Thistle Chapel

Holyrood Abbey On 29 May 1687, James VII founded the Order of the Thistle and issued a warrant to designate Holyrood Abbey the chapel of the new order. This change of purpose necessitated the eventual removal of the Abbey's Church of Scotland congregation to the Canongate Kirk. In the seventeen months after the publication of the warrant, William Bruce oversaw the transformation of the Abbey: an altar and black and white marble floor were added and classical stalls were shipped from London. The Order of the Thistle never met in its new chapel: on 10 December 1688, in the wake of James' deposition, a mob from Edinburgh destroyed the furnishings. Proposals for a new chapel Although the order was revived in 1703 by Queen Anne, no chapel was designated. In 1728, the antiquarian William Douglas suggested the ruins of St Rule's Church in the grounds of St Andrews Cathedral be restored as a chapel for the order. In 1836, James Gillespie Graham and Augustus Pugin had drawn up plans to restore Holyrood Abbey as the chapel of the Order. Although Graham and Pugin's plans were not acted upon at the time, the same ambition was advanced in 1905, when Ronald Leslie-Melville, 11th Earl of Leven set up a fund of £40,000 to restore Holyrood Abbey for the Order of the Thistle. Construction Upon the Earl's death in 1906, the fund reverted to his sons, who offered £22,000 and an endowment of £2,000 to construct a new chapel. Edward VII appointed William Montagu Douglas Scott, 6th Duke of Buccleuch; Archibald Primrose, 5th Earl of Rosebery; John David Melville, 12th Earl of Leven; and Schomberg Kerr McDonnell as trustees with Thomas Ross as architectural consultant. The King instructed to the Trustees to write to the kirk session of St. Giles' with the suggestion that a new chapel for the Order be housed in the cathedral; on 12 March 1909, the Cathedral authorities gratefully accepted this offer. The Trustees appointed Robert Lorimer as architect. The King approved Lorimer's plans and the first building contract was signed on 24 August 1909 with the foundation stone being laid on 6 November that year. The sculptor appointed by Lorimer to execute the elaborate carving was Joseph Hayes. The chapel was completed by the autumn of 1910 in time for the first St Andrew's Day gathering of the Knights. The chapel was formally opened amidst much ceremony on 19 July 1911 by George V. At the opening, police hid in the boiler room beneath the chapel to guard against the threat of vandalism by suffragettes. At the end of the ceremony, the King received the chapel's craftspeople and Lorimer was shortly afterwards knighted for his work. The Trustees insisted that "the Thistle Chapel is a national thing" and that, as such, preference should be shown to Scottish artisans. In line with the Arts and Crafts movement's emphasis on craftsmanship and collaboration, Lorimer had already assembled a largely Edinburgh-based team of artisans. Of the major contributors to the chapel, only Louis Davis – who designed the heraldic stained glass – and the Bromsgrove Guild – who supplied decorative metalwork – were based outside Scotland. The speed with which the chapel was completed is, in large part, due to the skill of this team of craftspeople. Between 1987 and 2019, a cafe occupied the space immediately below the chapel. Over four months in 2006, a major cleaning and preservation operation was undertaken by the firm of Charles Taylor: this was the first thorough maintenance project in the chapel's history. The Thistle Chapel was temporarily closed to visitors from February 2015 after a number of valuable items were stolen. The Chapel re-opened to visitors the following year. ==Architecture==

