come to nought. It is certain that our professional architects of either school have not yet sufficiently grappled with the means of supplying our conveniences and our comforts, and have thus too commonly thrown the building of our houses into the hands of operatives and not artists. It is a common belief (which could hardly have grown up without the bitter experience of many years) that in employing an architect, you are taking an expensive method of sacrificing internal arrangement and comfort to outside show; whereas it is a certain fact that a true architect, master of his position, should be able, by the most careful study of interior arrangements, to elicit an original and appropriate elevation, at a less cost than a builder could run up his regular amount of orthodox sash windows and potted chimneys.

“And this adaptation of the outside to the internal conveniences is the crowning merit of our old national style, and in direct opposition to the cramping pedantry of classic regularity. As to the forms of ornament, the applicability of sculpture, their respective proportions, and prevailing lines of outline, on these there may always be a difference of taste and opinion; but, in spite of the amazing blunders committed, there never can be a question which style is the most elastic, and adaptable to every exigence and every clime. It is from the present transitional, vacillating, unconsidering state of the public mind on art, that the most fear is to be had for modern architecture: that the future development will start from our own ancient landmarks there can be little doubt. The Victorian' style may be, like many of our public acts, a plausible compromise, and a varnished jumble; but whatever future life shall exist in English character or art must be based on more definite principles than the present age admits of, and will probably be led by what is passing both in Europe and America to hold more firmly than before by our own national traditions.

"I may congratulate this county, at least, on the style which the Corporation of Northampton have determined on for their new Town Hall and Museum, and I trust that the design will be of such excellence as to be an example to other towns of the county.

A revival in architectural literature has marked the present year, and the new editions of Mr. Bloxam's and Mr. Parker's manuals of Gothic architecture show that the study has still attractions for the readers of the rising generation; while Mr. Beresford Hope's Cathedral of the 19th Century,' setting forth, as it does, in its pages, the fact of the reality of its title, is a most encouraging proof that the highest object of ecclesiastical art is yet within the province and the aim of living architects. The mere publication of such a book, which is a most practical, sober treatise, is a remarkable sign of the times. Twenty years ago such an announcement would have bordered on romance. But Mr. Hope has clearly shown that many cathedrals of the 19th century have been, and that more will yet be, built.

"How much we want cathedrals, and how thoroughly we can use them in the present day, I need not urge on those who enjoyed the choral festival at Peterborough last Thursday week. It was a day to be well remembered by all, and by us, in connection with our present subject, as a proof that foundations laid in faith and largeness of heart are never laid in vain; that the true builder's stone laid on earth, like

the sower's seed cast upon the waters, shall be found after many days,' and that ages of indifference and neglect cannot dull the splendour, nor mar the use, of those houses of prayer which by their very vastness and magnificence tell, in spite of accompanying errors, of the uncalculating piety of those who reared them.

'They dreamt not of a perishable home

Who thus could build.'

Can I close this digression, in which you have kindly permitted me to indulge, without a word of regret for the fall of that great architectural glory of the South-the spire of Chichester Cathedral? Yet even here we may derive some comfort from the spirit which has determined to rebuild it again. There is little doubt but that, large as is the sum required for its reconstruction, it will again rise, before many years are passed, the glory of the Sussex landscape and the beacon of the Southern coast; and every architecturalist and churchman will, I think, be glad to say that he had contributed his mite towards it.

"I spoke of this report being read six months sooner than is ordinarily the case, and I must, in conclusion, advert to the cause of this, which is the meeting of the Archæological Institute at Peterborough in the last weeks of July. So important a gathering would naturally exhaust the interest of our numbers for that season of the year, and it is therefore proposed to omit our annual autumn meeting for 1861 altogether. The programme of the proposed proceedings of the Institute is in the room, and I can add no better word in conclusion than to advise all the members of the society to attend the forthcoming meeting in July. There is every reason to expect a most successful gathering, and as far as lies in our society we shall certainly do our best to further it. There is one who looked anxiously forward to this meeting-one who was lately numbered among our honorary members, but whom the hand of death has removed from off our roll before the meeting of the Institution, which would have honoured her name, has been assembled, and whom I would not willingly pass unrecorded on such an occasion as this. The archæology and history of this county is nearly as much indebted to Miss Baker as it was to her lamented brother, and her name should never be dissevered from his, when Baker's accurate and full, though, alas! incomplete, History of Northamptonshire is named. Her own special work, the Glossary of Northamptonshire Words and Phrases, is full of amusing and useful information on everything relating to the language and customs of the county, and, from its fulness, deserves a circulation beyond our own borders. Our Society is indebted to her for many appropriate presents, and for the kindly interest she always took in our meetings at Northampton. She was the first lady enrolled among our honorary members, and it will be long before another archæologist of her sex will be found worthy to fill her place.

