions
and alterations. Its history has not, however,
been entirely peaceful, for the church appar-
ently suffered at the hands of foreign invaders,
and in the 18th century was desecrated by
the Lothian militia. In 1851 it is noted that
the bays and windows were rudely blocked up
with masonry, and that one transept was used
as a carpenter's shop.1
HISTORICAL NOTE.-A parish church existed
at Seton in the 13th century at least. It paid
to Bagimont's crusading tenth four marks for
the years 1274-6.2 The history of its trans-
formation into a collegiate establishment has
been outlined above. In this rearrangement
the " personage " i.e., the revenue accruing to
the "parson" or rector on the ordinary parochial
basis, was divided between the provost and
prebendaries.3 Its staff consisted of a provost,
six prebendaries, two singing boys and a
clerk.4 Janet Hepburn, widow of the fifth
Lord Seton (cf. p. 116) added two chaplains
endowed from her own Templar lands of Seton
and of Spenslands in East Fortune, and this
charter of foundation was confirmed in 1556
by John Hamilton Archbishop of St. Andrews.5
This lady's ample benefactions to the church
had also included five " compleit stands " of
" ornaments " or vestments-of purple velvet
embroidered with gold, of crimson velvet