*

Edgar possessed the throne in an age more settled, and favourable to the cultivation of sacred and ornamental architecture. His opportunities were chiefly employed in the indulgence of personal pomp, and gaudy parade; but the influence of archbishop Dunstan, and the consequent prevalence of Benedictine institutions, were, certainly, productive of a memorable attention to the advancement of the architectural art. Several monasteries were now founded; and many, which had been destroyed or injured, by the Danes, were refounded or repaired.

Mr. Bentham, in treating of ecclesiastical buildings erected in the reign of Edgar, observes that, by the accounts which we have of his monastic foundations and repairs, "it appears that some new improvements in architecture had lately been made, or were, about that time, introduced."+

A discussion concerning the probable nature of these improvements, occupies many pages in the works of several writers on the subject of our ancient architecture.

It is less to be regretted that the limits of the present undertaking prevent a minute examination of the arguments of these various writers, as the object of their enquiries is but in a faint degree connected with such supposed vestiges of the AngloSaxons as demand primary attention. Mr. Bentham imagines those improvements in 'architecture which are referable to the time of Edgar, or years shortly previous, to consist in the cruciform mode of ground-plan, with high towers raised above the roof. In support of this conjecture, he affirms that, in such descriptive accounts as we have remaining, of the more ancient Saxon churches, "not a word occurs by which it can be inferred that they had either cross buildings, or high towers; but, as far as we can judge, were mostly square, or rather oblong, buildS 3 ings;

* See Turner's Hist. of the Anglo-Saxons, Vol. I. p. 403.

+ History of Ely Cathedral, p. 28.

"St. Peter's at York, begun by King Edwin, A. D. 627, is particularly reported by Bede to have been of that form." Bedæ Hist. Eccl. lib. ii, cap. 14.

ings; and generally turned circular at the east end;* in form, nearly, if not exactly, resembling the basilicæ, or courts of justice, in great cities throughout the Roman empire."+ Such, Mr. Bentham conceives, was the general form of our oldest Saxon churches,

This opinion, as to the late period at which the cruciform plan of building was introduced amongst the Anglo-Saxons, is warmly controverted by several very respectable writers. Mr. Whitaker opposes to it the description presented by Eadmer, of "that church which the Romans built, within the city of Canterbury, and which, afterwards, became the cathedral of all England, under the Saxons." The descriptive statement of Eadmer [as copied by Gervase] does, indeed, appear to imply that this very ancient metropolitical church, possessed north and south transepts, each being surmounted by a tower.

Dr. Milner § unites with Mr. Whitaker, in opposing the above opinion of the historian of Ely cathedral; and observes, that "it would, certainly, be strange if that form which had been adopted in the east, in Italy, and in France, during so many prior ages, should not have made its way into England, during four hundred years after its conversion." This writer adduces a fresh instance of the use of transepts in English churches, at a much

"An ancient church at Abbendon, built about the year 675, by Heane, the first Abbot of that place, was an oblong building, 120 feet in length; and, what is singular, was of a circular form on the west, as well as on the east.” Monast. Angl. Vol. I. p. 98.

+ Hist. of the Cathedral church of Ely, p. 29.

Cathedral History of Cornwall, Vol. II. chap. vi. sect. ii; where see the original passage, of Gervase from Eadmer.

§ Treatise on the Ecclesiastical Architecture of England during the Middle ages, p. 31-33.

See arguments respecting these positions, in the notes to Dr. Milner's Treatise, p. 32. Some remarks on the same subject, are, also, presented in "P. Mr. Whittington's Historical Survey of the Ecclesiastical Antiquities of France, Chap. 1.

much earlier period than is noticed by Mr. Bentham; and one that is of greater weight than the example given above, as the building was erected under the direction of an Anglo-Saxon prelate. This is the church of St. Mary, at Hexham, which was built by St. Wilfrid, in the seventh century. Richard, prior of Hexham, describes the above church, "as being furnished with a tower, of a round or cupola form, from which four porticos, or aisles, proceeded."

