Snttqutttea of Cfcrtat Cfrarcfi, p THE ANTIQUITIES OF Cfje $rtor|> of Cfcrtst*ClmrcJ), Hants. CONSISTING OF PLANS, SECTIONS, ELEVATIONS, DETAILS, AND PERSPECTIVE VIEWS ; ACCOMPANIED BY HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE ACCOUNTS OF THE PRIORY CHURCH; TOGETHER WITH SOME GENERAL PARTICULARS OF THE CASTLE AND BOROUGH. BY BENJAMIN FERREY, ARCHITECT. THE LITERARY PART BY EDW. WEDLAKE BRAYLEY, ESQ. F.S.A. &c. LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE PROPRIETOR, BENJAMIN FERREY, 105, GKEAT RUSSELL STREET, BLOOMSBURY: AND SOLD BY J. WEALE, ARCHITECTURAL LIBRARY, HOLBORN ; CALKIN AND BUDD, PALL MALL; J. WILLIAMS, LIBRARY OF THE FINE ARTS, CHARLES STREET, SOHO '. C. TUCKER AND SON, CHRIST-CHURCH, HANTS. 1834. C. Whittingham, Tooks Court, Chancery Lane. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE * THE EARL OF M ALMESBURY, THIS WORK IS RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED BY HIS LORDSHIP'S MOST OBEDIENT AND VERY HUMBLE SERVANT, BENJAMIN FERREY, Jun. PREFACE The long delay which has occurred in the publication of the present volume from the period of its first announcement, claims from me some statement in apology for the kind consideration of my subscribers. The task of producing a work which professes to be replete with every matter that relates to the object it is intended to illustrate, is one which cannot be fully estimated until the sub- ject itself be brought under careful investigation ; and in the pursuit of the enquiries necessary to obtain historical, recorded, and tra- ditional information, much difficulty is encountered, and much time absorbed. The speedy completion of the History of Christ Church might have been effected had I been content to have had its various interesting details compressed into the compass originally stated in the prospectus. Hitherto no publication has appeared copiously illustrating the ancient edifice which forms the subject of the present research ; and as my aim was chiefly directed to supply that desideratum, it became essential to enlarge the work far beyond the limits at first proposed. My prospectus states the volume as intended to comprise ten engravings, whereas I have not scrupled to give ten additional plates, (together with much additional PREFACE. letterpress), — thereby almost doubling the labour and expense, — without increasing the price of the work. I rest then with con- fidence on the justice of my subscribers to exonerate me from the charge of negligent delay, feeling confident that the above circum- stances will be received in extenuation of any blame which may have been attributed to me. In addition to the descriptive and historical accounts from the able pen of Mr. Brayley, I have been favoured with an original disquisition on Saxon and Norman remains by my scientific friend Mr. Garbett, of Winchester — this treatise being the result of long study and practical experience, will be appreciated as containing many useful suggestions relating to the presumed distinction between the respective styles of Saxon and Anglo-Norman architecture, and as embodying some excellent references, among which the more ancient portions of Christ Church are adduced in illustration of his theory. I have the further pleasure of acknowledging my obligations to the following gentlemen, from whom I have derived much assis- tance by their various contributions, either literary or graphical — the Right Hon. Sir G. H. Rose; J. Gage, Esq. F. R. S., &c. ; the Rev. Richard Waldy ; Rev. G. Burrard ; Rev. J. Ward ; and G. F. Brander, Esq. BENJAMIN FERREY, Jun. 105, Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury. August i, 1834. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Ailesbuuy, the Most Noble Mar. of, Tot- tenham Park Architectural Society, the, London Arundell, Rt. Hon. Lord, Wardour Castle Aldridge, George, Esq., Christ-church Anderdon, I. P., Esq., Farley Hall, Reading Ballard, Mrs. Admiral, Bath Brander, Henry, Esq. Brander, G. F., Esq., Portsea Baker, Lieut. Henry, Christ-church Baker, Mr., Christ-church Baker, Mrs., Poole Beloe, A. J., Esq., London Browne, Rev. James, Milton Brown, Mr., London Burrard, Rev. George, Isle of Wight Burrows, Rev. W. F., Christ-church Butler, Rev. C. R., Carhampton Butler, Thomas, Esq., Bury Lodge Baldwin, William, Esq., Ringwood Barnes, Keith, Esq., London Bramah, T., Esq., London Bumpstead, Mr., Crouch End Bury, T. T., Esq. Architect, London Blore, John, Esq. Architect, London Bemister, Mr. John, Christ-church Brooking, Mr. Bursey, John, Esq., London Barnes, W., Esq. Architect, London Burn, W., Esq. Architect, Edinburgh Barrow, Mr. S., London Bath and Wells, Lord Bishop of Cameron, Lieut.-General, Bath Castleman, Henry, Esq., Wimborne Clapcott, William, Esq., Christ-church Clapham, Miss M., Sidmouth Collins, Dr., Wimborne Compton, Rev. J. C, Minesteed Cottingham, L. N., Esq. Architect, London Cramer, J. B., Esq., London Cranston, Mr. G., Christ-church Carpenter, H. C, Esq. Architect, F.S.A. Davis, Rev. Richard, Dartmouth Dealtry, Rev. Dr., Clapham Deason, J., Esq. Architect, London Dent, Villiers, Esq., London Doughty, Edward, Esq., Upton Dover, James, Esq., Boscombe Duff, Capt. G., Jumpers Dunthorne, J., Esq. Architect, London Daw, Thomas, Esq., Christ-church Dibsdall, Wm., Esq., Christ-church Dallaway, Rev. Jas., F.S.A. Leatherhead Dobson, John, Esq. Architect, Newcastle Errol, Dowager Countess, Lyndhurst Eyre, George, Esq., Bramshaw Evelegh, Col. R.H.A., Isle of Wight Ferrers, Earl, Staunton Harold Fitzharris, Viscount, Heron Court Feucheres, Baroness de, Bure Homage Fane, Lieut.-G. Sir H., G.C.B., Avon Hills Fane, Arthur, Esq., Avon Hills Farr, W. W., Esq., Iford House Farr, W. D., Esq. Fleming, John, Esq., Stoneham Ford, William, Esq., London Gaselee, Hon. Mr. Justice, London Gage, John, Esq., F.R.S. and S.A., London Garbett, William, Esq. Architect, Winton Goddard, John, Esq., Christ-church Green, Ben., Esq. Architect, Newcastle Grove, R. A. Mr., Lymington Guille, Rev. William, Egham Glenny, George, Esq., London Green, J. Jun. Esq. Architect, Newcastle Hardinge, Rt. Hon. Sir. H. G.C.B> Hare, Rt. Hon. Mr., Lymington Heathcote, Sir W., Bart., Hursley Park Hoare, Sir Richard Colt, Bart., Stour Head Hatcher, Henry, Esq. London Hall, Rev. Peter, Chelsea Hawkes, Miss, East Close Homfray, Mrs., London Hookey, Mrs., London Hopkins, Henry, Esq., Hubborn Lodge Humby, Mrs., Hotel, Christ-church Hussey, William, Esq., Salisbury Hannaford, Mr. J., Christ-church Harbin, C, Esq., Ringwood Herbert, Mr. Henry, Wimborne Hiley, William, Esq., Christ-church Hiscock, Mr., Christ-church Holloway, Mr. G., Christ-church Jackson, Captain, R.N. Jeans, Thomas, Esq. Bath Jeans, William, Esq., Christ-church Jennings, J. W., Esq., London Jopp, James, Esq., Bath Jenkins, Mr. Henry, Christ-church Kearnan, Thomas, Esq., London Kemp, J., Esq. Kinsey, Rev. W. M., B.D., Cheltenham King, Rev. C. King, Miss, Plymouth Londonderry, the Dow. March, of Larden, Rev. G. Lee, Charles, Esq., London Lucas, John, Esq., Upper Tooting . Lucas, Joseph, Esq., Stroud Green Legge, Hon. Mrs. LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS. Lemmon, Mr. John, Christ-church Lockyer, Mr. J., Christ-church Malmesbury, Rt. Hon. E. of, Heron Court Morton, Rt. Hon. Earl of, Dalmahoy, Mackenzie, F., Esq., London Mainwaring, Capt., G.H.C., Southampton Mathew, J. M., Esq., London Mayo, Rev. James, Wimborne Moore and Sydenham, Messrs., Poole Murray, William, Esq., London Mair, George, Esq. Architect, London Moore, William, Esq., London Morgan, T., Esq. Martin, Mrs. E., Poole Neale, Sir Harry B., Bart., Walhampton Nash, J., Esq., Brixton Nelson, H., Esq., London Newman, Mr. John, Christ-church Nowlan, Mr., Southampton Nash, F., Esq. Architect, Kennington Newman, J., Esq. F.S.A. Architect Olive, J. C, Esq., Stourfield Pocock, Sir G., Bart. Pocock, George, Esq. Perkins, Mr. R. W., Southampton Phyn, George, Esq., Chewton Picard, J. K., Esq., Christ-church Prosser, Rev. Samuel Pugin, A. W., Esq., Isle of Thanet Pulteney, John, Esq., Lyndhurst Palmer, A. Q., Esq., Christ-church Pearce, Mr. E., Wimborne Pike, Mr. A., Christ-church Powe, Mr., London Pownall, G., Esq., London Quartley, Rev. H. Quartley, Arthur, M.D. Christ-church Rose, Rt. Hon. Sir G. H., Sand Hills Rose, Mrs. Frances Theodora, Southampton Rose, G. P., Esq., Hampton Court Robinson, Hon. Mrs., Privy Gardens Rowlett, William, Esq., Burton House Reeves, Mr. James, London Rigby, J. D., Esq., London Robinson, P. F., Esq. Architect, F.S.A. Salisbury, Lord Bishop of Suffield, Rt. Hon. Lord, Gunton Park Shee, Sir G., Bart., Mudeford House Smirke, Sir Rob., R.A. Architect, London Smirke, Edward, Esq., London Shaw, Alfred, Esq., London Shute, Thomas Deane, Esq., Bath Sleat, John, Esq., Christ-church Sloman, John, Esq., Wick, Hants Smith, C. H., Esq., London Spencer, Thomas, Esq., Chewton House Spicer, John, Esq., Somerford Grange Spicer, David, Esq., Portsea Stampe, J., Esq., London Startridge, C, Esq., London Stockwell, John, Esq., London Sympson, E. W., Esq., Winkton, Hants Sharp, Richard, Esq., Christ-church Shorto, J., Esq., Christ-church Stutely, Martin, J., Esq. Architect, London Stewart, John, Esq. M.P. Smith, J., Esq. Bath Salvin, A., Esq. F.S.A. Architect Stuart deRothsay, Rt. Hon. Lord, High Cliff Tapps, Sir G. I., Bart., Hinton Admiral Tapps, G. W., Esq. M.P. Tod, Colonel James, London Tregonwell, John, Esq., Bourne Toogood, Mr., London Tucker, Mr. A., Christ-church Trevelyan, Sir John, Bart., Nettlecombe Treherne, — , Esq. Trubshawe,T., Esq., Haywood, Staffordsh. Tracey, C. H., Esq. M.P. Trinity College, Library at Oxford Veitch, Rev. W. D., Sopley Vane, Mr. B., Dudley Wellington, His Grace theDuke of, Strath- fieldsay Winchester, Lord Bishop of, Winton Winchester, the very Rev. Dean of, Winton Walcott, Major R. H. A., Woolwich Waldy, Rev. R., Affspuddle Waldy, Mrs. Walker. T. L., Esq. Architect, London Wallen, W., Esq. Architect, London Wansey, George, Esq., Warminster Ward, Rev. J., Great Bedwyn Webb, R., Esq., Salisbury West, R. F., Esq. M.P. Whitby, Mrs., Newlands Wilkins, W., Esq. M.A.R.A. F.R.S. and S.A. &c. Architect, London Williams, R., Esq., Stroud Green Williams, Mr. Edward, London Willis, G., Esq., Sopley Wollaston, C. B., Esq., Dorchester Wollaston, the Misses, Eltham Wright, William, Esq. Architect, London Wyndham, Rev. Thomas, LL.D., Hinton Wise, Mrs., Priory, Christ-church Wild, J. W., Esq. Architect, London Wallen, J., Esq. Sen. Architect Wollaston, G. B., Esq., Clifton THE OF CHRIST-CHURCH, HANTS. ft. TOWN OF CHRIST-CHURCH ITS SITUATION — RIVERS AVON AND STOUR — HISTORICAL NOTICES AND STATE OF THE MANOR FROM THE DOMESDAY BOOK — DESCENT OF THE MANOR FROM THE CONQUEST TO THE PRESENT TIME PARTICULARS OF THE BOROUGH OF CHRIST-CHURCH. Christ-church, or Christ-church Twynham, as it was called in former ages, is situated on the southern coast of Hampshire, near the head of the bay, or haven of Christ-church, which opens to the sea about a mile and a half below the town. This bay is formed by the junction of two considerable rivers, namely, the Avon and the Stour* which deriving their origin from different parts of Wiltshire and Somersetshire, flow in a devious course to Christ-Church, and include all the ancient parts of the town within their point of confluence. It was from this peculiarity of situation that the place, in the Saxon times, obtained * The Avon rises in North- Wiltshire, and entering South- Wiltshire, south of Up- Avon, pursues its course by Chisenbury, Endford, Nether-Avon, Durnford, and Stratford, to Salisbury, where it is joined and amplified by the united streams of the Wily and Naddre. From Harnham Bridge it flows through the grounds of Longford Castle to Downton, and soon afterwards, quitting the county of Wilts, it enters that of Hampshire, and passing Fordingbridge and Ringwood, continues its course almost due south to Christ-Church. The river Stour rises from six springs in the old park at Stourton, and after forming three spacious lakes in the demesnes at Stourhead, flows in a devious B 2 ORIGIN OF THE NAMES OF CHRIST-CHURCH TWYNHAM. the appellation of Tweon-ea or Twynham bourne ; — that of Christ-Church being conferred at a subsequent period, after the dedication of the Priory Church to Christ, the Saviour. Although some traces of a Roman occupation have been found in the vicinity, yet there is little cause to believe that this was ever a distinct Roman settlement ; and still less, that it was once a British village, as was conjectured by a former writer.* The most that can be admitted is, that it was probably the site of a marine villa of some Roman officer, when the small exploratory camp at St. Catherine's Hill was garrisoned by Roman soldiers.'f Without then deriving arguments from mere probabilities, we may be allowed to state, that the ancient name of this place most obviously indicates its Saxon origin. In a charter granted by King Athelstan,^ it is called Twynham, which appellation appears in the Saxon Chronicle § in the apparently more ancient form of Tweonea, or Tweoxnea, which was first used to designate the peninsulated district betwixt the two streams Avon and Stour, — from Twey, or Tweoxna, two, and circuitous direction to Gillingham, and through several parishes, bearing the name of Stour, to Sturminster and Blandford in Dorsetshire. Thence, after ornamenting the grounds at Bryanstone, it proceeds by Spetisbury and Sturminster Marshall, (passing near Wimborne), to West Parley, where it enters the county of Hants ; and, at Christ-Church unites its stream with the Avon and the sea. * Vide "Topographical Remarks relating to the south-western parts of Hampshire," by the Rev. R. Warner, 1793, vol. ii. p. 39. t St. Catherine's Hill is about one mile and a half north of Christ-Church. Here are vestiges of an exploratory camp, forming a square of about fifty-five yards, and defended by double trenches and additional ramparts. Six small mounts are disposed around the camp, and near the base of the hill are two large barrows, within one of which human bones have been found. — See "Archseologia," vol. v. p. 259. A brass Roman coin in good preservation, bearing the head of the Empress Faustina, the Elder, was discovered about twenty-five years ago, at Mudeford farm, within two miles of Christ-Church. It was found in the virgin soil, just below the depth to which the spade or the plough might reach, and is now in the possession of the Right Hon. Sir George Rose. Other Roman coins are said to have been found on Poole Heath, near Christ-Church, by a ploughman of the late Lord Malmesbury, when striking a furrow on it, after the inclosure act passed. — There was also a Roman glass Lachry- matory found a few years ago in one of the most unfrequented parts of the New Forest, in Denney Walk. % Monasticon Anglicanum, T. i. p. 195. § Edit. Gibson, p. 100 ORIGIN OF THE NAMES OF CHRIST-CHURCH TWYNHAM. 3 twain, and Ea, an island or peninsula. In the Domesday Book the manor is called Thuinam, an evident Norman corruption of the proper name. The old priory Church which was at first (in the Saxon times) dedicated to the Holy Trinity, having been consecrated to Christ after it was rebuilt in the Anglo-Norman age, was subsequently styled " Christ-Church at Twynham," (Ecclesia Christi de Twynham,) abbreviated by custom to Christ-church, by which name the town became generally known as early as the reign of Edward I. or Edward II., though it was occasionally called Christ-church Twinham even at a much later period.* Mr. Warner states, that the " suburbs of the town were denomi- nated Eggheite, a word derived from the Saxon Eage, a low wet place, or little island, and its derivative and synonym Eyte ; " — and " it is observable," he continues, " that the manor of Eggheite was of sufficient consequence in the reign of the Conqueror, to give name to a very large district of land, which is called, in the Domesday Survey, Eggheite Hundred. "f This place is first mentioned in history in the account given by the Saxon Chronicler of the contest for the crown between Edward the Elder and his kinsman Ethelwald, in 901. The latter, having collected troops to support his pretensions, marched to Wimborne, in Dorsetshire, of which place he took possession, and afterwards continued his progress to Tweonea, or Twynham, which he also captured. Edward hastened to attack his rival, who, on his approach, retreated to Wimborne, whence he shortly afterwards fled in the night, and escaped to Northumberland. J When the Domesday Survey was made, in the latter part of the reign of William the Conqueror, the manor of Twynham belonged to the crown, but the Canons of the church of the Holy Trinity also held property here. These * Leland (" Itinerary," vol. iii. p. 95, 2nd edit.) calls it " Christe-Chirch Twinhamburne ;" — and Norden, in his "Survey," (anno 1595,) says "Christ-Church, called Christ-Church Twyne- ham, or Twy nam bourne ; of its situation betweene two rivers, the Avon and the Stoure." f Vide Warner's " Topographical Remarks," &c, vol. ii. p. 54: note. J Mr. Warner says : " Traces of this series of events are still existing ; since, in the neigh- bourhood of Christ-church, several barrows are to be seen in that line which a partizan would pursue in marching from Wimborne to Christ-church. These, I take it, were raised over such of the adherents of the two different parties as perished in the slight skirmishes which might probably take place ere Ethelwald could reach the town of Christ-church." Idem, p. 47. 4 STATE OF THE MANOR AT THE CONQUEST. facts are apparent from the Domesday Book, from which the following particulars relating to the crown lands have been extracted : viz. "In Eghiete Hund. — Rex tenet in Dominio Thuinam; De Firma Regis Edwardi fuit. Tunc et modo una Virgata terrse. Terra est 13 Carucatae. In Dominio sunt dure Carucataa, et 21 Villani, et 5 Bordarii cum 12 Carucatis. Ibi unus Servus, et 3 Coliberti, et 4 Radchenistri, cum duabus Carucatis et dimidia, et unum Molinum de 5 Solidis, et 61 acrae prati.* Silva est in Foresta Regis, ubi erant 5 Villani cum 3 Carucatis. In Burgo de Thuinam 31 Masurae reddunt 16 denarios de gablo. " Tempore Regis Edwardi et postea valuit 19 libras ad numerum. Modo— 10 libras de 20 in ora, et tamen reddit 12 libras et 10 solidos. Quod est in Foresta appreciatur." It appears then, from this record, that the king held Twynham (which * It is, perhaps, impossible to ascertain with accuracy, what were the distinctive characteristics implied by the various designations of the tenants or occupiers of land here mentioned ; and who are respectively termed Villans, or Villagers, (Villani) ; Bordars, (Bordarii) ; Serviles, or Serfs, (Servi) ; Coliberts, (Coliberti) ; and Radknechts, (Radchenistri). These, and the numerous other descriptions of occupiers noticed in the Domesday Book, would furnish abundant scope for discussion, and the subject is highly deserving of attention, as the inquiry could scarcely fail to illustrate the state of society as to property at different periods of our history. Among those mentioned in the preceding extracts, the Villans were probably somewhat superior to any of the others, notwithstanding their appellation has in modern times become a term of reproach. They held their land under the obligation to perform what were termed villein services to the lord or feudal proprietor ; these con- sisted chiefly in the labours of husbandry, they being bound to work so many days in the year for the lord ; but this kind of statute labour was in some instances commuted for money even before the Norman conquest, and at length a general commutation took place ; the tenure of villanage was exchanged for that of socage, and the modern copyholders derive their origin from the Villans of the Domesday era. 1 The Bordars appear to have ranked next to the Villans. 2 Spelman, after rejecting the explanation of the term Bordarius, by that of Borderer, occupier of the borders of a manor, concludes with great probability that Bordars were those tenants who " circa sedes vel hospitium Domini servilia peragebant opera." 3 Glossar. in Verb. They, perhaps, furnished poultry, eggs, and vegetables for the lord's table, and occupied the 1 Fitzherbert Natura Brevium, fol. 28, c. 2 Vid. Blount's Law. Diet, in verb. 3 In Domesd. Book it is stated that in the king's manor of Tewkesbury, — " 16 Bordarii circa Aulam manebant." STATE OF THE MANOR AT THE CONQUEST. 5 had been a royal manor in the time of Edward the Confessor), in demesne, and that it was then, as well as at the time of the survey, assessed at one vir- gate of land. Two carucates of land were in demesne, and a- much larger portion was held by tenants of various descriptions (thirty-four in number), together with a mill paying five shillings, and sixty-one acres of meadow land. The manor likewise included a rood of the Kings Forest [New Forest], where three carucates were held in tenancy by five villagers. In the borough of Twynham were thirty-one messuages, producing a quit rent of sixteen pence. The manor had been valued in the time of King Edward, and afterwards, at £19, by tale ; but at the time the survey was made, at only £10, of twenty pence to the ora, and yet it produced £12 10s., — that part in the Forest being appre- ciated. portion of the manor called Bordlands. 1 Even these tenants sometimes paid rent in money, as appears from the Domesday Book. 2 The Servilos or Serfs were certainly the lowest kind of tenants or rather occupiers of the soil. Indeed there were, as Spelman observes, two classes of Serviles, personal and predial. The former were absolute slaves, their lords having a right to their entire service, and the power of transferring it, by sale or otherwise, at pleasure : the latter were genuine Serfs, adscripti glebce, like the Russian peasants, and they differed from the other Serviles chiefly as they could only be sold with the estate to which they belonged. The Coliberts were probably enfranchised Serviles or Freedmen, 3 as their designation seems to imply. Their services were of various kinds, sometimes, perhaps, similar to those of Villans and Bordars; and from a passage quoted by Spelman from " Preuves de l'Hist. des Comtes de Poictou," p. 287, it may be inferred that the Coliberts were frequently fishermen, who, of course, supplied their lord's table with fish ; and such, probably, was the service exacted from the Coliberts of Twynham. The Radchenistres or Rad-knechts, were freemen, or freedmen, who held lands by the service of accompanying their lord and his family on horseback, and probably acting otherwise as retainers and hay farmers, for in the Domesday Book it is stated that at Berkeley, in Gloucestershire, " Radechenistri arabant et hirciabant ad Curiam Domini." 4 These tenants also became socmen, 5 and, ultimately, copyholders. 1 Vid. Bracton. Lib. 4. Tract. 3. Cap. 9. Nu. 5. 2 At Huntingdon were — " 116 Burgenses consuetudines omnes et geldum Regis reddentes : et sub eis sunt 100 Bordarii qui adjuvant eos ad persolutionem geldi." 3 See Blount's Law Diet, in verb. 4 Vide Domesday Book, in Herefordshire, Tit. Leofminstre, (Leominster,) where there were eight Radchenistres, who were free tenants performing the same kind of service with those at Berkeley. * See Coke's Institutes (I.) fol. .56. 86 a. 6 NOTICES OF THE DESCENT OF THE MANOR. The royal manor of Twynham remained vested in the crown till the time of Henry I., who bestowed it on Richard de Red vers, a Norman baron, descended from Richard the First, Duke of Normandy, great grandfather to William the Conqueror. This baron appears to have been greatly favoured by his sovereign, who created him Earl of Devon, and conferred on him other titles and emoluments. He died in 1137, and was first buried at Brightley Abbey, in Devonshire ; but his body was subsequently removed to Ford Abbey, in the same county. His son and successor, Baldwin de Redvers, espoused the cause of the Empress Maud or Matilda, against King Stephen, and during the scene of warfare which ensued, he fortified his castles, and probably made some stand at Christ-church, but he was obliged to retreat to Carisbrook, whence he retired to Normandy : and the king having gained a temporary ascendancy over the partizans of the Empress, Earl Baldwin was declared an outlaw, and his estates forfeited to the crown; but the judgment against him was afterwards reversed, and his possessions were restored.* His death took place in 1155, at the abbey of Quarre, in the Isle of Wight. William de Vernon, (so named from the place of his birth in Normandy,) the second son of Baldwin de Redvers, became possessed of the manor of Twynham or Christ-church, in consequence of the death of his nephew, the third Richard de Redvers, without issue. This nobleman joined the barons who extorted from King John the grant of the great charter of English liberties. The manor of Christ-church was given by him as the dower of his daughter Joanna, on her marriage with Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, after the decease of her first husband, William de Briwere, jun., Lord of Torbay.f But she died without issue, and her estates devolved on her nephew, Baldwin de Redvers, who died and was interred at Christ-church. He left a son of his own name, who being a minor, the wardship, and, consequently, usufruct of his estates was granted by Henry III. to his brother, Richard, Earl of Cornwall, and that prince transferred the lucrative trust, for the sum of 2,000 marks, to Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester ; who, availing himself * V. Contin. Sim. Dunelm. per Johan. de Haguldst. inter Decern Scriptores : Vol. i. p. 259. 6; et Rad. de Diceto. Id. Vol. p. 506. 15.— Matt. Paris. Lib. X. f See Worsley's Hist, of the Isle of Wight, p. 55, note. COUNTESS OF ALBEMARLE AND EDWARD I. 7 of the feudal authority which he had thus purchased, obliged his ward to marry Amicia de Clare, his eldest daughter. This Baldwin de Redvers, dying, left a daughter named Isabella, who was married to William de Fortibus, Earl of Albemarle ; and that lady, in consequence of the deaths of her brother and nephew, (the latter a minor,) succeeded to the large estates of her family in the twelfth year of Edward I. In the Patent Rolls of the reign of Edward II., is a reference to a grant from Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Albemarle and Devon, to Roger de Gardino, Joan his wife, and their heirs, of the whole bedelry of the hundred of Christ-church Twynham, and the custody of the warren in the east part of the township of Christ- church Twynham, with all liberties, &c. thereto belonging, and five shillings payable annually by the possessor of the manor for the custody of the said warren : the said Roger, his wife, and heirs, doing all due and accustomed services appertaining to the said bedelry. This grant was confirmed by letters patent of Edward II. in the eleventh year of his reign.* The Countess Isabella, being a widow and having no children, that politic prince, Edward I., became desirous to prevent her large estates from centering, at her decease, in the person of her heir Hugh de Courtenay, Baron of Oakhampton ; and he therefore persuaded her, on her death bed, to transfer her property in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight to the crown for a valuable consideration in money. In pursuance of this arrangement, the above-named Countess by deed, dated at Stockwell, near Lambeth, on the Monday before the feast of St. Martin, in the winter of 1293, gave and released to King Edward, for six thousand marks of silver, the whole Isle of Wight, with all its rents, services, &c, and also the manor of Christ-church Twynham, in the county of Southampton, &c, and the manor of Lambeth, in the county of Surrey, with all their appurtenances, for ever-t * Rot. Pat. 11. Edw. 2. p. 2. m. 30. f Vide Rot. Pat. 1 1 . Edw. 3. p. 1 . m. 8. for a ratification of this deed under the king's seal. In the Red Book of the Exchequer, compiled by a clerk in the Exchequer who died in 1246, is a curious document of the examinations or depositions of the witnesses relating to the donations made by Isabella de Fortibus, of the Isle of Wight, Manors of Christ-church, Faukes-hall, &c, to Edward the First. — Vide Cooper on Public Records, vol. ii. pages, 309, 322, 476, &c. 8 GRANT OF CHRIST-CHURCH TO THE MONTACUTES. But though it appears that the King thus obtained possession of the manor of Christ-church and other estates above mentioned, yet it seems, from the Pleas of Parliament, published by Ryley, that King Edward granted to Warine de Lisle, who claimed to be heir to Isabella de Fortibus, the profits of the manors which had been taken possession of by the King's bailiff, on the recent death of the Countess ; with a reservation, however, of any right accruing to Hugh the son of Hugh de Courtenay, a minor, who also claimed the heritage.* Some years afterwards an attempt was made by this Hugh de Courtenay, effectually to assert his alleged right to the estates of the Redvers family, but he was unsuccessful. t The manor of Christ-church remained in the crown until the time of Edward III., who, in the fifth year of his reign, granted to William de Monte Acuto, Katherine his wife, and their heirs, for ever, the following liberties in their manors of Christ-church Twynham, Ring wood, and Svveynston, in the Isle of Wight, namely — " Wreck, Wayf, and Estreyours, Cattle of Felons, and all amer- ciaments, also returns of the King's Writs within the said manors. "J Sir William de Montacute, who had gained the favour of the king by actively assisting in the arrest of Roger de Mortimer, at Nottingham Castle, in 1330, was subse- quently created Earl of Salisbury. His beautiful countess is reputed to be the lady to whom refers the legendary story of the institution of the Order * " Rex concessit Warino de Insula quod idem Warinus habeat et percipiat omnes exitus et proficua provenientia de maneriis, qua? capta fuerunt in manum Dni Regis, post mortem Isabella? de Fortibus Comitissse Albemarl, et de quibus idem Warinus dicit se esse verum heeredem dictee Comitissse juxta dictum Inquisitionum captarum de eisdem. Ita quod ipse Warinus exitus et proficua ilia capiat per manus Ballivorum ipsius Regis, et quod ratione illius con- cessionis nichil depereat Hugoni filio Hugonis de Courteny, asserenti se esse haeredem prgedictae Comitissee, de praedictis Maneriis, et quod nichil accrescat dicto Warino, in jure suo, ratione illius concessionis, cum dictus Hugo ad Eetatem pervenerit, set tunc solvatur utrique parti jus suum." — " Placita Parliamentaria," ed. Gulielmo Ryley. Lond. 1661. p. 186. Placita in Parliamento Ano. 21. Edw. I. f The deed relative to the sale of the property by the Countess Isabella to the King, was confirmed by Parliament, in 1316. See Rot. Pari. 8 and 9 Edw. III. I Charter Roll 5 Edw. III. No 12. In Collins's Peerage (v. ii. p. 154), it is stated that the manor of Christ-church was granted to Sir Win. Montacute and his consort in the ninth year of Edward III. DESCENT OF THE MANOR OF CHRIST-CHURCH. 9 of the Garter, in consequence of the King having picked up a garter which she had accidentally dropped at a ball. This nobleman died in 1344, and was succeeded by his son William, the second Earl of Salisbury of that family, who died at Christ-church, in the twentieth year of the reign of Richard II. His grand nephew, Sir John de Montacute, had livery of all the possessions of his uncle, June 2d, 1397, obtaining also the title of Earl of Salisbury. In the beginning of the reign of Henry IV., this nobleman rashly engaged in an ill-concerted conspiracy for the restoration of Richard II., which occasioned the destruction of the deposed prince and his partizans. A body of the insurgents, among whom were the Earls of Kent and Salisbury, took up their quarters at Cirencester, where they quarrelled with the inhabitants of the town, and an engagement took place, in which the two Earls were made prisoners by the Bailiff of Cirencester, and beheaded on the spot, January 5th, 1400. The property of the Earl of Salisbury escheated to the crown, and Christ-church continued to belong to the king till the thirty-second year of Henry VI., when a lease of the hundred, castle, and borough, was granted to Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and his wife Alice, for the term of twelve years, at the annual rent of a red rose.* This nobleman obtained his title in consequence of his marriage with Alice, who was the daughter of Thomas Montague, or Montacute, the representative of the Earl of Salisbury, who was decapitated in 1400. The lease appears to have been continued or renewed to the Neville family, as Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, the descendant of that family, who was beheaded May 27th, 1541, continued in possession of the castle and borough until her attainder in April, 1539. James I. granted the manor of Christ-church, with many others, for the term of ninety-nine years, to Sir Francis Bacon, Knt., Sir John Daccombe, Knt., Thomas Murray, Esq., Sir James Fullerton, Knt., Sir John Walter, Knt., and Thomas Trevor, Esq., to the use of his son Charles, when Prince of Wales, by indenture dated January 10th, in the 18th year of his reign. The residue of this term was assigned by Sir J. Walter, Sir J. Fullerton, and Sir T. Trevor, the surviving lessees, by indenture dated June 20th, in the * Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, p. 147. Form. 47. C 10 TWYNHAM A BOROUGH IN THE SAXON TIMES. 4th of Charles II. to William Williams, Robert Michael, Walter Marks, and Robert Marsh, citizens of London, at the annual rent of £30. 14s. Id* In the same year, however, the King, at the request of the assignees, granted to Edward Ditchford, citizen and Salter, John Highlord, tanner, Humphrey Clarke, painter, and Francis Mosse, scrivener, the whole manor of Christ-church Twynham, with its appurtenances, to hold the same by fealty only, in free and common soccage, (and not as tenants in capite, or by knights' service,) in fee-farm, for ever, at the annual rent of £32. 14s. Id. It appears from the adjustment of the claims on the New Forest, made in the 22nd year of Charles II. (anno 1670), that the manor of Christ-church then belonged to the celebrated Lord Clarendon, in whose family it continued until nearly the end of the reign of William III., when it became the property of Peter Mews, Esq., who was subsequently knighted by Queen Anne. By his descendants it was transmitted to Joseph Jarvis Clerke, Esq., who bequeathed considerable property to George Ivison Tapps, Esq. (who was created a Baronet in July, 1791), of whom, in 1790, the manor of the Borough of Christ-church was purchased by the late Right Hon. George Rose, treasurer of the navy. His son, the Right Hon. Sir George Henry Rose, G.C.H., is the present possessor.')' By the extracts before given from the Domesday Book,:}; it is evident that Twynham was a Borough in the time of William the Norman, and it was pro- bably so constituted by one of the Anglo-Saxon kings. At the period of the Survey, there were thirty-one messuages, or tenements within the borough, belonging to the royal manor ; and there were also, as appears from the same record, six messuages which were the property of the canons of the Holy Trinity. § To Richard de Redvers, Earl of Devon in the reigns of Henry the First and Stephen, (who was * Vide Warner's "Topographical Remarks," &c, vol. ii. p. 76. He refers, as evidence, to the " Fee-farm Roll Com. South, fol 90;" yet it may be questioned whether there be not some error in the date stated; the legal 11 4th year of Charles II." being anno 1652, at which time that prince could not possibly have had any authority in England, the government being then a Commonwealth. f It is apparently impossible to detail correctly the descent of the Christ-church estates. Besides the manor of the Borough (now belonging to Sir G. H. Rose), there is the Hundred of Christ- church, the manor of Christ-church Twynham (or Twyneham, as it is mostly, but inaccurately written), and the manor of Christ-church cum membris ; — all which belong to Sir George Ivison Tapps, Bart. X Vide ante p. 4. § See Chap. II. p. 15. PRIVILEGES OF THE BURGESSES OF CHRIST-CHURCH. 11 the original grantee of the crown), the burgesses were indebted for the earliest grants of municipal advantages which they obtained subsequently to the Norman conquest, and his effigy is introduced on the town seal. His immediate de- scendants were also considerable benefactors to the borough. Baldwin de Redvers, who is styled Earl of Exeter, granted to the burgesses of Christ-church acquittance of the custody of robbers, of toll for salt, and of all custom of merchandize : and he likewise gave them ten shillings out of the toll of the township of Christ-church, which had been formerly four pounds, but was then only seventy shillings. Baldwin, the son and heir of Baldwin de Redvers, 2nd Earl of Devon, &c. of that name, granted to the burgesses of Christ-church Twynham, for ever, the following liberties : viz. All toll and stallage, and all custom of merchandize of the fairs of St. Faith, with appurtenances, in the town of Christ-church Twynham, saving to himself and his heirs the attachments and pleas of the said fairs. He gave them also common of pasture yearly in his meadows of Stokmede, Beremede, and Bernardesmede, after his hay was carried from the said meadows ; the said burgesses rendering annually to him and his heirs, thirty shillings. He also released the said burgesses from the obligation of redemption of their sons and daughters.