ANGLO-SAXON AND NORMAN ARCHITECTURE. 9 
Romanesque, I am not presumptuous enough to attempt 
to explain to others what I very much sdoubt. whether I 
understand myself. 
Now, we know that the Anglo-Saxon church, from the 
time of Augustine to that of Edward the Confessor, was 
peculiarly devoted to the Roman Pontiff—that the com- 
munication between England and Rome was frequent 
and intimate—that some of the Saxon kings, amongst 
others the youthful Alfred, visited the eternal city ; and, 
in short, I am afraid that if ever a thoroughly priest- 
ridden people existed, our Saxon ancestors were that 
people. It was therefore much more likely that they 
should have derived their ecclesiastical architecture from 
the fountain head, than from any other source. Benediet 
Biscop is said to have built churches “more Romano,” and 
Wilfred, Archbishop of York, whom we know to have 
founded churches after his return from Rome, at the end 
of the seventh or the beginning of the eighth century, no 
doubt built them “more Romano” also. 
Wolstan, in his metrical description of Winchester Cathe- 
dral, as re-edified by the Bishops Athelwold and Alphage, 
about the year 980, says : “ He repaired the courts of this 
old temple with lofty walls and new roofs, and strengthened 
it on the north and south sides with solid aisles and various 
arches; he added also many chapels, with sacred altars, 
which distraet attention from the threshold of the church, 
so that astranger walking in the courts, is at a loss where to 
turn, seeing on all sides doors open to him without any 
certain path. He stands with wondering eyes, fascinated 
with the fine roofs ofthe intricate structure, until some expe- 
rienced guide conducts him to the portals of the farthest 
vestibule. Here, marvelling, he crosses himself, and knows 
not how to quit, so dazzling is the construction, and so 
1851, PART I. B 
