238 Recent Wiltshire Books, PamjMets, and Articles. 



Vault of Nave — Diagram of North Window Vaulting — Diagram of Aisle 

 Vaulting — Wall Arcade, N. Side — Font— Ground Plan of existing Church. 

 After giving a slight sketch of the early history of Malmesbury— of 

 King Malmud — of Maildulf — and Ealdhelm — Athelstan and jElfric — the 

 writer enters on a serious discussion as to the date of the re-building of 

 the Church, and the part it bears in the history of the introduction of 

 the pointed arch in England. Rickman and Parker date the work 1115 

 to 1139, Freeman thinks it began circa 1135, Moore says circa 1140. 

 The following quotation from the latter writer's " Development and 

 Character of Gothic Architecture" (1890) is given: — " Few instances of 

 the constructive use of the pointed arch or of the employment of groin 

 ribs in vaulting, occur in England prior to the re-building of Canterbury 

 Cathedral by a French architect, which was begun in 1175. One instance, 

 however, occurs at an early date in Malmesbury Abbey, a building which 

 is nearly contemporaneous with St. Denis in France. Here in the vaults 

 of the aisles we have a distinct approach to Gothic construction. These 

 vaults, though simple in form and ponderous in their parts, are yet 

 certainly advanced in character for their time." 



The author then discusses the passage in William of Malmesbury's 

 "De Gestis Regum," which has been relied upon as proving that Bishop 

 Roger built the Church. Speaking of Bishop Roger's works the chronicler 

 says " CEdificia praesertim consummerit ; quod cum alias, tum maxime 

 in Salesberia et Malmesberia, est videre." Mr. Perkins argues that even 

 supposing the words " et Malmesberia " to be genuine (and they are not 

 to be found in some texts), it does not follow that they must necessarily 

 refer to the Church, inasmuch as Roger certainly began a castle at 

 Malmesbury — and he sums up thus: — " Although we cannot exactly 

 date the re-building of Malmesbury Abbey Church, we may safely say 

 that it is a very early example of Transitional work. The treatment of 

 the pointed arch in the groining is more systematic than that of the 

 pointed arches in the vaulting of the nave at Durham, which is dated 

 1128 — 1133, and is earlier than the Transitional work at Kirkstall, which 

 was completed in 1182, and the Transitional work at Wells in Bishop 

 Reginald's time. Thus the Church at Malmesbury forms an important 

 link connecting the Romanesque and Gothic." 



The present works of restoration are carefully noted — and every part 

 of the building is described in some detail. A list of the abbots, with 

 short notes, is given at the end. 



The Saxon Church at Bradford-on-Avon is illustrated by : A View from 

 the N.E.— The West End and N. Porch— E. Wall of Nave (interior)— 

 Doorway in N. Porch— The Chancel Arch — View from the Chancel — 

 Carved Angels on the East Wall of Nave — Ground Plan— The South 

 Side (exterior). The history of its discovery is given, and the building 

 described. The writer suggests that there may have been an upper 

 story, which would account for the position of the carved angels so high 

 up over the chancel arch. 



As a whole the book is excellent. 



Reviewed Churohwoman, July 12th, 1901, with two illustrations, p. 531. 



