6 PAPERS, ETC. 



the observations I made on it on the strength of Älr. Ban-'a 

 engraving. 



Spires I find to be, especially on the eastem border of 

 the county, a little less rare than I had imagined, though 

 still very far from common. I bave examined Frome, 

 Castle Gary, Trent, East Brent, and Worle, besides tvvo or 

 three which I saw in the distance, but could not reach. 

 But to one used to the glorious spires of Northamptonshire, 

 none of these seem of much beauty or grandeur. They 

 are mostly quite unconnected with the tower either by 

 broaching or by flying buttresses ; they are of no great 

 height, and without crockets or prominent spii-e-lights. 

 Generally, as far as any unity of effeet is concerned, they 

 miglit just as well be away. Theh- most remarkable feature 

 is a small band of paneUing, at about half their height. 

 Trent, however, is a pleasing Decorated tower and spire of 

 quite another character. 



I am now brought round again to my main subject, and 

 will now proceed to the consideration of the 



CENTRAL TOWERS. 



Äly observations have hitherto been confined to western 

 towers; but the prevalency of genuine cross churches 

 aflfords considerable scope for the introduction of that still 

 nobler feature — the central lantern. We have ah'eady 

 mentioned several of earlier date, as the small square 

 tower of Whitchurch, and the oetagons of North Curry 

 and Stoke St. Gregory. But we have also several noble 

 specimens of Perpendicular central towers. For the Per- 

 pendicular architects, as we have already seen, often 

 carried out, aftei their own fashion, cruciform designs com- 

 menced at an earlier period ; and they even erected from 

 the ground, in their own style, such magnificent cnicifonn 

 pües as Crewkerne and Uminster. It is indeed probable 



