186 president's address. 



The foundation dates of our churclies as they originally 

 stood are difficult to ascertain. Some of them, or of re-dedications, 

 are recorded in the registers at Exeter. Certain structures have 

 passed away, their places being taken by buildings of subsequent 

 age ; but the dedication helps us at times to date a part 

 of a church, the original features of which have long since 

 perished, and it is therefore of very great value, but in a few 

 instances the dedications seem to have been changed. 



Now I come to a part of my subject that may raise some dis- 

 cussion. I shall try, by only stating well known facts, to keep 

 clear of blame, whilst in no sense hiding my own opinions. 

 The subject is that of so-called 



RESTORATION, 



in which old and interesting features have been swept away, 

 either through carelessness, ignorance, or on purpose. As an 

 instance of carelessness, I may mention that in the alterations 

 that restored St. Gluvias from a Glrecian temple to a Gothic 

 church, the arms over four figures of the Pendarves family were 

 replaced so carelessly, that three out of the four shields were put 

 over the wrong figures — the wife's over her husband's, the 

 mother's over that of her daughter-in-law, and the son's over his 

 mother's ; — these displacements have since been rectified. Other 

 ornaments were thrown away, and not replaced. At Buryan, the 

 steps outside the north window of the chancel, placed there, it is 

 believed, for the lepers to receive the sacred elements pushed out 

 to them, through the window, on the end of a stick, were built up 

 or removed. The destroying of the screen, carved work, and 

 monuments at St. Mabyn in 1 818 by the rector (who was recorded 

 to have cleared the church, and made it tidy) I can only 

 describe as done on purpose ; this is put on record by Sir John 

 Maclean. When visiting a Cornish church with a friend, a 

 rector of a parish told me that he was going to take down all 

 the monuments of former rectors which were in his chancel, 

 and hide them away in the tower, or some place out of sight. 

 The taking of carved work from one church and putting it 

 into another is, I think, an act to be much regretted, as such 

 work may have a history attached to it in one place, which 

 is lost by removal, or, worse still, made to tell a false story. 

 This is especially so where shields of arms are removed. 