* The preceding grants are recited and confirmed in letters patent granted by Edward II., in the eighth year of his reign, for which the burgesses paid a fine of one hundred shillings.! Under the patronage of the Redvers' family, both the borough and the priory appear to have flourished and increased in wealth and importance. That the former was a place of some note in the reign of Edward I., is sufficiently obvious, as a writ was directed to the bailiff of the borough of Christ-church, in the thirty-fourth year of that reign, requiring him to make a return of two members for the borough, or liberty, to the Parliament summoned to meet at Carlisle, previously to the formidable expedition against the Scots, which the death of the King, at Burgh upon Sands, July 7th, 1307, prevented him from leading in person as he had intended. It appears that no return was made by * Probably the fines or taxes called Maritagium and Marcheta, paid respectively on the marriages of sons or daughters of tenants, are here meant. t Rot. Patent. 8 Edw. II. p. 1 m. 2. — For the principal grants by the Redvers' family, see Appendix, Nos. II. III. IV. and V. 12 PARLIAMENTARY NOTICES OF CHRIST-CHURCH. the bailiff of Christ-church to the requisition of the sheriff of Hants ; but from the loss or deficiency of authenticated records, on this subject, it is impossible to ascertain the reason why no election of representatives for the borough took place. The grand object of King Edward in calling the Parliament was to obtain supplies from his subjects towards the prosecution of the Scottish war ; and it is probable that the burgesses of Christ-church had entrusted the care of their interests with regard to the manner of raising such supplies, to Warine de L'Isle, whom the King had a few years previously permitted to receive the profits of the manor of Christ-church ; or to Hugh de Courtenay, Baron of Okehampton, who after the sale of the manor to King Edward, by the Countess Isabella de Fortibus, still retained a sort of dormant title to the Hampshire estates of the Redvers' family, and was a benefactor to the priory of Christ-church. Writs were again directed to the bailiff of the liberty of Christ-church, for the return of members to the two next ensuing Parliaments, held in the first and second years of the reign of Edward II., but no returns were made on either occasion. The original writs for the county of Hants for the calling of these parliaments are extant ; but it is merely stated on them that the bailiff of Christ-church made no returns for the liberty. " Nullum inde Responsum dederunt."* This borough is not noticed in any subsequent returns to writs * Many boroughs which had been summoned to return members to parliament, or had actually made returns for a time, afterwards neglected to do so in order to avoid the burden of paying the wages of their representatives, which in the reign of Edward III., amounted to four shillings a day for members for counties, and two shillings a day for members for cities and boroughs. It seems probable that in general burgesses were readily excused by the sheriffs when their officers neglected to make any return to the writs which were sent to them, and on repeated neglect the writs were generally withdrawn, as was the case with Christ-church. But sometimes poor burgesses when they continued to be summoned by the sheriffs, petitioned the king, who ordered a trial at law to take place, and the burgesses then proving their poverty, obtained letters patent of exemption, which course was pursued with regard to the borough of Torrington, Devon, 42 of Edward III. (See Willis's Notit. Parliament, vol. ii. p. 244, and vol. i. p. 39 ; and Prynne's Brevia Parliament. Red. p. 233. The practice of paying the wages of parliamentary representatives was continued, at least occa- sionally, long after the elective franchise had ceased to be considered as a burden, and had been recovered notwithstanding disuse. The celebrated Andrew Marvell, member of parliament for Hull, in the reign of Charles II., is said to have been the last who received wages from his constituents. It has been stated, however, (vide Warner's " Topographical Remarks," vol. i. p. 31, note,) that Sir ENLARGEMENT OF THE BOROUGH UNDER THE REFORM ACT. 13 issued in this king's reign.* The current opinion is, that members were not returned on account of the poverty of the inhabitants. The burgesses of Christ-church do not appear to have received summons to send members to parliament again till the thirteenth year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, since which time returns have regularly taken place. The right of election, according to Browne Willis, was formerly vested in the inhabitants of the borough paying scot and lot, the number of whom is stated in Stockdale's Parliamentary Guide, published in 1784, to have been about seventy. But previously to the passing of the recent Reform Act, (2d Will. IV. cap. 45, anno 1832), the elective franchise was confined to the members of the corporation of Christ-church, the mayor being the returning officer. By the second section of this new statute it is enacted that this borough, (as well as the several others therein specified), shall, instead of two members, as formerly, send in future only one member to serve in parliament. The constituency is also extended by the general enfranchisement of owners and tenants of houses, &c, yielding the rent of £10 a year ; and likewise by the enlargement of the limits of the borough under the Boundary Act, (2d and 3d Will. IV., cap. 64), in the schedule O annexed to which the boundaries of Christ-church are thus described : — "The parish of Christ-church, and the chapelry of Holdenhurst, except such part of the tithing of Hurn, in the parish of Christ-church, as is situated to the north of the following boundary ; (that is to say,) from the point at which the western boundary of the parish of Christ-church crosses the road from Dudsbury to Hurn bridge, in a straight line to the south-western corner of Merritown common ; thence along the southern boundary of Merritown common and of Hurn common, to the point at which the southern boundary of Hurn common reaches to the Moors river ; thence, in a straight line, to the southern boundary post of the Peter Mews, who represented Christ-church in the beginning of the last century, gave a bond to the burgesses, insuring them against any claims for wages, or other expenses on account of his services in parliament ; yet this is not strictly correct : the miscalled " bond " is simply a letter to the above effect, which is still preserved among the corporation archives. * Parliamentary Writs, collected by F. Palgrave, F.S. A. vol. i. Calend. p. 5, and p. 188 ; vol. ii. Calend. p. 178, and p. 12, No. 29, and p. 34, No. 37. See also Prynne's " Brevia Parliament." p. 295. 14 EXTENT AND POPULATION OF CHRIST-CHURCH. parish of Christ-church on the Ring wood road, close by Fillybrook Plantation. " Under these acts the number of electors has been increased to about 400. The present member for this borough, (being the first returned by the inhabi- tants to the reformed parliament,) is George William Tapps, Esq., of Hinton Admiral, near Christ-church. This is a borough by prescription, and its present municipal government is vested in the mayor and burgesses, with a bailiff and town-clerk ; but the members of the corporation do not exercise any judicial authority, the town being wholly within the jurisdiction of the county magistrates. The elective franchise was formerly exercised by the corporation as composed of resident and non-resident burgesses ; and it is a remarkable fact, that, although many petitions were at different times presented to the House of Commons against the return of members so chosen, yet no decision was ever made subversive of that right.* From the papers laid before Parliament during the recent reform measures, it appears that the right of election was vested in the free burgesses only, their number (including two royal dukes) being thirty-six ; — that the rated houses within the borough in 1832, amounted to 267, of which 130 only were rated at £10 and upwards; that the population of the whole parish in 1831, was 5,244 (an increase of 600 having taken place within ten years) ; and that the extent of the parish was estimated at 30,000 acres, of which one hundred were built on.f , * Much misapprehension respecting the former state of this borough has arisen from the sup- posed existence of a Charter, which appears to have been drawn up in the time of Charles the Second. But it was certainly either never issued, or immediately withdrawn ; and although twenty-four persons are named as burgesses under it, yet nine years elapsed before any one of those persons was entered on the list of mayors ; — and he, only, of the twenty-four named in the Charter, ever became mayor. There is a minute of Privy Council, of George the First's time, to grant a Charter to Christ-church, on account of it not having one. — From MS. information communicated by the Right Hon. Sir G. H. Rose. f Vide " Returns respecting Parliamentary Representation," ordered to be printed by the House of Commons, March 22, 1832. HISTORICAL PARTICULARS OF THE PRIORY OF CHRIST CHURCH ESTATES OF THE CANONS, ETC., FROM THE DOMESDAY BOOK BISHOP RANULPH FLAMBARD — REBUILDING OF THE PRIORY CHURCH — CONSTITUTED A PRIORY OF CANONS REGULAR — BENEFACTIONS AND PRIVILEGES — LIST OF SUPERIORS, DEANS, AND PRIORS — SURRENDER OF THE PRIORY TO HENRY VIII. MISCELLANEOUS INFOR- MATION. The origin and early history of the Priory of Christ-Church are entirely unknown ; and although we may reasonably presume that it was founded in the seventh century, soon after the introduction of the order of St. Augustine into this kingdom, yet there are no records of the Saxon times extant relating to this establishment. The earliest documentary evidence concerning it, is contained in the Domesday Book, from which the following are extracts, the contractions being supplied. " Terra Canonicorum de Thuinam.* In Egheiete Hund. Canonici Sanctae Trinitatis de Thuinam tenent in ipsa Villa 5 hidas et una virgata : et in Wit Insula unam hidam. Hae hidae semper fuerant in ipsa iEcclesia. Tunc se defendit pro 6 hidis Tempore Regis Edwardi et una virgata et modo 'In Dominio sunt 5 Carucatae, et 11 Villani, et 13 Bordarii cum una carucata. Ibi 2 Servi, et Molinum de 30 denariis, et 108 acrae Prati. Silva de 2 Porcariis. In Burgo 6 Masurae de 13 Solidis et 4 denaiis. Ad hanc Ecclesiam pertinent tota Decima de Tuinam, et tertia pars Decimarum de Holeherst.f " Tempore Regis Edwardi val. 6 libras : Modo 8 libras. " Alnod Prebendarius tenet de Rege Bortel.J In paragio tenuit de Rege Edwardo. Tunc se defendit pro una Virgata et dimidio : modo similiter. Terra est dimidium carucatae, et ibi est cum duobus Servis, et tertia pars unius * Now Christ-Church. + Now Holdenhurst. I Now Barton. 16 COLLEGIATE, OR PRIORY ESTATES AT THE CONQUEST. Molini de 25 denariis ; et 10 acrae Prati et dimidium, et duae Masurae in Tuinam. Valuit 5 Solidos ; modo 10 Solidos. " Alsi Prebendarius tenet de Rege Bailocheslei.* Ipse tenuit. de Rege Edwardo. Tunc se defendit pro una Hida et 3 Virgatis : modo pro 3 Virgatis tantum. Terra cum 1 Carucata ibi est in dominio, cum duobus Servis, et uno Villano, et uno Bordario ; et dimidio Molini de tribus Solidis : et 16 acris Prati. Valet et valuit 20 Solidos. " In Bovere Hund.f habuit Ecclesia Sanctae Trinitatis de Thuinam 8 acras terrae in Andret. Modo est in Foresta haec terra." J It appears then, from the Domesday survey, that, in the reign of Edward the Confessor, there was at Twynham, a Priory, or College of Secular Canons, holding possessions in the township of Twynham, the Isle of Wight, and else- where, within the county of Southampton ; and that the Priory church had been dedicated to the Holy Trinity. From the specification of the land, it seems that some portions belonged to the members of the Convent generally, and others to two of the prebendaries or canons, who are distinctly mentioned by name. The general property of the Priory consisted of five hides and one virgate of land in the township of Twynham, one hide in the Isle of Wight, eight acres in the hundred of Bovere, the whole of the tithes of Twynham, and a third part of the tithes of Holeherst. It is stated that the hides of land here mentioned had always belonged to this church, whilst the eight acres in Bovere are merely mentioned as having been the property of the church in the time of King Edward the Confessor, but, when the Domesday Book was com- piled, as being included in the [New] Forest. It does not appear when, nor from what source, this property was derived, but from the allegation with respect to the principal part, — " that it had always belonged to this church,'^ it may be inferred that the Canons rested their claim to it on prescription, having no charter to shew by whom it was transferred to them. Probably it was from this circumstance that Camden affirmed the Priory to have been founded " early in the Saxon times," — as donations were * Now Bashley. f Now Boldre Hundred. % Domesday Book, vol. i. fol. 44, a. § ' Hae hidae semper fuerant in ipsa iEcclesia." Ut supra. PREBENDAL ESTATES I CANONICAL ESTABLISHMENT. 17 then frequently made without the formality of a written grant or charter.* The lands separately held by the two Prebendaries are thus specified : — " Alnod, the prebendary, holds of the King Bortel, which he held in coparcenary of King Edward. It was then assessed for one virgate and a half, and now in the same manner. There is half a carucate of land in demesne, with two Serfs ; the third part of a mill, producing twenty-five pence ; ten acres and a half of meadow land, and two messuages in Twynham. It was valued at five shillings ; now at ten shillings. "Alsi, the prebendary, holds of the King Bailocheslei, which he held of King Edward. It was then assessed for one hide and three virgates, now for three virgates only. There is one carucate of land in demesne, with two Serfs, and one Villain, and one Bordarer ; and half a mill, producing three shillings ; and sixteen acres of meadow land. It was, and is, valued at twenty shillings." — It has been stated by Dugdale and Bishop Tanner, that, in the time of King Edward the Confessor, there were a Dean and twenty-four Canons belonging to the church of the Holy Trinity at Twynham ; and Tanner further says, that they " continued till after the conquest." Strictly speaking, however, these aver- ments are not authorized by existing records, although not unfairly surmised from the known state of this establishment in the reign of William Rufus. Neither a Dean nor any fixed number of Canons is mentioned in the Domesday Book, as belonging to this Priory ; yet it appears from the " Historia Funda- tionis Ccenobii de Twynham," in Dugdale's " Monasticon,"t that after the ac- cession of the Conqueror, the office of Dean was held by Ranulph Flambard, or Flammard^ who is said to have been the son of a priest of Bayeux, in * The conveyance of estates to a purchaser or grantee was, in ancient times, confirmed by the delivery of something to be preserved as a sign or symbol of property, as the Horn of Ulphus, in the archives of the Chapter of York ; and the Borstall Horn, in Buckinghamshire. f Ex Registro de Twynham, in Bibl. Cotton., sub effigie Tiberii, D. 6, fol. 194, a. The Register itself was destroyed in the fire which burnt a part of the Cottonian Library in the year 1731. Vide Appendix, No. I. t In the " Saxon Chronicle," and other annals of a subsequent age, Ranulph is called Passe- flambard. D 18 NOTICES OF BISHOP FLAMBARD : KING WILLIAM RUFUS. Normandy, and whose name is registered among the feudal tenants of the crown in the Domesday Survey of Hampshire.* Although of ignoble origin (Malmesbury says "a infimo genere"), and probably of restricted education, the superior talents and address of Flambard advanced him to rank and power. He was removed from Twynham by Maurice, Bishop of London, who made him his chaplain and gave him the deanery of St. Paul's. Not satisfied, however, with ecclesiastical preferment, the ambition and enterprize of Flambard sought for temporal ascendency, and, by his unprincipled servility, he so highly ingratiated himself in the favour of William Rufus, that the tyrannical prince invested him in the high offices of Justiciary of England and Procurator-General, and made him his chief counsellor, j" Whilst thus situated he became the willing instrument of the grievous exactions and oppressions of the monarch, who, in 1099, rewarded his docility by raising him to the bishoprick of Durham, which had been retained in his own hands from the time of the decease of William de Karilipho, in 1095. Even in this instance the king's avarice was not ungratified, for the bishop elect found it prudent to secure his own nomination by a present of one thousand marks. It was probably through the influence of his favourite that William Rufus was induced to become a benefactor to the church of Twynham, for he is recorded to have bestowed on this church the manor of Prestipidela [Priest's Puddle] in the county of Dorset, with all the liberties and customs belonging to it. If, however, the grant originated in the suggestion of Flambard, his purpose in obtaining it was rather to benefit himself than to enrich the ostensible objects of the king's bounty. On his elevation to the deanery of St. Paul's he had probably resigned that * It is mentioned (vide Appendix. No. I.) that when Flambard presided at Twynham, and " before his time," the churches of Bolre [Boldre], Brokenhurst, and Hordhull, appertained to the church of Twynham and the secular canons of that establishment. f Peter of Blois, who wrote in the reign of Henry II., characterized Flambard as being 1 " a most cruel extortioner, and the king's principal counsellor, then, of all men on the earth, the worst and the most covetous, miserably oppressing the whole kingdom." " Exactore crudelissimo, Regisque Consiliaro prsecipuo, tunc omnium virorum in terra cupidissimo et pessimo, universum Regnum miserabiliter opprimente." Continuatio Ingulphi Historia. OPPRESSIVE CONDUCT OF BISHOP FLAMBARD AT TWYNHAM. 19 of Twynham, in which he appears to have been succeeded by Godric, a clerk, or canon, distinguished for the respectability of his character, who yet, however, did not assume the title of dean, but was reverenced by the canons, (now stated to be twenty-four in number) as their senior and president. Under his govern- ment they lived in concord and tranquillity, sharing among themselves, according to certain established regulations, the income arising from the ecclesiastical estates, and from the offerings of the people.* Their repose was soon dis- turbed by the interference of their former superior, Flambard, who, not content with the aggrandizement of his fortune by his promotion in the church, and the power and influence which he had obtained as the king's favourite minister, employed that influence to procure for himself a royal grant of the Church and Convent, in order that he might, as patron of the Priory of Twynham, become possessed of the chief control of the revenues of that foundation. Among the estates held in common at this period by the canons, are men- tioned Heme, Burton, and Preston.f But it appears that it was not the extent of the landed property alone belonging to this convent that excited the cupidity of Flambard, for the Church is also stated to have been enriched with treasures of various kinds and precious relics of saints, which, doubtless, proved an abundant source of profit to the community. As an effectual method of securing to himself the entire disposal of the church property, the bishop proposed to pull down the Church and other conventual buildings, and re-erect them on a larger and more convenient scale, taking possession of the whole income, whether arising from estates, tithes, offerings, or other sources, and after allowing the canons what was sufficient for their support, retaining the remainder for the ostensible purpose of executing his intended architectural improvements. All the canons agreed to submit to this disposition of the property except the dean, or superior, Godric, whose opposition, however, served only to expose him to the resentment of his powerful oppressor, by whom he was degraded from his office, and pursued with unceasing hostility, until he was obliged to quit the kingdom. He was eventually compelled to appeal to the compassion of the bishop, who, finding that he had become sufficiently tractable, restored him to his former situation. * V. Historia Fundationis Coenob. de Twynham : Appendix, No. I. f Idem. 20 INTENDED REBUILDING OF THE CHURCH BY FLAM BARD. Flambard, in pursuance of his design, proceeded to destroy the old conventual Church, and nine other buildings which stood beyond or below the cemetery, together with certain houses near it belonging to the canons. He likewise fixed on a place within the town as adapted for the conventual offices and for the future residence of the canons.* The foundation of the existing Church, and of the religious houses and offices formerly connected with it, by Flambard, is distinctly recorded ; but it does not appear to be ascertainable how far he proceeded towards the completion of those structures. — He seems to have intended to alter the constitution of this establish- ment by placing in the convent Canons Regular, instead of Secular Canons, a scheme subsequently carried into execution. When any one of the canons died he kept the benefice of the deceased unoccupied, in order that the alter- ation might be the more readily effected. Godric, the senior canon or president of the convent, and ten of his brethren, had already paid the debt of nature, when the sudden and violent death of William Rufus, and the consequent down- fall of his favourite, terminated the authority of the latter, and released the remaining canons of Twynham from his overbearing control. Henry I., soon after his accession, in consequence of the numerous accusations preferred against Flambard, caused him to be arrested and imprisoned in the Tower of London ; — his estates, offices, and benefices, being probably at the same time forfeited or placed under sequestration. The church of the Holy Trinity, at Twynham, is expressly stated to have been seized by the King, and after being, with force and violence, stripped of all the valuable property which the bishop had there accumulated, it was given, in frank almoigne, to a clerk named Gilbert de Dousgunels, who, on taking possession, found that there were only five canons belonging to the establishment remaining. At first he appears to have appropriated the revenues of the convent to himself, after providing for the support of his companions ; but at length he was induced, probably by their solicitation, or certainly with their concurrence, to go to Rome, in order to obtain from the Pope privileges and immunities for the new Church, with a license to * This was probably on the spot now occupied by the bank at Christ-church (adjoining to the principal Hotel), where an ancient stone building stood within memory. PROCEEDINGS OF THE DEANS PETER DE OGLANDRES AND RADULPH. 21 complete the structure and collect contributions for that purpose. He accord- ingly went to Rome, but his journey proved fruitless, as he died in returning to this country. In the mean time the patronage of the church and the government of the whole province was bestowed by King Henry on one of his barons, Richard de Redvers, the elder, Earl of Devon, who appointed to the vacant presidency of the church of Twynham, a clerk named Peter de Oglandres, or Oglandes, granting him all the rights and franchises possessed by Ranulph and Gilbert, the former deans, with a reservation of the claims of the existing canons on the conventual property.* The Earl also gave to this church and convent an estate in the Isle of Wight, called Ningwood ; one of his retainers gave some land at Apse, near Medina, in that island ; and the parishioners, as Dean Gilbert had appointed, gave all their tithes. Peter de Oglandres, who was, perhaps, the chaplain and favourite of Richard de Redvers,^ seems to have greatly abused the bounty of his patron, for instead of applying the revenues of the establishment to the support of the five remaining canons, and the completion and decoration of the Church, he associated to himself other clerks, whom he entertained in a sort of common hall, assuming the authoritative regulation and distribution of the conventual income. On his death, the adventitious clerks expelled the old canons from their society and council and appropriated to themselves the oblations intended for the purpose of finishing the building of the Church ; alleging, on their own testimony, that the right to those offerings had been assigned to them by the dean. A new dean, however, was appointed, named Radulph, who, leaving the claims of these clerks undecided for future examination, applied himself to the prosecu- tion of the architectural improvements commenced by Flambard, and with so much success, that before his death several of the conventual offices were covered in, and likewise a part of the Church itself. \ He was succeeded by Hillary, a * Historia Fundat. (Appendix, No. I.) et Carta de Ric. de Kedveriis Sen. Com. Devon. App. No. II. + In the charter quoted above, the Earl of Devon styles Peter de Oglandres " Clericus meus." \ V. Historia Fundat. Appendix, No. I. 22 INTRODUCTION OF CANONS REGULAR AT TWYNHAM. clerk or chaplain of the Bishop of Winchester, who is reported to have been distinguished for his humility and uprightness of conduct. During the supremacy of Dean Hillary, the religious establishment at Twyn- ham was made a Priory of Canons Regular of the order of St. Augustine; the college of Secular clerks or Canons which had hitherto existed being thus utterly superseded. This alteration was effected under the sanction of Baldwin de Redvers, Earl of Devon, the son of Earl Richard, to whom the patronage of the convent had been granted by Henry I. ; and the former nobleman, in conjunction with his son and heir, Richard de Redvers, junior, gave to the newly-introduced Augustinian canons a charter of confirmation of their title to the lands, rights, and privileges, bestowed on their predecessors.* Henry de Blois, Bishop of Winchester, also granted a charter to the canons on this occasion ; and indeed it appears to have been chiefly through the influence of this prelate that the regulars were placed here, for in a subsequent charter of Richard de Redvers, junior, it is stated, that his father and he had adopted that measure in pursuance of the exhortation of the bishop, j" To the same influence may likewise be ascribed the grant of a charter of confirmation from King Stephen, dated A.D. 1150, in which the possessions and privileges enjoyed by the secular canons are recited, and assigned to the regulars, with a reservation of a life-interest to the former. When the charter was granted, Hillary (" Hillarius Decanus") was still dean, but he appears to have soon obtained higher prefer- ment in the church ; and his connexion with the convent of Twynham most probably terminated about that period. Earl Baldwin, with the assent of his son and heir, Richard, conferred by charter on the Canons Regular of Twynham, the right of freely-electing their own Prior or Superior ; and from subsequent grants and charters of confirmation of various royal and noble benefactors and others, they derived a large accession of property and new immunities. Among those by whom they were thus benefited were the kings Richard I., John, Edward I., Edward II., Edward * V. Carta Baldwini de Redveriis, Sen., Com. Devon, et Ricardi Fil. sui, de Introductione Canonicorum Regularium : apud Dugdale. f V. Carta Ric. de Redveriis, Jun., Com. Devon, de Introd. Canon. Regular. A.D. 1161 : apud Dugdale. NAMES OF THE DEANS AND PRIORS OF CHRIST-CHURCH. 23 III., Richard II., and Henry IV., whose respective grants and ordinances were confirmed by Henry V., in the third year of his reign.* But their most liberal benefactors appear to have been Earl Richard de Redvers, junior, already men- tioned ; his son and heir, Baldwin de Redvers, junior ; his sister, Hawisa de Redvers ; and Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Albemarle, and Hugh de Courtenay, the first Earl of Devon of that name, both of whom were lineal descendants, through females, from the family of Redvers. There is a continued list of the Priors of Christ-church Twynham, from 1150 to 1477, in the Excerpta from the Priory Register, among the Cottonian Manuscripts in the British Museum ; f and from a comparison with the monumental inscriptions on the tombs of some of the later Priors still remaining in the priory [now the parochial] Church, it may be inferred that that list is com- plete so far as it extends. Apparently, two names only are required to make up the whole number of the Priors of Christ-church, from the introduction of the Regular Canons, in King Stephen's reign, to the dissolution of the monastery by Henry VIII. The Deans of Christ-church were Ranulph Flambard ; Godric ; Gilbert de Dousgunels ; Peter de Oglandres ; Radulph ; and Hillary. PRIORS OF CHRIST-CHURCH. 1. Reginald, chosen into office in 1150, and who, as appears from a memo- randum in the Cottonian Manuscript, was still prior in 1169. 2. Radulph. 3. Peter, probably elected in 1195, the 6th of Richard I. * Rot. Pat. 3. Hen. 5. P. 2, M. 3. f Cott. MS., Claud. A. VIII. 13. The editors of Dugdale's Monasticon observe, that "The register of this house, which Dugdale saw and copied from, [Tiberius D. VI.] was lost in the Cottonian fire of 1731. The Excerpts from it, in Cotton. MS. Claud. A. VIII., which still remain, consist of five pages only, and are of little consequence." Monasticon, new edit. V. vi. pt. i. p. 302. Without attempting to controvert the assertion of the learned editors, so far as relates to the abstracts of charters in this manuscript, which are certainly slight and unimportant, we may, perhaps, be permitted to lament that they did not more accurately examine it, as it would have enabled them to have given a complete catalogue of the priors of Christ- church, instead of the very meagre and apparently incorrect list of eight names only, which they gathered from Browne Willis's Mitred Abbies, and Cole's Collections. 24 NAMES OF THE PRIORS OF CHRIST-CHURCH. 4. Roger, in 1225, the 9th of Hen. III. 5. Richard, temp. Hen. III. 6. Nicholas de Warham, temp. Hen. III. 7. Nicholas de Sturminster, temp. Hen. III. 8. John de Abingdon, in 1272. 9. William de Netheravon, in 1277, the 5th of Edward I. 10. Richard Maury, admitted prior in May, 1286, and held the office till his death in 1302. 11. William Quintin, admitted prior April 3, 1302. 12. Walter Tholveshide, or Tidolneshide, elected in 1317. 13. Edmund de Remmesbury, or Ramsbury, who is mentioned as prior in a grant in fee from the abbey of Quarre of a messuage, land, &c., to the priory of Christ-church at a yearly rent, dated 1323, the 17th of Edward II.* 14 Richard de Busthorn, or Butesthorne, chosen on the death of the last prior in 1337, and installed March the 28th following. 15. Robert de Leighe, became prior August 21, 1340. 16. William Tirewache, installed March 18, 1345. 17. Henry Eyr, came into office in March, 1347. 18. John Wodenham, was installed July 21, 1376. 19. John Borard, who was confirmed in office November 8, 1397. 20. Thomas Talbot, temp. Hen. IV. 21. John Wimborne, temp. Hen. V. 22. William Norton, temp. Hen. VI. 23. John Dorchester, who died in 1477. 24. John Draper, installed on the festival of St. Matthew, 1477. 25. William Eyre, made prior January 26, 1502, 26. John Draper, elected January 31, 1520.^ * Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, p. 164-5. f On comparison of the preceding list of the Priors of Christ-church with that published in the recent edition of Dugdale's " Monasticon," it will appear that the latter, brief as it is, contains two names not inserted in the list given above. The omission of these, however, is by no means an oversight. The names in question are those of Julianus, A. D. 1162, and John de Combe, A.D. 1297, which SURRENDER OF THE PRIORY TO HENRY V1H. 25 Browne Willis, misled by the similarity of name, has confounded the last Prior with the last but two, (No. 24) although he was aware of the difficulty, on that supposition, which would arise from the length of the period between the installation of the first John Draper in 1477, and the suppression of the convent in 1539. John Draper, the second prior of that name, who was Suffragan Bishop of Neopolitanus, surrendered the Priory to the King's (Henry VIII.) Commissioners, on the 28th of November, 1539 ; and he obtained as the reward of his pliability a pension of £133. 6*. Sd., with permission to hold during his life the prior's lodgings and grange at Somerford, near Christ-church, and also his country house of Heme or Heron Court.* Small pensions (eighteen in number) varying are introduced on the authority of printed records. Julianus is mentioned with the designation of prior in a deed published by Madox (" Formulare Anglicanum, p. 2."), dated the 8th of Henry II., but it appears from a memorandum in the Cottonian MS. Claud. A. VIII. 13, before cited, that Reginald, the first prior, was in office at least seven years after the date of this instrument, whence, perhaps, it may be reasonably conjectured that the word prior has been inserted by mistake instead of presbyter ; or at least that Julianus could not have been prior of Christ- church, unless he officiated as locum tenens for prior Reginald, and might therefore have been considered as a titular functionary. John de Cumbe is mentioned by Prynne, ("Brevia Parliament." v. iii. p. 709), as prior of Twynham in the 25th of Edward I. 1297 ; but the office was at that period certainly held by Richard Maury, who died in 1302, and in the inscription on his gravestone, still existing in the church, he is called the tenth prior, as in the above catalogue. Among the gravestones also, is that of Thomas Talbot, who is called the twentieth prior ; and, besides these, there are other inscriptions which tend to establish the authenticity of the list of priors in the Cottonian manuscript, and as above recorded. * Somerford, now called Summerford, is the property of John Spicer, esq. who was mayor of Christ-church in 1832. Heron Court is the seat of the Earl of Malmesbury. The pensions granted to the prior and canons, as appears from the original document signed by the Commissioners, and now preserved in the " Book of Pensions," in the Augmentation Office, were as follow : — Cristchurch Twinhame late Priorye surrendred. Pencons assigned by Robert Southwell, esquier, Edward Came, and John London., Doctor of Lawe, and other the kyngs highnes Comyssioners there, to the late Relygious psons there vpon the Surrender of the same late Priorye taken the xxviij th daye of Novembre, in the xxxj 1 yere of the Reyne of o most Dradde Soueraigne lorde kyng Henry the viij th . Pencons assyned to the late Religious. To John Draper, Bisshopp of Neapolytan, late pryor there . . Cxxxiij It. vis. viijd. Also the Mancyon of Sorfiford, callyd the Pryo r lodginge pcell of the mano of Soififord, E 23 REVENUES OF THE PRIORY, AND PENSIONS GRANTED. from £10. to £3. 6s. 8d., were likewise granted to the canons belonging to the establishment. At the time of the surrender, the ecclesiastical and temporal possessions of this priory were returned by the Commissioners at the clear annual value of £519. 3s. 6ld., independently of the sum of £95. As. 5d granted to sundry persons in fees and annuities.* The very ample allowance made to in the countie of SouthP, beinge pte of the the t'me of lyff of the seyd Bishopp w*out To Robert Beverey, late sub prio r there To Reignolde Benett To Richard South To Willrrr Gierke To John Pope . To Water Churche To John Peppett To Willrfi Martyn To Robert Meryfyld To Water Mathew . xli. vili. xiijs. iiijd. xilL xiijs. iiije?. vi li. xiij s. iiij d. vi li. Vltl. vi K. vi li. vi li. vi li. late possessione of the seyd late Monastery, for any thynge yeldinge or painge therfor. To Wilhri Skeyte . To John Stone . . To Thomas Andrc.vse To John Tulce . . To John Drover . . To Thomas Hancock To Thomas Coke . To Anthony Pytman . lxvj s. viij d. xiijs. iiijc?. vi li. vi li. vi li. vi li. vi li. vili. xiijs. iiije?. vi li. Sm CCxlvj&. P nos, Robtr Sowthwell Edwardu 1 Carne Johanne London! Ricardfl Poulet Willm Berners. * Vide Appendix, No. VI., which document has been accurately transcribed from a book in the Augmentation Office, intituled " Certificates of Monasteries," &c. The particulars which it incidentally furnishes of the state and splendour cf the priory establishment, at the time of its surrender, are very interesting. In the " Valor Ecclesiasticus" of the 26th of Henry VIII. (also in the same office) from which Speed and Dugdale appear to have taken their respective valuations, the revenues of Christ-Church are thus stated:— - " Prioratus Ecclesiae Christi Twyniiam Ordinis Sancti Augustini. Johannes Draper modo prior. " Valet in firma terrarum unacum alijs redditibus tarn spiritualibus quam temporalibus, ut patet per quaternum manibus commissariorum domini regis signatum, 5281. 6s. O^d. 1 lib. piperis, 1 lib. cuminis. Profic' vicar' de Christchurch officio sacristee pertinen' prius non onerat' ut patet per dictum quaternum, 15/.. . . . t . 5431. 6s. 0%d. Reprisai. In elemosinus feodis et alijs resolutis ut patet per dictum quaternum, 1 30/. 19s. Et valet ultra, ...... 312Z. 7s. 0\d. REPORT CF THE COMMISSIONERS TO LORD CROMWELL. 