The Lady Chapel, Glasgow Cathedral, drawn by Robert Billings in 1847. The two figures are not drawn to scale, making the roof seem much higher than it is.
The Lady Chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, occupies the east end of the central area of the crypt. A feature is the elaborate vaulting ribs. At the junction of the ribs there are bosses with foliage decoration. The arches support the main church above, with two arches in the chapel corresponding to each of the arches above.
The crypt (or Lower Church) was used by another congregation, called the Barony, from 1596 until a new church was built just across from the Cathedral in 1801. The crypt was used as a burial ground for many years after the Barony congregation's departure. However, the earth and graves had been removed by the time Billings made his drawing.
Reference: Mitchell Library, f720.941BIL
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
arches, Barony, cathedrals, cemeteries, crypts, Glasgow Cathedral, graveyards, Lady Chapel, vaulting