By the Rev, J. Baron, D.D., F.S.A. 



127 



them. In Bingham's Antiquities is the " Plan of an Ancient Church 

 as described by Eusebius and other writers/'' Here we have not a 

 triple apse, as in later times for grand Churches both in the east and 

 west, but a single apse, with mere recesses on the north and south, 

 as at Manningford Bruce, for prothesis and diaconicon, with 

 KdyfceXa or KvyKXiSe? subtending the bema or apse. 1 



It is clear from the comparative ground-plan given by Father 

 Mullooly, and from plans and explanations kindly communicated 

 to me by John Henry Parker, Esq., C.B., F.S.A., that although the 

 modern Church of San Clemente has a triple apse, the really primi- 

 tive Church had a single apse. 



The triplication of the apse, which began early in the east as well 

 as in the west, prevailed more generally afterwards, in large Churches, 

 and is indicated in historical ground-plans of Canterbury, York, 2 

 and other English Churches, clearly arose from a desire to do honour 

 to the prothesis and diaconicon in subordination to the holy table, 

 or the high altar, as it came to be called in the West. For con- 

 venience I use north to indicate the gospel side, and south the epistle 

 side, not forgetting the variations as to orientation. 



In the Church of St. George, at Thessalonica, which is known to 

 be as old as A.D. 500, and believed to be much older, the apse is 

 single with a mere recess on the north and south sides for prothesis 

 and diaconicon. 3 



But to come much nearer home, to a Church even older than that of 

 St. George, of Thessalonica, and smaller than that of St. Peter, 

 Manningford Bruce. In the crypt under the restored Church of 

 St. Gervais, in Rouen, is the Church of St. Mellon, believed by 

 French antiquaries to be about A.D. 250, and allowed by Gaily 

 Knight on a personal inspection to be of about that date. 4 I visited 



1 Compare Bingham's Antiquities, Bk. viii., ch. hi., sec. 3 and 1, vol. ii., pp. 

 400 and 396 ; London, Straker, 1843. 



2 See Professor Willis on Canterbury Cathedral, p. 39 ; London, Long-mans, 

 1845. Also Proceedings of Archaeological Institute, York volume, plate giving, 

 five historical block plans of York Cathedral ; Oxford, J. H. Parker, 1848. 



3 Texier, Byzantine Architecture. 

 4 Tour in Normandy, Gaily Knight, pp. 32, 33 ; Loudon, Murray, 1836. 