27 Draper, most probably originated in the good report of the Commissioners, who in a letter, supposed to have been addressed to Lord Cromwell, described the prior as " a very honest, confortable person." They also state that the house was well furnished with jewels and plate, " whereof" they continue, " some be mete for the kings Majestie is use."f Within a twelvemonth after the surrender, namely, on the 14th of September, 1540, Henry the Eighth granted the immediate site of the priory and precinct, (reserving the church and church-yard) to Stephen Kirton, and Margaret his wife, their heirs and assigns, " to hold of the aforesaid lord the king, his heirs and successors, in capite, by -the service of the fortieth part of a knight's fee, t Bibl. Cott. Mus. Brit. Cleopatra, E. IV. fo. 267. b. As the whole letter relates to this church, and is, besides, extremely characteristic of the confiscation of valuables " to the use" of the stern Harry, it is here given in the words of the original. Ow r humble dewties observyd unto yo r gudde Lordeschippe It may lyke the same to be advertised that we have taken the surrendre of the iate priorye of Christ Churche Twynhm wher we founde the Prior a very honest confortable gson and the howse well furnysshede w l Juellys and plate wherof som be mete for the kingf majestie is use as a litill chaiys of golds, a gudly lardg crosse doble gylt w 1 the foote garnysshyd w l stone and perle, two gudly basons doble gylt having the Kingf? armys well inamyled, a gudly greet pyxe for the sacramet doble gylt, And ther be also other tiling^ of sylv* right honest and of gudde valewe as well for the churche use as for the table re'sVyd and kept to the kingf use. In thys churche we founde a chaple and monumet curiosly made of cane stone ppared by the late mother of Raynolde Pole for herre buriall, wiche we have causyd to be defacyd and all the armys and badgis to be delete. The surveyng of the demayngs of thys howse wich be lardge and baryn and som partt therof xx tt mylys from the monastery wich we also do survey and mesure hathe causyd usse to mak long^ abode at thys plac then we intendyd And now we be in joiney toward^ Amysbery wher we shall use like diligens for the accoplisshng of the kingf highnes comission And assone as we have don then we shall farther certifie yo r lordeshippe of o r doingf? And thus we beseke almyhtie Jfis longe to p>sve yo r gudde lordeschippe w l increse of nioche hono r . At Christchurche ij° Decebris. Yo r lordschipf humbly to c5mand RoBt Sowthwell Rychard Poulet Edward Carne Willm Berners Jhon London. 28 GRANT OF THE PRIORY CHURCH TO THE PARISHIONERS. and the annual rent of 3 Is. 6i^."* Since that period the priory estate has had various possessors, but it now belongs to J. S. Brander, Esq., whose uncle, the late well-known Gustavus Brander, Esq. F. R. S. purchased the property about seventy years ago. On the 23rd of October, 1540, the site and entire fabric of the Priory Church, with all its appurtenances whatsoever, together with the church-yard, were, at the intercession of the wardens and other persons, granted by the King to the wardens and inhabitants of Christ-church, for ever ; to be held by fealty only, and occupied and used as the parish church of all the parishioners. By the same grant, which has undoubtedly been the means of preserving the Church from the destruction that has befallen the other buildings of the priory, the wardens and inhabitants of the town were constituted " one body, to have a per- petuall succession, and to able and capable in law." James the First, on the 12th of February, in the ninth year of his reign, (anno 1612) exemplified and confirmed the above grant, by his own letters patent, which also testified that the original grant had been enrolled in chancery.'f The nave, or body, of the Priory Church had been appropriated for the pur- pose of parochial worship for many centuries before the Reformation (as was customary in most of the larger religious foundations) ; whilst the choir, or chancel, was reserved for the prior and canons. Although very great praise is due to the influential persons of this Establish- ment, for the attention and care, which, in former ages, must have been lavished on the architectural beauties of the Priory Church, yet we have to regret that the names of so few of them should have descended to posterity in connection with any record of their scientific or literary attainments. Except Flambard, indeed, whose intellect and acquirements (however devoted to unworthy pur- poses) were evidently of a superior order, there is scarcely one of its inmates who is known to have been distinguished either for his learning, or for any other quality, which dignifies the possessor. Their library, if we may credit Leland, * Vide Warner's " Topographical Remarks," vol. ii. p. 121, which refers to the Fee Farm Roll Com. Southton., fol. 90. f For a translated copy of the Letters Patent of James the First, which include the original grant of Henry the Eighth, see Appendix, No. VII. UNSCHOLASTIC CHARACTER OF THE PRIORY INMATES. 29 merely comprised " a Saxon version of a few laws ;" # — and tradition hath avouched that the towns-people, their contemporaries, distinguished the canons by the ignoble appellation of "Abbey Lubbers" in allusion to their ignorance and indolence, j" These facts are the more remarkable, perhaps, because there is evidence that a school was, at a very early period, attached to this foundation for the use of the towns-people, " villoe scilicit ipsius scolam," as appears from the confirmatory grant of the ancient rights of the Priory (vide Appendix, No. II.), given by Baldwin de Redvers, Sen., Earl of Devon. * " Leges aliquot regum Saxonice :" Lelandi Coll. torn. iv. p. 149. edit, altera. f It appears from the " Parliamentary Writs," vol. i. p. 531, that the Priory of Christ-church was returned [anno 1297] as holding lands or rents in the counties of Somerset and Dorset, to the amount of £20 and upwards, in yearly value, either in capite or otherwise, and as such was sum- moned under the general writs to perform Military service in parts beyond the seas : — to muster at London on the 7th of July, 25th of Edward the First. Three years afterwards, the Priory was again returned as holding lands, &c. to the amount of £40 yearly and upwards, and as such summoned to perform Military service against the Scotch : — to muster at Carlisle, on the 24th of June, 28tb of Edward the First. During the Michaelmas Term, (vide " Placitorum Abberratio." p. 220.) in the 28th of Edward the First, the King, in full Parliament, restored to the Prior of Twynham the Hundred of Piddleton, county of Dorset, which had been seized by occasion of a trespass. In the 33rd of Edward the First, (anno 1304) the Prior and Convent of Christ-church complained to Parliament that, whereas Isabella de Fortibus, Countess of Albemarle, had granted to them the tythe of rabbits in the Isle of Wight, — yet William Russell, the King's keeper of the said Isle, refused to allow the same. The Treasurer and Barons of the Exchequer were commanded to inquire into the matter, and do justice therein. Vide " Rolls of Parliament," vol. i. p. 159. In the 2nd of Edward the Second, the Burgesses of Dorchester complained that, whereas the Prior of Christ-church held a moiety of the town of Piddleton in fee-farm, from Sir Simon de Montacute, at £20 per annum, and that he had established a market there, which was a great injury to that of Dorchester, because the merchants who formerly went to Dorchester now went to Piddleton. The Escheator was commanded to inquire into the matter. Ibid, p. 275. Edward the Third, by letters patent, issued in the 7th year of his reign, [anno 1333], in considera- tion of a fine of ten marks, pardoned the Prior and Convent of Christ-church Twynham, the trans- gression made by their predecessors in the time of Edward the First, in receiving from Elias Doterel the advowson and demesne of the House of St. Leonard de Risshton, (Rushton, in Dorsetshire) without the royal license ; and he also, restored to them the said advowson and demesne. Cfiap. lit. DESCRIPTIVE PARTICULARS OF THE PRIORY CHURCH, AND OF ITS ARCHITECTURAL AND OTHER ORNAMENTS — PRESENT STATE OF THE EDIFICE — MATERIALS — REPAIRS AND RECENT IMPROVEMENTS — EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR DESCRIBED, VIZ. TOWER; NORTH PORCH; NAVE AND TRANSEPT; CHOIR SCREEN; CHOIR; CARVINGS CF THE STALLS ; POLITICAL CARICATURES J ALTAR SCREEN ; CHOIR AISLES, AND CHAPELS; LADY CHAPEL; CRYPT; GRAVESTONES AND MONU- MENTS MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. This edifice, which equally in its extent and arrangement, as in its principal details, exhibits all the magnificence of a Cathedral, stands on a pleasant spot, (the ground being slightly elevated,) near the south-western extremity of the town, at the head of Christ-Church bay. From the leads, both of the tower and the roof, it commands a most beautiful prospect, seaward, over the bay, Hengistbury Head, the English channel, and the western parts of the Isle of Wight ; and on the land side, of the rich meadows surrounding the town, watered by the sinuous streams of the Avon and the Stour ; of St. Catharine's Hill, and of a widely-spread reach of country, extending over great part of the New Forest. In its general design this Church, as may be fully understood by referring to the annexed Ground Plan, Plate I. comprehends a nave and aisles; a transept, with chapels projecting eastward ; a choir and its aisles ; a Lady-chapel ; a western tower, and a capacious north-porch. So much variety and grandeur, intelligence, and taste, are displayed in its architecture, that we cannot but regret the deficiency of records which prevents our ascertaining by whom, and at what exact periods, the different divisions of this noble fabric were respec- tively erected. With the exception, indeed, of the Norman part, — the un- doubted work of Bishop Flambard, and his early successors in this deanery,- — we are unacquainted with any historical document whatsoever that will enable us indubitably to assign any other portion of the church to any known indi- Me as. d ,fe Drawn "by B.I'errey. F.ngfby G. Glad-win. GROUND PLAN. London. PubfApnl. 18 3 4-. by B - Ferrey 105. Rnfsell Street. Blooms?' KINDS OF STONE USED IN BUILDING THE CHURCH. 31 vidual ; and we can scarcely affix a date to any part beyond the transept, except by inferences drawn from the style and execution of other similar buildings, of which the age is unquestionable. In commencing the more particular details, it may be expedient to insert a few memoranda on the various kinds of stone, of which this edifice is built ; and for which we are indebted to the scientific examination of Charles Lyell, Esq., F.R. S. the eminent geologist. The foundations of the church are filled up with the ferruginous sandstone concretions of Hengistbury Head. The stones of the Gothic entrance-porch consist, chiefly, of the fresh water limestone of the Binstead quarries in the Isle of Wight, which contain so many casts of bivalve shells. The Gothic exterior of the nave on the north side is of the same kind of material. The projecting Norman round-tower is of fresh water limestone, containing Limnese ; which shells have left hollows in the stone where it is weathered. This limestone probably came from some of the quarries in the north-western part of the Isle of Wight, near Hendon Hill. The clustered columns are of the same limestone, but their pediments are of the Binstead stone before mentioned. The Portland oolite enters largely into the Gothic exterior east of the transept, and into the Norman round-tower. There are columns, also, in the intersected arches of Portland oolite. There are, likewise, clustered pillars of Purbeck marble at the sides of the great entrance-porch ; the Purbeck limestone con- taining small univalves. The only stones of foreign countries noticed, are of Caen oolite, — which appears in the Countess of Salisbury's chapel, and in the chapel erected by John Draper, the last prior of Christ-church. For a very long period this Church, notwithstanding the highly interesting- character of its architecture, underwent great dilapidation, and suffered from extreme neglect ; scarcely any thing being done to it, except obliterating its sculpture by thick coatings of whitewash, and blocking up the windows instead of repairing them. Since the commencement, however, of the present century, and more especially during the respective curacies of the late Rev. William Bingley, A.M. (the well-known naturalist and antiquary) and his very estimable 32 GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE LATE REPAIRS. successor, the Rev. Richard Waldy, A. M., # and aided by their own praise- worthy exertions, such numerous repairs and alterations have been effected here, that the interior has assumed an entirely new aspect, and the exterior been much improved. From the prevalence of a better taste in the public mind, arising from a more enlarged knowledge of architectural merit than was formerly cultivated, the efforts and recommendations of the above gentlemen were nobly seconded, and as the reparations and other works were proceeded with, a considerable sum was raised to defray the expense, by successive subscriptions among the parishioners and other inhabitants of the district. The late improvements were commenced in the year 1809, whilst Mr. Bingley was curate. A subscription, which eventually amounted to £250, was then opened for a general cleansing of the interior, and opening and restoring some of the smaller windows which had been stoned up. Among the works executed with the proceeds, was the removal, about two feet farther back, of the lath- and-plaster partitions which had previously obscured the double arches of the triforium on each side the nave — and of a still more injurious screen, behind the organ, by which the choir had been entirely shut out from view at the time that instrument was erected. In August, 1810, the new pews, which it had been proposed to erect in the transept, were sold by auction in the church for the sum of £616. 6s. Od. They were afterwards completed for £384. 6s. Od., and the balance was applied in furtherance of other improvements. From that time, the repairs were progres- sively carried on ; and, in 1813, four of the choir windows were restored and new glazed, at the expense of the late Earl of Malmesbury. In the year 1818, a new subscription, amounting to £760, was raised for the purpose of ceiling the nave, which was then entirely open to the timber roof ; and that work was eventually * This gentleman is now rector of Affpuddle, and vicar of Turner's-puddle, in Dorsetshire. The distinguished honour of first commencing, if not of suggesting, the restoration of the interior of this edifice " to its pristine state," must be awarded to the late Rev. Mr. Bingley, from whom an interest- ing communication on the subject was inserted in the " Gentleman's Magazine" for June, 1810. It bears date on the 1 3th of March preceding, and includes an account of the dilapidated and unsightly condition of the interior, as well as of the progress which had been then already made in the cleansing and repairs. The necessity for this cleansing will be apparent, when it is mentioned, that, in 1810, the scrapings of the whitewash alone were sold for five guineas, to be used as manure. NOTICES OF THE MORE RECENT IMPROVEMENTS. 33 executed from the designs and under the direction of William Garbett, esq. architect, of Winchester. In 1 820, an additional subscription of £ 220 was made for ceiling the south transept, and the western tower ; and, in the same year, the choir-stalls were repaired and varnished by a private subscription, not included in those before mentioned. A farther subscription of £ 160 was ob- tained in the years 1821 and 1822, for adding a new choir front to the organ, and furnishing it with two additional stops; — and in 1828, the large west window was rebuilt at the expense of the parish, but, unfortunately, in a style far inferior to the original, and with much less congruity of architectural design. Besides the above window, and those of the choir before mentioned, two of the large windows in the Lady chapel, and seven smaller ones in different parts of the church, were restored and new glazed during the recent improvements.* Before proceeding with the architectural description of this edifice, it may be expedient to record its principal dimensions ; the more minute measurements * The total amount of the subscriptions raised was £ 1360, independently of the separate pay- ments made by different individuals for distinct repairs. It has been stated by the Rev. Mr. Warner, (vide " Literary Recollections," vol. i. p. 82. note) either from erroneous information, or from a reprehensible partiality, that the recent " improvements of the church" were " principally effected through the instrumentality of Mr. James Lockyer, the intelligent and respectable licensed clerk of the parish," and " greatly forwarded by his liberal pecuniary subscription." Now the facts are, that Mr. Lockyer's " instrumentality" was in no degree superior to that of many other inhabitants of the district, (who formed a Committee to promote the repairs) ; and his " pecuniary subscription" was under the sum of fifteen pounds ! Mr. Warner has left altogether unnoticed the more active exertions and influence of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Waldy, to whom — to the former for commencing the improvements, and to the latter for his industrious perseverance in proceeding with them, — the great merit of the renovation of this edifice is unquestionably to be ascribed. [Mr. Lockyer died early in October last, since the above was set in type.] Among the subscribers for the improvements of the Church since the beginning of the year 1818, were the following persons : — The Right Hon. Sir G. Rose, and the Right Hon. W. S. Bourne (Members for the borough of Christ-church) £216. 10s.; the late Earl of Malmesbury £50; the Viscount Fitz-Harris £21 ; Sir G. I. Tapps, Bart. £57. 10s.; G. W. Tapps, Esq. £21 ; J. P. Anderdon, Esq. £43; Major General Cameron, £41 ; J. S. Brander, Esq. £31 ; R. W. Sleat, Esq. £20 ; W. D. Farr, Esq. £25 ; Miss Jennings, £20; the Corporation of Christ-church, £20; B. Bullock, Esq. £41; J. Sloman, Esq. £21; T. D. Shute, Esq. £31. 10s.; E. W. Sympson, Esq. £31 ; J. Jopp, Esq. £21 ; A. Quartley, Esq. £21 ; J. S. Penleaze, Esq. £16; J. Spicer, Esq. £15. 15s. ; G. S. Harding, Esq. £15. 15s. ; Hon. Mr. Coventiy £15. 10s.; G. Adams, Esq. £15. F 34 PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS OF THE CHURCH. can be ascertained by means of the scales attached to the Ground Plan, and to the Longitudinal and Transverse Sections of the interior, Plates V. and VI. Feet Inches Entire length, from the western entrance of the Tower, to the eastern extremity of the Lady chapel . . . . . . 311 4 Length of the nave . . . . . . . . .1189 Mean breadth of ditto (the western extremity being somewhat wider than the part ranging eastward) ...... 27 9 Breadth of the nave with its aisles ...... 58 5 Extreme height of the vaulting of the nave ..... 58 Mean circumference of the large columns. ..... 36 6 Length of the nave aisles (including the divisions flanking the tower at the west end, now used as receptacles for lumber, &c.) . . 139 11 Breadth of ditto (exclusive of the space, viz. four feet, between the great columns). ......... 10 10 Length of the transept . . . . . . . . .1012 Mean breadth of ditto 24 4 Thickness of the entrance screen to the choir . . . . . 6 10 Length of the choir, or chancel, from ditto to the altar screen . . 70 Extreme breadth of the choir . . . . . . . 213 Breadth of the area between the stalls . . ... . . 115 Height of the vaulting of the choir ...... 60 Breadth of the choir with its aisles ...... 60 6 Length of the choir aisles, from the transept to the extreme end of ditto . . . . . . . . . . 109 5 Breadth of ambulatory, behind the altar . . . . . 21 2 Length of the Lady chapel ........ 36 4 Extreme breadth of ditto . . . . . . . . 21 1 Interior length of the north-porch ..... 35 6 Breadth of ditto . . . . . . . . . . 197 Height of the tower . . . . . . . . 120 Interior length of the area of ditto, from the entrance to the nave . 27 9 Breadth of ditto 22 4 GENERAL PARTICULARS OF THE BUILDING. 35 Feet Inches Length of St. Michael's loft (the present school-room over the Lady chapel) ........... 58 3 Breadth of ditto .......... 23 4 The gist, or boundary line, of the whole building, following the angles made by the buttresses and other projecting parts, is, in extent . 1304 REFERENCES TO THE GROUND PLAN. A. The west tower. B. Staircase to the tower, north-porch, and passage over the north aisle. C. North-porch. D. Nave. EE. North and south aisles. F. Staircase which led to exterior apartments, now demolished, called the Governor's rooms. G. Transept, and central intersection. H. H. Modern seats, or galleries. I. Staircase leading to the roof and clerestory of the nave and transept. J. Ditto, ditto ; and also to the roof of the adjoining Norman apsis. K. Revestry, formerly a chapel. L. L. Ancient oratories, or chapels. M. Choir screen, and entrance to the choir. N.N. Old stalls. O. Choir. P.P. North and south aisles of choir. Q. Chantry chapel of Robert Harys. R. Chantry chapel, but for whom unknown. S. Monumental chapel of the Countess of Salisbury. T. Altar screen. V. Monument of the Viscountess Fitzharris. U. Ambulatory. W. Chantry chapel of Prior Draper. X. Tomb of Sir John Chideoke. Y. Lady chapel. Z.Z. Staircases leading from the ex- terior to St. Michael's Loft, and also communicating by small doorways with the choir aisles. Fig. 1. Central compartment and eastern division of the groining in the Countess of Salisbury's chapel. Fig. 2. A Norman pier in the nave. The general thickness of the principal Norman walls is about six feet seven or eight inches ; and those of the west tower, which are farther strengthened by external buttresses, are about five feet three inches in thickness. The north-porch, also (the upper story of which was used in former ages as a belfry) is of a very strong and massive construction. In the present choir and its aisles, which are constructed in the Pointed style, there is less apparent solidity in the supports, but the base lines of the buttresses are carried further outwards to resist, the downward pressure ; those in particular at the eastern angles of the Lady Chapel, have a very considerable projection. 36 DESCRIPTION OF THE WEST TOWER. From an inspection of the Ground Plan, Plate I., and of the two Perspective views, Plates II. and III., a correct idea may be obtained of the general external appearance of this fabric ; the southern aspect presenting little variation, except that the walls are less decorated than those of the northern side, and that there is no south-porch. There are two entrances to this church, namely, from the western tower and from the north-porch : to the latter, which forms the principal communication, there is a paved walk across the church-yard, skirted by a double row of fine elms ; and there is a road for carriages to the western doorway. The Tower is of a square form, of a massive character, good proportions, and well built ; the parapet walls are pierced with quatrefoils, and embattled. The supporting buttresses are graduated, and very strong; and there is an octa- gonal turret at the north-east angle, surmounting a circular staircase. The entrance portal is formed by a pointed arch, having spandrils at the sides ; and above it is a square impost, or transom, which is continued down the jambs as a weathering. In each spandril is a sculptured shield of arms ; one of which contains a Cross Patonce, vaire, being the arms of the ancient Earls of Albemarle, and the other the bearings of the Montacutes and Monthermers, Earls of Salis- bury, viz. Quarterly, first and fourth, three fusils in fess ; and second and third, an eagle displayed.* The present great pointed-arched window, which was rebuilt a few years ago, is fifteen feet in width, and thirty-four feet in height ; in the upright, three transoms separate it into as many divisions of six lights each ; the surmounting tracery includes two arches with quatrefoil heads, and under the apex of the main arch is a circle, inclosing a star. Within an embellished niche, over the window, is a full-sized effigy of our Saviour, his brow being- encircled by a crown of thorns, and his right side marked by a triangular dent, * The proper blazoning of these arms is,— Quarterly, first and fourth, Argent, three Fusils in Fess, gules, for Montacute ; second and third, or, an eagle displayed, vert, beaked and membered, gules, for Monthermer. That the stone shields described above were, originally emblazoned in their proper colours is extremely probable, although no such remains can now be distinguished. — In the Transverse Section across the Nave, Plate XVI., the west end of the interior is shewn, including the terminations of the aisles, the great west-window and doorway, together with the exterior of the porch, and of the upper part of the tower : an outline of the font is also given, but its exact situa- tion will be better known from the Longitudinal Section, Plate V. The surmounting tracery of the great window is shewn in the Plate, as it is supposed to have been originally. rd . 0-1 £nyra.ved by Ed fTennion from a. Drawing by B.Hrrq/. transveh.se section of the nave. Looking West. London, Putif .A.pTil.1634. ~by "B.Ferrey. L05. G^RuTaell Street. Blooms^ ANCIENT INSCRIPTIONS ON THE CHURCH BELLS. 37 representing the spear wound : the right hand sustains a cross, and the left hand is upraised as in the act of benediction. On each side of the upper story, or belfry, are two pointed-arched louvre windows, each separated into a double tier of trefoil-headed divisions, left open to give issue to the sound. The belfry itself forms a square of twenty-two feet. It contains eight bells, which are hung upon vast oaken beams, the five largest being each twenty-seven feet in length, and one foot six inches square ; the ends are let into the walls. Two of the bells, namely, the fifth and sixth, are of considerable antiquity, and around the crown of each bell, in a single line, is a monkish distich, in the gothic letters of the fourteenth century : these legends are as follow. On the fifth bell — +&i't: nobtg : omen : ^Ofo^jmg : CUm : 0tt : tttU : tlOtneit : +WLi\&$ : camparte : if aciat : no0 : fcftere : gane* Let it be of good omen to us, [O Bell /] since you have been called All Saints. May the virtue of the Bell make us live healthily , On the sixth bell, — + £0010 : fa0tltjtj0 : pe0ta0 : pfl)0 : tt : fljflftt : &gnf>0 : +9po;c : #fo0ft0tmfo0 : nec :&fcm : je0onat : pjeco :9l^ag;nti0* From the difficulty of translating the latter inscription, and even of under- standing its real meaning, it has been inferred by several friends, who have been consulted on the subject, that " the copy cannot be a correct one ;" it is, therefore, requisite to state, that the legends are here printed precisely as the words are spelt on the bells themselves, from which facsimile impressions were carefully made to ensure accuracy. That the vowel a has in several instances been introduced in place of an e is evident. ; and it seems probable, that the word assis is used for adsis. But even with these admissions, the explanation is still unsatisfactory ; for we learn little more than that the bell was called Augustine, and that the inscription concludes with words of which the meaning is, — " before Augustine the great Preacher is heard'"' — Under these circum- stances, the following attempt to express the full meaning of the legend, — and for which the writer is indebted to a gentleman of much antiquarian research, — is offered with diffidence. 38 DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTH-PORCH. Come, [St. Augustine] presently to our aid, even before the great bell Augustine rings, that the holy sacrificial Lamb may drive away Pestilence. One of the most remarkable divisions of the exterior is the North-porch ; which, in respect to size and massiveness of construction is, probably, unequalled by any other in this country. Its projection is upwards of forty feet, and, in height, it almost extends to the parapet of the main building. The front and side walls, of which the general thickness is six feet, are each supported by two strong buttresses. A very high-pointed recessed arch forms the great entrance ; the mouldings, which are numerous and bold, spring, on each side, from the capitals of four obliquely-placed columns. The inner side walls are each separated into compartments by panelled tracery, rising from a basement step, and each compartment consists, principally, of a large pointed arch, including two smaller ones, and having, beneath the apex, a quatrefoil within a circle. On the west side, near the doorway, is a large cinquefoil-headed arched recess, which, in former times, contained a receptacle for holy water. The interior has long been open to the wooden rafters of the roof, yet there are evident vestiges of a groined vault, or ceiling, in the stone springings and sustaining columns which still remain. The upper story is traditionally said to have been used as a belfry, and the apertures in the walls, wherein large timbers were inserted, give credence to the report : the light was admitted through five small double windows, namely, two on each side, and one in front. But the most interesting feature of this porch is the wide-spreading and deeply-recessed pointed arch, which forms the direct entrance to the church, and is delineated in Plate IV., Fig. I. Six slender shafts, on each side, having plain circular capitals, and, mostly, high bases, support the arch i volt ; the mouldings of which are deli- cately-wrought, and very numerous. The central part is occupied by two doorways, formed by cinquefoil-headed arches, cusped, rising from clustered columns ; and, within the space between them and the superior arch, is a quatrefoil niche, inclosed in a circle, and ornamented by two small shafts and a pyramidal finial, which has a boldly-sculptured head at each angle. At some height above this entrance are traces of a communication with the upper story, which led from the circular staircase that opens to the north aisle, and which, although now incorporated with the south-western angle of the porch, is probably 9 Engraved iy W.S.WUkutson,. from- a Drawing by B.Ferrcy. eiEESf - C|f ICS, t THE TOWK SEAL. 2, THE CONVENTUAL SEAL. 3. THE ENTRANCE FROU THE N. PORCH. London, Pub* April. 18 3 4. by B.Ferrey. 10 5. G} Rnfsell Street. Blooms?" governor's rooms, and north end of transept. 39 of an anterior date. All the columns and shafts mentioned in the above descrip- tion, are of Purbeck marble. There is nothing requiring remark in the exterior appearance of the north aisle, except that the walls (if not actually rebuilt) no longer display any vestige of the Norman age, and are strengthened by buttresses in the early pointed style ; the windows are also of similar character. At the angle, formed by this aisle and the transept adjoining, there was formerly a stone building of two stories, containing an upper and a lower apartment, which, according to local report, were called the Governor's Rooms, in consequence of their appropriation to the use of the Governors of Christ-church Castle. The upper apartment communicated with the church by a staircase which still exists, and which, it is probable, led immediately to the seat of the Castellans. Some figured tiles, supposed to have constituted a part of the lower room pavement, were dug up a few years ago, at about the depth of two feet. Although many alterations have been made in the original masonry of the north division of the Transept, it must still be regarded as a very curious, and probably unique, example of Norman architectural decoration. On the west side there are remains of semicircular arches, with the large billet moulding ; and, at the north-west angle, columnar pilasters of a peculiar character are carried up to above half the height of the elevation. An interlaced series of small round arches (surmounted by a billeted string-course) extends along the lower portion of the north end, the central part being varied by an inserted pilaster, composed of a half-lozenge, flanked by two semi-columns : the spandrils and intervening surfaces are chequered with the fish-scale ornament. But the most interesting specimen of the Norman work is the circular staircase turret, which projects towards the north-east, and which, progressively, exhibits, first, a series of five intersected semicircular arches, rising from small columns, and enriched with the fish scale and billet mouldings ; secondly, a billetted string- course, surmounted by five small arches springing from double columns ; thirdly, a diamond-shaped network, or rope-like reticulated division, crowned by a chevron, or zig-zag string-course ; and fourthly, five small arches, similar to the others, but the shafts of which are gone ; as are, also, two of those of the lower series. Other vestiges of the ancient work are apparent on the eastern side, 40 EASTERN EXTERIOR AND ST. MICHAEL'S LOFT. which had, originally, a semicircular termination ; but this has been altered into two small chapels in the pointed style.* The larger pointed-arch window in the upper story of the north end is also an insertion of after times. Though the ground has been much raised, the arches of two windows are yet open, which admitted light into the ancient crypt below this part of the transept: the crypt itself is closed up. There is a general similarity of form and character in all the parts eastward of the transept, which are designed in the Pointed style, as may be seen on reference to the exterior view, Plate III., and to the Sections of the interior, Plates V. and VI. Each choir aisle consists of four compartments, separated by graduated buttresses, and crowned by an open-worked parapet, with a moulded coping. The side windows, which are obtusely-arched, have a dwarfish aspect, from all the lower parts being stoned up, to the height of about three feet. The clerestory of the choir is partly supported by three arched or flying but- tresses, perforated, crossing the aisles on each side. Some handsome tracery, though not florid, is displayed in the choir windows, which are all uniform. The eastern angle of each aisle is wrought into a turret staircase, (that opens outwardly) and the communication being continued across the roofing, ascends by another staircase (finishing octagonally), to the large apartment, called St. Michael's Loft, which surmounts the Lady chapel, and all the intervening part from the end of the choir. The windows of the Lady chapel are well propor- tioned, and of elegant design, but about three feet of the great east window has been blocked up to admit the subsequent introduction of an altar screen. In the wall beneath this window is a large and strong arch, yet whether inserted to strengthen the building, or originally open as a doorway, seems questionable. The side windows of St. Michael's Loft are each divided by a transom into two tiers of trefoil-headed lights, but their imposts are square : the east window is of greater width, and includes three divisions, with cinquefoil terminations, sur- mounted by a low and obtuse arch. * See the Ground Plan, Plate I., and likewise the two exterior views, Plates II. and III. There is a clever etching of the North transept (accordant with our description) inBritton's " Architectural Antiquities," vol. iii. and likewise a correct elevation of two of the compartments of the north side of the Chantry chapel of the Countess of Salisbury. Engraved ly T. Kearnarh, from, a Drawing by B.Ferrey Jun! €l£\£J 3R.S BE, London, PiibfApril.1634 'by- B.Ferrey 105. Qr\ Rtifs ell Street, Blooms ? GROTESQUE WATER-SPOUTS, AND NORTHERN EXTERIOR. 