towards the shore; and there commanding the waters not to wet his foot, since his attendants endeavoured to persuade him that he was lord of all which he beheld.-An action so simple, and yet so grand, evinces an habitual effort at self-correction, which entitles Canute to the surname of GREAT, and assists in redeeming the Danish dynasty from the abhorrence of more intellectual ages. The lat The crown of England was worn by only two succeeding sovereigns of the Danish line; Harold and Hardicanute. ter king died in 1040, ON THE MILITARY ARCHITECTURE OF THE ANGLO-DANES.The native barbarity of these invaders from the north, and the precarious tenure by which they held their fluctuating portions of territory in Britain, previous to the investiture of Canute with regal dignity, forbid us to expect that permanent works of art, even relating to the science of defence, and the furtherance of security, were constructed by them at an earlier date than that period. The field occupied by the Danes affords, indeed, little gratification to the enquirer into the antiquities of this island. Except for the purpose of an attempt towards satisfactory regularity of arrangement, the chief works of this era might, perhaps, with propriety, be involved in a continuation of AngloSaxon manners and style; for, although during twenty-four years the throne was filled by Danish sovereigns, each king of this line was contented with following the modes of his Saxon predecessors; and few, if any, novelties of architectural disposal were introduced under their patronage. The author of " Northern Antiquities" describes the fortresses of the ancient Danes, as being "rude castles, situate on the summit of rocks, and rendered inaccessible by thick mis-shapen walls." It is observable that this fondness for choosing a lofty natural elevation, as the site of a castle of defence [the most obvious assistant of security in the early ages of military art] prevailed among the Danes in the brightest period of their as cendancy cendancy in Britain. Canute the Great is believed to have built several castles, of large dimensions and equal strength. The Castle of Norwich, which is situated on a natural mount, is the most distinguished of the erections supposed to have been made during his reign. This building, a splendid example of the architectural manner ascribed to the Anglo-Saxons, has been already noticed; and it may, probably without any great danger of error, be received as a specimen of the principal fortified structures raised by the Danes. Canute, as it would appear, although uniformly indulging his native partiality for an elevated site, wisely adopted the military architecture of the people over whom he had triumphed, conscious that it was far superior to the rude modes of his northern countrymen, and that his success was greatly owing to the infrequency of such formidable structures. * MILITARY EARTH-WORKS OF THE DANES.-That the Danes, although predatory and rapid in their modes of warfare, until they obtained a regular settlement in this country, constructed, in numerous instances, fortifications of earth-work, for the defence of their camps, is evinced by the writings of ancient historians; and it is observed, in the History of the Anglo-Saxons, that the facility with which they raised such as even the great Alfred did not dare to assault, affords a fair presumption for attributing to them considerable military skill.+ Instances of camps, which, from their local connection with accounts in history of battles between the Danes and Saxons, are ascribed to the former people, are of frequent occurrence in the southern parts of this kingdom, where such contests chiefly prevailed. But it is difficult to distinguish between the encampments of the two opposed parties. It would, however, appear that, * See some scattered remarks on the subject of Anglo-Danish castles, in Mr. King's sequel to his observations on ancient castles, Archaol. Vol. VI, Mr. Wilkins's Essay towards a history of Norwich castle, &c. Archæol. Vol. XII. and Strutt's Manners and Customs, &c. Vol. I. + Hist. of the Anglo-Saxons, Vol. I. p. 281. that, unless accidental circumstances induced the adoption of an irregular form, the Danes, like the Saxons, constructed their camps of a circular shape, and protected them by a broad and deep ditch. It may be presumed that, in attention to their early national habits, they formed their camps on elevated spots, and, probably, on the brow of a hill, where such a site was attainable;† but, in such situations, great care must be used in discriminating between the intrenchments of the Britons and those of northern invaders. After the remarks which have been already presented, it will be necessarily supposed that little can be said respecting the efforts of the Anglo-Danes in ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE. These invaders, indeed, are noticed in history, rather as the destroyers, than the founders, of sacred buildings. They entered Britain in a state of pagan, rapacious barbarity; and even such was the national condition of the Saxons, when they first wielded