31S 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. [September, 



STONE CHURCH. 



Illmtrations of S!oiie Church, KinI, with an Historical Account. By 

 Edwai'd Cresy, F.S.A. Published for the Topographical Societv', 

 Trafiilgiir Square. London: H. Hooper, 1840. 



That an active society formed of competent members, having for 

 ils object tlie making known those specimens of architectural, and 

 sculptured antiquities, which from their remoteness from the capital, 

 or other adventitious circumstances, are liable to be overlooked by the 

 mass of observers, and thus exposed to neglect, was felt to be a great 

 desideratum, i;o intelligent Englishman will deny; and to such a one 

 it must be a suljject of congratulation, that a task so replete with 

 •lifficulties, and requiring so much sound knowledge, and varied talent 

 on the part of those who engage in it, should have become the pro- 

 vince of a topographical society, whose members possess the valuable 

 acquirements displayed in theirbeautiful publication of "Stone Church." 



Nothing tliat we can say can possibly enhance the merits of this 

 charming volume ; and in speaking of it in the highest terms of 

 prais', we are guided by no other motive than that of indulging a 

 feeling of gratitude, towards a society which shews such devotion, to 

 a cause in which we, in common with all sincere lovers of art and their 

 country, feel the deepest interest. 



The creating among the masses an intelligent admiration of the 

 monuments which adorn their country, lias theliappy effect of binding 

 tlie former more and more to the land of their birth, and becomes a 

 sure means of fostering and promoting that noble feeling, love of coun- 

 try ; and we know of no subject more worthy of the civilized state in 

 which we live, than that of rescuing from oblivion and decay, the 

 numerous unpretending, but beautiful structures, left us by our ances- 

 tors, which, whilst they have thrown an irresistible charm over our 

 country, have also given birth to that taste for the beautiful, in the 

 exercise of which at various periods of her history, England has reaped 

 so many unfading laurels. 



Tlie means wiiich it is clear the members of the topographical so- 

 ciety possess of honourably compassing their laudable object, will we 

 trust, insure them the willing co-operation of those who simpatbising 

 with the subject, are fortunate enough to have the power of exerting 

 themselves usefully in a sphere yielding so much personal entertain- 

 ment as well as benefit to the public, for be it remembered that the 

 revival of that which is old and good, far from being of a merely re- 

 trospective character, has in it an active principle, tliat of kindling a 

 generous emulation in the minds of the present generation, and that at 

 no ])eriod of our history has this stimulus to mental exertion been more 

 required than at the present, when throughout the country we find 

 coupled with great zeal for building ecclesiastical edifices, a reckless 

 indifference to taste, a fitness of character, degrading to our religion as 

 well as to art. 



In selecting Stone Church for publication, the society have chosen 

 a subject well calculated to exercise the taste and antiqna ian know- 

 ledge of its members, it is an elegant building, most carefully designed 

 and executed in that [lure style, which was the offspring of the 13th 

 century, and associated wiih it are many interesting historical details, 

 all of which is most clearly and scientifically set forth in the work be- 

 fore us; connoisseurs are unanimous in their opinion of the merits of 

 tiiis interesting structure, and recognise in it the standard of taste in 



the beautiful style in which it is designed, there being nothing to be 

 found, not even in our cathedrals, to transcend the fine style, and mas- 

 terly execution of the ornaments ; this building ofTers a peculiarity in 

 its system of internal decoration, viz., that of tlie ornaments gradually 

 assuming a richer character as they are placed nearer the altar, this 

 arrangement, whether the result of some fortuitous circumstance, or 

 the original intention of the architect, is so pleasing, as to be quite 

 worthy of imitation. 



The following passage shows upon wdiat severe principles these 

 decorative accessories are composed, and we quote this passage the 

 more willingly, because it advocates that important principle, the 

 knowledge of geometry, which we believe to be the true foundation of 

 excellence in architecture, and because it has long been our conviction, 

 that a no more sure method could be adopted of upholding amongst us 

 a fine taste in that sublime art, than that of an assiduous cultivation of 

 the science of geometry, in schools destined for the education of 

 architects ; whose motto, over the threshold of their studios should 

 ever be, " Nemo geometriae expers, hue ingrediatur." 



" Salisbury, Lincoln, Westminster, Winchester, and other buildings of 

 this time, no longer exhibited the round arch or features borrowed by 

 the Normans from Roman constructions, but a new style altogether, 

 having principles essenti.dly geometrical ; and it is in vain that we 

 attempt to imitate the tracery or mouldings belonging to this style 

 correctly, unless we consider them to emanate from some simple figure. 

 However numerous the mouldings, they never appear confused, which 

 entirely arises from tlie order observed in their arrangement; this 

 may be better expressed by the subjoined diagram, taken from the 