41 The labels, or weatherings, over the windows, generally spring from corbel heads, of a very varied and frequently grotesque character, in which great singularity and fancy are displayed. There are also, in various parts under the upper string-course, jets, or water-spouts, wrought into projecting heads of the most hideous aspect, both human and animal ; some are perfect demons. An open- worked parapet (nearly similar to that of the aisles) surmounts St. Michael's Loft, each perforation being a quatrefoil, inclosed by a circle. The choir para- pets have been destroyed, and a plainly-moulded cornice finishes the whole. In the southern division of the Transept, and thence westward, to nearly the extremity of the fabric, the Norman architecture again predominates ; although the circular portion of the former (see the Ground Plan) has been partly destroyed by the erection of a chapel in the pointed style. The remaining curved part includes two semicircular windows, with the billet and other ancient mouldings ; and a bold cable moulding surrounds the cornice immediately below the present roof. There is a circular staircase turret, terminating octago- nally, at the south-east angle of the transept ; and, at the east end, (which has been strengthened by three graduated buttresses) is a large obtusely-arched window, surmounted by a gable-ended parapet : the roof, also, terminates in a much higher gable. The southern exterior of the nave preserves much of its original character, and the flat pilaster wall buttresses are still remaining ; but most of the aisle windows have been altered into the pointed style. There are, also, attached to the walls, an extended series of small intersected Norman arches, supposed to have ornamented the ancient Cloisters, which are reported, and most probably with truth, to have been connected with this side of the church ; although no other remains exist to verify their situation, except a Norman archway for communication, now adapted as a window. The timber roofing of the nave and its aisles, as well as of the north transept, and of the diagonal erection on the tower, (supporting the vane), is covered with stone shingles ; that of the south transept, of the choir and its aisles, and of the Lady chapel, is covered with lead. It will be requisite to precede our description of the interior of this Church, by inserting the following explanatory references. G 42 SECTIONAL REFERENCES : ASPECT OF THE INTERIOR. REFERENCES TO THE LONGITUDINAL AND TRANSVERSE SECTIONS, PLATES V. AND VI. Plate V. — A. West tower. B. Belfry. C. Entrance from the north-porch. D. Nave. E.E. Triforium. F. Transept. G. Choir screen. H. Choir and stalls. I. North choir-aisle window. J. Central crypt. K. Catacombs for the Earl of Malmesbury's family. L. Ambulatory, and north choir-aisle window. M. The Lady chapel. N. Tomb of Sir Thomas West. O. St. MichaeFs Loft. Plate VI. — A. Ascent to the altar, and altar-screen. B. East end of the Lady chapel. C. Western elevation of the Countess of Salisbury's chapel. D. East end of the north choir-aisle. E. Prior Draper's chapel. F. Perforated buttress of the north choir-aisle. G.G.G.G. Staircase turrets to St. Michael's Loft. H. East end of St. Michael's Loft. On entering the church from the west doorway, an excellent view is obtained of the Nave (vide Plate VII.); but the large and cumbrous organ-case, which usurps the place of the ancient jube, or rood-loft, most lamentably interferes with the continuance of the perspective. In itself, the nave furnishes a splendid example of the later and more decorated style of Norman architecture ; in which respect, there is probably no building in the kingdom that can vie with it. In some points, and particularly in the arrangement and ornaments of the triforium arches, it greatly resembles Bishop Flambard's work, of the same age, in Durham Cathedral : in others, it reminds us of the Minster at Peterborough ; — but at Christ-church, the huge massiveness of the Norman pier is finely relieved by the duplicated semi-columns which face the walls, and are carried up to the clerestory ; as well as by those of inferior height, from which the mouldings spring of the great arches. The effect produced by the union of these clustered columnar forms with the lines of the new ceiling is strikingly analogous to that arising from the lightness of the pointed style. The nave is, on each side, separated from the aisles by seven noble semi- circular arches, flanked by as many great piers, exclusive of the two half-piers, on the west, which are incorporated with the side walls of the tower. In their . - Engraved by W. S. Wilkinson frorn a, Drtavin*/ by S.Rrrey. eiassE - c mi in m. € m , VIEW OF THE NAVE, Looking East. To the Right JTonor able LORD S 'UFJTIELD, Cfp j^ckrwwltdtjerri&it ofJZisZorcixhips co nton-ioeA kirtctne/s. London.. Pabf April. 1834. "by B.Ferrey 10 5 G^Rufscll Street Bio oxasY GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE NAVE. 43 general plan, the piers are more complicated than any other series of the Norman age with which we are acquainted (vide Ground Plan, Fig. 2.) ; and the mouldings of the great arches are equally remarkable for their extreme boldness : they may, indeed, be almost characterized as a mere continuation (above the capitals) of the semi-columns from which they rise. Many of the capitals exhibit very curious specimens of sculptural decoration ; and in the foliaged ornaments we frequently recognise a strong resemblance both to the Greek anthemion, and the Ionic volute. Amidst the foliage which crowns the semi- columns of the first arch on the north side is a duplication of two heads, in bas relief, saluting each other ; and on the capitals of the third arch on the south side are two griffins. The outer sweep of every arch is surrounded by a zig-zag- moulding ; and the entire surface of the flat walls above, up to the chevron string-course which fronts the plinth of the triforium, is covered with the denti- culated or toothed ornament. Each of the triforium compartments consists of a double arch uniting on a detached central column, and flanked by three semi-columns; the whole being encompassed by a single arch of corresponding dimensions to those of the nave. The mouldings are very bold ; the bases and capitals are of the usual large size, and the latter display the customary flutings and foliage of the Norman style. On the south side, the central shaft of the third double arch is chequered with similar reticulations to those of the circular turret at the angle of the north transept ; and that of the fifth double arch is surrounded by numerous zig-zag bands. On the north side, the small arches of the compartment which adjoins the transept have the billet moulding, and the spandril over them is wholly indented with the fish-scale ornament.* The clerestory, which has been so altered in a former age, that it now appears to be almost an adjunct to the Norman work, is of the plainest degree of the pointed style : it includes a passage between the inner arches and the windows ; the * It may be necessary to remark, that the two heads,— the one mitred and the other plain, — which are seen over the double arches in the first and second compartments from the transept on the south side, were brought from some other part of the church, and affixed in their present situation during some reprehensible alterations made for the insertion of pews in that part of the triforium at a former period. 44 DESCRIPTION OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH AISLES. latter are each of two lights. Prior to the late alterations, the nave was entirely open to the timber roof, (the geometrical construction of which is indicated in the Longitudinal Section, Plate V.) but it is now surmounted by a groined ceiling of an analogous character to the clerestory, and consisting merely of cross-springers and diagonal ribs, which take their bearings from the grouped capitals of the tall semi-columns attached to the great piers ; the bosses are, in general, plain circles.* There is a great dissimilarity in character, between the north and south Aisles; the north aisle having been altered almost throughout into the pointed style, whilst the other retains many vestiges of its original construction. This is particularly evident in the southern wall, which exhibits considerable remains of an arcade of small intersected Norman arches, diversely ornamented with the cord, cavetto, and billet mouldings : in some instances, the capitals of the short supporting columns are floridly sculptured with foliage and flowers. All the windows, except one (which is semicircular), have been enlarged into the pointed form, but several bases of the ancient flanking columns still remain. A small lava- tory appears to have been affixed to the second pier from the west, and nearly opposite is a small bowl-like piscina. Within the wall, under the fourth window, is an oblong recess, (now closed up in front) which has probably been used for interment. — In the north aisle there are no arcade arches, and the vestiges of Norman work are chiefly confined to a few columns, (from which some cross- springers of the vaulting rise) and to the zig-zag and billet mouldings of the semicircular arch that opens to the transept. Each of the windows consists of two lance-head divisions, surmounted by a quatrefoil within a circle ; and each recess has an ornamental groining. Near the transept is a low-pointed arch, which once formed the interior entrance from the governor's rooms, but has long been closed. Both the aisles are vaulted with stone ; the arches are highly acute, and the ribs and cross-springers are very strong. The intersection of the Transept with the nave and choir is distinguished (as customary in all our large cruciform buildings) by four vast piers supporting semi- circular arches, and flanked by lofty semi-columns, resembling those of the nave. * On the central boss is the date 1819, and the initials A. Q. and J. D., for A. Quartley, esq. and Mr. John Derham, the then churchwardens. £ n.g raved by T./f sarruxn. from, a J)rawLng by 3. Ferrsy c jsc mx § t - € iBf w m, c m , AMCIENT ORATORIES IN THK N. AISLE OF THE CHOIR. London. Pub* April, 1834-, by B . Ferrey 105. Rafael] Street. Blooms X TRANSEPT AND SMALL ORATORIES* 45 Tradition states, that these piers were originally surmounted by a central tower, — but there is no documentary evidence to substantiate the report, nor does the ap- parent finish of the lantern part offer any tangible argument to warrant such an inference : the present inappropriate ceiling was executed about the year 1788, at the time of the erection of the organ. Notwithstanding many alterations, and the erection within it of two large galleries,* (for congregational convenience) the Norman origin of the transept is still apparent; although not in the same extensive degree as on the outside. In the western wall of the north division, there is a range of five semicircular arches, ornamented with the cord, cavetto, and billet mouldings ; and over it, is an indented string-course. A semicircular-headed window also remains, together with some conjoined Norman columns of different heights. Under the southern- most arch is a small pointed-arched niche, including a piscina. At the north end is a square-headed doorway, communicating with the staircase in the circular turret ; and, adjoining it, is an angular arch. The eastern side has been occupied by two small chantry Chapels, or Oratories, constructed in the pointed style within the original work ; and, as Warner conceives, " at the same time : probably, by one of the Earls of Salisbury, and his lady, as the pavement within and about them has been formed of square tiles, glazed, and ornamented with the arms of this family. "f This statement cannot now be verified, as none of the armorial tiles are remaining ; but the architecture itself would intimate an earlier period than the reign of Edward the Third, when the hundred and manor of * The galleries were erected about the year 1829, and cost £440, part of which sum was raised by subscription, and the rest defrayed by the Commissioners for building new churches : they contain capacious free sittings for the accommodation of the poor. There are three rows of pews in the nave, independently of those in the aisles and transept. Divine service is performed in the nave three times on every Sunday,— the evening service being of recent introduction,— and it is observable that the Clerk wears a surplice, and reads the first lesson. Mr. Warner imagined that this custom originated with a former clerk of Christ-church, named Colgill, who had taken orders as a deacon ; but Mr. Lockyer, the late clerk, a native of the town, and who lived to the age of seventy-three years, maintained his right to wear a surplice, by virtue of his oftice. The present pulpit, which stands centrally in front of the organ-screen, partly covers the grave of Prior Draper, the last of that name. Morning prayers are read in the Choir every Wednesday and Friday, at eleven o'clock; and also, during August, or the harvest month, at seven o'clock every morning. f Vide " 1 opographical Remarks," &c. vol. ii. p. 170. 46 VAULTING OF THE SOUTH TRANSEPT. Christchurch were first granted to the Montacutes. The groining is very strong, and being in several divisions, is somewhat complicated : in one part, is a singular insulated buttress pier, apparently raised as a strengthening support to the arched ribs. The central bosses are ornamented with sculptured foliage, deeply undercut; and there are also various corbel heads, of a diversified character. Each oratory is lit by one window, the largest of which consists of three divisions, surmounted by as many cinquefoils within circles, — and the other, of two divisions, crowned by an encircled quatrefoil. One of the capitals from which the arch springs, fronting the large window, displays a sculptured group of twelve human heads, intended for the Apostles ; and, on an adjoining capital, supporting some ribs of the groining, is a similar number of concave recesses, appearing as if they were designed to receive the heads. The annexed etching, which is taken from a point in the north choir-aisle, shews the interior of both oratories. But few vestiges of Norman work are apparent in the south transept, except four semicircular blank arches in the west wall, and two small columns flanking the west window. The present eastern wall would seem to have been built when the circular projecting part, or apsis, was altered into the chapel which is now used as a revestry, and entered from the south choir-aisle. About midway on each side, and in the extreme southern angles, the clustered columns remain which formerly supported the cross springers of a stone vaulting that had been erected over this end of the transept, in the Tudor times, by John Draper, the last prior. This was evinced, both by the depressed curvature of the arch, (although in the general design, the vaulting of the choir had been closely imitated), and by the initials J* on severa ^ knots at the intersections ; — and still more particularly, by a sculptured shield, held by a demi-angel, immediately over the south window ; which was charged in base with vert, a death's head, proper, and in chief, with J* t)fl JP„ apparently for " John Draper, Vicarius Apostolicatis Prior."* At the angles formed by the insertion of the ribs into the * During the late repairs, the above shield was inserted over the entrance to the crypt in the south aisle ; where, at some future time, should the fact of its removal be forgotten, it may lead to an erroneous date being assigned to that part of the building : the inscription is delineated in Plate XVII. Fig. 4. — Figures 2 and 3, on the same Plate, refer to the key-stones removed from the same vaulting, and now preserved in the Lady chapel : the forms of the letters have been accurately reduced. Xondon, Pub? April 18 34. "by B.I'exrey. 105. G\ Rufsell Street BloomsT ANCIENT SCREEN BETWEEN THE NAVE AND CHOIR. 47 main key-stone were episcopal mitres, and on the key-stone itself was inscribed ^Dtnt0, a presumed abbreviation for Trinitas. Whether Draper's vaulting was ever completed to any considerable extent beyond the southern bay is doubtful ; for, although an opinion is entertained that the northern bay (which was always imperfect within memory) had greatly suffered by the fall of a (supposed) central tower, yet there is no evidence of such an occurrence ; and it is far more reasonable to conclude that it was the failure of means, occasioned by the dissolution of the priory, which caused the vaulting to be left unfinished, than to assume a contrary hypothesis on imaginary data.* There is a large pointed-arched window at each end of the transept, in the general style of the choir-windows, (vide Longitudinal Section, Plate V.) consisting of six vertical divisions, surmounted by tracery ; but that of the south division is of inferior height and character to the opposite one. The transept is separated from the choir by a stone Screen, which, prior to the Reformation, supported the rood-loft, and was originally very beautiful, although it has been most disgracefully mutilated in, comparatively, modern times. From the general style of the design, and the boldness and peculiar character of the sculpture, we may refer it to the latter part of the reign of Edward the Third, but no known document exists that can enable us to determine its exact date. It remained in good preservation until the construction against it of various pews (removed during the late repairs), when all the projecting parts of its splendid facing of elegantly-wrought niches were hacked off to suit the new wood-work : even the returns, which were each about four feet deep, and simi- larly enriched with sculpture, were alike despoiled of their beauty on that occasion. The screen was still farther bereaved of its " fair proportions," on the erection of the organ, about the year 1788, at which time its enriched crowning course was taken down, and the stones sold, by order of the then churchwardens.* This admirable specimen of ancient art is thirty-three feet in width, and * The upper walls of the southern bay, above the columns, were faced with a panelling (contempora- neous with the vaulting), nearly similar to that in the Lady chapel; yet both that and the vaulting were removed in consequence of the expressed opinion of two experienced practical architects, that the canopy was insecure, from a settlement of several inches having taken place in the north-east angle. t The late Rev. Dr. Milner, (the historian of Winchester) in a letter written to Mr. John Carter, in May, 1792, speaking of Christ-church, says, — " I cannot proceed without lamenting the dismal havock which has lately been made in the rich stone Screen that separates the body of the church 48 DESCRIPTION OF THE CHOIR-SCREEN 7 . sixteen feet six inches in height. In the design it exhibits a plain basement, surmounted by a row of panelled quatrefoils, with trefoil heads, including blank shields. There are thirteen of these panels on each side the central entrance into the choir; and, ranging over them is a plinth, or set-off, from which, on either hand, rises a double tier of ogee-headed niches ; the pristine elegance of which, both in composition, and in ornamental forms, may be readily appre- ciated* by referring to Plate VII., Fig. 1., which represents two of the compart- ments as though accurately restored from the existing sculpture.* There were five compartments, similar to these, on each side the doorway, and, above the latter, (which has a square impost, apparently an insertion of after times) are remains of two richly-gilt heads of canopies, at the sides of which are small shields of arms, now defaced, embedded on flowers. The niches are separated from each other by graduated buttresses, flanked on the lower half, by thin shafts, which merge into pyramidal heads, and being thence carried up octangular-wise, terminate in pinnacles. Much fancy is displayed in the ornaments of the lower pedestals, each of which consists of four short columns, or shafts, crowned in front by three capitals, diversified by sculptured vine branches, fructed, intermixed with leaves of the oak, strawberry, and acanthus. The canopies exhibit a kindred elegance, the sofhtes being finely under-wrought with chequered tracery, studded with open roses and other flowers. All the front capitals, however, together with the ogee-arched crockets, and rich finials, have been from the chancel, the ruins of which fill the adjacent aisles, for the purpose of erecting an Organ, which is now so injudiciously placed, as to divide the church into two, and to intercept from the part that is used the entire view of the most elegant portion of it." Carter's "Specimens of Ancient Painting and Sculpture," vol. ii. p. 43. The Organ was erected with a bequest of £500 made for that purpose, by the late Gustavus Brander, Esq. F. R.S., conditionally that the parish should provide a fund for an adequate salary to an organist, within a twelvemonth after his decease. A subscription, amounting to £388. 4s. was, in consequence, raised for an organist fund, by the parishioners and others; of which sum £50 was contributed by the late Earl of Bute, who then resided at High Cliffe, near Christ-church ; and £26. 5s. by Sir Jacob WolfT, bart. of Hinton. The organ is finely-toned, and has three rows of keys. * In the above restoration, the strictest accuracy has been observed, not any form nor ornament having been introduced by Mr. Ferrey, without a corresponding resemblance in the remaining sculpture. There can be little doubt but that the niches, originally, were furnished with statues, as in the rich screens at York and Canterbury. JZngravMl fry WIS, Wilkinson, from a Drawing by H.Ferr&y. CSIEUSf - CIEU1.CSE, VIEW OF THE CHOIR, Looki n g East. To eke LORD BIS SOP or WINCHESTER. FrelcUa of th& Jfosc 2Ton l '. le Order of the G-certer, • Loudon. Tub? McU'ch.].83;>.'by B.Fejrey 105. G!Hufse]l Str? Blooms Wy. INTERIOR OF THE CHOIR: SCULPTURED BOSSES. 49 chopped away, as before intimated, by the vandalic hands of ignorance and barbarism. Independently of the light and elegant character of its architecture, the Choir furnishes various objects for description, of much interest. It is designed in that peculiar branch of the Pointed style which modern investigation has distinguished by the epithet of perpendicular ; and it may be described as consisting of four principal divisions, separated from each other by lofty piers, and terminated by the altar-screen. The lower arches, which open to the aisles, are depressed and obtusely-pointed, but those of the four handsome windows on each side, which enlighten it, are struck from the triangle. Besides the upper tracery, there are four cinquefoil-headed lights, in each window, separated by mullions ; a duplication of which is continued downward, as a panelling, to the mouldings of the lower arches. The vaulting is of a corresponding elegance, and the lines of each division may be considered as approaching to the form of an eight- pointed star.* All the bosses, key-stones, and pendents are richly gilt and painted, as are also, the quatrefoils of the archivolts, and the foliaged capitals of the clustered (triplicated) columns which front the main piers, and from which the springings rise of the groined arches. As every intersection displays some sculptured form, the subjects will be here enumerated in the order of their succession, commencing with the middle line, and proceeding westward from the altar-screen. Central bosses :f No. 1. An angel, holding a representation of a cruciform church, having a circular tower at the intersection. 2. £pc*> within a cord. 3. A passion-flower, or pass i- flora.\ 4. encircled by a crown of thorns. 5. An initial (J£ + within a Jmot, amidst feuillage. 6. Jj) + I£L amidst several circles, and a border of large leaves. 7. A quatrefoil and knot surrounded by foliage, and inclosing the letter (KH- 8. Dtl0* m the centre of an expanded flower. 9. A demi-angel, * See Ground Plan, in which the direction of the arched ribs, and cross-springers, are distinctly marked. f The exact forms of the abbreviated inscriptions on the central bosses are shewn in Plate XVII. Figures 5, 8, 9, and 10. X This name is said to have originated with the Jesuits, who affected to discover all the instruments of our Lord's passion in the different parts of the flower ; hence it is held in great veneration by Catholics. H 50 SCULPTURED BOSSES, PENDENTS, AND CARVINGS. supporting a shield, emblazoned with the Montacute and Monthermer arms, viz. Quarterly, first and fourth, argent, three fusils in fesse, gules ; second and third, or, an eagle displayed, vert, beaked and membered, gules. — Pendents and bosses, northern line. No. L a bearded figure, holding a roll of paper. 2. An initial tSSl. within a roundel. 3. A demi-angel, bearing a shield of the five wounds. 4. A bell-flower, amidst foliage. 5. A demi-figure, displaying a label. 6. A branch of foliage. 7. A demi-angel, holding the symbols of the mass, namely, the cup and wafer. 8. Feuillage. 9. Vacant, the pendent having fallen. Pendents and bosses, southern line. No. 1. A demi-figure. 2. An initial <2£. within a wreath of raspberries. 3. A demi-angel, bearing a shield, charged with the instruments of the passion. 4. A rose. 5. A demi-figure. 6. Four leaves in cross, with other foliage. 7. St. Veronica, holding the miraculous Icon; or napkin, impressed with a likeness of our Saviour. 8. An eagle, within a wreath. 9. Pendent removed. The western part of the choir, which is wainscotted with oak, is chiefly occupied by the ancient Stalls and Sub-seats of the priory establishment. Of the former, there are thirty-six in number, viz. fifteen on each side, and six at the west end : — two of the latter, distinguished by ornamental canopies, were those of the Prior and Sub-prior ; there is also a third of a similar kind, at the east end of the southernmost row, which was that of the Lector, or Reader. On each side, extending the entire length above the stalls, there is a beautiful coving, or cornice ; which is terminated by an open-work parapet and pin- nacles, and decorated by an elegantly-wrought fascia, or fillet, of fructed vine- branches. On the backs, arms, and jambs of the stalls, as well as on the miser erics, or under-seats, there is a profusion of carving, in alto and bas relief, including many representations of a grotesque and satirical character, which are supposed to refer to the selfish arts of the mendicant friars, who began to establish themselves in England in the thirteenth century. Of this description, in particular, are two arms on the south side (vide Plate IX. Fig. 5 and 6), the first of which exhibits a Hog in a cowl, his feet resting on the edge of a pulpit, preaching to a flock of geese, who appear eagerly listening to his discourse, whilst, on a small stool behind the pulpit, a Cock officiates as clerk ; — the other POLITICAL CARICATURES ON THE OLD STALLS. 51 is a Zany, or Posture-master, (" intended," says Mr. Warner, " to represent the people at large,") turning up his legs backward, as though in the display of his art ; whilst a dog, taking advantage of his folly, is devouring the contents of his porridge-pot. Among the panelled carvings at the back of the stalls, — and which appear of subsequent introduction to the original carved-work, — are various medallion-like heads, or masks ; some of which are altogether grotesque, or fanciful, whilst others are conjectured to be both of a satirical and a political character. The principal of these are delineated in Plate IX., Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 : — for the presumed explanation of which designs, we have been favoured by Sir G. H. Rose, with the following remarks. POLITICAL CARICATURES IN THE CHURCH AT CHRIST-CHURCH. The Antiquary will of course expect to find in this Church, which is built and fitted up in all respects as our Cathedrals are, some traces of that spirit of caricature, of satire, or of grotesque fancy, of which the latter permit abundant instances in their ornaments ; — and that expectation will not be disappointed, for amongst the wooden carvings of the choir there are two in the heads of the stalls, of which, on a close examination with reference to the time at which they must have been put up, it seems impossible to mistake the intention, although if we admit it, we must recognise in them a very singular audacity. The choir stalls were restored during the Priorship of William Eyre, in the reign of Henry the Seventh, who was evidently the object of the satire which they convey. Although this kind of vituperation bore generally upon the Friars of the Begging Orders, (of which there is a striking instance in this church) yet, all things considered, we need not be surprised that the Sovereign should be satirized, when even the Majesty of Heaven was not always respected in these licentious carvings ; and one of them (which immediately follows the first of those two, of which an explanation is about to be offered) has been always supposed, and probably rightly, to refer to disputes respecting the Triune Godhead, — although every emblem, however more reverent than that here 52 POLITICAL CARICATURES ON THE OLD STALLS. offered, is forbidden. — But worldly prudence, it might be thought, would have prohibited such an affront upon the earthly monarch, as appears to have been conveyed in these caricatures. We are, however, to carry in mind, how violently convulsed the nation had been by party spirit, during the civil wars of the Red and the White Roses ; that two pretenders to the throne, claiming to be representatives of the house of York, arose in the reign of Henry the Seventh, and kept its eager and angry feelings alive ; and that it was a period at which, as history informs us, the country so swarmed with libels against the Judges, the Council, and the King himself, that he at length caused five persons convicted of them to be put to death for such alleged practices. We must, however, conclude from these caricatures, that the second Prior Eyre, of Christ-church, was a Yorkist of no common inveteracy. In order to understand these carvings, we must recur to a very leading feature of the reign of Henry the Seventh, namely, the pretensions of the person named Perkin Warbeck to the throne of England, in the character of Richard, Duke of York, brother of Edward the Fifth, and murdered (as generally supposed) with him in the Tower, by the order of their uncle, the Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard the Third. Margaret, Duchess Dowager of Burgundy, sister of Edward the Fourth, and widow of Charles the Bold, who resided in Flanders, (where she held an independent territory) conjured up this phantom, if phantom it was, in hostility to the Prince of the House of Lancaster, who wore the English crown ; and she was instructed, but not discouraged, by the failure of a like attempt made by Lambert Simnel, who personated the Earl of Warwick. Perkin Warbeck first appeared as Duke of York in Ireland, having been sent there by the Duchess just named. From thence he was invited to the court of France by Charles the Eighth, who received him in the character which he had assumed, lodged him in his palace, and assigned to him a guard. He repaired thence to Flanders, where the Duchess of Burgundy recognised him as her nephew, and gave him the designation of the White Rose. After an unsuccessful conspiracy in his favour in England, and an equally fruitless attempt of invasion, which he made on the coast of Kent, Perkin Warbeck was again sent to Ireland by his persevering patroness ; and the Emperor, the Archduke Philip, and the King of France, were supposed to have POLITICAL CARICATURES ON THE OLD STALLS. 53 shared in the plot. He, however, found it advisable to quit Ireland forthwith, and to repair to Scotland, where James the Fourth gave him a solemn reception, and then, after recognizing 1 him as the Duke of York, bestowed on him a daughter of the Earl of Huntley, a near relation of his own, and a lady of singular beauty and accomplishments, in marriage; circulated his proclamation in England, and twice invaded this country in his behalf. Perkin afterwards went again to Ireland, whence he proceeded to Cornwall. He there raised a rebellion, but a much less important one than that originating in that county, which Henry the Seventh had suppressed in the same year, and experienced those reverses, which were fatal to his cause, and finally led to his tragical death, — which, in its form, was that of the common felon, after he had been acknowledged as the lawful King of England in Ireland, France, Flanders, and Scotland. If these facts are borne in mind, it will be difficult to mistake the import of the two carvings referred to, and which are represented in Plate X. Figures 1 and 4. In the first of these are represented three heads in low relief, all of men ; that in the centre is a full face, and with its solemn countenance, and down-cast eyes, is well suited to a dark and gloomy-minded politician, such as was Henry the Seventh ; the faces to the right and left are in profile, and appear to attack the other with eager and angry words. From the mouth of the one issues the thistle, and from that of the other the shamrock, respectively the emblems of Scotland and Ireland ; and it is to be particularly remarked, that the cap on the head from whose mouth the shamrock proceeds, is tied to the cap on the central head by what appears to represent a knot in a riband. This bond clearly indicates that which united Ireland to the English crown, while Scotland was then an independent kingdom. In the centre of the other carving is a grave countenance of a man assailed on each side, to the right by a mans head, the upper part of whose cap is in the shape of a fleur-de-lis, and to the left by a female one, covered with a sea shell in the place of a cap. These two last are both in profile ; the central face is full, as in the other caricature, and was doubtless intended for the same person. In the profiles we have here the King of France, who has, moreover, an ear-ring after the ancient fashion of his nation ; and the Duchess Dowager 54 CARVINGS ON THE STALLS AND SUB-SEATS. of Burgundy, who is, by the indication of the maritime territory under her sway, ingeniously pointed out by the nature of her head dress. It was, probably, in order that the inuendo might not be too plain and palpable, that the central countenance in this last carving is not the same in its features as that in the other. A beard, moreover, is added, and, as supreme irreverence, a pair of ass's ears. But the variety of points, in which these carvings are adapted to the circumstances in which Henry the Seventh was placed, by Perkin Warbeck's imposture, can leave no doubt but that they have a distinct and exclusive reference to his attempts to dispossess Henry of his crown. Among the other curious subjects on the back panels may be mentioned, a winged female head, with braided tresses and fruit ; two birds, between them a long-eared fish ; two aged heads, male and female, between them a tankard ; grotesque quadrupeds, tied to a tree ; a mermaid, holding a branch of her double tail in each hand ; grotesque animal heads ; a cherub, between two griffins; a grotesque fish, with the snout and tail linked together; dragons, grotesquely-formed ; and fanciful birds, bearing labels in their beaks. Of the carvings on the misereries, some of the most remarkable may be thus described: — a human head, with large ass's ears, and a gaping mouth; an artizan, with a mallet and chisel ; a large head, as though of a man creeping painfully from a hole ; a prostrate figure holding a cup, with his doublet turned up to shew a pin which passes through a loop, and fastens his shirt and doublet to each other ; a bust of a man with animal ears, holding in one hand a bauble, and in the other a club ; a bat ; a man striving to withdraw his foot from the jaws of a hound ; a demi-figure in a night-cap ; a zany, or posture master ; a baboon, couchant ; a grotesque animal head and claws, bearing a diapered burthen on its shoulder ; a swollen baboon in a cowl, resting his feet against a pillow ; and a hooded head, sustaining some ornament. All the above are on the north side ; but, as they sufficiently indicate the ludicrous character of these designs, we shall close the subject by briefly noticing a few of those under the sub-seats, namely, — a greyhound gnawing a bone ; a porpoise ; a man and goose ; a ferret and rabbit ; a baboon chained ; a figure with ass's ears listening CARVINGS 0\ T THE STAILLS AND SUB-SEATS. 55 to a snail ; a figure sustaining a capital o»n his head, hands, and feet ; a winged steed ; a man with a chopper, climbing ; a bird holding tassels ; a demi-figure with extended arms, a phylactery pendantt from his neck. On the jambs of the openings which lead from the area of thie choir to the upper stalls, there are, among various other carvings of foliage and arabesque ornaments, a medallion head within a laurel wrenth, and a grotesque scaly figure, thickly-bearded, and holding a large mask and club, as thought advancing cautiously, and preparing to strike. On the outer part of the readiing-desk, in front of the large stall on the south side, are carved two griffins, supporting a kind of font or basin, behind which is an angel bearing a sceptire, having one hand on his breast. Whatever may be said on any few of tthe above subjects, by way of explana- tion, it is evident from their diversity of character, that very little of system was attended to in their introduction. Although the general intent seems to have aimed at exciting ludicrous ideas, yet ithere is nothing of congruity in this assemblage ; and we may assume, wi thout violating probability, that the designs in many instances, if not in all, resulted more from the individual taste, — possibly the mere whim and caprice, — of the workmen employed in carving them, than from any higher principle, or feeling, either political or religious.* On the south side of the choir, near tlhe altar, stands the Monument of the Viscountess Fitzharris, the late affectionate consort of the Earl of Malmesbury. It is a classical composition, by Flaxmatn, (vide Plate XII.) representing the Viscountess seated, instructing her children from the Holy Scriptures in their religious and moral duties. On the pedestal are the following inscriptions : Sacred to the memory of Harriet Susan, Viscountess Fitzharris, daughter of Francis Bateman Dashwood, Esq. of Well Vale, in the county of Lincoln, and wife of James Edward, Viscount Fitzharris, of Heroni Court, in this Parish, where she departed this life, on Monday night, September 4th, 1815, in the 32nd year of her age. * Most of our cathedral and larger churches,, as Exeter, Gloucester, Norwich, Henry the Seventh's chapel, &c. exhibit similar fanciful decorations : and however we may regret the license which recognised their introduction into buildings consecrated to religious observances, we cannot but admire the exuberancy of invention and skilful workmanship which they so abundantly display. The stalls at Christ-church were repaired in 1820, ait the expense of the Rev. R. Waldy, A.M. (the then curate) and R. W. Sleat, Esq. 56 MONUMENT OF THE VISCOUNTESS FITZH ARRIS. Gifted by nature with uncommon beauty of person and countenance, possessing manners equally dignified and engaging, she never suffered herself to be influenced by the flatteries and allurements of the world, but enjoyed, with rational cheerfulness, those hours which she could spare from the performance of her domestic duties. The care and education of her children were her darling objects ; on them she equally bestowed the indulgent fondness of a mother, and the successful efforts of a well cultivated mind ; while all who shared her love and attachment experienced, in the various relations of a wife, a daughter, a sister, and a friend, unceasing proofs of the amiable and endearing qualities of her disposition. So deeply impressed with the feeling and confidence of a true Christian was this pious and excellent woman ; so fully prepared was she, at all times, for another world, that the sudden and unexpected approach of death, could not disturb the sweet serenity of her mind ; nor did one repining word escape her through fourteen days of acute suffering. But, awaiting her end with the utmost composure and resignation, she calmly gave up her soul into the hands of her Creator, quitting all she loved with these words, — " J have had my full share of happiness in this world." Her remains lie interred in the Cathedral Church of Salisbury ; but her afflicted Husband has raised this marble to her memory, persuaded, that where she was best known, there would her many Virtues longest live in the recollection of her friends and neighbours. At the back of the monument is this verse from the Proverbs, xxxi. 28. Her Children arise up, and call her Blessed ; Her Husband also, and he Praiseth her. On the reinterment of this lady at Christ-church, the following was annexed to the above. The Remains of Harriet, Viscountess Fitzharris, were removed from Salisbury Cathe- dral to the Vault underneath, May 21st, 1821. The vault thus mentioned is the ancient Crypt of the priory church, wherein, during the late repairs, the Earl of Malmesbury caused eighteen stone catacombs to be built (under the direction of Mr. Wm. Garbett, and at an expense of £200) for the reception of his family.