arms in this country. The Saxons attained a long period of secure possession; and their improvement in the arts of civilization was proportioned to the extent of their influence over the resources of the island. The dynasty of the Danes was of brief duration; and the years in which the sword lay sheathed were truly few. Hence, perhaps, from want of opportunity, rather than from a national ineptitude to amelioration of manners, they descend to us merely in the character of barbarians, who were the scourge of the land, and the enemies of established social order. When the Danes, in a pagan state, first effected serious ir. ruptions in Britain, they unhappily directed their chief attention to the monastic establishments, as places affording the greatest promise See a Danish camp described in the Beauties for Berkshire, p. 135-6. For further (although brief) remarks on the camps of the Anglo-Daues, the reader is referred to Archæologia, Vol. VIII. + Archæol, Vol. VI. p. 257. promise of booty. The general examiner of history, shudders over the recital of enormities practised in the course of these devastations. But the antiquary has less reason for regret [as far as the buildings may be concerned] since we have sufficient cause for believing that the more enlarged views of the Normans would have produced, at a future period, a demolition no less entire, in regard to the sacred structures of the Anglo-Saxons, although the work of destruction might have been performed with pacific sentiments. It can scarcely be presumed that numerous [if any] places of Christian worship were erected by the Anglo-Danes, previous to the accession of Canute to regal power. Those Danes who settled by treaty in East Anglia and Northumberland, appear to have been nominal Christians only. Their public accordance in the established religious ceremonies of the country, was an article of stipulation; and, like most such terms of political agreement, was preserved during expediency,-and no longer. On the death of the great Alfred, they endeavoured to shake off their political allegiance and their religious conformity. But the strong measures of Edward the Elder having, at length, rendered their military efforts unavailing, they resumed an attention to the religious rites of the kingdom,-as by law established. Those frequent regulations, framed in synods held in the 10th century, against the exercise of pagan ceremonies, would appear to be directed particularly towards the Danish nominal members of the Anglo-Saxon church. King Canute, profiting by a period of comparative repose; and, probably, actuated at once by pious zeal and political wisdom; inculcated the necessity of conformance to that beneficent system of religion, which has ever been found salutary to the morals of the inan and the fidelity of the subject. He, indeed, became conspicuous for religious ardour;-cherished, we will presume, in the simplicity of a true faith, but displayed according to the fantastical modes of the era in which he flourished. He made a journey to Rome, as himself says, "for the re demption demption of his sins, and the welfare of his subjects."* Whether he acquired, in this travel to the papal city, any information for an improvement of the Ecclesiastical Architecture of England, must remain doubtful. But we are told that he became a patron of monastic foundations, and that many churches were built under his sanction;-these manifestations of pious sentiment, being chiefly evinced on the spots signalised by former battles between the Danes and the Saxons. Little intelligence, concerning supposed remains of such structures, is presented even by the boldest and most conjectural writers.-Mr. King supposes that the fine gateway and tower at St. Edmund's Bury, denominated St. James's tower, or Churchgate, is part of the building erected at that place under the auspices of Canute. This opinion, however, is controverted in Mr. Britton's "Architectural Antiquities;" where the stately structure in question is said to have been probably raised by Abbot Baldwin, in the time of William the First; or, otherwise, by "Radulphus and Hervæus, the sacrists, about A. D. 1121, or 1130." Not any documents are preserved, to render the opinion of either writer decisive.-The above gateway and lofty tower, at St. Edmund's Bury, afford fine specimens of the heavy, circular, style of architecture. The reigns of Harold and Hardicanute were too short, and of too unsettled a complexion, to allow of our believing that ecclesiastical architecture met with opportunities of efficient encouragement from those sovereigns. We have, indeed, no sound authority for concluding that the sacred architecture of this country experienced any important change, during that short period of national prosperity, the latter part of " the great" Canute's reign; and thus the style ascribed ta • Turner's Hist. of the Anglo-Saxons, Vol. I. p. 440, and the authority there quoted, (a letter of Canute; the substance of which is stated in Matt, West, 407, and elsewhere.) ✦ Munimenta Antiqua, Vol. IV. p. 188. Architectural Antiquities, Vol. III. p. 78. |