"I fear I have detained you too long, but my report would be incomplete if I did not thank the inhabitants of Thrapston and its neighbourhood for the kind reception they have given us, and for those contributions towards the Museum, which, I trust, will be the subject of further remarks this evening from my fellow-secretary, Mr. Lightfoot,

who ought to have occupied the space I have engrossed to-day, but whom the inhabitants of this neighbourhood will very little understand and appreciate if they do not make him their guide and instructor in their architectural and archæological pursuits, an office from which nothing but his too great natural modesty has hitherto most unreasonably kept him."

At the bi-monthly meeting of the society, held on the 10th June, the Rev. Lord Alwyne Compton in the chair, the following new members were elected :-Mr. T. Edis Gray, Mr. J. T. Irvine, Mr. Jas. Fletcher, Mr. William Mobbs, Mr. Charles Phillips, Northampton.

There were purchased-D'Agincourt's History of Art, Britton's Peterborough, Didron's Annales Archeologiques, Wallcott's Church and Conventual Arrangement.

The Secretary stated that the late Miss Baker had left a memorandum expressing a wish that her seals, and architectural fragments in her possession, should be presented to the society, and that the executors had very liberally expressed their intention of carrying out her wish. The thanks of the committee were given to Mr. Whitworth and his co-executor.

After a discussion on the advisability of securing a more extensive and ready co-operation of the township of Northampton in the pursuits of the society, the absence of which the committee has long deplored, it was resolved "That a sub-committee be formed for the town of Northampton, especially to promote the study and preservation of local antiquities, and to hold their meetings, if they shall deem fit, in the society's room." A sub-committee, with power to add to their number, Mr. Elliot secretary, was provisionally appointed to carry out this object. The committee expressed their willingness to vote small sums, on the recommendation of the sub-committee, towards excavations, or other antiquarian objects in connection with the town, and especially with reference to the Castle site, soon likely to be built over; and in every way to encourage the extension of the society within the town of Northampton. The probable mode of working the sub-committee would be to hold evening meetings once a month, or oftener, when objects of archæological interest would be exhibited, questions of local or general antiquities discussed, and short papers read, which might be recommended for publication in the society's volume.

Plans for Mousley church restoration, by Mr. W. E. Gillett, were sent by the rector and generally approved, but the committee recommended the retention of the font in its original position. The report of the sub-committee on Everdon church was read and received; that of Raunds reconsidered. Some curious books, and a design for a sepulchral cross were exhibited. A meeting of the Leicestershire Society at Lutterworth, in the autumn, was announced, and also that of the Archæological Institute, at Peterborough, for July 23, of which members will receive a definite notice.

Some bills were ordered to be paid, and the committee adjourned to Castle-hill to examine the walls and objects lately discovered, where they were hospitably entertained by Mr. Walker, the proprietor.

281

NEW CHURCHES.

