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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2012
It is thirty seven years since I had the honour of communicating a paper to the Society of Antiquaries, containing “Some Remarks to assist in ascertaining the Dates of Buildings;” a subject at that time of little interest to the generality of members, though one which always appeared to me of importance. The great change which has taken place of late years in the feeling of the public on all subjects of ecclesiastical architecture, leading, as I trust it will, to a more correct taste in buildings hereafter dedicated to the service of God, will, I hope, plead my excuse for again laying before the Society some observations which at the time they were made might boast some little portion of originality, but which is now no longer the case.
page 139 note a By a minute attention to the form of capitals, &c. when examining different buildings, it will clearly be perceived which parts were first executed. In observing St. Cross, near Winchester, St. Mary Overy's, Westminster Abbey, the Temple Church, &c. it will be evident that the external walls were erected before the pillars in the middle of the buildings which support the roof. Another circumstance should be attended to in examining different buildings, viz. to make allowance for the difference between a cathedral and an inferior building. In the former, better workmen were most probably employed than in smaller churches; and the changes of the style of architecture may be observed to have occurred a few years sooner. Thus we may compare the superior elegance of the choir of Canterbury Cathedral with the old part of the Temple Church, both erected about the end of Henry II.; and compare the Galilee at Ely with the Church of St. Mary Overy's, Southwark, both about the time of John.
page 139 note b Many specimens of elegant square capitals (and a few with the corners taken off), may be found in the works of Bishop Seffrid II. in Chichester Cathedral, of the date of Henry II. or Richard I. and may easily be compared with the old Norman works of Bishop Ralph. But the capitals of the columns, executed in the reigns of John and Henry III. are somewhat different from those erected by Seffrid II.
page 140 note a Mr. King, in his Observations on Castles (vol. iv. p. 137), speaking of the tower of Winborn Minster, says, that “the middle arches of the lower row seem to have been somewhat altered in later days into pointed, as we have found was the case at Pershore;” but upon examination of the tower itself, I find that the middle aperture is narrower than the two external ones, which accounts for the arch being pointed, in order to range with the two external arches, which are semicircular; and upon examining the mouldings of these arches, and the lightness of the capitals, the tower, instead of being Saxon, as supposed, will prove not to be older than the time of Stephen or Henry II.
page 140 note b The square capitals prevailed throughout the whole choir of Canterbury Cathedral (and even in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity and Becket's Crown), to as late as the year 1189, when it was completed, except a very few round capitals, which may be found in the eastern cross-aisles, of which a specimen is given in No. II. fig. 10.
A door in Witham Church, Essex, has a pointed arch, with light zig-zags and other mouldings, of the date of Henry II. with the bases of the columns; but the original capitals have been taken out, and clumsy new ones inserted, about the time of Richard II. to correspond with the porch, which was added at that period.
page 141 note a This observation may be made respecting the capitals in Ely Cathedral; those in the Galilee, and the eastern part of the choir, are different from those in the lanthorn erected by Prior Cruden in the reign of Edward II., who built the Prior's Chapel. See vol. XIV., plates 26 and 27, of the Archæologia.