and grown over with moss; and not that they were made wholly of wood."

It is, however, clear, from the writings of Venerable Bede, and is not denied by any modern author, that many churches were constructed by the Anglo-Saxons, of oaken planks, or even of wattles, thatched with reeds. Such buildings were sometimes raised in haste, and were afterwards taken down to give place to more substantial edifices, or were included in those more permanent structures; as in the instance of a chapel, on the site of the present church of St. Peter, at York; which chapel, or oratory, was hastily built of wood, for the purpose of baptizing Edwin, King of Northumberland, in the year 627. But it may be readily apprehended that, in every early age, when society was thinly-spread, and the resources upon which ecclesiastical architecture depended, proceeded chiefly from the bounty of individuals, many churches, not designed for a temporary purpose, would be composed of materials so ordinary and cheap. Several such are noticed by ancient writers; and it may be observed that a church, thus rudely formed, although the date of its erection be unknown, is still remaining at Greensted, near Ongar, in Essex.†

But that churches built of stone were contemporary with fabrics so rude and slight, is sufficiently evinced by authentic history. In regard to the opportunities which the AngloSaxons possessed of acquiring some knowledge in the art of architecture, even in the earliest stage of their supremacy in this island, it is remarked by Mr. Bentham," that, at the time the Saxons were converted, the art of constructing arches and vaultings, and of supporting stone edifices by columns, was well known among them; they had many instances of such kind of buildings before them, in the churches and other public edifices erected in the times of the Romans. For, notwithstanding the havoc

+

History of the Cathedral Church of Ely, p. 16.

See Beauties for Essex, p. 425. A view of this building is presented in Vetusta Monumenta, Vol. II. plate 7.

havoc that had been made of the Christian churches by the Picts and Scots, and by the Saxons themselves, some of them were then in being. Bede mentions two in the city of Canterbury : that dedicated to St. Martin, on the east side of the city, wherein Queen Bertha performed her devotions, and which Augustin and his companions made use of at their first coming; and the other, that which the king, after his conversion, gave to Augustin, and which he repaired and dedicated to our blessed Saviour, and made it his archiepiscopal see. Besides these two ancient Roman churches, it is likely there were others of the same age, in different parts of the kingdom, which were then repaired and restored to their former use.' "*

There is cause for supposing that several of the principal churches erected shortly after the conversion of Ethelbert, A. D. 561, were constructed of stone. Such a supposition, however, rests for credibility on an inference deduced from the words of Bede (the sole ancient and real authority,) rather than on those words themselves. In treating of the buildings of an age shortly subsequent, that venerable historian is more explicit; and informs us, that the church of St. Peter's, at York, which included the wooden chapel before-noticed, was a spacious and magnificent fabric, " of stone." This first stone church at York, was erected shortly after the baptism of King Edwin, in the year 627.

Other churches, built in, or near, the time of Bede, are, likewise, expressly stated by him to have been built of stone. The structure concerning which he writes most fully, is the church of St. Peter, in the monastery of Wearmouth; the spot on which he was educated, and near which he passed the whole of a life, saintly in the esteem of his contemporaries, and truly useful in the regard of posterity. "This church was built by the famous Benedict Biscopius. In the year 675, this abbat went over into France, to engage workmen to build his church after the Roman manner

History of Ely Cathedral, p. 17-18.

manner (as it is there called,) and brought them over with him for that purpose. He prosecuted this work with extraordinary zeal and diligence; insomuch that, within the compass of a year after the foundations were laid, he caused the roof to be put on, and divine service to be performed in it. Afterwards, when the building was nearly finished, he sent over to France for artificers skilled in the mystery of making glass [an art till that time unknown to the inhabitants of Britain,] to glaze the windows both of the porticos and the principal parts of the church; which work they not only executed, but taught the English nation that most useful art."*

We do not entirely rest for historical intelligence, concerning churches of stone built by the Anglo-Saxons, on the venerable Bede; and it is observable, that, in another author, equally entitled to credit, both pillars and arches are expressly mentioned. Eddius, the contemporary of Bede, and the biographer of Wilfrid, bishop of York, mentions the conventual church of Rippon, in Yorkshire, and the cathedral church of Hexham, in Northumberland, as foundations of the bishop whose life he narrates.