The Thistle Chapel is simple in form: the Chapel itself consists of three bays and an apsidal east end with neither aisles nor transepts. Beneath the chapel is an undercroft and adjoining the chapel is the ante-chapel with arches opening into the Preston Aisle and south choir aisle of the cathedral and an external east door and steps providing access to Parliament Square. The chapel sits in a constrained site: on the edge of St Giles' Cathedral at its north and west and constricted by Parliament Square to its south and east; the kirk session of St Giles' Cathedral also required the chapel should not interfere with services in the cathedral or block light from the church. To create an impression of grandeur, Lorimer designed the chapel to be unusually tall: the interior of the chapel, while only 5.5 meters (18 feet) wide and 11.5 meters (36 feet) long, is 13 meters (42 feet) tall. At the time of the commission, Robert Lorimer, a former pupil of Robert Rowand Anderson and George Frederick Bodley, was roughly half-way through his architectural career; though his only major ecclesiastical commission had been St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Morningside. John Fraser Matthew, Lorimer's future partner, assisted Lorimer in the design of the chapel. Lorimer's design takes inspiration from late 15th century Gothic architecture and, in its form and in its use of curvilinear tracery, displays the influence of George Frederick Bodley. The chapel is constructed of sandstone from Cullalo in Fife. The same stone was employed by William Burn as ashlar to face the exterior of St Giles' during the restoration of 1829–33 and by Robert Reid for the construction of the Law Courts on the opposite side of Parliament Square. The exterior of the Thistle Chapel therefore appears consistent with St Giles' while complementing other buildings on Parliament Square. Christopher Hussey argued Lorimer was successful in creating a chapel that "harmonises perfectly with the Cathedral structure as a whole, but fearlessly proclaims its individuality." Exterior On its exterior, the chapel's base is emphasised by multiple horizontal moulded courses, from which rise gableted buttresses; the buttresses terminate at the cornice of the castellated parapet. The parapet conceals the flat, asphalt-covered concrete roof. According to Christopher Hussey, the "pronounced batter of the buttresses" creates "an illusion of height and massiveness without". The buttresses divide the exterior into bays: between each bay, the plinth, pierced by dormer-like ventilation holes (now glazed), slopes steeply to a sheer wall surface below a traceried lancet window. This sloping plinth was likely inspired by chapels at the east end of Chartres Cathedral. At the west end, an octagonal turret, capped with a spirelet, stands in the south corner: this contains a spiral staircase, which leads to the roof. Above the door rests a heavy heraldic frieze under an uninterrupted parapet. Around the east door stands an interior glass porch added in 1983 by Simpson and Brown. The preconditions for the design of the Chapel required the ante-chapel to be low in order to prevent the obstruction of light from the windows of the cathedral. Lorimer took advantage of this requirement by creating a close, sombre ante-chapel to emphasise, by contrast, the soaring proportions of the chapel. Chapel The interior of the Chapel consists of three bays, an apsidal east end and a flat west end. Above the line of the stalls rise pointed windows; the single-light east window is flanked by angels. At the west end, a single oriel is framed by a cusped lancet. In the north-west two bays blind tracery imitates the form of the windows and frames reliefs of the arms of the Duke of Argyll, the Duke of Montrose, the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres, and the Marquess of Tweeddale. A shallow lierne-vaulted ceiling crowns the soaring interior of the chapel. While the ceiling's height contrasts with the ceiling of the ante-chapel, its design is similar with large bosses dominating the ceiling. At the key-stone of each bay rests a demi-angel playing a different musical instrument. These musical angels were likely inspired by similar examples at Melrose Abbey and Rosslyn Chapel. Lorimer believed the art of vaulting reached its zenith in the Perpendicular period and designed the vault in that style; at the same time, he employed large, robust bosses to evoke Scottish medieval architecture. There are 98 bosses and over 200 tons of sandstone in the Chapel ceiling; the larger bosses weigh over a ton each. ==Stonework==

The contract for stonework went to A. Colville & Co., whose yard was at Haymarket. The carvings were done by Joseph Hayes – with whom Lorimer had already collaborated – and his men, initially overseen by the foreman Thomas Somerville, who died during the construction. Over 1000 tons of stone was sculpted at the yard then transported over a mile by horse and cart to St Giles', where some final work was done as the stones were put in place. Although Hayes and his men displayed independence in developing designs, Lorimer claimed ultimate authorship, insisting the masons "get their cue from him". The most detailed carving was done by "the Greek", whose name is not otherwise known. Among the other members of Hayes' team was Alexander Carrick, who became a noted sculptor in his own right. Louis Deuchars created plaster models from which Hayes and his men worked. In 1927, Pilkington Jackson carved the names of the Knights and Sovereigns of the Order of the Thistle from 1687 to 1909 in the walls of the ante-chapel. ==Woodwork==

