56 PAPERS, ETC. 



Illustration, tlie three first, West Monkton, Wrington, 

 and Wellington, may certalnly be termed Early, in contra- 

 distinction to the other two, Bishop's Lydeärd and St. 

 Mary's, Taunton. And though I have not been able 

 actually to ascertain their dates, I believe I have mentioned 

 them nearly in the order in which they were built, and I 

 am inclined to think that neither of the first three is later 

 than the reign of Henry VI., and neither of the two last 

 earlier than that of Henry VII. 



I do not wish it to be supposed that these five specimens 

 include every type of Perpendicular^tower to be met with 

 in this county, but they wiU be sufficient to illustrate what 

 I wish to shew, namely, the difference of design which 

 exists between the early and later towers of the Perpen- 

 dicidar period, and that oiir Henry VII. towers, such as 

 Bishop's Lydeard, St. James's, Taunton, Chewton, Huish 

 Episcopi, Kingston, Staple Fitzpaine, and particularly St. 

 Mary's, Taunton, which is frequently mentioned as the 

 finest tower in the county, however beautiM in them- 

 selves, are in fact post-Gothic buildings, inasmuch as the 

 great principles of frame-work, lateral continuity, and spire 

 growth are altogether neglected in their construction, 

 though this neglect may perhaps be more striking in some 

 of them than in others. 



The first of these towers to which I shall draw your 

 attention, and which I believe to be the earliest of the 

 group, is West Monkton. It is, though very simple, 

 a beautiM design, and having no spire, the effect of 

 unity is very well preserved. It consists of three stories 

 above the west door, separated by string courses, and 

 contained wlthiu a frame-work composed of rectangular 

 buttresses and a bold cornice raoulding. In the belfry- 

 story is one small window of two lights, and above the 