* On the completion of the work, the remains of the old pavement of the crypt, which was of figured tiles, were collected and laid down in the middle of the vault, in the form of a Cross. * His lordship's father became owner of this vault from having succeeded the late Edward Hooper, Esq. in the estate of Heron Court, to which it was attached. £nt) raved fry T.Xeaman,. frcm a, Mratrina by JB.Ferrey. ELEVATION OF THE AI.TAR SCREEN IN THE CHOIR. London. Pub* April. 1834-. by B.FeTrey. 105, G^Rufaell Street. Bloomer DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTAR-PIECE. 57 The ascent to the altar is by a flight of four steps, and on the vertical edge of a large flat stone, forming the middle part of the uppermost step, the following inscription may yet be traced, though with difficulty, the letters being much worn : — Baltietom fiU Willi* Comma HDefoom'e/* In the design of the Altar-piece, or Screen, as it is frequently called, and which is represented in Plate XL, there is great elegance, even when considered in an architectural point of view ; and, when perfect, it must also have been extremely rich as a specimen of sculpture. The subject is the Genealogy of Christ, with the Worship of the Magi in the stable at Bethlehem. In the lower division Jesse, (a statue of colossal size) the founder of the promised line, is seen in a recumbent posture, supporting his head on his right hand, whilst from his loins is issuing the stem of the mystical vine, — in allusion to those passages of scripture which say, " And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots;" (Isaiah, chap. ii. verse 1.) and " I am the true vine: 1 ' (St. John, chap. xv. verse 1.) " From Jesse, a branch passes, first to David, on his right hand, who is distinguished by his harp and diadem, and then on his left hand, to the royal moralist, Solomon, who is more distinguished by his pensive air than by his royal crown : both these princes sit with their legs across, which seems formerly to have been considered as a dignified posture, since it frequently occurs in the figures of our ancient kin^s. The stem of the vine, whose luxuriant leaves and tendrils adorn every object that is represented, appears next to proceed to a small mutilated statue, near the feet of Jesse, and which was probably intended for Solomon's son and successor, Rehoboam." Hence, the vine ramifies through the whole * " This stone," says Warner, (vide " Topographical Remarks," p. 181) " rests on the crown of the arch of a Chapel, or Crypt, immediately under the high altar ; and there is reason to suppose, from the situation of the monumental stone, that the body of Baldwin, who was the second de Redvers of that name, and who died September 1st, 1216, was deposited in this subterraneous edifice, which he probably built for the burying place of himself and family. Masses and other offices were certainly celebrated occasionally in it, since the arcade, or receptacle for holy water, still continues, and vestiges of an altar may yet be discerned." Warner's supposition that the crypt was built by Baldwin de Redvers is altogether inadmissible ; the crypt must have been one of the very earliest parts of the edifice. I 58 DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTAR-PIECE. Screen, and seems to bear for its fruit all the holy and distinguished personages there exhibited ; but among whom are various saints, evidently of a later age than Christ's nativity. " We recover it again in a bold and strong shoot, at the feet of the Blessed Virgin, (in the central compartment) from whom, in a miraculous manner, and not by human generation, Our Saviour was produced, and to whom, therefore, it does not approach, except in the person of his blessed mother. It is seen again at the shoulder of the foster-father of Christ, St. Joseph ; and another of its productions, though by a different branch, even reaches to the clouds, and seems to shroud its head in the celestial regions." Here, " at the upper part, is an angel pointing to a star which is directly over the head of Our Saviour, and on each side of the central canopy is another angel, both of whom appear to have been playing on musical instruments, now defaced. Lower down are the shepherds, three in number, with their flocks feeding, and their dogs at their feet. They are habited in the dress of the ancient shepherds of Italy, having cowls on their heads, like monks or friars ; one of these has a crook in his hand, whilst another apparently carries a wooden bottle to drink out of, together with a scrip and bugle horn by his side." Beneath them, the lowly place of our Saviour's birth is indicated by the projecting heads of an ox and an ass. The remaining figures, which are the size of life, represent the adoration of the Magi, who were generally supposed to be Kings from the East, and who, according to St. Matthew, (chap. ii. verse 11.) when they "saw the young child, with Mary, his mother, they fell down and worshipped him ; and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts ; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Joseph, " with his hand raised in the attitude of admiration, is seated above the blessed Virgin, who is sitting on the ground, with one hand on her breast, and supporting the Divine infant with the other ; who, however, wears a manly dress, namely, the robe and tunic. The King who is prostrate at the feet of the Messiah is presenting him with golden bezants in a singular sort of vase, [formed like a modern tankard] one of which he (the Messiah,) seems to have taken out, and is presenting to his mother. The younger of the three seems to bear the frankincense, by the form of his vessel, which is that of the navicula, or ship, used for the same purpose in the DESCRIPTION OF THE ALTAR-PIECE. 59 ancient church ceremonies. The age, the crowns, and the dress of the three Kings are diversified ; though the last mentioned article, as well as the general style of the architecture, clearly bespeaks the ornamental taste of Edward the Third's reign, when this curious altar-piece was probably executed, and adorned with painting and gilding, the vestiges of which are still seen in some places, and the want of which in others, as in the strings of David's harp, causes an appearance of indistinctness and imperfection."* The small figures which occupy the recesses in the buttress divisions, and are thirty-two in number, are sculptured in divers attitudes : the two upper rows are in sitting positions, but all the others are standing. There can be little doubt but that, originally, all the large niches between the buttress piers, which are now vacant, were ornamented by statues, the marks of the fastenings being yet distinguishable. All the surmounting canopies and finials are very floridly, not to say delicately sculptured ; and there is much elegance of design in the triple-headed central canopy, the niche below which is conjectured to have been occupied by a figure of the " Ancient of Days." In each side division of the lower compartment is a small trefoil-headed doorway, which, as Warner states, " till within these few years, opened upon a large surbased arch, formed behind the altar for the accommodation of the priests ; who occasionally retired thither, to change their vestments, to bring out, at proper opportunities, their relics and miraculous blood, and to exercise the other offices of their profession.''^ However this might have been, there is, at present, only a sort of narrow landing-place at the back of the Screen, — which possibly, in former times, communicated by steps with the concameratio surrounding the altar, and used, on particular occasions, for the musical processions of the brotherhood. A boldly-sculptured finial, with other orna- ments, including two demi-figures, surmounts each doorway, but the heads of the figures over the northern door have been broken off. On referring to the attached Plate, it will be seen that the Screen terminates in a rich cornice and crowning ornament, having, in the centre, the remaining * Vide Milner's Letter, dated May 30th, 1792, in Carter's " Specimens of Ancient Sculpture and Painting," vol. ii. p. 43. f " Topographical Remarks," vol. ii. p. 189. 60 MARGARET, COUNTESS OF SALISBURY. soffite of a small canopy. But from the dissimilarity of style and decorative forms, as well as from other circumstances, it may be assumed that the whole of this upper work is of a far later period than the Screen itself ; and it is not improbable that it was first set up when the Screen was erected in its present situation on the completion of the new choir.* The Altar-table, which is designed in the olden style, was presented to this church by A. W. Pugin, Esq. in 1831. It is of oak, and ornamented with pendants, pierced gothic work, a cross, and two armorial shields. About twenty of the old figured tiles were preserved during the late repairs, and have been relaid in the pavement before the altar.f Near the altar on the north side, and extending into the adjoining aisle, is the Monumental Chapel of the unfortunate Margaret, Countess of Salis- bury, who erected it for her own burial-place whilst in possession of the borough and manor of Christ-church, in the reign of Henry the Eighth. This lady was the daughter of George, Duke of Clarence, (brother to Edward the Fourth,) and grand-daughter of Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and Salisbury, distinguished in our annals by the cognomen of King-maker. On the decapi- tation of her brother Edward, upon certain charges of high treason, in the fifteenth of Henry the Seventh, (with whom he had ever been an object of political jealousy) she became the last survivor of the Plantagenets in the direct line. By her husband, Sir Richard Pole, K.G., she gave birth to four sons and one daughter ; of whom Reginald, the youngest, was the celebrated * Supposing the Screen to have been a production of Edward the Third's time, (as stated in the text) it must have stood within the church whilst the rebuilding of the choir was going on ; and there are certain marks on the two great piers immediately westward from those of the central inter- section, which indicate that a Screen had once been affixed there, ranging across the nave. The letters . J£ 4 over the centre of the Screen, are of modern introduction. f The Communion plate consists of the following articles : — a Flaggon, the gift of the " Right Hon. George Rose, 1813;" two Cups, one of them inscribed "A Part of the Gift of Thomas Jarman, Citizen and Dyer of London, vnto the Towne of Christ Church Twinham, wheare hee was borne ;" and the other, " The Gift of John Hellier, and Elizabeth his wife, A.D. 1627 ;" a Patin, " The Gift of William Colgill, and Margarett his wife, A°. D ni ., 1628 ;" and three Salvers, two of them " The Gift of W m . Blake, Gent: 1741 ;" and the third," Presented in 1832, by John Spicer, Esq. Mayor." The crimson velvet coverings for the Reading Desk and the Clerk's Desk were given in 1797, by Miss Sarah Dale, of Purewell. Engraved by WS.WUkCnson, from a .Drawing 6y £..Ferrey. INTERIOR OF THE COUNTESS OF SALISBURY'S CHAPEL Looking West, To Sir George Ivison Tapps Bar* London. Pub?AprfI.1834-. by B Ferrey. 10 b. OKnfseTl Street. Blooms ? DESCRIPTION OF THE SALISBURY CHAPEL. 61 Cardinal Pole. The exertions of that prelate to uphold Catholicism proved the eventual cause of his mother's death. She was attainted of treason in 1539, and, after being confined two years in the Tower, was ordered for execution on the suppression of a commotion in Yorkshire, which had been excited by the intrigues of the Cardinal. When required to lay her head upon the block, she refused, saying, " So should traitors do, and I am none :" then, turning her gray head every way, she bad the executioner, if he would have her head, to get it as hee could : so that he was constrained to fetcli it off slovenly."* She suffered on the 27th of May, 1541, when seventy years old; and her mangled corse was interred in St. Peters Chapel, within the Tower. The great elegance of the Salisbury chapel at Christ-church may be conceived from the attached Plates XIII. and XIV., in the former of which its north-western exterior is delineated perspectively ; and in the latter, the rich architectural composition of its interior shewn. It will be seen from these views, that the general design is in the Tudor style, but its chasteness is violated by the intro- duction of ornaments of the Italian-arabesque kind ; which is especially observ- able in the octagonal columns and facias of the north front. The ground plan is oblong, but there is an adjunct compartment at the west end, which includes an entrance by a flight of steps from the north aisle ; the principal entrance being from the chancel. From the minute accuracy of the annexed engravings, but little description is here necessary. The beautiful fan-like tracery of the roof springs from sculptured corbels, and has been ornamented by rich bosses, which were defaced at the Reformation :j" the subjects, however, may yet be traced. On the central boss, within a circle surrounded by cherubim, was a representation of the Holy Trinity, (composed of three figures) with the Countess, in front, kneeling at the feet of God the Father. On the eastern boss were the armorial bearings of the Countess, now defaced; and underneath, this motto, which is still legible : ^)p00 Xt\Z& 3f B tO %8t> On the western boss, * Vide Lord Herbert's " Life and Raigne of King Henry the Eighth," p. 468, fol. 1649. f Vide the Commissioner's Letter, p. 27, note, — which states, that they had caused the chapel to be defaced, and all the arms and badges to be " delete," or erased. Yet this, as we shall see by the description, was but imperfectly done ; and even in defacing the arms, considerable care was taken not to injure the other parts of the work. 62 DESCRIPTION OF THL SALISBURY CHAPEL. within a garter, are the arms of Sir Richard Pole, namely, Per pale or and sable, a saltire engrailed counterchanged.* On each side, between the windows, (which are enriched by embattled transoms, and curious tracery) is a handsome niche ; as there is, also, at each end, though of a different form, and otherwise decorated : under that at the east end is a shield sculptured with the five wounds of our Saviour, on a diapered ground, t Both fronts of this elegant specimen of scientific art are highly ornamented. Niches of various form and character, some canopied by embattled turrets, and others surmounted by rich finials, diversify the composition ; whilst the facias, string-courses, and supporting octagonal columns, are covered by minute sculpturing, which gives an air of great richness to the whole. The ogee-headed niches, and surmounting ornaments of the choir front have been decorated with groups of angels, and other statuary, but from the removal of figures, and some wanton dilapidations, the full design cannot be traced. The upper niches exhibit highly-wrought finials terminating in crowns, and their canopies are very beautiful. In the year 1813, a most praiseworthy donation of twenty guineas was made by Richard Norris, Esq., of Boscomb, for repairing this chapel. Not any inscription for the Countess of Salisbury appears on this monument ; but within the upper niche at the west end (vide Plate XIII.) there has been placed a dove-coloured tablet thus inscribed in memory of a late distin- guished statesman : — In the vault beneath are deposited the mortal remains of the Right Honourable George Rose, one of his Majesty's Council for Affairs of Trade and Foreign Plantations, Treasurer of the Navy, and in six successive Parliaments one of the Representatives of this Borough ; who, on the 13th of January, 1818, the 74th year of his age, in the Faith of Christ, and in Charity with all Mankind, concluded a Life, the whole of which was the continued and strenuous effort of an ardent and powerful Mind to promote the Wel- fare of the State, and the Happiness of his Fellow Creatures. J * See Plate I., Fig. 1., which represents a portion of the chapel vaulting. f During the late repairs, two receptacles for coffins were discovered below the floor of this chapel, which were probably intended for the Countess and her son, the Cardinal, but seemed never to have been used. These sepulchres were each six feet eight inches in length, two feet two inches in width, and two feet deep. { This gentleman, who died at Cuffnells, near Lyndhurst, made the following bequest to the male inhabitants of Christ-church and Lyndhurst, by his will, bearing date in the year 1815; JHL.13. £nf raved, 6y W-S.WiJ/cvison. from, a Brewing by B.Femy. € m m. i st- % m uj m c m , VIEW OF TH K NORTH AISLE OF THE CHOIR m » „*, , Looking East. To the. Jiight Xorwrcvble SlH G.H.Rosk. G.C.H. One of tfre. Jie, I t mdon.Pub. d Jai 1 rie32, ~by B.Ferrey 105. GMtufsell Str* Bloom u Q m o x o w X Eh n <; a o FP Oh CO .1 ■d Ft GENERAL ACCOUNT OF THE CHOIR AISLES. 63 The general character of the Choir Aisles, and of their respective monuments and chapels may be known from the interior views, Plates XIII., and XV. There is a raised basement seat against each wall, and the vaultings are very strong, as well as uniform, except where an alteration has been made for the Salisbury chapel. In the north aisle, the entrance from the transept is still formed by a large semicircular Norman arch, but that of the south aisle has been altered into the Pointed style, probably about the time of the rebuilding of the choir, an initial (2£, of a similar form to those on the choir bosses, being sculptured here within a richly-designed panelling, the foliaged ornaments of which sustain a corbel capital, from which the arch springs on the north side.* On the south side of the north aisle is a small Oratory, or Chantry Chapel, which was probably erected about the time of the Union between the rival Houses of York and Lancaster, the interior wall being ornamented with a running branch of white and red flowers, and the white and the red rose being painted on the panelling of its wooden ceiling. The style of its architecture also corresponds with the Tudor period, as may be seen by the elevation in Plate XVIII., Fig. 4. ; the tablet over the door-way is a modern insertion. The ornamental sculpture above the door includes two roses, and a male and female head ; the former in a sort of jockey-fronted cap, and the latter in a hood. Along the fascia has been an inscription in gilt letters, of which the words . . . Armigeri Mar g arete q e consort ... are all that can now be read. Withinside is an angular-headed piscina, (measuring only fourteen inches by nine inches and a half) in which are two stands, or brackets, for statues. At each end of the screen there is a small opening, about six inches in length, and three namely, — " To every male inhabitant resident within my manor of the borough of Christ-church, and within the parish of Lyndhurst, who shall be poor enough to induce him to accept the same, and who shall attend Divine Service in their respective parish churches, on Sunday next after my funeral, unless prevented by real illness, I give the sum of ten shillings each ; and I recommend them and their families heartily to those who shall follow me." About £600 was distributed among the persons who attended in their respective churches, and accepted the gratuity. * A large open-worked oaken screen, elaborately-wrought in the Tudor style, formerly extended across the south end of the transept, but it was taken down about twenty-six years ago, and partly used as gates to close the entrance to the choir aisles, and partly wrought up in the present altar railing. The gate-posts of the north aisle formed part of the Royal William man-of-war, of 1 00 guns, which had been broken up at Portsmouth, about the same time. 64 ALTAR TOMB OF SIR JOHN CHYDIOKE. inches in width, giving the idea that this chapel has been formerly used as a Confessional. Against the north wall in the same aisle, and partly surmounted by a slightly- recessed arch, is an old Tomb, (as represented in Plate XVIII., Fig. 3.) supposed to be that of Robert White, Esq., who by his will, dated March 19th, 1619, bequeathed £100 for the purchase of lands for the benefit of the poor inhabitants of Christ-church. At the back are these arms : Quarterly, first and fourth, a chevron between three martlets ; second and third, on a chevron three .... in chief . . . : beneath is the motto, Suffer in time. The east end of this aisle has been once fitted up as a chapel, and on the right hand there still remains a prettily-wrought niche, including a piscina. Here is an altar Tomb, which originally stood " in the front of the northern semi-transept,"* but was removed thence into the adjoining oratory in 1791, and finally to its present situation during the late repairs. Tradition states that it was erected for a Sir John Chydioke, (of Chydioke, in Dorsetshire) and his lady, the former of whom is said to have been killed in battle during the struggle between the rival houses of York and Lancaster. Their effigies, which lie upon the tomb, are of alabaster, but have been shamefully defaced ; and the inscription, which was on a fillet of brass surrounding the verge, has been stolen. The Knight is sculptured as in plate armour, with a shirt of mail ; his head resting upon a helmet,^ and around his neck a collar of esses ; at his feet is a mutilated lion, couchant. His lady reposes on a double cushion, supported by small angels, and is attired in a jewelled corset, and tasselled robe ; with a necklace, and the mitred head-dress of the fifteenth century. * Warner's "Topographical Remarks," &c. vol. ii. p. 172. Mr. Gough, speaking of this removal, says, — " As the tomb was over the bone-house, an arched vault, it was supposed that the crown of the arch came too near the surface to admit of a sufficient depth for a vault or grave, and that the bodies were not laid there. The workmen, however, in a grave five feet deep, found the bodies, having a layer of fine chocolate-coloured dust, which had been the coffin, between them and the earth. Gough's " Camden's Britannia," vol. i. p. 178. f In the ancient chapel, now used as the revestry, there is a steel helmet, which is called Sir John Chydioke's ; it has slits for the sight, and the beaver has two motions. The last Sir John Chydioke died in the 28th of Henry the Sixth, anno 1449. For all that is known of the Chydiokes see " The Controversy between Sir Richard Scrope and Sir Richard Grosvenor in the Court of Chivalry," edited by Sir Harris Nicolas, vol. ii. p. 255 : 1832. The Arundels of Wardour are the present representatives of the Chydiokes. MONUMENT OF THE BRANDERS. 65 Among other monuments affixed against the back of the altar screen in the ambulatory, there is a large and costly one commemorative of the Branders : it chiefly consists of a sarcophagus and urn of white marble, and has the following inscription, — together with the family arms at the lower part, on a large shield between cornucopises : — Caroli Brander, Arm. de Nea in hac Parochia. Ob. iv Die Maii A.D. mdccxv. iEt. suae lxiv. Et Margaretae Uxoris suae unicae. Ob. xxv Die Aprilis A.D. mdcclvii. iEt. suse lxx. Et Margaretae Filiae eorum. Ob. xxvii Die Februarii, A.D. mdcclxit. iEt. suae xxxvi. Et Brigidae Catherinae Filiae eorum. Ob. xxv Die Martii A.D. mdcclxx. iEt. suae xlix. Et Gustavi Brander Arm.* Filii eorum, F.R. et A.S.S. et Mus. Brit. Cust. Obiit xxi Die Januarii A.D. mdcclxxxvii. iEt. suae lxvii. Quales erant narret ultima Dies. Ens Entium miserere. In the south choir-aisle, near the entrance from the transept, is an ancient chapel, now used as the Revestrg, (marked K in the Ground Plan) which, from * This gentleman, (by his will, dated January 12th, 1785) in addition to his donation of £500 (already mentioned) for an organ, bequeathed to this parish the farther sum of £200, " to be with security laid out in the most permanent manner," and the interest to be applied as follows, viz. ten shillings to the clerk, five shillings to the sexton, two guineas to the vicar, — for which the latter is to preach a Commemoration Sermon annually, on the third Sunday in August, "as an everlasting memorial," says Mr. Brander, " and as expressive of my gratitude to the Supreme Being for my signal preservation in the year 1768, when my horses ran violently down the Temple Lane in London, and down three flights of steps into the Thames, in a dark night; and yet not horses, or carriage, myself, or servants, received the least injury ; it was fortunately low water:" — ten shillings " to be annually laid up as a nest egg, for the purpose of keeping in repair such Monument as my executors may think proper to put up for me, at an expense not exceeding £200 ; and the remainder of the interest money to be given in shillings to as many poor people as shall attend Divine Service on the Commemoration day." In 1788, the first mentioned £200 was invested in the purchase of £264. 13s. three per cent consolidated annuities; and the dividends, which amount to about £7. 18s. 6d. per annum, are distributed agreeably to the will of the testator. The iron gates near the bottom of Temple Lane were first erected to prevent any similar occurrence to the above. K G6 CHANTRY CHAPEL OF ROBERT HARYS. the character of the ornamental heads and bosses of the groining, would seem to have been altered into its present form in the reign of Henry the Third. It originally opened to the aisle of the more ancient church, but, in after times, was walled up, and a new entrance introduced. Here has been an altar ; and on each side the window a niche, of which the pedestals remain : there is also a recess in the south wall, which includes the remains of two very elegant trefoil-headed niches. The flooring is partly of old figured tiles, four of which, in some instances, being placed together, form a kind of star with sixteen rays : there are also fleurs des lis, and single tiles of different patterns. In the circular part of this interior, in the vaults beneath, and in an upper room, the original Norman work is almost wholly retained, although alterations have been made, and dilapidations are evident. In one of the vaults, encased in brick, are the leaden coffins of Sir Peter Mews and his lady, who died in Queen Anne's reign. On the north side of the same aisle (as delineated in Plate XV.) is the Chantry and Sepulchral Chapel of Robert Harys, a rebus of whose name is sculptured upon a shield within one of the quatrefoils of the basement panel- ling, viz. an initial iR 4 , with a Hare below it, in a cumbent posture, from whose mouth a label issues, marked with the letters ys. The same rebus may be traced on other shields ; and on a sculptured scroll, entwining a rod in the cornice fascia, is the following inscription : — Cfje lOtfc fe^ng Of t)li0 {jatie mercp on frim tfmt let make tW : t&e toiricf) toas in Eobert J£>arp0, The chapel front principally consists of open screen-work, with a Tudor door- way, surmounted by a handsome niche, in the central part; and, at each end, a similar niche, flanked by small buttresses, placed diagonal-wise. An em- battled transom crosses each of the pierced divisions, and some tastefully- designed tracery ornaments the upper tier : the crowning finials have been removed. The interior has a wainscot ceiling, but is quite plain. Against the northern wall is a large sepulchral memorial for several individuals of the Bullock and Wools families. Adjoining to the choir entrance from this aisle is an ogee-headed doorway, leading, by a descent of eight steps, into the central Crypt, which has been already noticed, (vide p. 56,) as the appropriated burial-place of the Earl of M..X5. Engraved. 6y fr.S.WMkihson, /rom, a, Drawing by JB.Eerrey. SJSEisf ■• cg w uj m s m „ SOUTH AISLE OF THE CHOIK, Loolcing East. To Sir WILLIAM He ATHC O TE Bak? Ifigh- Sheriff for Cpirnty of'HarUs. .London. Pub?- Jai7 18 32, "by B.TerTey. 105. Gj-Rufsell Street.Blooiosbury CHANTRY CHAPEL OF PRIOR DRAPER. 67 Malmesbury's family : the present floor is of white brick. The panelling on each side and over the doorway is surmounted by a quatrefoil fascia, or cornice, on which are two mutilated demi-angels, one of which has been playing on a fife, and the other holds a shield. In the next division is a large pointed-arched opening, admitting light to the crypt : the panelling is similar to the above, and on the fascia were five demi-angels, now headless, and otherwise broken, most of whom appear to have held musical instruments ; one of which, the bag-pipes, still remains.* The western division of this aisle is occupied by the Chantry Chapel of John Draper y the last prior of that name ; as appears from the following date inscribed under the entablature, namely, — SlntlO J SDOttUtti J ttUtte00ttttO i QUUtg;0ttti00ltttCI XXIX , — and the recurrence, in several places, of the initials 31* ID*t I* * s evidently of the Tudor age ; and the running pattern sculptured on the fascia displays an intermixture of the Italian-arabesque somewhat similar to that of the minute ornamental work of the Salisbury chapel. In the centre, above the doorway, is a very handsome niche, richly canopied, and flanked by two smaller ones on the returns : the dados are panelled, and the open screen- work, or windows, over them, are each separated by a transom into two divisions of four lights each. The summit is embattled; and each side termi- nation is finished by a like niche to the central one. On a Tudor shield on the front pedestal (immediately over the door), is a cruciform church sculptured in relief, and surmounted by a spire, at the sides of which are the initials of the * In this part of the aisle, two sculptural fragments of religious subjects (found in different parts of the church,) have been affixed on brackets : one of them, apparently, is the giving of the Viaticum to a female, who is sitting on a bed; the other was possibly intended for the Benediction of the Virgin. There is also a third sculptural fragment preserved in a niche, or ambry, (probably of the Tudor age) on the opposite south wall, on which a female and several bearded figures are repre- sented in the act of prayer. The sculptured shield over the arched opening to the crypt has been described in page 46. f Warner says, " this chapel was probably built by the Jirst John Draper," but his supposition is clearly disproved both by the style of the architecture, and by the inscription given above. In the Transverse Section, Plate VI., the front of Draper's chapel is shewn in elevation : it is also deli- neated in the Perspective View, Plate XV. This chapel is now used as the burial-place of the Hinxman family. 08 MEMORIAL SLABS OF THE PRIORS OF CHRIST-CHURCH. Prior. His memory is also preserved by the following inscription on a grey slab, (measuring nine feet three inches in length, and four feet six inches in width) which now forms a part of the pavement before the chapel. + ^umba Joljig SDjapej tnccsfgirm £>zxti ^rioritf ljujusf ecclegte qui otmt xxix° Me mensig £>eptem\ #nno torn mille mo ccccclu Cujug 8ntme pcopmerur * This slab originally laid before the entrance to the choir, and was partly covered by the present pulpit. Some remains of Prior Draper were found beneath it, together with a part of his vestments and crosier. Besides a variety of sepulchral memorials of a modern date, which it is foreign to our design to specify, there remain in different parts of the church about twelve or fourteen large slabs, which, from the vestiges of inscriptions along the verge of each, appear to commemorate as many deceased Priors of this establishment ; but those only which are recorded below are suffi- ciently legible to be read. Independently of that of Prior Draper, the following are in the south choir-aisle : — + Cumba l&tcajtit 9£a«n detitni ^torig fjujuss ecclegie* + f Eumua Ifilobejn »>ap gubpctojte Ijujug eccletfte* On the pavement behind the altar is a large blue slab, near the middle of which is the indent of a demi-figure, or bust ; and along the verge these words : — +^umba:31oljanm0:;5B0ra^ Denmi tiont gutfttgf eccle£te*t On slabs in the north choir-aisle are the following inscriptions : 4- Cumba tint (LcLltlltelmo (£$\z (Qftcegftmu qufti ^ton'tf ^ujujS eccle^te j qui obut tot die mentis 2Decembn'0 : &nno tJomtnt mi'leggmxo ccccc et xx° Cu' an'e : propmetuj 2Deu& intern + Wumba torn ^tjome Talbot totcesstmi ^riorig buj'tt£> ecclegte: qui obti't tite meix0i0 &ugu<3tu anno tiomtnt tm'legatmo ccccjr CujuS amme p^optttetur 3Deus, There remain, also, several large coffin-shaped stones, apparently tops of coffins, two of which have been placed on the dwarf abutment walls that flank the eastern part of the choir. During the partial repavement of the church consequent on the late repairs, many sepulchral slabs were removed from their original sites ; and many parts of the present pavement were (very reprehensibly) supplied by inscribed gravestones taken from the church-yard. t Sir Harry Burrard Neale, Bart., and the Rev. George Burrard, of Yarmouth, are repre- sentatives of the family of Prior Borard. DESCRIPTION OF THE LADY CHAPEL. 69 The eastern extremity of this fabric is terminated by the Lady Chapel, between which and the Choir there is so strong- a resemblance as to render it evident that they were both erected at nearly the same period. The chief variations are in the ornamental parts of the vaultings, and in the tracery of the windows and panelling, which possess a somewhat greater floridness of style in the Lady Chapel than in the Choir ; as may be understood from the Longitu- dinal and Transverse Sections, Plates V. and VI. Of the three principal divisions into which this Chapel is separated by the piers, the first forms a part of the ambulatory, and includes an entrance from either aisle by a wide- spreading and obtusely-pointed arch. The fan-like tracery of the vaulting is enriched by octagonal pendents, on which various demi-figures are sculptured in bold relief, sustaining different articles, namely — a star, a crown of glory, an open book, a music scroll, two violins, a label, the bag-pipes, and some other musical instruments. There are, also, two large demi-figures, with long beards, having scrolls, above the capitals of the second piers from the east window. Against the east wall is a low altar, having the appearance of a table monu- ment : the covering slab, which is of Purbeck marble, and marked by five small crosses, is eleven feet in length, three feet ten inches wide, and six inches thick. Over this, and ranging nearly to the sill of the great window (a height of about sixteen feet) are the dilapidated remains of a very beautiful stone Screen of rich tabernacle work ; which, judging from its architectural character, may be referred to the latter part of Henry the Sixth's reign. The design is elaborately minute ; and when in a perfect state, with all its gorgeous display of painted and gilt statuary, must have produced a striking effect on every spectator. The profuse richness of the composition may be appreciated from Plate VIII., Fig. 2., which represents about one third part of the entire Screen, as restored from the existing fragments.* * It must be remarked, however, that in this restoration no attempt has been made to delineate the figures with which the niches were formerly occupied ; as no certainty, in that respect, could be obtained. Some fragments of the statue of our Lady, which probably stood in the central niche, were found during the late repairs ; and six of the smaller figures (each about eight inches high) still remain, though broken : they cannot, in fact, be removed, being wrought in relief out of the maiu stones which form the back of the Screen. 