The contract for the oak interior woodwork was given to the company of Nathaniel Grieve of Washington Lane, Dalry. Grieve's workmen executed the wood panelling and foliate borders. The most detailed woodwork was carved by the New Town-based brothers, William and Alexander Clow, mostly from designs by Louis Deuchars. The Clow brothers worked almost exclusively for Lorimer. Lorimer based the design of the Knights’ stalls on those at St George's Chapel, Windsor. Each stall is flanked by an animal on the arm-rest: some of these were based on animals that appear in the arms of the Knights and were carved by the Clow brothers from rough sketches by Lorimer. Each arm-rest bears a twisting pillar that support a canopy over the stall; on each of the cusps of these canopies is an angel with twin angels above the cusps of the Sovereign's stall, between the canopies are angels playing musical instruments. Deuchars designed each angel to be unique in appearance. Above each canopy are three canopied niches. The niches of the Sovereign's stall contains sculptures of Saint Mungo, Saint Margaret of Scotland, and Saint Columba. Above the niches of each stall are tall, crocketed spires surmounted by the coronet, helm and crest of each Knight. The Sovereign's stall at the centre of the western end is especially intricate: its spire is 10 meters (33 feet) tall while the two stalls on either side of it – which are reserved for royal Knights – descend in height to the Knights’ stalls, which are 7.6 meters (25 feet) tall. The dado of the apsidal east end is panelled and surmounted by a continuous canopy of ogee arches below a pierced parapet. The panelling of the central section above the holy table is the most detailed and contains a sculpture of an allegorical winged figure defeating a dragon which represents evil. This may represent Saint Margaret of Antioch. Moxon & Carfrae of George Street painted and stained the wood; the company subsequently held the contract to maintain the woodwork. Nathaniel Grieve also provided an attendant's seat and desk for the ante-chapel in 1927. Scott Morton & Co. provided eight oak stools in 1934. Crests Atop the spire above each Knight's seat is a sculpted coronet and helm and the crest of the incumbent Knight. Whenever a Knight dies and another Knight is appointed in his/her place, the deceased Knight's crest is replaced with that of their successor. Between the construction of the chapel and the firm's liquidation in 1966, the crests were carved by the foreman carver of Scott Morton & Co. of Edinburgh. Moxon & Crafrae originally coloured the crests but by the time of Scott Morton & Co.’s dissolution, this was done by A.C. Wood & Son. Whytock and Reid then held the contract to carve the crests until 1983; since then, the work has been done by John Donaldson of Livingston. ==Stained Glass==

The Trustees encouraged Robert Lorimer to employ a Scottish artist for the Chapel’s stained glass; but Lorimer favoured the London-based stained glass designer, Louis Davis. As a compromise, Davis was commissioned to design seven windows to show the arms of the Knights at the time of the Chapel’s construction while the Scottish artist, Douglas Strachan, was commissioned to design the east window, depicting Saint Andrew. For the clear glass, Davis, in common with other stained glass artists of the Arts and Crafts movement, preferred imperfect ‘brown’ glass to entirely transparent ‘factory’ glass. In the top light of each window is a zodiac sign: these were designed by Davis’ frequent collaborator, Karl Parsons. Going clockwise the north side, the arms depicted are as follows: the Marquess of Zetland and the Earl of Erroll; the Marquess of Aberdeen and Lord Hamilton of Dalzell; the Duke of Roxburghe and the Earl of Haddington; Lord Balfour of Burleigh and the Earl of Home; the Earl of Rosebery and the Duke of Fife; and the Duke of Buccleuch and the Duke of Atholl. The single-light west window, also by Davis, shows the Royal Arms of Scotland. In 1982, small stained glass windows replaced the ventilation grilles in the former boiler room below the chapel; these were designed by Christian Shaw and depict the days of creation. ==Metalwork==

The wrought-iron gates of the ante-chapel and the iron components of the chapel's doors were forged by Thomas Hadden and his workshop at Silvermills. Hadden based the design of the gates on medieval rood screens. Hadden had previously collaborated with Lorimer on Earlshall Castle and Ardkinglas. Hadden's forge also contributed the bronze curtain rails at the east end and the helms atop each Knight's stall. The coronets below the helms were made by T.K. Ebbutt of Hanover Street in the New Town and painted by Moxon & Carfrae. Ebbutt also made ceremonial keys for the chapel, which show Saint Andrew on the bow. Pendant electric lamps were produced by the Bromsgrove Guild and based on models by Louis Deuchars. These consist of angels bearing torches above a pendant showing the Pelican in her piety. During the remodelling of the east end in 1939, a new lamp was supplied by Charles Henshaw of Edinburgh. Over the years, the pendants went missing and one lamp was stolen; in 2006, Powderhall Bronze of Edinburgh manufactured replacements. The Bromsgrove Guild also produced the handles and keyhole escutcheon for the Chapel door. Alongside the communion table unveiled in 1943, a silvered bronze cross was added at the east end. Designed by John Fraser Matthew, the cross features square enamelled panels at each end, showing the symbols of the Four Evangelists: these panels were designed by Morris Meredith Williams and enamelled by Harold Conrad William Soper of London. ==Stall Plates==

