LANTERN TOWER, WIMBORNE MINSTER. 143 



periods in which the church has been erected made their work 

 subservient to the existing building, and altered the same as little 

 as possible. No masonry that could be retained was got rid of, and 

 everywhere they left behind them abundant proofs and evidences 

 of what the building was before. Some authorities give as a reason 

 for this the probable poverty of the establishment ; but, whatever 

 it was, we ought to feel very grateful to our forefathers for retain- 

 ing so much of the old structure in their altered plans, &c. 



This fact strikes us on comparing the Lantern Tower with similar 

 towers built in the same style and about the same time York, 

 Lincoln, Winchester where, generally speaking, the Xorman work 

 in the upper parts of the towers has been altered, and transformed 

 into the style of architecture prevalent at some later period ; but in 

 this case we see the tower very much the same as when it was 

 built, six or seven hundred years ago. 



Let me first call your attention to the lower compartment of the 

 tower, which, no doubt, formed part of the original church, with 

 its four massive piers and arches having two plain orders. The 

 piers have double shafts, supporting the central bold order, while 

 single shafts support the outer orders. The capitals and bases are 

 very plain ; but, taken as a whole, the piers and arches convey the 

 idea of strength and stability for which they were designed. 



The Eastern and Western Arches are wider than those on the 

 North and South, arranged, no doubt, to allow as wide and extended 

 a view of the High Altar as possible. Although there is so much 

 difference in the width of these Arches, the springing and apex of 

 them all are cleverly arranged to begin and finish in exactly the 

 same plane. This has been effected by lowering the centres, from 

 which the wider arches are struck below the springing, and forming 

 what are called " depressed " arches, and by raising the centres of 

 the narrower ones above the springing, forming what are termed 

 " stilted " arches. The chancel being about 18 inches narrower than 

 the tower, the walls on each side are brought forward and take 

 the place of the column which should have supported the outer 

 order of the Arch at the East side. 



