182 ENGLISH MEDIEVAL ARCHITECTURE. 



I have not spoken separately of the towers and spires 

 for lack of time, but we all know that there is nothing 

 in the kingdom to vie with the triple spires of Lichfield ; 

 and those of Brewood, Clifton Campville, Weston, and 

 Church Eaton are very beautiful. The towers of Penk- 

 ridge, King's Bromley, and many others are of their dates 

 excellent specimens. The tower of Burslem church is the 

 oldest bit of architecture we have in the Pottery towns, 

 and it is to be hoped our mother town will cling to her 

 ancient possession. 



Briefly to review the characteristics of the several Middle 

 Age periods, I would summarize them as follows : 

 Norman : The prevalence of the round arch and inassive- 

 ness and simplicity of its several parts, its Staffordshire 

 types being Tutbury, St. Chad's, Stafford, Enville, Gnosall, 

 and Tamworth. Early English : A chastened elegance com- 

 bined with real strength and simplicity, the chancels of 

 Eccleshall, Brewood, and Pattingham being examples. 

 Decorated : The combination of a controlled force bespeak- 

 ing a perfect art, as at Lichfield, Norbury, and Wichnor. 

 Perpendicular : Luxuriance, which ended in the decay and 

 ultimately the extinction of Middle Age architecture. 



I have now tried to bring before you in as short a 

 time as possible a view of that architectural genius 

 which prevailed during five centuries of England's past, 

 as seen from the lesser monuments of our own county, 

 and my hope is that as a result none here will in 

 future consider that the grey and weather-stained walls of 

 our most rambling, straggling parish church are unworthy 

 of their interest and concern; but will remember that the 

 piers and arches, walls and roofs which have resounded 



