( 'HAP. IV. FALL OF ST. CHAD'S CHURCH. 321 



in need of repairs. The roof let in the rain upon 

 the congregation, and the parish vestry met to settle 

 the plans for mending it ; but they could not agree 

 about the mode of procedure. In this emergency Tel- 

 ford was sent for by the churchwardens, and requested 

 to advise them what was best to be done. He accord- 

 ingly examined the building, and found that not only the 

 roof but the walls of the church were in a most decayed 

 state. It appeared that, in consequence of graves having 

 been dug in the loose soil close to the shallow founda- 

 tion of the north-west pillar of the tower, it had sunk so 

 as to endanger the whole structure. " I discovered," 

 says he, " that there were large fractures in the walls, 

 on tracing which I found that the old building was in a 

 most shattered and decrepit condition, though until then 

 it had been scarcely noticed. Upon this I declined 

 giving any recommendation as to the repairs of the roof 

 unless they would come to the resolution to secure the 

 more essential parts, as the fabric appeared to me to be 

 in a very alarming condition. I sent in a written report 

 to the same effect." The parish vestry again met, and 

 the report was read ; but the meeting exclaimed against 

 so extensive a proposal, imputing mere motives of self- 

 interest to the surveyor. " Popular clamour," says 

 Telford, " overcame my report. ' These fractures,' ex- 

 claimed the vestrymen, ' have been there from time imme- 

 morial ; ' and there were some otherwise sensible persons, 

 who remarked that professional men always wanted to 

 carve out employment for themselves, and that the whole 

 of the necessary repairs could be done at a comparatively 

 small expense." 2 Telford at length left the meeting, 

 advising that, if they wished to discuss anything besides 

 the alarming state of the church, they had better adjourn 

 to some other place, where there was no danger of its 

 falling on their heads. The suggestion was received 



1 Letter to Mr. Andrew Little, Langholm, dated 16th July, 1788. 2 Ibid. 

 VOL. IT. Y 



