Anniversary Address. 221 



modern alterations had marred their peculiar and interesting 

 features. At that period, the tower, the west end of the 

 aisles, and one arch on the north side appeared of the same 

 early Saxon style of architecture. The corners of the tower 

 and the exterior angles of the aisle walls had that quoining 

 characteristic of Saxon work, which consisted of a long stone 

 set at the corner and a short one laying on it, and bonding 

 one way or both into the wall. In the upper part of the 

 tower, there was a double window, with the openings sepa- 

 rated by a rude balustre ; and lower down, was another 

 original window, having an angular arch formed by two 

 stones. A very plain arch with a large rude impost and a 

 plain square pier remained of the old nave. I have seen 

 similar architectural characters in the Saxon tower of the 

 Churchy of St. Benet, in Cambridge. The next arch, east- 

 ward of the Saxon one in Whittingham Church, was of the 

 common Norman form, and the remainder of the church was 

 in the early English style. 



Both Saxon and Norman arches have been taken aAvay 

 and replaced with others of the early English style ; the 

 upper portion of the tower has been taken down and the old 

 windows destroyed, and of the original structure, there are left 

 now only the lower part of the tower, which still shews the 

 peculiar long and short Saxon work, and some remains in 

 the interior of the eastern wall, of a rude double circular arch. 



Notwithstanding the storms of eleven centuries have broken 

 over this old tower, the rubble masonry and the quoins formed 

 of the gritty sandstone of the district are but little decayed. 

 May we not hope that since time has dealt so kindly with it, 

 man hereafter may lay no ruthless hand on what remains. 

 There is no such relic in North Northumberland; it is an 

 architectural type of the style adopted by our early forefathers; 

 it is an unwritten historical record, and we ought not to be 

 deprived of its teachings and associations. 



Some members turned aside to view Whittingham Tower, 

 formerly a strong Border Pele, with a vaulted under story and 

 with walls eight feet in thickness. An original entrance and a ' 



