88 DATE OF MELLOURNE PARISH CHURCH. 



Church, did not record his views with respect to its date or class : 

 and indeed it is matter of surprise that, though Melbourne Church 

 formed the subject of a careful paper by Professor Wilkins in 

 " Archteologia,' vol. 13 (1809), illustrated by large scale engravings 

 of its plan and longitudinal internal elevation, there does not 

 appear to have been any subsequent publication of results of 

 a close study of the building in all its early details above specified 

 — such as its very remarkable character may be said to require and 

 invite — with the view of approximately ascertaining the date of its 

 design and construction. The present writer, for many years past 

 a resident in Melbourne, feeling that his own training has not 

 qualified him for this study, has been solicitous to obtain the 

 assistance of the most competent scientists, but not with the 

 success that he earnestly desired. 



Failing a positive conclusion as to the date of the fabric from a 

 study of its architectural details, are there any known facts in the 

 history of the spiritual pastorate of Melbourne, or of its temporal 

 seigniory, which will serve for that purpose ? 



It has been conjectured that the grandeur of the church, and 

 the singularity (amongst English parish churches) of its plan, may 

 have been due to the Rectory of the parish having been for ages 

 annexed to the Bishopric of Carlisle. But the early history of 

 that Bishopric '♦s not favourable to such a supposition. Early 

 chroniclers agree (" Historia Major Wintoniensis ' seems to be the 

 leading authority) that the Bishopric of Carlisle was founded by 

 King Henry the First in a.d. 1132 ; and the death of the first 

 Bishop (Aldulf ? ) is assigned to a.d. 1155. The war between King 

 Stephen and the Empress Matilda seems to have had the effect of 

 causing the sovereignty of Cumberland to lapse for a time to the 

 King of Scotland ; and the spiritual oversight of that district seems 

 to have been resumed by the Bishop of Whithern in Galloway. 

 In the Pipe Rolls of 5 and 6 Henry II. (1159-60) under 

 " Carliolinse," payments are accounted for " Episcope de Candida 

 Casa," i.e., to the Bishop of Whithern. 



When and how the Rectory of Melbourne was first annexed to 

 the Bishopric of Carlisle perhaps cannot now be ascertained. 