S. Martin on the Hill, Scarborough, Yorkshire.—An excellent design by Mr. Bodley. The plan shows a nave 94 ft. 6 in. long by 26 ft. broad, a chancel 30 ft. 6 in. by 23 ft., aisles to the nave, half aisles to the chancel, and a sacristy at the east end of the south chancel aisle. The nave has four bays besides an additional one at the west, which is treated as a narthex, and has the tower engaged at its north end. The style is a severe Early-Pointed, the tower and spire in particular showing evident marks of extremely early French style. The specialty of the church is its unusual height. The aisles are low, but the clerestory extremely lofty and well-developed. The piers of the arcade are clustered shafts; the arches are well moulded. The clerestory windows are of two tall unfoliated lights with a trefoiled circle in the head. The chancel has large octofoiled circles on the north side over the lean-to roofs of its aisles. The east window is of three lights, with a sexfoiled circle in the head. It is set very high up in the gable, and, inside, a well-designed architectural arcade, intended to be filled with paintings, makes a dignified reredos. The whole detail is treated with freedom and power; and the tower and spire in particular, though affecting (perhaps) a too early type, are unusually effective and picturesque. The design is strongly marked with individual character. S. Nicholas, Harpenden, Herts.-This new church, by Mr. Slater, is rebuilt on the old site, preserving the old Third-Pointed west tower. The old church, of rude Romanesque, was in a very dilapidated state. The roofs and windows were nearly all modern, the low central tower had been pulled down for centuries, besides which the old piers of the nave were of such a size as to render the aisles useless for seeing or hearing, and the seats were arranged very badly. On the whole a good case was made out for rebuilding. The new church is constructed of local stone, the dressings being of Ancaster, and the circular shafts of the arcade are of Mansfield stone with foliaged capitals of Ancaster stone, while the Mansfield stone has also been used in the arches of windows and in courses. The period selected is Early Geometric, and the plan consists of a clerestoried nave, aisles, transepts, and chancel, with aisles of two bays, and projecting sanctuary, with which the vestry at the end of the north aisle ranges eastward. The excuse for the adoption of low projecting transepts is found in the fact of the Lord of the Manor possessing a vested right in one of the transepts of the old church. The aisle windows are of two lights with quatrefoils and trefoils alternating in the heads: the clerestory is composed of coupled lights, while three-light windows give light to the transepts. The east window is of five lights. The pulpit is placed against the north chancel pier, and the prayer-desk opposite in the chancel. The seats in the chancel range stallwise, but are, we are sorry to see, three deep. The font stands at the south-west door: the area of the church is filled with open seats for 650 persons: those in the transepts,

however, run north and south. The nave roof is open with curved braces and columns, but that of the chancel is coved and panelled.

S. James, High Wych, Hertfordshire. This is a small church, recently consecrated, in the parish of Sawbridgeworth, Herts. It is built of brick and flint in an Early-Pointed style, and shows considerable skill on the part of the architect, Mr. Pritchett, of Bishop's Stortford. The chancel is vaulted in brick and terminates in a circular apse, the windows of which, however, are set very much too low. There is a round campanile at the south-west capped with a low spire, by no means a successful composition. The west door is well designed. Internally the walls are lined with white brick with considerable simplicity of effect, with which the elaborate carving of the capitals of the pillars is not quite in harmony. Over the chancel arch is a stone label which struck us as singularly inappropriate. The font is much too small, but there is some very good sculpture on the panels. We must however protest against the Noah's ark on one panel after the pattern of the wellknown child's toy. We were beyond measure surprised to hear that the Bishop of Rochester had refused to allow the Holy Eucharist to be celebrated at the consecration of this church, and had expressed a determination to make this the rule of the diocese during his incumbency. We conceive that there can be no possible justification for such a course.

S., Buckfastleigh, Devon.-This new church, designed by Mr. Norton, is called a "Chapel of Ease." The site slopes very rapidly from west to east, so that the vestry is placed beneath the chancel. The plan is cruciform, and both the transepts have galleries. The chancel arrangements are correct, except that the subsellæ are on the same level as the stalls. The style is a plain early First-Pointed. A small bellcote rises from the ridge at the west end of the nave roof, and there is a small porch at the extreme end of the north side of the nave. The galleried transepts seem to us wholly indefensible.

S. Andrew, Singapore.—We have to thank the Bishop of Labuan for allowing us to see a photograph of this church in its present state of proximate completion, which enables us to correct the description given of the building in Mr. Beresford Hope's "English Cathedral of the Nineteenth Century." The imitation of Netley Abbey can only be taken to extend to such details as the arcade, for the church at Singapore is apsidal, with a western tower, and the transepts are in reality nothing more than large carriage porches. The whole appearance of the pile is certainly church-like, but we are frighted as to the details of the window tracery.

Mission Church, Delhi.-In this design Mr. Bodley has carried out into practice those principles of speluncar architecture for tropical climates which we have always advocated, and which have been generally accepted in theory, although scarcely any one has yet ventured to apply them boldly. Here we have a church about 130 feet long altogether. The nave is broad, of four bays; the chancel occupying another bay, with the addition of a circular-ended apsidal sanctuary; an aisle, rather narrow, runs round the whole church, forming at the west end a spacious narthex. The surrounding aisle does not com