preserved, and has also been made available in later times. The later internal arrangements would thus be the usual Presbyterian ones, of having the pulpit placed in the centre of the south wall, with a large window on each side of it, and a central passage down the church, to which access was obtained by the two doorways near the east and west ends.
The church was doubtless originally lighted by several small windows in the south and west walls, and by a large pointed window in the east wall. The latter (see Fig. 1432) and the round-headed doorway near the west end of the south wall are the principal ancient features. The doorway has a bead on edge, and a plain hood moulding. It has all the appearance of being of early date. The east end is partly built with ashlar, and has a moulded string course near the ground running along part of it. The pointed window has double splays on the jambs and arch, both in the interior and exterior. It has doubtless had mullions at one time, but it is now impossible to find traces of them. The window is doubtless of third pointed date.
Various sepulchral enclosures have been added to the church, both internally and externally. That at the west end (see Fig. 1431) has probably had a coat of arms in the recess above the door, but it is now gone.
A number of quaintly carved tombstones of seventeenth and eighteenth century date are still crumbling away in the churchyard.
"The name of Newlands refers to the era when the lands lying around the Kirktown were first brought into cultivation by Scoto-Saxon bands."[1] At the end of the thirteenth century Newlands belonged to the monks of Dunfermline. In Bagimond's Roll the Rectoia de Newland, in the Deanery of Peebles, is valued at £16.
CROSS CHURCH, Peebles.
The fragmentary ruins of the church of the monastery of the Redfriars
stand in the middle of a fir plantation immediately to the west of the
town of Peebles. All architectural interest connected with the edifice has
been destroyed. The freestone work which Grose specially commends has
been carried away, leaving only bare and ragged whinstone walls, and
giving the structure a very desolate appearance. The monastic buildings
were situated on the north side of the church; and the fir plantation, which
seems to represent their extent, runs in that direction for about 100 feet,
with an average length from east to west of about 250 feet, the whole
extent of the plantation being a little less than an acre. It is probable,
from these dimensions, that the monastic buildings were extensive, but,
unfortunately, their destruction has been very complete. The ruins of the
nave remain (Fig. 1433), and measure, within the walls, about 70 feet
- ↑ Caledonia, Vol. II. p. 950.