70 MONUMENTS OF SIR THOMAS AND LADY WEST. The inner part of the archivolts of the north and south windows are orna- mented by ranges of quatrefoils within circles ; and on each side the east window are three light clustered columns, rising to the spring of the arch. Warner speaks of this Chapel being " handsomely ornamented with little confessional recesses ;" but, as nothing of the kind exists here, he has possibly mistaken for confessionals the two small doorways which are nearly opposite to each other on the north and south sides, — the one opening to the church-yard, and the other towards the priory close, — or else the several decorative com- partments of the lower panelling, all of which have ogee-headed canopies, charged with crockets and other ornaments, as shewn in the Longitudinal Section. The northern doorway is a work of the last century, but that on the south formed an original communication with the conventual offices. In the east window is an old fragment of stained glass, exhibiting the name ^t- At the east end of this Chapel, and partly within recesses formed in the north and south walls, are two old altar tombs, which are locally said to be those of Sir Thomas West, Knt., and Alice, Lady West, his mother ; and probably with truth, as we have the following evidence of those persons having been buried here. Sir Thomas West died in April, 1405, (sixth of Henry IV.) having, by his will, dated on the eighth of that month, " ordered his body to be laid in the New Chapel, in the Minster of Christ-church Twyneham Monastery, in Hampshire ; bequeathing to the work of that church one hundred pounds ; and another hundred to the treasury there, conditionally that the Canons of that priory, once in a year, keep solemnly the obit of Thomas his father, Alice his mother, and Joan his wife.f He also bequeathed £18. 18s. Ad. for four thousand five hundred masses for his soul, to be said within half a year after his decease. "J The Lady Alice, who was the widow of Sir Thomas West, Knt. (who deceased in 1386), and daughter of Reginald Fitz-Piers, Baron of Wolverly, directed by * All the windows of the Choir and Lady Chapel were formerly ornamented with stained glass. t By this lady, who was sister and heir to Thomas De la Warr, Baron De la Warr, he became the ancestor of the Wests, Lords De la Warr. t Vide Collins's "Peerage," vol. v. pp. 379, 380; "Ex Reg. Arundel, fol. 108, infr. Lambeth." st. Michael's loft : occutied as a school. 71 her will, bearing date on the 15th of July, 1395, in which year she died, that her body should be carried to the Priory of the Canons of Christ-church, and there buried " with her ancestors, at the first mass, with a taper of six pounds of wax standing and burning at her head, and another at her feet." She also bequeathed forty pounds to the Canons of Christ-church, " to read and sing mass for her Lord's soul and her own, while the world shall last."* Both monuments are represented in elevation, in Plate XVIII., Figures 1 and 2. That assigned to Sir Thomas West, which is on the north side, has the recess fronted by small shafts of Purbeck marble, supporting a series of ten trefoil- headed arches, over which is an entablature faced by panelled quatrefoils, and surmounted by a running ornament of expanded leaves. The tomb itself is also panelled in four divisions, having on the central part of each an armorial shield, but no arms are distinguishable. The tomb of Alice, Lady West, is surmounted by an enriched canopy, fronted by a series of five semicircular arches, cusped, which originally terminated in pendents, but these have been destroyed. There was also a central pendent attached to the ornamental tracery of the soffite : the back is panelled, as shewn in the engraving. On the verge of the covering slab was an inlaid inscription, which has long been removed : the front of the tomb is panelled in five divisions, including con- joined circles, small shields, and other ornamental work. The spacious apartment called St. Michael's Loft, which has been occupied as a School ever since the year 1662, presents but little in its interior requiring notice. There is a small niche at the upper end, as delineated in the Transverse Section, Plate VI., and the forms of its windows are shewn in the Longitudinal Section, Plate Y.~f It includes the entire space over the Lady Chapel. * Ibid, pp. 378, 379 : " Ex Reg. Rous. qu. 26. in Cur. Prarog. Cant. f In an old register belonging to this parish, is the following entry, viz. " At an Assembly of the Sixteen," on the 7th of March, 1662, it was " Ordered, that St. Michael's Loft shall for ever hereafter, and is hereby set apart and appointed for a free grammar school, to be fitted for that purpose, as articled and agreed upon," &c. Among the corporation documents, there is also the copy of a petition, without date, that was addressed to George [Morley] Bishop of Win- chester, (temp. Cha. II.) praying " the Bishop's license to erect and settle the school in a spacious waste room, at the east end of the church, called St. Michael's Loft, theretofore a Chapter-house 72 REMARKS ON ANGLO-SAXON ARCHITECTURE. Having thus completed the descriptive account of this interesting Church, I shall here insert a very valuable communication, addressed to Mr. Ferrey, from the pen of Mr. William Garbett, architect, of Winchester ; who, during his superintendence of the new groining of the nave, (the later alterations not having been under his guidance) had a practical opportunity of examining into the masonry and mode of construction of every part of the building, — and whose remarks, possess all the authority of professional research, and of scientific deduction. Winchester, April, 1834. DEAR SIR, In the attempt to comply with your request relative to the true dates of the several specimens of ancient architecture exhibited in your illustrations of the Church of Christ- church in this county, I find the investigation involved in a considerable degree of difficulty ; as we have little more for our guidance than a comparison of the several por- tions of the fabric, with other examples of similar style and ornament, of which the date has been satisfactorily ascertained ; — keeping in view, as we proceed, however, such historical notices as we can obtain of the subject under consideration. First, then, it will be necessary to consider whether any part of the present structure is of a date anterior to Bishop Flambard, to whom all the accounts I have yet seen give the credit of rebuilding the Church ; — and here it is important to observe, that the exist- ence of a former church and monastic establishment is admitted. We cannot, however, safely proceed in this enquiry without bestowing some at- tention upon a question which is very far from being settled by antiquaries of the present day : viz. Whether the monastic edifices constructed through the piety and munificence, or under the patronage of the Anglo-Saxon dynasty, were so completely swept away by their Norman successors, as it has long been fashionable to suppose,* or whether it is wholly improbable that edifices worthy of preservation could have been constructed by the subjects of Alfred, or Athelstan, or Edgar. — I trust the time is not distant when it will be proved by those better qualified for the undertaking than so for the prior and convent of that place, the same being to be repaired and fitted for that service by the petitioners." By a late arrangement, the boys that were educated here at the expense of the corporation, have been transferred to the National School; and St. Michael's Loft is now occupied as a superior school under the direction of the Vicar. Warner has called this room the " ancient Scriptorium of the monks," — (vide Literary Recollections," vol. i. p. 84) though with little pro- priety, if the inmates of the Priory establishment were actually so unlearned as tradition reputes them to have been. * See Quarterly Review, June, 1821, page 117. PROGRESS OF ARCHITECTURE AMONG THE SAXONS. 73 humble an individual as the writer of these remarks, that our Saxon ancestors were not incapable of the efforts, nor wanting in the skill necessary for raising structures which excite our admiration at the present day : and I trust that, for the honour of the high- minded Normans it will be shewn, that they were too far advanced in civilization to derive gratification from the wanton destruction of monuments produced by the skill and devotion of a people submitting to the rule of a foreign sovereign, rather as an adopted heir than as a conqueror. Towards an investigation of the early progress of architecture in this island, much has been done by the late reverend historian of Ely ; much by the late Reverend Dr. Milner, in his History of the Antiquities of Winchester ; and very much by my respected and inde- fatigable friend, Mr. Britton, whose extensive series of graphic illustrations of our Cathedrals, and of other English and Norman antiquities, (the latter published in conjunction with the late Mr. Pugin,) furnish valuable materials for the study of the antiquary, and the instruction of the architectural student. Now, although I am at issue upon some points with my ingenuous friend,* yet I fully agree with him in the opinion that such differences will ultimately lead to the discovery of truth upon the subject of our mutual inquiries ; for although we must lament the loss of much that would have furnished information upon this subject, through the fanatic zeal of the Reformers of the sixteenth century, yet we may be assured that much has been preserved, which is at present but partially explored. That the Saxons, even at an early period of the Heptarchy, possessed resources both pecuniary and scientific, for erecting churches with stone, is abundantly proved by Benthara, in the celebrated essay contained in his History of the Cathedral Church of Ely ; in which he states upon the authority of Bede, that " St. Peter's church, in the Monastery of Wearmouth," was built by the Abbot Benedict Biscopius, in the year 675, in the Roman manner (as it was then called) and that " he sent over to France for artificers skilled in the mystery of making glass (an art till that time unknown to the inhabitants of Britain)." It is previously said by the same author, that he (Biscopius) " went over into France to engage workmen to build his church but as the making of glass only is referred to, as an art before that time unknown in Britain, we may fairly infer that the art of building with stone was not new in this island, although we are led by this passage to believe that the art had arrived at a higher state of perfection in France than in Britain. Again, it is cited by Bentham, from Edius's Life of Wilfred, that " in the year 674, Bishop Wilfred began the foundation of the celebrated church of St. Andrew, in Hexham," which he describes as being " built all of hewn stone, and supported by sundry kinds of pillars." The same church is stated by Edius to have been described by Richard, Prior of Hexham (who flourished about the year 1180), who, in his account of that celebrated church, mentions " crypts, winding stairs, galleries of stone, and square and other kinds of well polished columns, the capitals of which were decorated with historical representations, imagery, and various figures in relief, carved in stone, and painted with a most agreeable variety of colours." In addition to this, we * See Britton's "Architectural Antiquities of Great Britain," vol. v. page 130, and "Cathedral of Winchester," page 69. 74 ARCHITECTURAL PARTICULARS OF WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL. have an account by Ingulphus of the building with stone of the monastery of Croyland, in the year 716, also the description given by Alcuin, of the rebuilding of the church of St. Peter in York, which was consecrated on the 29th of October, 780. Of all these structures it is not very surprising that no distinct portions remain to bear testimony to the veracity of their historians, unless the crypt of York cathedral may claim that dis- tinction. With such numerous authorities for the support of my hypothesis, I venture again to assert, that large portions of a monastic and episcopal edifice of considerable magnitude and national importance still survive the assaults of barbarous infidels, and the ravages of time, although the records of its foundation have not come down to us verified by writers contemporary with the periods of its early history ; yet, the venerable structure claims for itself, and establishes by incontestible proofs, a priority by centuries over the earliest works of the Anglo-Norman prelates. In that gigantic example of Saxon masonry, the cathedral church of Winchester, we find a rudeness of style and execution which forcibly forbid our belief that it could have been erected in the same age as the edifices described by Alcuin and the Prior of Hexham, a circumstance entitled to great weight in leading to the conclusion that this church contains much of the royal foundation commenced upon the conversion of Kengils, King of the West Saxons, to Christianity, in the year 535, and completed by Kenewalch, his son, in 548. This, the metropolitan church of the kingdom of Wessex, according to Rudborne, was built upon the site of a British church, erected in the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine, which was taken down by Kengils, and the materials applied in constructing his new edifice upon a more extensive scale.* In my communication to Mr. Britton, in the year 1818, relative to the architecture of Winchester cathedral,-)- I described the great difference in the masonry of the extreme parts of the transept, both north and south, and the central tower and parts adjoining, from which I inferred the much greater antiquity of the former: since that period various circumstances, developed in effecting the repairs of this interesting fabric, have corrobo- rated the theory I then formed, of the successive alterations to which it had been sub- jected through the violence of enemies, the innovations of taste, or the less active inroads of time ; I have also observed a passage in the Anglia Sacra,J which seems to have been overlooked by Dr. Milner, and my friend Mr. Britton, which fully confirms the opinion * This will not appear incredible, when we reflect that magnitude was the principal characteristic which those semi-barbarous princes had the means to adopt, nor will it excite our wonder that they should have used those means to an extent calculated to display the power they possessed, and the zeal with which their minds were inflamed. f See Britton's "History of Winchester Cathedral." I " Walkelinus natione Normaunus qui turrim in medeo Chori cum quatuor columnis a foundatione renovavit, seditque xxix annis et in navi Ecclesia ante gradus pulpiti jacet humatus." Anglia Sacra, page 285. In pages 256 and 270 of the Anglia Sacra, it appears that the tower was not built in the lifetime of Walkelyn, but that it was executed after his decease from funds provided by him for that purpose. It is said at page 294 of the same work, that in 1079 Walkelyn began to rebuild the church from the foundation; this, however, there is the strongest reason to doubt, for if a work of such magnitude had been previously in part executed, the subsequent erection of the tower would have been described as the completion of the undertaking, and not as an abstract work, as it ARCHITECTURAL PARTICULARS OF WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL. 75 stated in my communication before mentioned, and since repeated in my letter to the Editor of the "Gentleman's Magazine,"* of the marked distinction in the Saxon and Norman works, both in design and execution. I am aware that those who contend for the non-existence at this day of any genuine examples of Saxon architecture, will find in this passage grounds for confirming the assertion of Rudborne, that the whole of the cathedral was rebuilt from the foundation by the Norman Prelate Walkelyn ; and I must admit that, upon a first view of the case, such a conclusion may to many appear plausible, but I cannot conceive that it will be found tenable when we inquire how it could have happened that the Normans, who at the time of their invasion of this island are said greatly to have surpassed their Saxon contemporaries in the art of building, should have constructed masonry so rude as that of the transept of Winchester, in the year 1093, without those indications of national variation in style and workmanship which evidently appear in the tower (now satisfactorily proved to have been completed in less than fifty years after that period) ; nor will it appear very reasonable that a much longer period than fifty years could have produced the difference which is apparent to every careful observer in the decayed surface of the stone used in the Saxon part of the fabric, as compared with the Norman work, stated by the historian to have been com- pleted previous to the year 1140, and which, after such a lapse of time, preserves a perfection of surface and sharpness of angles which must be seen to be duly appreciated. These observations must be considered as applicable to the ancient part of the transept, the nave, and the crypts, without reference to the presbytery and apsis east of the tower^ which may possibly have been rebuilt by Walkelyn, as stated by Rudbourne ; but in admitting the possibility of this, we have to encounter the great improbability of the same structure having been taken down within little more than a century after its com- pletion, for the purpose of building the present presbytery in its stead, which portion of the fabric (before it received additions and embellishments from the taste and munificence of Bishop Fox) could hardly have been considered to possess a character to justify the demolition of the former work, which, if erected by Walkelyn, could not have been inferior to the corresponding parts (still preserved) of the cathedrals of Norwich and Peterborough. There may be many other comparisons adduced in the architecture of Winchester cathedral to prove the existence of Saxon masonry, but I conceive this is not the only structure in which the skill of our early ancestors was displayed, since we may observe singular coincidences in this and the cathedral of Ely, as well in the architectural features as in the events connected with their respective histories, which are well worthy of antiquarian consideration. It is stated by Bentham, that the church founded at Ely there appears, including four columns only in addition to the tower, a description corroborated in a most remark- able manner by the present state of the structure. From this fact it must be obvious that the undertaking of Walkelyn did not extend to tbe entire rebuilding of the church, although it cannot be doubted that he effected a very extensive repair, which included some important alteration, occasioning the removal of the high altar, and in consequence a re-dedication of the church. It is also probable that he rebuilt the whole of the domestic offices of the monastery upon an enlarged scale, for the accom- modation of the monks, in consequence of having increased their number, as he is stated to have done. * Vide vol. ciii. Part I. page 310 : anno 1833. 76 FOUNDATION AND PROGRESS OF ELY CATHEDRAL. by St. Etheldreda, in the year 673, was destroyed by the Danes in 870, and that the whole of the church and monastic buildings were restored by Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, under a commission from King Edgar, who by his charter, dated 970, re-endowed the institution with the whole of the possessions originally granted to it by St. Etheldreda, and that the most ancient parts of the existing edifice, viz. the nave and transept, were erected by Abbot Simeon, in emulation of his brother Walkelyn's work at Winchester. Now, notwithstanding the circumstantial accounts related by so respectable an author as the historian of Ely, I find it difficult to imagine that the foundation of that cathedral church can be referred to so late a date as the abbacy of Simeon, who was preferred from the Priory of Winchester to be Abbot of Ely in 1081, and died in 1093, for if we follow this theory, it will be found that the work undertaken by Simeon could scarcely have been finished westward before the eastern part was demolished, either by the fall of the central tower, or by the caprice of the succeeding age, for the purpose of giving place to new architectural efforts ; an act of profusion calculated to excite our surprise, though we must admit that, in opposition to the accounts handed down to us, it cannot easily be controverted. Without, therefore, insisting upon the Saxon origin of a church upon the site of the present cathedral of Ely, I conceive it highly probable that the monkish historians of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, in their zeal to extol the works of the Norman Prelates, have indulged in exaggerations in some instances, which do not furnish the means of detection, as in the case of Winchester, and under this impression I am strongly persuaded that when the buildings of the monastery of Ely were restored by the Abbot Brithnoth, under Ethelwold, Bishop of Winchester, the church of Etheldreda must have been found insufficient for seventy monks, the number stated to have been placed there on this new establishment, and that an enlarged church must necessarily have been included in the extensive buildings erected in consequence of the charter of King Edgar. But whether this edifice was begun by the Anglo-Saxon Ethelwold in the tenth, or by Simeon the Norman, in the eleventh century, it is pretty evident that in either case the cathedral of Winchester was the model for the undertaking ; for we find that in each the choir was terminated by a semicircular apsis, that the transepts were flanked by aisles, both on the east and west sides, (a mode of building not generally adopted at that time in Normandy) but above all, a most singular imitation is to be seen in the arcades of the triforii of the transept ; these in each instance consist of three semicircular arches, two of which in each series are subdivided by a central column, and two small arches within the greater arch, while the third arch of each series towards the north and south extre- mities of the transept remain undivided by such central column and small arches. This arrangement of the arcade at Winchester was evidently the result of well digested design, in consequence of the triforii of the east and west aisles being connected by a spacious platform, supported by groined vaulting, similar to that of the aisles, an arrangement which I am not aware of the existence of in any other cathedral or abbey church whatever. At Ely the triforii of the transepts are connected by narrow galleries running across SIMILARITY BETWEEN ANGLO-SAXON AND NORMAN ARCHITECTURE. 77 the north and south extremities, not as is usual within the thickness of the end walls, but supported on columns and small arches, which probably are not coeval with the original structure ; in this instance, therefore, the builder's adherence to his model of Winchester was incomplete, and the variation in his arcade, without adopting the other part of the design which suggested its propriety in the original, becomes as incongruous as the efforts of those builders of the present day, who forget the wholesome precept, that " Beauty scorns to dwell where use is exil'd." * Now after all that has been said or written upon the ' distinctions ' of Anglo-Saxon and Norman architecture, I believe it will be generally admitted, that as the early archi- tects (who were the ecclesiastics) of both nations obtained the principles of their science alike from the corrupted Roman examples which remained for their contemplation, so it is not reasonable to suppose that any essential difference of style in construction or orna- ment was practised beyond what we may observe in works executed in different parts of this island at any given period. It must be obvious that both nations used contempora- neously single cylindrical columns, as well as semi-columns, or greater portions of cylinders attached to square piers, and various other kinds of columns (and frequently in the same building), that both used occasionally plain or sculptured capitals, both used semicircular arches, and occasionally plain, moulded, and sometimes sculptured archi- volts. When all this is admitted, and when we perceive the great similarity which exists in the churches of Caen, and those of Norwich and Peterborough (the undoubted works of Norman architects in this country), as distinguished from others of more doubtful origin, we shall, in my humble opinion, find good reason to believe that the only difference in Saxon and Norman edifices consists in the quality of workmanship, and the arrange- ment of plan, and that a classification of existing edifices with reference to those parti- culars will lead us to a conclusion that much of the work of the Anglo-Saxon architects yet remains. It is, however, essential to observe, that one important feature in the construction of groined vaults is fairly attributable to the Norman architects: this is the introduction of moulded ribs crossing diagonally under the angles of the groins,f which are thereby considerably strengthened ; and this may probably be recognized as the germ from which the taste of succeeding ages produced the endless examples of tracery preserved in the * It is not intended to render legitimate architectural ornament obnoxious to this principle, nor to insist that the graces of uniformity are always to be obtained without some little sacrifice of convenience, but when pictu- resque irregularity is required, it cannot with propriety be obtained by the introduction of any useless excrescence. f Notwithstanding the introduction of cross ribs is here considered as a Norman improvement, it is not con- tended that the absence of such in ancient vaidts will constitute a proof of Saxon architecture ; and again, though the kind of arch termed " the Horse shoe" (being a figure containing within its curve a greater space than a semicircle) is adopted in the Saxon parts of the lower arcades of the transept of Winchester cathedral, yet it is not certain that Norman builders may not in some instances have adopted the same conceit; and indeed it appears probable that such may have been the case in the abbey church of Romsey, where it must be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to distinguish the Saxon from the Norman parts of the structure. 78 ARRANGEMENTS OF CRUCIFORM CHURCHES. vaulting of our cathedral and abbey churches, and exhibiting subjects justly entitled to our admiration. The introduction of such cross ribs is a striking circumstance in the Norman portions of the transept of Winchester cathedral, as they extend precisely so far as the new work constructed in connection with the tower, while the Saxon groining finishes simply with sharp angles, as in the Roman examples. The groining of the aisles of Norwich cathedral, a decidedly Norman structure, raised in 1096, is of the same description as the latter, but the aisles of Peterborough cathedral, constructed a few years later, viz. 1117, exhibit a perfect example of the cross-ribbed groining similar to the former, and to the churches erected by William at Caen. Another circumstance worthy of observation in the Anglo-Norman churches is the absence of crypts, which we find to be the case at Norwich, Peterborough, Durham, Exeter, and Lincoln. From this T infer, that every English church in which a crypt is found may be considered of Saxon origin, though many of these were unquestionably in parts, to a greater or less extent, rebuilt by Norman ecclesiastics. Amongst these may be included the cathedrals of Winchester, Gloucester,Worcester, and Hereford, as well as the abbey or parish churches of Christ-church, Hants, and St. Peter's in the east, at Oxford. With reference to transepts generally, it is observable that in the great churches, of which the plans are represented in the Architectural Antiquities of Normandy, published by Messrs. Britton and Pugin, no instance occurs of aisles on both sides of the transepts ; we may, therefore, consider the Saxon cathedral of Winchester as the model for a similar arrangement in the other great ecclesiastical edifices in this island, whether of Norman origin, or rebuilt upon Saxon foundations. Of this class are the cathedrals of York, Ely, and Wells, also the abbey church of Westminster, and such was the ancient cathedral of St. Paul, in London. It may be also observed that the churches in Normandy were not constructed with an aisle on one side of the transept so regularly as we find such a practice adopted in the instances of Durham, Peterborough, and Lincoln, which, with the cathedral of Norwich, may be considered as the principal structures of that important class erected by the Normans in this country upon original foundations. By pursuing a little further the consideration of this subject, I am induced to attempt a classification of the several distinct modes of arranging the plans of cruciform churches, and the result may perhaps appear but little less definite than the descriptions given by Vitruvius of the several kinds of temples erected by the ancient Greeks. The obvious arrangement of the series being as follows : 1st. the single transept, as in the ancient abbey church of St. Alban's, the later one of Bath, and the cathedral of Bayeux. 2nd. The transept with a single chapel on the east side of each arm, as the cathedrals of Gloucester, and Exeter, and the church of the Abbaye aux Hommes at Caen, also the abbey churches of Romsey and Christ- church, in Hampshire. 3rd. The transept with a complete eastern aisle, admitting two or three chapels opening to each arm, as the cathedrals of Durham and Peterborough. 4th. The single transept, with an aisle on each side, as the cathedrals of Winchester and Ely. 5th. The double transept, with one or more chapels on the east side of each, as the cathedrals of Canterbury, Lincoln, and Salisbury. These may be considered as the leading characteristics of the several edifices constructed by the Anglo-Normans, and followed by their successors after the introduction of the Pointed style, although it cannot PECULIARITIES OF THE CHURCH AT CHRIST-CHURCH. 79 be asserted that the practice was strictly conformable with this theory, either in England or in Normandy, because it is evident that various adjuncts have, with greater or less display of taste and propriety, been introduced in the execution of the original designs, or from time to time engrafted upon them. Another feature of imposing effect may be here noticed, which appears to have originated with the Saxon rather than the Norman archi- tects : this is the western facade, extending beyond the breadth of the nave and aisles, as in the examples of Lincoln, Ely, and Peterborough, as well as the ancient cathedral of St. Paul, — and for this feature also the prototype may be traced at Winchester, in the remains of a tower on the south, and the foundations of a corresponding tower on the north, advancing forty feet westward from the present entrance of the cathedral, and occupying a space of one hundred and forty feet from north to south. Upon examination of the early native examples of Norman architecture before referred to, the more promi- nent features here described will not be discovered, and, in consequence of that fact, we are naturally led to infer, that although our Saxon ancestors were not quite so far advanced in refinement and practical skill, yet in their ideas of the vast and sublime they were not inferior to their continental neighbours ; nor were the latter so dull as to disregard, nor so bigotted as to despise the hints presented to their contemplation, in the efforts of a less accomplished people. In the application of the above facts to the Church at Christ-church, it should be premised, that our conclusions as to the age of the various parts of the edifice must be drawn from a minute examination of the architectural style of the successive alterations or additions that have been made to it, with reference to the historical circumstances which are known to us, as attending its erection. Now, in conformity with the received opinion that the rebuilding of this church was commenced by Bishop Flambard, (who had probably obtained possession of its revenues before his elevation to the see of Durham *) and in deduction from the circumstances narrated in the second Chapter of the present work, I assume that the whole of the Saxon nave was taken down by Flambard, and that the present nave was erected by him or his successors in the deanery to the height completing the arcades of the triforii ; that he also designed a tower at the intersection of the nave and transept, which was carried on to the completion of the great arches, with a few feet in height above them, and that he also effected considerable repairs and additions to the transept, including the semicircular chapel to each arm, and the highly ornamental exterior of the staircase turret at the north east angle of the transept, in which the extraordinary thickness of wall appears to justify an opinion that the ornamental surface was added to the wall of a structure previously existing. The crypts f under the north and south arms of the transept as well as the western * This was not more than a year before the death of Rufus, and as the disgrace and removal of Flambard from his see followed soon after the accession of Henry, very little progress could have been made in that short period of time. f I have before stated my opinion that crypts are not to be considered as belonging to or forming a necessary part of the arrangement of churches built in England after the tenth century, and in the case before us I think I shall be able to shew, that as no part of Flambard's work extended eastward of the transept, it must follow that 80 ALTERATIONS IN THE AISLES AND TRANSEPT. part of that under the choir, I conceive to be of Saxon origin, the two former being increased by Flambard's semicircular additions, and the latter in part reconstructed at a subsequent period. Another portion of the Saxon church may be traced at the western angle of the aisle south of the nave, where the doorway, which led to the staircase turret, has been filled up. The south wall of this aisle, as well as the south and west walls of the transept, were ornamented with series of small arches under the windows, springing from columns attached to the wall, the remaining capitals of which are rude imitations of the corinthian order, and the bases are equally rude imitations of those denominated " the attic." The other columns attached to the inside of the south wall originally intended to support the transverse archivolts of the aisles, are reduced, both in substance and in height, while those of Flambard's work attached to the piers of the nave retain their substance, but are diminished in height, and the style of their capitals altered, and upon these discordant elements the vaulting of the south aisle is constructed, with arches of the pointed form, distinguished by the addition of transverse and diagonal ribs of the earliest character, these not being moulded, but chamfered only. The windows of this aisle, with the exception of one next to the remains of the western staircase turret, have been altered, though not very regularly, to the simple pointed form. The aisle north of the nave has been subjected to the operations of the early innovator with better success, and it exhibits a curious instance of the liberties, taken with impunity, by the masons of the " olden time" with the works of their predecessors j for here we find the most decisive proof of an entire removal and new facing of both the inner and outer surfaces of the wall, with the addition of buttresses to the outside, and attached columns within, also the enlargement of and alteration of style of the windows, these being composed with a centre mullion, and two pointed subdivision arches, with a circle between them, contained within one pointed arch of the entire span ; the jaumbs of these windows are considerably splayed inwards, and their soffits formed into a sort of groined vault, ornamented with cross ribs springing from the capitals of slender columns, and all this was effected without disturbing the superincumbent wall, in which the small semicircular headed windows of the Saxon triforium are still visible, both on the outside and within, although the apertures have been long since filled up with masonry. The vaulting of this aisle is constructed with chamfered ribs, of lighter proportion than those of the south aisle, rising in pointed arches from the capitals of triple columns attached to the north wall, and from the altered capitals of the Norman columns attached to the north side of the piers of the nave ; these capitals, unlike those of the south aisle, remaining at the original height. the more ancient part of the crypt, under the choir, is part of the arrangement of the Saxon church. I do not, however, subscribe to the opinion of those who imagine that the crypts constructed under the most ancient churches were originally intended for the secret performance of christian worship in times of persecution, since it must be evident, upon due reflection, that little prospect of security could be afforded by such imperfect conceal- ment; but I conceive, that in an age not far removed from the time when christians could not with safety assemble to perform their devotions, except in secret caves, which presented no ostensible mark of appropriation, it might naturally have been considered proper to keep alive the recollection of such persecutions by occasional religious services in places constructed and consecrated for that purpose, when the necessity for secrecy had happily passed away. CONJECTURAL REMARKS ON A CENTRAL TOWER. 