AN OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH 

 MEDLEVAL ARCHITECTURE, ILLUSTRATED 

 BY STAFFORDSHIRE EXAMPLES. 



BY CHARLES LYNAM. 



I HAVE undertaken, at the request of our inde- 

 fatigable Honorary Secretary, to sketch out for you this 

 evening an " Outline of the History of English Mediaeval 

 Architecture, illustrated by Staffordshire Examples." It 

 may appear to some members of our club that this is 

 a subject somewhat foreign to the strict object of the 

 association. If this be so, I beg to remind such that 

 very soon after the formation of our society it was 

 decided that archaeology should come within the scope 

 of our pursuits, and I need hardly say that at our 

 summer excursions the remains of ancient buildings in 

 this and other counties have been a frequent source of 

 attraction. 



Again, I have fancied a smile to cross the countenance 

 of some as the word " Mediaeval" passed before them in 

 the notice of this meeting, as one cannot but remember 

 that in minds of a certain training the strongest as- 

 sociation with the period is as of darkness intellectual, 

 religious, moral ; and as sure as the term mediaeval is 

 brought before them, so sure does that of the " dark 