The church of Hexham is described as being one of the most magnificent fabrics of the age in which it was erected; as a building, indeed, that was not to be paralleled on this side the Alps." It was founded in the year 674; and Eddius mentions "its deepness in the ground, with rooms founded of stones, admirably polished; but having, above ground, one room of many parts, supported on various columns, and on many underground chapels; yet possessing a wonderful length and height of walls;

History of Ely Cathedral, p. 20-21.-The introduction of Glass at this period, as noticed in the above excerpt, will not escape the notice of the reader. Before the erection of this church, under the direction of Benedict, the windows of the most costly buildings were filled with "fine linen cloth, or latticed wood work." Turner's Hist. of the Anglo Saxons, Vol. II. p. 416. Malmsb. 149.

and, by various passages winding in lines, carried along spiral stairs, sometimes up, sometimes down."*

This church is more especially curious, and deserving of notice, as it afforded a subject of remark to an Anglo-Norman writer, who flourished about one century after the conquest, and in whose time the building was still remaining, although in a decaying state. Richard, prior of Hexham, the Anglo-Norman to whom I allude, after mentioning the "crypts, and oratories subterraneous, with winding passages to them," informs us "that the walls were of immense length and height, supported on columns of squared, varied, well-polished stones, and divided into three stories." He adds, "that the walls themselves, with the capitals of those columns by which the walls were supported, as, also, the coved ceiling of the sanctuary, Wilfrid decorated with histories, statues, and various figures, projecting in sculpture from the stone, with the grateful variety of pictures, and with the wonderful beauty of colours. He, also, surrounded the very body of the church with chapels lateral and subterraneous, on every side; which, with wonderful and inexplicable artifice, he separated, by walls and spiral stairs, above and below. In the very stairs, and upon them, he caused to be made of stone, ways of ascent, places of landing, and a variety of windings, some up, some down; yet, so artificially, that an innumerable multitude of men might be there, and stand all about the very body of the church, yet not be visible to any that were below in it."+

In a commentary on the above excerpt, Mr. Whitaker remarks, that this delineation of an Anglo-Saxon church, " reminds us strougly

• Eddies, c. xxii. as translated in Whitaker's Cathedral History of Cornwall, Vol. I. p. 114. The passage is differently, but, as it would appear, Jess faithfully rendered by Mr. Bentham, p. 21-22, of the History of Ely

Cathedral.

Richardi Prioris Hagust. lib. 1 ;—as translated by Mr. Whitaker, Catke dral History of Cornwall, Vol. I. p. 116-117.

strongly of the subterraneous crypts, with oratories in them, of our late cathedral of St. Paul's, with Jesus chapel and St. Faith's church in the crowds,' under it; or of our present cathedral of Canterbury, with its under-croft,' and Walloon church, below."*

Many other instances of churches known to have been built of stone by the Anglo-Saxons, might be adduced, on the testimony of ancient writers, who had an opportunity of examining such fabrics. Those noticed above are sufficient to establish the fact of that people having constructed sacred edifices composed of stone; a circumstance which indolence in research, alone, could have suffered any author to place in a questionable point of view.

It may, however, be proper to state, in attention to the remark of Mr. Bentham, that "one of the most complete Saxon churches, of which we have any authentic information, is that of St. Peter, in York, as it was rebuilt about the middle of the 8th century," in consequence of an injury which the former structure experienced, from accidental fire, in the year 741. The church, as then restored by Albert, archbishop of York, is curiously described by the learned Alcuin, who was one of the principal architects employed in that work. "From his description," writes Mr. Bentham," in which the principal members and requisites of a complete and finished edifice are expressed, pillars, arches, vaulted roofs, windows, porticos, galleries, and variety of altars, with their proper ornaments and decorations, the reader will, in some measure, be able to form a judgment of the whole; and be apt to conclude that architecture was carried, in that age, to some considerable degree of perfection."+

S 2

* Cathedral History of Cornwall, Vol. I. p. 119. .

We

Bentham's Ely, p. 25-26. In the same place is presented an extract of Alcuin's poem, De Pontificibus et sanctis Ecclesiæ Ebor. published by Dr. Gale, in 1691. The descriptive lines are thus translated, in the fourth volume of King's Munimenta Antiqua, p. 164.