81 From all these irregularities, I conclude that the works could not have been carried on together, nor in a continuous course, but at various times when funds could be obtained, and as the taste or skill of the several benefactors may have dictated. It is evident that the progress of the works must have been discontinued some years after the removal of Flambard, but it is quite impossible to determine whether upon its re- sumption the aisles or the nave were the first proceeded with, as perplexing anomalies present themselves in every view of the case. The windows of the clerestory are all composed with a centre mullion, and two pointed sub-division arches contained within one greater pointed arch, but without a circle between, as in the north aisle, which leads us to suppose that the former is the earlier work ; but opposed to this idea we find that preparation was made in building the walls of the clerestory for completing a vaulted ceiling to the nave with ribs of stone, moulded in a superior style, which seems to indicate a more advanced period of the art than the plain chamfered ribs of the aisles as before described. With respect to the choir, and parts eastward of the transept, it hardly admits of a question that they were left by Flambard nearly as he found them, since we now perceive the weather course of stone which covered the junction of the old roof abutting against the eastern wall of the intended tower many feet below the range of the nave roof, also the apertures intended for two eastern windows, in the situation which, had the design been completed, would have constituted the lantern of the choir, according to the prevailing taste of Flambard's time. These apertures are now to be seen opening into the space between the vaulted ceiling, and the timber roof of the choir. This brings me to the consideration of the idea locally entertained of a central tower and spire having, at some remote period, contributed to the importance of the edifice, and that the vaulted ceiling of the nave was destroyed by its fall. This idea we find to be founded upon a long-received tradition, and there are certainly appearances which have a strong tendency to confirm such a belief. Amongst these I observe that the timber roof of the nave is of a description different from what would have been used at so early a period as that when it is reasonable to suppose the nave must have been covered, viz. about the end of the twelfth century, but that it accords much better with the style of the western tower, which may with confidence be ascribed to the early part of the fifteenth century. It may on the other hand be observed that there is evidence of a higher roof having preceded that now existing, the traces of which are to be seen on the eastern side of the western tower, as well as in the gable wall which presents an unfinished appearance above the roof at the eastern part of the nave, and from this it may, with some degree of reason, be argued that the eastern gable, as it appears in the views, Plates II. and III., was the original termination of the nave, and that, consequently, no central tower or spire could have occupied that situation. To all this I answer first, — that if we institute a fair comparison of the durability of timber roofing, we shall find good reason to conclude that the lapse of two hundred, or at most two hundred and fifty years would not have rendered the renewal of the roof of such a building necessary, if no accident had happened to destroy it ; secondly, that the M 82 ARCHITECTURAL NOTICES OF THE NORTH PORCH. present roof is composed principally of timbers, which formed the roof corresponding with the slope of the gable wall now rising above it, the roof being reconstructed with the addition of tie beams, in consequence of some decay of the parts connected with the walls and gutters ; and thirdly, we may refer to the moulded stone ribs, which, before the construction of the present ceiling, in the year 1819, were seen rising to the height of four or five feet from the capitals of the columns in the nave, to which we may add, that there, is positive indication of the stone staircase by which we ascend from the clerestory of the transept into the roof of the nave, at the north-west angle of the supposed tower, having been at some time continued to a greater height than that at which it now terminates. Now, after deliberate consideration of all these matters, I much incline to the opinion, that towards the end of the twelfth century, or perhaps somewhat later, the nave was vaulted with stone, and that the central tower begun by Flambard was continued, and surmounted with a spire, (probably not of stone) which, either through some casualty of tempest, or it may be, weakness of structure, fell upon the roof, and destroyed or so much injured the vaulted ceiling as to render its removal necessary. After this calamity, I imagine the shattered walls of the central tower were reduced on three sides to the height we now find them, and that the east side was rebuilt to form the gable end to the new roof, the timbers of which, excepting the part over the intersection of the nave and transept, which evidently required a ceiling of a different character, were wrought, moulded, and painted, a mode of finishing that would not have been adopted nor required, if the restoration of the vaulted ceiling had been contemplated. The next member of the edifice which, in chronological order, claims our notice, is the porch on the north side ; this appendage exhibits a specimen of the degree of elegance to which the pointed style of architecture had arrived by the latter part of the twelfth century ; its situation, as an ostensible entrance towards the town, in which we find no record of any other church, induces a supposition, that it originally answered the purposes of a parish church, as well as those of the monastic establishment. The archway of entrance, as well as that leading into the church, are examples worthy of imitation in such compositions as may admit of their application in the present age, and the remains of the vaulted ceiling cannot fail to excite in our minds lively feelings of regret for its destruction, as we cannot suppose it to have been left in an unfinished state by its original builder ; indeed the accuracy and high finish of the parts remaining amount to an assurance that this ceiling was at some time complete.* It must, however, be observed, that the upper portion of the porch is designed in a style less ornamental * The finished state of the moulded ribs meeting upon the capitals as they were seen in the nave before the restoration of the ceiling, and as those in the porch are still to be seen, will, it is presumed, justify this conclusion; but if corroboration was required, it may be obtained by reference to the unfinished portions of the western aisles north and south of the tower, where the elements of similar springings upon the capitals remain in the first stage of preparation, by which it appears that the practice of the masons of the middle age was not to complete mouldings in the first instance, but to continue the lines of the ribs down to the capitals in the block of stone pre- pared for that purpose when the work was in a more advanced state, and when any crippling of the curves could easily be corrected or avoided. ORATORIES : ALTAR AND CHOIR SCREEN : WESTERN TOWER. 83 than any other part of the church, nor is it very obvious for what purpose it could have been intended. In many instances of parochial churches, an apartment over the porch was provided as a place wherein to deposit the records and other muniments belonging to the parish, as we find particularly mentioned of the church of St. Mary Redcliff, at Bristol, and we have good reason to suppose that of St. Peter's in the east, at Oxford, to have been designed for a similar use ; both of these are of a character far superior to this of Christ- church, the incongruous height of which I believe few persons of taste will consider as advantageous to the general effect of the edifice ; the intrusive elevation of this feature must therefore be considered as resulting from necessary economy in providing room for some required purpose, and this, it is most reasonable to suppose, must have been for a bell chamber and belfry previous to the building of the present western tower, as it will be recollected that central towers were not originally appropriated to that use, but were kept open as a lantern to the choir, and the situation and diminutive width of the windows of this singular structure afford strong grounds for a belief that it could not have been useful for any other purpose. In tracing the progress of the successive improvements or additions engrafted upon the original edifice, we may, with a tolerable degree of certainty, distinguish the relative order of the series, though we cannot, with equal confidence, fix the precise dates of the several variations of style without the aid of historical information. We might, however, derive some assistance from the few heraldic notices and initials still preserved, but, omitting that branch of enquiry, we may observe an early inno- vation upon the Norman arrangement, by the alteration of the semicircular chapels of the transept, which seems to have been intended for their appropriation as oratories, probably by some of the de Redvers' family, about the early part of the thirteenth century : those works exhibit some elegancies of detail, but in exterior appearance they are little less offensive than the disproportionate port-loft before noticed. The altar screen I consider to be a work of the same century, though several years later, as both the style of the sculpture, and the architectural composition prove it to be of an earlier date than the portion of the fabric in which it is now placed, it was, therefore, most likely taken down, and reinstated upon the rebuilding of the choir. The screen supporting what was the rood loft, displays such a diversity in its composition as would, if executed in the present age, subject it to the censure of being a combination of the styles of different ages, from that of the first of the Edwards to the last of the Henries, it may, therefore, be cited as a proof that the architects of " the olden time" were not in every instance confined so strictly as some suppose to the generally-prevailing fashion of their day. The additions north and south of the western aisles I consider to be the next work proceeded with, and I am of opinion that these were undertaken previous to the western tower, as there are palpable indications of archways of communication between those portions of the aisles and the space now occupied by that tower, while the north and south sides of the tower itself are built of perfect masonry, having no indication of corresponding archways, which would not have been the case if the tower had been 84 st. Michael's loft and lady chapel. contemplated as part of the design for extending the building westward. It is, therefore, most likely that a western porch or galilee formerly occupied the situation of the present western tower. Upon the western face of this tower one of the shields, ornamenting the arch of entrance, exhibits the bearings, quarterly, of the arms of Montague and Monthermer; now, as the alliance of these noble families did not take place till near the end of the fourteenth century, we have a satisfactory proof that it was not erected before that period, and the chaste style of its architecture affords sufficient reason to conclude that it is not a work of much later date. The eastern extremity of the edifice forms the next subject for our enquiry ; and here we encounter some difficulty in ascertaining the purpose for which the apartment called St. Michael's Loft, over the Lady chapel, could have been erected. Its windows, certainly, have more of the domestic than of the ecclesiastic character ; it is, however, obvious that it once contained an altar, which was probably dedicated to St. Michael, as the apartment still retains that name. It has very much the appearance of being an addition raised upon the Lady chapel at a period subsequent to the erection of that part of the edifice. Some, however, are of opinion that both were included in the same design, and it has been thought that grounds for such an opinion may be derived from the great projection of the angle buttresses, which must have been considered as strikingly disproportionate to a structure less lofty than that of which they now form sufficiently prominent features. Had it not been asserted at the time of the surrender of the priory to the commissioners of Henry the Eighth, that the library was found to contain only one book, it might have been reasonably concluded that this room comprised the library and scriptorium. Until lately, and during many years, it was used as a parish school, for which it is well adapted; but it is doubtful whether such could have been its original appropriation, when it is observed that there was no access to it except through the church, the present entrance to the staircase on the north side being evidently cut through the wall, and the doorway from the church walled up. The Lady chapel, with its two wings now forming the eastern continuation of the choir aisles, were unquestionably built previous to the erection of the present choir and its aisles ; which is rendered evident, not only by the junction of the masonry, but by the window, or rather doorway, discoverable in what was the west wall of the Lady chapel, in a situation now between the vaulted ceiling of that edifice, and the floor of St. Michael's Loft, as shewn in the Longitudinal Section, Plate V., and it is further evident that the present choir-building must have been erected previous to St. Michael's Loft, inasmuch as it is found that a continuation of the height of the wall last mentioned formed upon the rebuilding of the choir the eastern wall of that part of the church, in which wall another window or doorway is found between the vaulted ceiling and roof at the place seen in the same section. Now to connect this theory of the progress of the structure, we must observe that the facing of the part of the wall first mentioned is to- wards the west, and that of the second part is towards the east, forming an outward face before the additional story was raised upon the Lady chapel, to be dedicated to St. Michael. It now remains to speak of that part of the fabric containing the choir and its crypt REMARKS ON THE EASTERN PART OF THE CHURCH. 85 which I have before observed could not have formed any part of Flambard's work, unless we suppose that he commenced his operations in this part of the edifice upon a scale inferior to that afterwards adopted for the nave, which I cannot consider to have been the case. It is however difficult to imagine that a Saxon structure could have remained for the choir until so late a period as that which the style of the present erection indicates. We must, therefore, during the absence of historical data, remain in ignorance of whatever changes this portion may have undergone. It is highly probable that in its original state the eastern termination was semicircular, and that the aisle did not con- tinue round that part, an arrangement which afforded the means of giving light to the original crypts, which- we may be assured must have extended considerably further eastward than the low and ancient part shewn in the Longitudinal Section, Plate V. : if such an arrangement had not been adopted, no light could have been admitted into this crypt, and I know of no instance of a crypt without such provision originally, although some have been deprived of it by the subsequent addition of aisles, and such was pro- bably the case at Christ-church, before this crypt was ingeniously restored by partial reconstruction, giving to it increased height, and thereby acquiring the means of admitting light from the aisles, and in consequence adding to the dignity of the altar by increased elevation.* The architectural style and arrangement of this eastern part of the edifice (if we except the additional story forming St. Michael's Loft) presents a composition which, for elegance of design, and delicacy of execution, we rarely see surpassed. Nor is it less entitled to our admiration, when we consider it as a combination of efforts evidently not contemplated in one original design, but adapted to circumstances in continuous suc- cession probably throughout the greater part of the fifteenth century, the era which pro- duced its kindred examples, the divinity school at Oxford, and the chapel of St. George at Windsor. We find a confirmation of this opinion in the fact that several of the monuments and sepulchral chantries erected within this portion of the edifice proclaim by their inscriptions a date subsequent to that above assigned ; and such as are not distinguished by inscriptions exhibit in their architectural design and ornament an evident departure from the elegant and pure style of the building in which they are contained. And here it may be observed that the sumptuous chapel prepared for her interment by the Countess of Salisbury, (most likely several years before her cruel exe- cution) is one of the early instances of the mixture of the Italian style with the archi- tecture so long cherished in this country, by which the latter was deteriorated, and for a long interval consigned to opprobrium. The transept of this, like those of most other churches possessing such a feature, contains, as I have before stated, some remains of the very highest antiquity ; it has, during the long term of its existence, undergone alterations quite impossible to be traced * I have in my foregoing observations dwelt rather largely upon the subject of Saxon architecture, in which I am aware that you concur with me, both as respects Christ-church and Winchester, the evidences of which, in the Cathedral of the latter place, are so palpable, that very few persons with whom I have conversed upon the spot now doubt the extreme antiquity of that interesting structure. 86 PRESUMED DATES OF THE LADY CHAPEL AND CHOIR. in a connected series, it is, however, evident that some of these are of very remote date, and some were probably in progress at the time of the Reformation, particularly the ceiling of the south arm, which continued in an unfinished state from the time of the last Prior Draper,* until the year 1820, when the dilapidated fragment was removed for the purpose of effecting a necessary repair, and rendering the entire transept available for the accommodation of the inhabitants, and increasing the utility of the structure as a parish church. That the entire fabric may be restored to its original beauty, and be long preserved for its sacred purposes is the sincere wish of, My dear Sir, Yours most faithfully, W. Garbett. Without entering into the questions thus argumentatively discussed in Mr. Garbett's valuable paper, I shall here advert to a few circumstances which may lead us to assign a more specific era for the erection of the Choir and the Lady chapel than has been hitherto assumed. That there is " so strong an architectural resemblance between those portions of the building as to render it evident that both were erected at nearly the same period," has been stated already ;f and also, that the Choir is designed " in that peculiar branch of the Pointed style which modern investigators have distinguished by the epithet of perpendicular ."J Now it has been fully ascertained that this mode of building became generally prevalent in the reign of Richard the Second, and, with some alterations in the decorative forms, continued in use until the Tudor age. Our range, however, between these dates is much limited by the will of Sir Thomas West, which orders " his body to be laid in the New Chapel in the minster at Christ-church," and gives " to the work of that church one hundred pounds. "§ There cannot be a doubt but that the New chapel here mentioned is the Lady Chapel; which, as the will bears date in April, 1405, (6th of Henry IV.) must have been at that time recently finished. In regard to the " work of the church," we may fairly assume that those words refer to such parts of the building as were then in progress ; and most probably to the Choir and its aisles ; which, although commenced in the reign of Richard the Second, could not, according to this hypothesis, have been completed until that of his successor. That they had been far advanced, how- ever, may be inferred from the initial letters and heraldic insignia which appear on the vaultings ; and may be considered as evidence that the eastern parts of the church were * The fact that this portion of the vaulted ceiling was constructed at so late a period as that during which Prior Draper presided appears to be established by the initials displayed upon the bosses, and the similarity of the tracery to that of the Lady Chapel, to which I have before assigned an earlier date, shews that the taste of the Prior preferred (where it was practicably attainable) uniformity to innovation of style. We do not, however, perceive a correspondent practice in the design or execution of the sepulchral monuments, since those on the nortli and south sides of the Lady Chapel, also one in the aisle north of the choir, exhibit a mixture indicative of the revolution in architectural taste then evidently approaching. f Vide ante, 69. % Ibid, p. 49. § Ibid, p. 70. LEGENDS RELATING TO CHRIST-CHURCH. 87 erected, principally, by the munificence of the great and warlike family of the Monta- cutes, Earls of Salisbury. We have seen that the manor of Christ-church was granted to William, first Earl of Salisbury, early in the reign of Edward the Third ; but as that nobleman died in the year 1344, the style of the architecture of the Choir will not admit of its erection being assigned to his age. It exactly corresponds, however, with that of his son and successor, the second earl, who was also named William ; and to whom, and to Elizabeth, his wife, (the eldest daughter of John, Lord Mohun, of Dunster) we refer the initials QxLl* and (0 f which are twice repeated on the bosses of the vaulting, — those on the central line being inclosed within the Montacute knot. This earl died in the year 1397, and was succeeded by his grand nephew, Sir John de Montacute, who quartered the Monthermer arms with his own, in right of his mother, the heiress of that family ; and his arms so marshalled are displayed on one of the bosses, as described in a preceding page. Earl John was decapitated in 1400, and his possessions were declared forfeited ; but as Elizabeth, the widow of the second earl, remained seised of the manor of Christ-church, (with other valuable estates, most probably held in dower) until her decease in the thirteenth year of Henry the Fourth, we may assume that she continued, even in her widowhood, to supply funds for proceeding with the building which her husband had begun. The initials which appear on one of the bosses, may possibly refer to the last-mentioned king, in whose reign both the Choir and the Lady Chapel would seem to have been fully completed. According to tbe legends which in the olden times were admitted into the traditionary creed of the common people, the foundations of this Church were originally laid on the adjacent eminence, called St. Catherine's Hill ; but all the labour was in vain, for whatever materials had been placed there over-night, were found removed to the present situation in the morning. Perseverance was useless, and it was therefore determined to erect the Church upon the spot which had been thus supernaturally indicated. The building was proceeded with ; and it was remarked that its progress was expedited by the labours of a supernumerary workman ; although at the times of refreshment, and at the pay- table, only the stated number appeared. By his assistance, every thing pros- pered until the fabric was nearly completed, when, on raising a large beam to a particular situation in the roof, where it was intended to be fixed, it was found to be too short : no remedy appearing, and the night coming on, the embarrassed workmen retired to their dwellings. On returning to the Church the ensuing morning, they became speechless with surprise, on discovering that 88 ANCIENT SEALS OF THE PRIORS. the beam had not only been placed in its right position, but was now a foot longer than was requisite ! On recovering their tongues, it was agreed, that no other than Our Saviour could have thus assisted them ; — and hence, concludes the legend, the edifice was dedicated to Christ.* We have evidence that, at different periods, the Prior and Canons of Christ- church had, at least, two Seals ; a delineation of the earliest of which is shewn in Plate IV., Fig. 2. It represents (arranged within a circle) the west end and transept of a cruciform church, which has round towers at the angles, and a low square tower, (surmounted by a conical roof, ribbed) rising above the central in- tersection. Around, in the outer circle, is the following inscription : — SIGILLV. ECCLESEE . TRINITATIS . DE . TOINHAM. This Seal, which is in very fine preservation, is attached to a short deed, or grant, now in the Duchy- Court of Lancaster, by which Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, gives to the Canons of Christ-church Twynham, in pure and perpetual alms, certain lands held of the said earl, in villenage, in Kingston and Holte, together with the natives and their chattels, &c, to find two Chaplains to celebrate Divine Service in the chapels of the Earl's court, at Kingston. It bears date on the 18th of March, in the fourteenth of Edward the First ; and may consequently be assigned to the year 12 86. In the same Office, and of exactly the same date, is another Instrument, by which the Prior and Convent of Christ-church Twining, remised to Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, all their right in John de la Bere, and his son John and suite ; together with the tenement which he held in the manor of Kingston. The other Seal, which has been described by Madox, in his " Formulare Anglicanum," was attached to an Indenture of the seventeenth of Edward the Second, (anno 1323) by which Walter, Abbot of Quarr, in the Isle of Wight, demised to Edmund, Prior of Christ-church Twynham, and his Convent, a messuage in La Mulle Stret, in the town of Christ-church, together with some meadows, and a mill in La Throp, &c. at the annual rent of twelve pounds * The miraculous beam was long pointed out as an object of wonder to occasional visitants ; though, unfortunately for the credit of the story, its situation is in that part of the roof which sur- mounts the ambulatory; and, consequently, it could have formed no part of the original Church: during the late alterations, the opening through which the beam could be seen was closed up. SEALS ; AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 89 sterling. This indenture is still in the Duchy Office, but the seal is gone. Madox describes it in these words : — " It has the word Indentura in large and elegant capitals, cut through indentwise. A round seal of green wax, about two inches and a half large, upon strings : and is engraven with a church, and inscribed in the outer circle— SIGILLVM XPI' DE TWOYNHAM. The other seal, for there had been two, is lost."* The latter seal, as may be inferred from the deed itself, was that of the Abbot and Convent of Quarr Abbey. This living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Winchester, and the presentation is vested in the dean and chapter of that see. In the king's books it is rated at £16, but the sum paid to the vicar, as appears from a return made to the Commissioners for building new churches, on April 28th, 1826, is £92 : viz. £26 by the Dean and Chapter of Winchester, and £66 " from the tithe," by the lay rector. The present lay rector is the Earl of Malmesbury. Many of the crew of the Halsewell East-Indiaman, Captain Pierce, which was wrecked upon the Purbeck rocks, near Portland, in January, 1786, were buried in this church-yard. Among them were Captain Pierce and one daughter ; the son of Admiral Webber ; and Miss Blackburn, — memorials have been erected for the two latter persons. * Vide " Form." marked cclv, p. 164 : but according to the order of enumeration, it ought to have been cclxxv. For the liberty of inspecting the above deeds, the writer is indebted to the kindness of F. D. Danvers, Esq., the present Registrar of the Duchy Court. Among the ancient records in the Duchy Office, there is also the Cyrograph of an agreement between William de Roumare, (called Romara in our Peerages) and the Prior and Convent of Christ-church, whereby the said William grants to them a yearly rent of fifty shillings, payable as long as Burgesia, the sister of Walter Brewer, shall live ; towards the support of the said Burgesia, whom the Prior and Convent had then under their care. — This instrument is without a date, but from the character of the writing, it may be assigned to the middle part of the twelfth century. William de Roumare founded the abbey of Revesly, in Lincolnshire, in the year 1142, (seventh of King Stephen) at which time he bore the title of Earl of Lincoln. He married a daughter of Richard de Redvers, or Ripariis, (first Earl of Devon) and hence, possibly, his connection with Christ-church ; the lordship and hundred of which, with the Isle of Wight, and other possessions of great extent, had been granted to Redvers in the preceding reign. CONVENTUAL BUILDINGS — REFECTORY ; PRIOll's ORATORY ; STONE COFFINS ; APOSTLE SPOONS ; PRIORY LODGE — CHRIST-CHURCH CASTLE : ITS OWNERS, AND ANCIENT AND PRESENT STATE — BOROUGH SEAL OF CHRIST-CHURCH LAZAR- HOUSE VISIT OF EDWARD VI. — SALMON FISHERY HENGISTBURY HEAD. The Conventual Buildings were situated immediately to the southward of the Church, within a spacious quadrangular area, bounded on the southern and eastern sides by a water-course, called the Little Stream; upon which, at the south-west point of the inclosure, the water mill that anciently belonged to the canons of Christ-church is situated. With the exception, however, of a strongly-built stone edifice, considered to be the entrance Lodge, not any of the priory offices are now standing, and their respective sites can be only imper- fectly guessed at. When the priory estate was purchased by the late Gustavus Brander, Esq. about seventy years ago, that gentleman erected a modern dwelling-house and conservatory upon a part of the site of the demolished buildings, and being desirous, — as he himself states, in a communication made to the Society of Antiquaries, in January, 1775, — "of obtaining the Lchnography of that venerable ruin," he caused the rubbish to be " carefully removed from the foundations, and was thus " enabled very clearly to trace out the plan and arrangement of the whole building, and to ascertain, in a great measure, the appropriation of the several principal parts, how they were disposed, and what their respective form and size." Unfortunately, he neglected to specify any other particulars in his communication than are comprised in the subjoined extract ; and it is supposed that his notes are now lost. REFECTORY, AND PRIOr's ORATORY. 91 " The Refectory is a room thirty-six feet long by twenty wide. On the east side was a doorway, leading into an interior apartment, which measured twenty feet by eighteen, with two gothic windows in it to the south. The walls here were at least five feet thick, and in the easternmost of the two windows was fixed a large stone of pentagonal figure, excavated and perforated in the centre. Its use, I suppose, was to hold water for sacred or other purposes ; and the hole to draw it off, and discharge it occasionally. This room, I should imagine, was the Prior's oratory. At the distance of two feet from the doorway, within the room, I observed a square flat stone, two feet, nine inches long by two wide, carefully cemented with lead into the adjoining pavement, having all the appearance of a grave-stone. Curiosity alone prompted me to examine the contents, to see what might be the reason for such singular caution in securing them. You must conceive what was my surprise, when, on the opening, I found it to be only a repository of birds' bones, to the amount of at least half a bushel, and these of herons, bitterns, cocks and hens, [domestic fowls] many of which had long spurs, and mostly well preserved. The cavity was about two feet deep, and lined at the bottom and round the sides with square stones."* From the singularity of this interment, conjoined with the known fact of a religious foundation existing here in the Saxon times, Mr. Brander thought it warrantable to conjecture that the site of the priory had been occupied by a Pagan temple, which was " afterwards converted to Christian uses." In another paper on the subject, written by the Rev. Samuel Pegge,'|~ several instances are cited of similar reputed conversions of Heathen Temples into places for Christian worship ; and the farther conjecture is advanced — from a consideration of the high regard which the Romans had for their Auspicia, — that the bones of fowls discovered at Christ-church had been deposited there " by the romanizing Britons, (or " Belgce, who soon became romanised by adopting all the religious practices of their conquerors,") before their conversion to Christianity. "J In excavating for the foundations of Mr. Brander's house, (which is now * Archaeologia, vol. iv. p. 118. The late well-known antiquary, Thomas Astle, Esq. F.R.S. and S.A. was present at this discovery. t Ibid, pp. 414—420. % Ibid, pp. 419, 420. 92 APOSTLE SPOONS — PRIORY LODGE. occupied as a superior boarding establishment for the education of young ladies) the workmen dug up three very rudely-formed stone Coffins, some account of which was communicated to the Society of Antiquaries, by the Rev. Samuel Pegge, in November, 1777.* They were each constructed of not fewer than ten or eleven blocks of stone, forming a kind of trough, but without a bottom : a semicircular cavity for the reception of the head had been wrought in each of the upper stones, but it does not appear, from the account, whether either of them had any top, or covering stone. Mr. Pegge considered them to be, at least, of as early a date as the " fourth century," and as affording an additional proof " that Twytiham was a place very anciently settled." At a subsequent period, and within the limits of the priory demesne, but of a date long posterior to its dissolution, three Apostle Spoons were found, of the size and form represented in Plate XVII., Fig. 1., &c. in which front and back views are given of the upper ends of each spoon. The figures are considered to be those of the Virgin Mary ; our Saviour ; and St. Peter. The Priory Lodge (now occupied as the Miller's House), appears, from the style of its architecture, and from the initials, J* which are sculptured on the terminations of the window labels, to have been erected when John Draper, the second of the name, was prior of that foundation. Whilst repairing this lodge in May, 1831, the following lines were discovered on the eastern wall of the upper room, (which had possibly been used as a private chapel) together with the Lord's Prayer, inscribed in characters of the sixteenth century : — The World must end, all things away must fly ; Nothing more sure than Death, for all must die ; See then that you improve the days you have, For there's no work, nor counsell in the Grave. Some remains of the wall which enclosed the conventual offices are yet standing ; and without it, on the south-east, is a meadow still called the Convent Garden ; in a field adjoining to which, are the vestiges of several stews, or fish-ponds. Another trace of this establishment mav be found in a * Vide " Archgeologia," vol. v. pp. 224—229. CHRIST-CHURCH CASTLE : ITS SUPPOSED ORIGIN. 93 pleasant walk, by the side of the above stream, called Paradise, now used as a place of recreation by the scholars of Christ-church school. The Castle at Christ-church is situated at a short distance, northward, from the Church, and its exterior precincts almost adjoin to the church-yard. Nothing can be satisfactorily ascertained of the origin of this fortress, but the probability is that it was built by the Saxons at an early period ; as we learn from the " Saxon Chronicle," that on the accession of Edward the Elder, in the year 901, his cousin-german Ethelwold, " rode against [or subdued] the towns of Winburn, and Twineham, without leave of the King and his Council."* It may possibly, therefore, have been a place of strength even then, although not calculated to withstand a siege, for Ethelwold immediately retreated to Winburn, on the advance of Edward from the west. Norden, speaking of Christ-church, says, — " At this place was a most auncient Castle, though now much defaced, builded by Edward, surnamed the Elder, — which hath thereunto annexed many seignories, and sundry lordships held of it, and ought to perform thereunto great services. "f Upon what authority this is stated does not appear ; but the most extensive list on record of the fees, and parts of fees, which appertained to the " Honour and Castle of Christ-church Twynham," is inserted on the escheat rolls of the tenth of Henry the Fourth, from the inquisition made respecting the property then under for- feiture of Thomas de Montacute, fourth Earl of Salisbury ;J and which had belonged to John de Montacute, the third earl, who was beheaded at Ciren- cester, in January, 1400. In the confirmatory charter granted to the Dean and Canons of Christ-church, by Baldwin de Redvers, second Earl of Devon, the fossatum Castelli, — the Castle moat, — is twice mentioned in connection with lands at Christ-church apper- taining to the priory. § The wardship of the Castle (with that of the manors of * Vide Ingram's " Saxon Chronicle," &c. p. 124: 4to. 1823. See also Chap. I. pp. 2 and 3, of the present work. f " Chorigraphical Description of the several Shires and Islands," &c. 4to. 1595. X The estates thus enumerated, (thirty-six in all) are comprised within the counties of Somerset, Dorset, and Berks. Vide " Cal. Inquis. Post Mortem," vol. iii. pp. 326 and 327. § Vide Appendix, No. II. p. 4. 