The second novelty [that of high towers, raised above the roof] which Mr. Bentham supposes to have been introduced about the time of King Edgar, is partly implicated in the foregoing remarks; but, as the subject is curious, and involves particulars, interesting in regard to the churches of every period, it demands some further observation. It is mentioned by Mr. Bentham, as being "highly probable," that the use of bells. gave occasion to the introduction of church towers; and such we may readily suppose to have been the fact. Speedily found to be appendages elegant as well as useful, they were, however, multiplied in the same building, for the purposes of symmetry and ornament. From the extracts and references presented above, it is probable that the reader will accord with those who oppugn the conjectural opinion of Mr. Bentham, respecting dates; and will believe that towers, the great ornaments of so. many existing churches, were adopted by the Anglo-Saxons shortly after their conversion.*

AS 4

The history of Bells, as used in collecting a congregation to Divine service, is involved in some obscurity. Mr. Whitaker, in the section and chapter already quoted, displays great learning in shewing that bells were in frequent use among the Romans; and were, probably, introduced by them to the Britons, during their sway over this island. Their first adaptation to the uses of the Anglo-Saxon church, is not so clearly to be ascertained, from written testimony. Dr. Milner (Ecclesiastical Architecture of the Middle ages, p. 34,) observes "that the use of small bells (nola) in this country, if we may credit William of Malmsbury, may be traced as high as the fifth century.

And

It is mentioned by Mr. Turner, as a circumstance not to be doubted," that the Anglo-Saxons had some sort of architecture in use before they invaded Britain. The temple which Charlemagne destroyed at Eresberg, in the eighth century, is described in terms which imply at least greatness." But that they were indebted to Rome, for that mode of building with stone, which forms the object of the present enquiry, would appear to be satisfactorily ascertained.

It will be recollected that the art of architecture, in Rome, is generally allowed to have been cultivated with the greatest suc- t cess during the reign of Augustus; from which period it sank to decline, amidst a meretricious profusion of ornament; and hastily fell into utter degradation. Mr. Whittington observes that the "Palace of Dioclesian, at Spalatro, affords a striking proof of the debasement of the art, at the end of the third century; indeed, in many parts of that vast and costly structure, are to be discovered the first traces of that barbarous style of building, which is now known to us by the names of Lombard and Saxon."+ In this degraded state of the architectural art, the noblest ancient structures of Rome were considered merely as a fund of materials for the use of new buildings. Columns, architraves, and the various ornamental parts of ancient and truly elegant edifices, were now employed in such fresh erections, with an entire disregard of symmetry, and even of common architectural laws. Columns were often furnished with capitals and bases of dissimilar orders; and any deficiencies of ornament were supplied by the crude fancies of the new builders; who may be termed masons, rather than architects. Several instances of churches

at

And it is clear from Bede, that even those of the larger kind (campana) such as sounded in the air, and called a numerous congregation to Divine service, were employed in England as early as the year 680, being that in which the Abbess Hilda died.”

Hist. of the Anglo Saxons, Vol, II. p. 411.

Ecclesiastical Antiquities of France, p. 2, and Appendix.

at Rome, constructed in this barbarous manner, are specified in the works mentioned below.*ain-kiratrak tinta, kata kaos diva leudaniya

An imitation of this debased Roman style, appears to have prevailed in the early churches of every other Christian country of Europe. The opportunities which the Anglo-Saxons possessed of imitating the Romans in architectural fashion, are sufficiently obvious. Independant of examples possibly afforded by buildings still remaining in Britain, they were directed and assisted by those missionaries from Rome, who repaired to this island in the seventh century; and their subsequent intercourse with that city, upon ecclesiastical affairs, enabled them to acquire an intimate knowledge of the modes used by the Romans in constructing sacred edifices.

In regard to the fact of the derivation of the Anglo-Saxon style from the Romans, Dr. Milner affords the following observation: "The well-known Saxon mouldings, the chevron, or zig-zag; the billet; the cable; the embattled fret; the lozenge; the corbel table; and a variety of such other ornaments, as are supposed to be peculiar to Saxon architecture, will be found, on close examination, to have had their architypes in some or other of the buildings, medals, tessellated pavements, or sepulchres, of Italy, before they were adopted by our ancestors."+ificulle

Whilst admitting that the Anglo-Saxon style was formed on an imitation of the methods prevailing in Rome, we must not, however, forget that in these, as well as in future ages, the architects of our most splendid sacred structures are to be found in native ecclesiastics.ellbesi

POLIZOARD AND IN DEs erent ways the peild av Jayateffy Bud dan Some

* For a compendious review of the incongruous and tasteless modes which marked the architecture of Rome, in its debased state, see Whittington's Ecclesiastical Antiquities of France; and Hawkins (Hist. of the origin of Gothie architecture) after Ciampini, Vetera Monimenta, Vol. I. &c.

+ See Milner's Ecclesiastical Architecture of the Middle ages, p. 21. (after Bede, 1. ii. c. 14.)

+ Ecclesiastical Architecture of the Middle ages, p. 26-27. Examples arepresented in a note on the latter page.