Page "Arbroath Abbey" Paragraph 12

The church originally had a central tower and ( probably ) a spire.

These would once have been visible for many miles over the surrounding countryside, and no doubt once acted as a sea-mark for ships.

The soft sandstone of the walls was originally protected by plaster internally and render externally.

These coatings are long gone and much of the architectural detail is sadly eroded, though detached fragments found in the ruins during consolidation give an impression of the original refined, rather austere, architectural effect.