The arms of each Knight are represented by a plate fixed to the back panel of the Knight's stall. Initially, the Knights were seated by date of installation, with the most senior being closest to the Sovereign and royal Knights. As senior Knights died and new Knights were appointed, the Knights moved up stalls in order of seniority and their stall plate moved with them: this has resulted in a concentration of the original plates at the western end of the chapel. Since the 1920s, individual Knights' stall plates have remained on the same stalls, regardless of seniority. The earliest stall plates in the chapel are the work of Phoebe Anna Traquair. At the time of the chapel's construction, Traquair was well-established in Scotland's Arts and Crafts scene. According to Charles Burnett, Traquair's stall plates are "quite unlike any chivalric stall plates seen before". Working at her home studio in Colinton, Traquair used the champlevé technique, setting vitreous enamel over foil to create shimmering, jewel-like surfaces. James Balfour Paul, Lord Lyon King of Arms, preferred the "cut-out" style of stall plate used for the earliest Garter plates at Windsor: this showed the arms without any background or frame and has been followed since 1911, giving a unique consistency to the Thistle stall plates. Paul also ordered that, in complex cases of quartering, only the first quarter be shown. Traquair produced the nineteen stall plates required for the Chapel in 1911. After 1911, the stall plates were produced by Elizabeth Kirkwood, who was influenced by Traquair's technique and who also introduced modelling to the helm and mantling of the arms to give them a three-dimensional effect. The stall plates of the Marquess of Bute (1922) and the Earl of Crawford and Balcarres (1955) are the work of Harold Conrad William Soper of London. ==Textiles==

At the chapel's construction, Nell Kay Drew of Edinburgh produced mantling to hang from the helms atop each Knight's stall. The mantling above the Knights' stalls is damask with cloth of gold mantling above the royal stalls. Since 1953, the Knights' banners have been hung in the adjoining Preston Aisle of St Giles' Cathedral. ==Use==

The Knights of the Thistle usually meet for worship in the Thistle Chapel every other year at the installation of new Knights by the monarch. They also meet annually on the Sunday nearest Saint Andrew's Day: this service was inaugurated by George V. At the installation service, the Sovereign arrives from the Holyrood Palace then processes into St Giles’ Cathedral from the Signet Library with the Knights and officers of the order. In the chapel, a new Knight is conducted to his/her stall and takes an oath. After the installation, the Sovereign and Knights worship in the cathedral. At every Thistle service since December 1949, a Bible with binding designed by Linton Lamb has been used. This was presented by George VI to commemorate his daughter's marriage. ==Assessment==

At the time of the Thistle Chapel's construction, commissions such as Ardkinglas and Lympne Castle had established Robert Lorimer's reputation as a domestic architect across the United Kingdom; yet his only major ecclesiastical commission prior to the Thistle Chapel was St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Morningside and the Thistle Chapel was his first building in "full Gothic" style. In the Thistle Chapel, in Stewart Matthew's assessment, "the very essence of Gothic architecture was achieved: an emphasis of the vertical which gives a sense of reaching upwards beyond material confines." Alongside its importance as a Gothic building, the Thistle Chapel is, in Louise Boreham's words, "an exquisite jewel of the entire Arts and Crafts movement." A number of commentators also recognise the national and political significance of the chapel. Charles Burnett notes that, on completion of the Thistle Chapel, "[the] ancient realm of Scotland had clawed back a major element in the unique identity of the country". MacInnes, Glendinning, and MacKechnie describe the design of the building as being "motivated less by religious 'worshipfulness' than by imperial Scottish patriotism". Likewise, the authors of the Buildings of Scotland series, while praising the chapel's architecture, call the Chapel "an introverted celebration of the Order and only secondarily of God." ==See also==