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Decorated gable end of northern 'offshoot'
Dunglass does not come near matching the profuse decoration of Rosslyn Chapel. As discussed elsewhere (see for example the book: Genealogie of the Saintclaires of Rosslyn for a discussion of this aspect. To read a review of that book click here) such churches were not built with such decoration in mind. William St. Clair of Rosslyn was the exception. However, even relatively plain churches such as Dunglass is not devoid of decoration. It takes a little effort to find it and once identified can, compared to Rosslyn, be disappointing. That said such searches can be rewarding.
Above is the decoration on one of the gable ends of the 'offshoot' attached to the north side of the nave. This was probably part of the original church dating from 1443. It was most likely a sacristy. The decoration, like the some on the exterior of Rosslyn Chapel, is badly eroded. Unlike Rosslyn Chapel there does not appear to be any money being spent to restore this Scottish Collegiate Church.
The upper part of the carving appears to the armorial bearings of the Home family and probably that of the founder: Sir Alexander Home, 1st Lord Home. The carved head below the armorial bearings are most likely those of a woman probably one of Home's two wives.
It has been suggested to the Rosslyn Templars that the carving of armorial bearings are actually a Masonic device, specifically Compasses, as in the common, modern, symbol, of the Square and Compasses. In this instance it is said that the Square has been eroded over time leaving only the Compasses. Such a suggestion is stretching things beyond the bounds of possibility. Scottish Freemasonry did not exist at the time this gable was built and so Masonic symbolism likewise did not then exist.
Dunglass Collegiate Church, appears to have no connection to modern Scottish Freemasonry or with the medieval Order of the Knights Templar (KT). |
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