94 SUCCESSIVE OWNERS OF THE CASTLE. Lymington, Edbrighton, and Bronmore) was for some years in the reign of Edward the First, entrusted to John Bardolf, who, in the eighth of Edward the Second, petitioned parliament for redress, in respect to an unsettled account for charges, &c. relating to the said wardship which he had rendered to the exchequer.* In the fourth of Edward the Third, Sir Thomas West, K.B., who was related by marriage to the Montacutes, (to whom this property had been then recently granted) was made Governor of the Castle of Christ-church. In the eighteenth of the same reign, William de Montacute, first Earl of Salisbury, died possessed of this castle, together with the borough and hundred ;f but the castle and manor appear to have been parcel of the dowry of Katherine, his wife, daughter of William, Lord Grandison, who died seised of the same in the twenty-third of Edward the Third, anno 1349. J William, second Earl of Salisbury, (who was one of the founders of the Order of the Garter) may possibly have died in this fortress, as his last will " bears date at Christ-church Twyneham, April 20, 1397 :"§ his decease occurred on the 3rd of June following. The castle, borough, and hundred of Christ-church, as well as the various fees in Somersetshire, which were held by military service of this castle, (together with their tenants) are enumerated with his other estates in the inquisitions post mortem of the same year.|| Although all the possessions of the Earls of Salisbury became forfeited to the crown by the attainder of John, the third earl, (on the failure of the ill-advised conspiracy to restore the deposed King Richard) yet Elizabeth, the widow of the second earl, appears to have been seised of the castle and hundred of Christ-church, with the fees appertaining to the same, in the second year of Henry the Fifth, together with other considerable estates belonging to the earldom,^" — which, it is probable, had been assigned to her in dower. In the ninth of Henry the Sixth, as may be gathered from the escheats, this castle was * See Rotuli Pari. vol. i. p. 339, b. % Ibid, 23rd Edw. III. sec. pars, No. 88. f Escheats, 18th Edw. III. No. 51. § Collins's Peerage, vol. ii. p. 64 : edit. 1779. Ex Regist. Arundel, vol. i. 159, a. || Escheats, 20th Rich. II. No. 35 : whence it appears that the earl's possessions were immense. f Escheats, 2nd Hen. V. No. 39. BARONIAL HALL OF RICHARD DE REDVERS. 95 tenanted by William Bydike, Esq., and Alicea his wife :* but in the thirtieth of the same reign, the hundred, castle, and borough of Christ-church, were granted to Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury, and his countess Alice, for twelve years, at the annual rent of a red rose, as stated in a preceding chapter. In the reign of Richard the Third, the offices of Constable of the Castle, and Steward of the Lordship or Manor of Christ-church and Ringwold, were granted to John Hoton, Esquire of the King's Body, for the term of his life ; and he had also the custody of the park called the New Park, parcel of the manor when it was in the New Forest.f Among the annual civil and military expenses of the government under Queen Elizabeth, is included this item: — " Christ-church, Hantshire, Constable of the Castle : fee, £8. Os. 9d"% The castle demesne is now the joint property of the Right Hon. Sir G. H. Rose, and Sir G. I. Tapps, Bart, it having descended from the time of James the First in the same course as the manor of the borough of Christ-church. The most ancient part of this fortress is the keep, which is a small artificial mount of earth, whereon stand some massive ruins of a square tower, that originally inclosed an area of about twenty-eight feet. From the keep, a line of buildings (now destroyed) extended, eastward, to a distance of about one hundred yards, at which point, on the verge of a small stream, § are the ruins of the castellated Baronial Hall, of the De Redvers' family, the erection of which is attributed to the first earl of that name, who obtained the grant of Christ- * Escheats, 9th Hen. VI. No. 35. f Harl. MSS. No. 433, fol. 35, b. Art. 302. | Collect, of Ordinances, &c. for the Govt, of the Royal Household, printed for the Soc. of Antiquaries, 1790, p. 266. From a survey, quoted by Grose, made in October, 1656, relating to this castle, (which was probably entirely dismantled about that time) it appears that Sir Henry Wallop, (the second of that name) had been High Constable : it also includes the following memo- randum: " The Constable of the Castle, or his deputy, upon the apprehension of any felon within the liberty of Westowing, to receive the said felon, and convey to the justice, and to the said jail, at his own proper costs and charges ; or otherwise, the tything-man to bring the said felon and chain him to the castle-gate, and there to leave him." § This is the same stream that supplied the Conventual offices with water, and on which the Priory mill is situated. 96 BARONIAL HALL OF RICHARD DE REDVEIIS. church from Henry the First. Its form is that of a right angled parallelogram ; and on the south-east side is an attached tower, extending into the stream, and under which the water flows. From the luxuriant masses of ivy which envelope and festoon these ruins, they have attained a highly picturesque character, but their architectural interest has been greatly deteriorated by the same cause ; although it is evident that much of the destruction here apparent has been purposely effected. The length of the building from north to south, is seventy-one feet ; its breadth is twenty-four feet ; the walls, which were originally neatly faced with small squared stones, are different in thickness ; those on the east and south sides measuring five feet two inches thick, and those on the west and north only four feet three inches. The roof has been wholly destroyed, but the south gable, with a circular window, is nearly entire. Near the middle, on the east side, was a large fire-place, wrought into the main walls, and surmounted by a pro- jecting chimney, which still remains. This is one of the earliest instances of a regular chimney that exists in this country, and it must be regarded as a very curious specimen of Anglo-Norman masonry. In most of our old castles, the issue for the smoke was by an aperture in the wall, at a few feet above the fire- place, as at Rochester, &c. ; but here, the vent is continued through a cylin- drical shaft of stone, to above the summit of the building, as shewn in the annexed view. On the ground floor are several loop-holes, formed by a wide semicircular recess within, but contracting by degrees to a chink. At the south-east and north-east angles, are traces of staircases, that ascended from the basement to the principal floor, which appears to have been occupied as a single state apartment. The windows, though differing in size, are similar in form : each consisting of two semicircular-headed divisions, separated by a central shaft, and surmounted by a large semicircular arch ; and thus furnishing instances of incipient tracery. The large arches are diversified by the zig-zag and billet mouldings ; and occasionally ornamented with rosettes. The window at the north end was highly decorated ; and its external arch is enriched with zig-zag mouldings, rising from small columns. There appears to have been three entrances to this mansion, one of which opened immediately to the water. BOROUGH SEAL HOSPITAL FOR LEPERS. 97 The Seal of this borough, as used by the Corporation, is represented in Plate IV., Fig» 3. It exhibits a figure of Our Saviour, seated on a low throne, within a gothic niche : his right hand is upheld as in the act of benediction, and in his left hand are the holy writings. The surrounding legend is as follows : — SI : COMVNE : VILLE : XPI : ECCLIE : TWINEH'M. Near Bargate, in the northern part of Christ-church, there anciently stood a small " lazar-house," or Hospital for Lepers* dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen ; but the building has been long destroyed, and its exact site is not known. The revenues of this foundation, which arise from small pieces of land, some cottages and garden grounds, and amount to about £30 yearly, are applied to charitable uses. Mr. Benjamin Ferrey, Sen., the present master of the Hos- pital, who succeeded the late Robert Reeks, Esq. was appointed by the mayor and burgesses of Christ-church, on the 12th of February, 1825. Neither Dugdale nor Tanner have noticed this Hospital. Among the few historical events of importance known to be connected with this town, was the short sojourn here of Edward the Sixth, in August, 1552, whilst on a progress for the recovery of his health. His letter to Barnaby Fitz- patrick, his favourite companion, detailing some particulars of the journey, was dated from Christ-church on the 22nd of the above month. It is probable that, on this occasion, the king became an inmate at the Castle, as there was no other building in the town which could have been adapted for the reception of a royal guest. ~\ Much employment, in former times, was afforded to the labouring classes of * Frequent mention is recorded of the quantity of salmon with which the rivers Stour and Avon abounded in former times ; the prevalence of leprosy at that period may therefore have been occa- sioned by the inhabitants partaking too freely of fish as part of their diet, hence we may fairly con- clude the disorder originated, and by its virulence led to the erection of this " lazar-house" as a recep- tacle for its victims. A remarkable fact connected with this subject is seen in the restrictions imposed upon masters receiving apprentices in this town under its charities, by which the former were bound not to permit the youths entrusted to their care, to eat "red fish" oftener than at stated times therein specified. f Warner, citing Warton's " Hist, of Engl. Poetry," states that " Hen. VII. visited this town several times ;" yet this is a mere assumption, the author cited making no mention whatever, of Christ-church. O 98 SALMON FISHERY — HENGISTBURY HEAD. this town, by the Salmon Fishery, which was carried on in Christ-church Bay, and which, according to Warner, (though on what authority is not stated) yielded to the lord of the manor a nett revenue "of £1000 per annum." The most productive spot was Clay Pool, where the streams unite of the Avon and Stour rivers, about a quarter of a mile to the south of Christ-church ; and " at this place," says the above writer," when a school-boy, I once saw ninety-five salmon taken at one draught."* The fishery is now reduced to a mere shadow of its former importance. HENGISTBURY HEAD. [The remarks on this promontory were communicated by Sir G. H. Rose.] The rivers Stour and Avon, which form their junction at a little distance below the church, afterwards expand themselves, in the piece of water called Christ-church Harbour, and then fall into the sea in a deep and narrow stream, at about a mile and a half from their confluence : their entrance into the sea is called by Ptolemy the mouth of the river Alaunus. These waters, after their junction, flow to the eastward of the remarkable promontory known under the name of Hengistbury Head, which forms the western horn of the Bay of Christ-church. This designation apparently denotes, that a castle or fortress stood there, named after the great Saxon conqueror. He may possibly have built it, although we hear but little of exploits of his in this part of Eng- land ; or it may have been called so in his honour by his countrymen. But it may still appear somewhat strange, that the designation of Hengistbury Head should be applied to this promontory, if an assertion confidently made by some modern historians, that Hengist carried on no military operations to the west of Kent be true ; it is one, how- ever, which cannot be maintained. If we rest on the authority of Stow and Speed, we may assume, on grounds of high probability, that it was on this spot that he effected his second invasion of this island ; and the name and circumstances of the place tend to confirm their account of things. The following passage from Stow's Chronicle states, ** that after various conflicts * Warner's " Literary Recollections," vol. i. p. 58. By a charter granted by Baldwin de Redvers, senior, the Canons were confirmed in their right to the first salmon caught every year, together with the tithe of all salmons and other fish taken at Christ-church. His son, Richard de Redvers, by another charter, dated in the year 1161, granted in perpetuity to the canons, two additional salmons, to keep his father's and his own anniversary; and, as he rather singularly expresses it, " be enabled, by this recreation, more devoutly to celebrate their obsequies." Vide Appendix, Nos. II. and IV. TREACHEROUS CONDUCT OF HENGIST. 99 of Hengist and Horsa, with the Britons, Horsa was killed in Kent, whence the village Horsted is supposed to have derived its name. Hengist and his followers suffered many subsequent defeats from Vortimer, the son of Vortigern, after whose death Hengist, who was then building a castle at Leiden, in Holland, leaving all, as it were, at random, returned to follow his fortunes further in Britain, and with a mighty army of his Saxons thought to land without impeachment ; but the Britons, grown bold by their former victories, and their blood not cooled since it was kept in fight, admonished their re-established king, who with them went to withstand his arrivage. When Hengist, therefore, perceived their courage, and knew their hatred to him and the Saxons, hee sought by smooth words to gain the shoare, and by some stratageme his wished desire ; therefore, pretending only to visit his daughter, yea, and to rid the land of her, if so he might have leave of the king and them, and therefore desired a con- ference in friendly manner, after which his Saxons should depart the land, and rest the like friends to the Britons as they were when first they came in. This motion seemed reasonable to the nobility, and the place and time appointed, which was the first of May, and upon the plains of Ambrii, (now called Salisbury) whither upon equal termes, as was thought, each party repaired, and awhile with friendly semblances ; but in the end, the Saxons urging their wrongs, fell from words unto blows, the watch word first given by Hengist their leader. The Britons meant simply, and wore no weapons, according to covenant ; but the Saxons under their long cossacks had short skeines, &c." — No spot could be more suitable or favourable for a near approach to the appointed place of conference for Hengist, who had a fleet, than the bay and promontory near Christ-church. The western situation of Salisbury renders it improbable that Hengist should have landed on the coast of Kent with his army, and thence have marched to the plains of Ambrii, when he had only to continue his voyage through the straits of Dover, with the certainty of finding a convenient harbour not far from the place of con- ference, where he could land his troops in safety; and, from those peculiar local advantages, which will be pointed out, could leave his ships, which drew but little water, in perfect security from storms and the enemy. From Hengistbury Head to Salisbury is a distance something less than thirty miles ; and there must have been assuredly in a part of Britain, so long possessed by the Romans, a road along the valley of the Avon to the sea from that part of Wiltshire. A large body of troops might be encamped on this height, which might easily be made an extraordinarily strong position, especially on those sides where it terminates in lofty and perpendicular cliffs towards the Bay of Poole, and the Needle Rocks. It still bears traces of having been occupied militarily in ancient days. At that point, where the high land of the peninsula subsides into the plain, a very deep and wide ditch crosses the isthmus from the Bay of Poole to the low and half-drained marsh at the foot of the promontory on the side of the river, which evidently, in former times, bathed the basis 100 INTRENCHMENT ON HENGISTBURY HEAD. of this height on that side. Immediately near that bay, the sand, which is perpetually carried in clouds over the cliffs by the south-westerly winds, has choked up the ditch, but its shape and direction cannot be mistaken. This intrenchment is called The Double " Dykes," from the shape it wears. When the earth was excavated, it was thrown up on each edge of the ditch, but in such manner as to form a much higher rampart on the inner side, towards the promontory, than on the other, so that there was thus a double defence, that towards the Head commanding the lower. The circumstances of the place appear to indicate the period, when this headland was thus far fortified. As there must always be a bar, because there will be always, from natural and apparently insuperable causes, an accumulation of sand, at the entrance of Christ- church Harbour, it can never have been accessible to any ships of invading fleets, but such as should be of a very light draught of water, like those navigated by the Danish and other northern ravagers of the coasts of Middle Europe, during the reigns of our Saxon kings. They are universally described as having been small, shallow, and nearly flat bottomed ; in short, precisely of the construction of the round galliots of the Dutch at the present day. There are, in our national records, perpetual traces of these Scan- dinavian pirates disembarking, making predatory inroads, pillaging and burning towns and cities, and then re-embarking and sailing away. Now Christ-church Harbour and its promontory afforded to them the utmost facilities for essential parts of their opera- tions. They could at ease both land their men, and place their fleet in security against storms and their enemies during these inroads, necessarily objects of the first importance to them. Their ships, when within the mouth of the river, narrow as it is, and guarded against the waves by the bar, would be land-locked, and especially when close under the promontory, sheltered from the south-westerly winds, and thus protected against all dangers of the weather, whilst a small garrison occupying the height, and its fortified isthmus, would equally secure them against all perils of war. There is every reason to believe, from local appearances, that in old times the river disembogued much nearer the Head than it now does, and, flowing in a straighter course, forced for itself a deeper channel over the bar than the present ; and that state of things would be still more favourable to the suppositions here submitted for consideration, than is even the one now existing. The incursions, in which Salisbury were devastated by the Danes, were probably made by bodies of men landing in Christ-church Harbour, and whose road will have been up the valley of the Avon. What was the extent of the devastations committed on the coast of England so late as in Edward the Confessor's time may be in some degree understood from a fact stated in Domesday book, that Fareham, also in Hampshire, containing thirty hides of land, for which it should have made payment, was allowed to pay for twenty only, " on account of the Wickingse, because it was on the sea." These Wickingae were evidently the Vikingyr, the northern pirates. APPENDIX. No. I. HISTORIA FUNDATIONIS CCENOBII DE TWYNHAM. [Ex Registro de Twynham, in Bibl. Cotton, (sub Effigie Tiberii, D. 6.) fol. 194. a.] Dugdale's " Monasticon," vol. vi. p. i. p. 303. Edit. 1830. Anno ab incarnatione Domini M.xlii. Edwardus filius Edelredi suscepit regnum Anglise, mansitque in eo annis xxiiii. non plenis. Quod in tempore hujus exstiterunt Canonici Seculares in Ecclesia Christi de Twynham declarari potest per le Domesday London. Mortuo Rege Edwardo tumulatus est apud Westmonasterium. Et Haroldus post Edwardum regnavit aliquot mensibus. Anno Dominicae Inearnationis M.lxvi. Willielmus Comes Normanniae, cognatus Regis Edwardi praedicti, qui tumulatus est apud Westmonasterium, venit in Angliam, et pug- nando Haroldum devicit, et Angliam adquisivit, et regnavit xxi. annis. Quo mortuo successit ei Willielmus filius ejus, qui dicitur Rufus, qui regnavit xiii. annis ; qui quidem anno regni sui septimo, transfretavit in Normanniam, et regnum commisit Walkelino episcopo Wintoniae, et Randulpho Flammard Dunelmensi episcopo ; qui Randulphus antea fuerat Decanus in Ecclesia Christi de Twynham, cujus tempore et ante ecclesiae de Bolre, Brokenhurst, et Hordhull pertinebant ad Ecclesiam Christi de Twynham, et Canonicos Seculares ibidem existentes. Praedictus Willielmus Rex xxx. ecclesias pros- travit, et cimiteria redegit in pascua in Nova Foresta. Idem Rex anno regni sui xiii. in eadem Nova Foresta venando, interfectus est. Quo mortuo, Henricus frater ejus suc- cessit et regnavit xxvi. annos. Cui successit Rex Stephanus, nepos ejusdem Henrici senioris. Quo regnante introducti sunt Canonici Regulares in hanc Christi Ecclesiam. [Ibid. fol. 193. b.] Relatu antiquorum orthodoxorum patrum, avorum, attavorum, tarn clericorum, quam laicorum suis successoribus, de Ecclesia Sanctae Trinitatis, quae sita est in villa quae vocatur Twynham, et de conventu ejusdem ecclesiae, hujusmodi verba traduntur veris- sima. Tempore enim Willielmi Rufi in Anglia regnantis, praefuit quidam Clericus nomine Godricus praefatae ecclesiae de Twynham vita et honestate praeclarus, cum xxiiii. a 11 APPENDIX. NO. I. Canonicis more suo horas noctis et totius diei cotidie suramo complentibus diluculo. Hunc etenim Godricum sui tunc temporis clerici, non pro Decano, quasi nominis igno- rantes, sed pro seniore et patrono venerabantur. Horum ver6 Canonicorum talis eccle- siastica erat consuetudo, quatinus ejusdem Godrici senioris oblationes missae matutinalis et magna? missae undecunque allatae propriae absque alicujus forent participatione ; caeteras equidem oblationes, ante missas et infra, et usque ad vesperas illatas, aequanimiter inter se divident. Similiter et terris ecclesise adjacentibus, scilicet Herna, Buretona, Prestona, sub divisione participarentur. Praeterea, Canonicus missam quilibet celebrans omnimodas ejusdem missse oblationes post cappae sua? oblationem, quousque earn indueret, sine alicujus haberet communione hue accedente fortuna. Randulphus epis- copus hanc ecclesiam, cum villa, a Rege Willielmo impetravit. Cui quoniam ibidem Deus in multis multa operebatur miracula, gazas multimodas et sanctorum reliquias contulit praetiosas. Tandem idem cupiens et disponens Episcopus Randulphus praefatam Sanctae Trinitatis Ecclesiam de Twynham funditus eruere, et meliorem, decentioremque cuilibet aedificare religioni, Godricum ejusdem loci seniorem, et totum in hiis convenit verbis conventum, ut ei ad futurae perfectionem ecclesiae oblationes tantummodo eccle- siasticas peregrinorum, et totius parochiae, tam vivorum quam mortuorum, concederent, exceptis illis quae cibi essent, atque potus, et suis terris forensibus quousque eis ecclesiam plenam et perfectam et Deo dicatam cum oblationibus receptis redderet. Interim verd eis victum inveniret insuper sufficientem, cujus voluntati et dispensation! cuncti obse- cundaverunt Canonici ; Godrico tamen seniore obvianti proterve et tam diu contradicente quousque ab ecclesia defugatum, et per Angliam vexatum, nec regis, nec episcopi sui gratiam et auxilium in hoc impetrantem. Sed redeundo pontificis Randulphi misere- cordiam exhorantem in pristinum inter Canonicos de sub se idem ut fuit ante antistes constituit locum. Fregit vero episcopus illius loci primitivam Ecclesiam, novemque alias quae infra cimiterium steterant, cum quorundam domibus Canonicorum prope locum ecclesiae cimiterii, et officinarum compenciorem faciendum et Canonicis in villa congruum immutationem ut dominus adaptavit locum. Fundavit equidem hanc ecclesiam episcopus Randulphus, quae nunc est apud Twynham, et domos et officinas cuilibet religioni. Obeunte Canonicorum aliquo, ejus beneficium in sua retinebat potestate, nulli tribuens alii volens unamquamque dare praebendam reli- gioni, si eos omnes mortis fortuna in suo tulisset tempore. Obiit ergo vero Godricus senior, non multo tempore post elapso simul et decern ex conventu canonici, quorum praebendas ipsis xiii. remanentibus ad sui victus supplementum vita illorum superstite concessit episcopus. Denique migrante Willielmo Anglorum rege Henricus frater ejus successit in regnum, ipsumque Randulphum episcopum, graviter a multis sibi accu- satum cepit; captumque apud Londonias in carcerem detrusit, ejusque ecclesiam S. Trinitatis de Twynham, prius omnibus gazis intus ab episcopo illatis, vi et violentia spoliavit, ipsamque ab inde cuidam clerico, Gilleberto de Dousgunels nuncupato, solam et solitariam omnibusque canonicis quinque exceptis, morte irruente deliberatam, inelemo- sinam dedit perpetuam. Suscepit igitur Gilbertus in perfectam ecclesiam Canonicorum salva libertate et omni suo j ure, tam in victu a. Randulpho pontifice constituto, quam in elemosinis cibi atque potus; et terris forensibus cceptum opus imperfectae peragebat APPENDIX. NO. II. Ill ecclesiae. Tandem verb quoniam situm loci cum ecclesia jam surgente competens viderat, et idoneum religioni faciendae, communi illorum quinque canonicorum assensu, Romam petiit, ut gratia Domini Papae et licentia et privilegio, honoris et dignitatis ecclesiae accepto ibidem canonicum poneret ordinem; sed in redeundo migravit a. seculo. Interea Ricardus senior de Redvers dominationi ecclesiae et totius provinciae a rege adeptus Henrico, praefatae ecclesiae de Twynham quendam clericum de Oglandres nomine Petrum constituit, qui salva canonicorum conditione et jure, secundum Randulphi episcopi et Gilleberti constitutionem praedecessorum, supradictam suscepit ecclesiam regendam et perficiendam. Dedit enim illi ecclesiae Ricardus de Redvers ad sui augmentum et canonicorum, quandam terram in insula [de Wight] quae vocatur Ningweda. Dedit etiam quidam ejus baronum aliam terram, nomine Absam. Dederunt et parochiani omnes suas decimas, prout Gilbertus constituit. Ipse enim Gilbertus, diurnum, ut nunc, et nocturnum complens servicium, ordinavit conventum. Praescriptus igitur Petrus, sinistra imbutus ambitione, proh dolor ! universa operi ecclesiae, more antiquorum et canonicis quinque inventis pro oblationibus ad ecclesiae perfectionem commodatis promissa subtraxit, sibi suisque clericis secum adductis mensam curialem vita ejus concedendo superstite in suos et illorum transferendo usus, non canonice sed potestative distribuit. Hujus rei gratia, obeunte eodem Petro, mensam praelocutam idem clerici adventicii, aliis consortio et concilio expulsis, inter se occupaverunt et oblationes operi ecclesiae consti- tutas astute subripientes, singulis alteri testimonium quasi rei ratae perhibentibus, et a Decano concessae et eonfirmatae. Hactenus in alterius regnum militaverunt. Haec ita gesta sequens Radulphus in- discussa, et indeterminata, et sub judicii futuri examine posita, more tamen boni praelati, quam plures tegens officinas cum parte ecclesiae, cum vita reliquit. Successit Hillarius Wyntoniensis episcopi clericus, vitae humilitatisque honestate praeclarus, qui etiam praeli- batam in melius transferre cupiens, superna providente gratia Romam ductus, et Domini Papae electione apud Cicestriam pontificali decoratus infula, in rationis discre- tionem omnia proposuit futura. No. II. CARTA BALDEWINI DE REDVERIIS SENIORIS, COMITIS DEVONI^E. DE ANTIQUIS LIBERTATIBUS, &C. Baldewinus de Redveriis omnibus hominibus, Francis et Anglis, caeterisq. Christi Fidelibus ad quos praesens scriptum pervenerit universis, salutem. Sciatis me, pro Dei amore et pro salute animae meae, et pro animabus omnium, tam antecessorum, quam successorum, et amicorum meorum, concessisse, et praesenti carta mea confirmasse, Hyllario decano et caeteris omnibus in Christi ecclesia de Twynham Deo servientibus et servituris, ecclesias, decimas, chersez, terras, redditus, homines, cum tenementis suis et eorum sequelis, omnes, tam Ecclesiasticas possessiones, quam seculares tenuras, et iv APPENDIX. NO. II. omnia quaecunque illorum sunt et esse debent super feudum meum de quibus saisita est ecclesia, vel quaecumque clamant rationabiliter ac debent habere de feudo meo, sicut in terris, hominibus, pratis, pascuis, in aquis, in omnibus aliis libertatibus et liberis consue- tudinibus ac acquitanciis, et omnia bene in pace, libere et quiete, de me et de haeredibus meis teneant, quae sua sunt, et quae sua esse debent, omnia integre habeant in liberam, puram, et perpetuam elemosinam perpetuo- plene possideant, sicut melius, plenius, et liberius possunt possideri, ut dignitatem suam plenam, et omnes suas liberas consuetudines in omnibus rebus honorifice habeant, sicut antiquitus semper habere solebant; villae scilicet ipsius scolam ; suam liberam curiam, cum soce et sace, tol et tern, et infangenethef, ita plene, libere, et quiete, sicut Rex Henricus patri meo Ricardo de Redveriis plenius et liberius habere concessit, quando ei primum haereditario jure habendum, totum contulit feodum, ipsam videlicet Christescherchiam de Twynham, cum omnibus suis pertinentiis, in qua Deo serviunt ; totam terram quam habent in duobus vicis ejusdem villas de Twynham, messuagiis, cortilagiis, cum hominibus et eorum sequelis pertingentem usque in aquam de Stures; terram quam habent juxta cimiterium ex dono Alurici de Brochleja; totam exinde terram usque in aquam de Havene, quae est inter cimiterium et fossatum Castelli ; messuagium supra ipsius Castelli fossatum quod habent ex dono Gamelini. Messuagium cum pertinentiis quod habent adversus la Borram. Ecclesiam de Bolra, cum Capellis suis de Limneton, et de Brockenherst ; ecclesiam de Hordhull et de Mulneford, cum pertinentiis ; ecclesiam de Stoppele, cum omnibus quae ad earn spectant, unam virgatam terrae cum appendiciis in eadem villa ex dono Godwini comitis, quam Orricus de Stanton eidem Christi Ecclesiae violenter surripuit. Capellam de Holeherst ; ecclesiam de Pideleton, cum omnibus ad earn spectantibus. Praebendam quam habent ex antiquo in ipsa villa Pideleton : totum tenementum quod tenuit Alsy Praesbyter in Bailocusleia, et quod Alnod in Bostell: totam terram de Hurne. Terram de la Grave cum ipso Bostell. Bradefeld et Richedon, cum suis pertinentiis. Hedenes buriam, [Hengistbury Head] cum omnibus quae sibi adjacent. Terram de Stamputta, et de Huberne, et de Prestetone, cum omnibus suis pertinentiis. In insula Wiht, ex dono Ricardi de Redveriis, manerium de Ningwode cum Hamstede, Presteton, et cum quadem terra in Southampton cum suis pertinentiis. Totam terram de Apsa, ex dono Rogeri del Estre : decimam de dominio Alurichae de Brochle in Ernemua. Decimam thelonei de feria de Cristeschurche ; decimam de Wrek, quicquid illud fuerit quod super feudum meum in parochia eorum evenerit, praeter de Grespeis, cujus sinistram noam de jure antiquo habere debent. Primum annuatim salmonem, tam decimam salmonum et omnis capturae piscium, quam omnium novalium meorum per annum intra villam et extra. Duas cotidie carectas euntes propter brueriam super terram meam. Centum annuatim carectas turbarum ad coquinam suam de feudo meo, si super terram suam non habuerint ubique super terram meam liberi esse a. teloneo, sive vendant sive emant, primam omnium emptionem in villa de Cristechurche, si ego vel haeredes mei absentes fuerimus, si ver5 praesentes fuerimus secundam habere debent. Nullum mercenarium dabent baillivi mei ibidem pati emere vel vendere ad dampnum vel exhonera- tionem ecclesiae causa lucri mihi vel haeredibus meis, nec de mercenario telonum in ecclesia aliquando recipere per totum annum. Ubicunque voluerint piscabunt Christi APPENDIX. NO. III. V ecclesiae servientes ; sub propter salmones meos subtus Twynham, ubi duae aquae conve- niunt, Havene scilicet, et Sture ; quia haec omnia cum eorum pertinentiis ante me, testibus multis, habuerunt libere et quiete de me et de haeredibus meis tenenda, et integre habenda sibi et successoribus suis, concessi, et praesenti Carta mea, et sigello meo confir- mavi; meis haeredumque meorum baillivis firmiter praecipiens, ut nullus eos exinde vexet, vel ad contrarium eis fieri permittat. Hiis testibus : — Huberto de Vaus; Stephano de Mandeivill; Jordano del Estre ; et multis aliis.* No. III. CARTA BALDEWINI DE REDVERIIS ET RICARDI FILII SUI, DE INTRODUCTIONS CANONICORUM REGULARIUM. Bald e win us de Redveriis Comes Devoniae, et Ricardus Alius et haeres ejus, domino suo Henrico [Blesensi] Episcopo Wintoniae, et omnibus Baronibus et Hominibus suis Francis et Anglis, salutem. Vestrae dilectioni notificamus, quod quando Deus inspiravit nobis, ut ordo Canonicorum Regularium ad honorem Dei, et pro salute animarum nos- trarum, et antecessorum nostrorum, in Christi ecclesia de Twynham institueretur ; concessimus atque dedimus eisdem Canonicis Regularibus, et suis posteris ibidem Deo servientibus atque servituris, libere et quiete ac inconcusse possidere, quicquid tenuit praefata ecclesia in die qua Rex Henricus dedit earn Ricardo seniori de Redveriis praede- cessori nostro, tam in ecclesiasticis benefices, quam in terris vel in aliis quibuslibet redditibus. Scilicet, ecclesiam de Bolra, cum capellis suis de Brokeherst et de Limne- tona ; ecclesiam de Hordhull, et ecclesiam de Milneford ; ecclesiam de Stoppele ; ecclesiam de Pideletone ; capellam de Holeherst. Has omnes ecclesias et capellas confirmavimus praedictis Canonicis, cum omnibus pertinentiis ac libertatibus suis. In insula, quae dicitur Wecta, villam quae vocatur Ningweda, cum terris et redditibus suis ; terram de Apsa, cum omnibus pertinentiis suis ; terram de Presteton, quae est in eadem insula ; villam de Hurna, cum pertinentiis suis omnibus ; terram de Borstell, et virgatam terrae juxta pontem de Huver ; et aliam virgatam terrae, quam Ailmerus praesbyter tenuit ; terram de Presteton ; terram de Huberna ; hydam terrae et virgatam de Suineford ; unam terram in Hamptone, quae pertinet ad manerium de Ningwede. Hiis testibus : — Lucia Comitissa; Henrico de Redveriis, et Willielmo fratre ejus; et multis aliis. * Vide Pat. 1 Hen. IV. p. 8, m. 19 ; et Pat. 3 Hen. V. p. 2, m. 3. No. IV. CARTA RICARDI DE REDVERIIS JUNIORIS COMITIS DEVONI.E, DE INTRODUCTIONE CANONICORUM REGULAUIUM. Notum sit omnibus tarn praesentis et futuris, quod ego Ricardus de Redveriis, comes Devoniae, anno ab Incarnatione Domini millesimo, centesimo, sexagesimo primo, con- cessi, et hac Carta mea, confirmavi, Regularibus Canonicis Christi Ecclesiae de Twynham, quos Baldwinus comes pater meus, et ego, inspirante Deo, per exhortationem venerabilis Henrici Wintoniensis Episcopi, Deo servituros in eandem Christi ecclesiam primo intro- duximus, liberam electionem prions faciendi, ut quem canonice inter se elegerint, et Episcopo Winton : meo meorumque heeredum assensu, praesentaverint, ipse absque contradictionem eidem Christi ecclesiae praeficiatur. Concessi etiam eis ecclesias, decimas, chercez, homines, terras, tenementa, et omnia qusecunque sunt, et quae una die Secularium Canonicorum fuerunt, vel esse poterunt super feudum meum post mortem ipsorum, omnia integre in suos usus convertenda, de me, et de haeredibus meis, sibi et successoribus suis, libere et quiete perpetuo possidenda. Manerium scilicet de Ningwode, cum appendiciis suis ; Presteton ; terram de Hamp- stede ; terram in Hampton ; Ecclesiam de Pideleton, cum capellis caeterisque perti- nentiis ; prebendam quam habent in eadam villa ex antiquo ; Ecclesiam de Torleya, cum adjacentiis. Manerium de Apsa; Debburne, cum Rogero Maskerell [probably a villein; glebae adscriptus] ; Huburne; Preston; la Grave; duas Hurnas; dimidiam hidam de Bostell ; totas duas Virgatas terrae citra pontem de Huvar circumcirca, hinc inde usque in Stures, et caetera eorum omnia quae habent et quae habere poterunt super feudum meum. Decimam de thelonea de feria de Christeschirche ; decimam de Wrek, quicquid illud sit, cum super feudum meum in parochia eorum evenerit, praeter de Grespeiz, cujus sinistram noam habere debent. Primum annuatim salmonem ; decimam tam salmonum quam omnium novalium rerum mearum intra villam et extra. Concessi etiam praedictis Regularibifs Canonicis, omnes libertates et omnes bonas consuetudines, de me, et de haeredibus meis, perpetua libertate possidendas, quas Decani Secularium Canonicorum unquam, una die, melius et liberius ante habuerunt; scilicet ut per totam terram meam, sine redditione thelonei emant et vendant, et sint ipsi et homines eorum, per totum feudum meum liberi et quieti ab omni exactione praeter orationes, in bosco, in piano, in pratis, in pasturis, in brueria, in turberia, in viis, in semitis, in agris, in aquis, in molendinis, in pis- cationibus, in omnibus locis, et in omnibus rebus, quae ad me, et ad haeredes meas pertinent. Praeterea Concessi eis ut homines eorum ad nullum Hundredum, et ad nullum placitum veniant, nisi ad hundredum murdredi vel homicidii. Et si forte contingat homines eorum mihi, vel hominibus meis, in aliquo forisfacere, justicia inde sit mea, et haeredum meorum emendacio ; et catalla sint Prioris et Canonicorum ex dono patris mei et meo. Si vero homines ecclesiae de homicidio, vel latrocinio, vel aliquo scelere fuerint intercepti, plenariam suam etrriam habeant, liberam et quietam, ab omnibus schiris, placitis, quaerelis, et causis, sicut Decani Canonicorum Secularium unquam una die melius APPENDIX. NO. V. Vll ante habere consueverunt, ut in curia sua tractentur et judicentur secundum rectum coram meis, meorumque successorum baillivis. In augmentum vero supradictorum praedictis Canonicis dedi unum salmonem annuatim in anniversario patris mei, alterum in meo, post mortem meam, ad pitanciam, ut in amniversariis nostris inde recreati devocius et festinius Divina pro nobis celebrent obseqiuia. Hanc autem meam meisque patris donationem et concessionem praesenti scripto ett sigillo meo illis confirmavi, ut haeredibus meis stabile et inconcusse permaneant. Testibus : — Henrico et Willielmo fratri bus meis ; Pagano Trenchard ; — et multis aliis. — Vide Dugdale, vol. vi. p. 1, p. 304. No. V. Confirmation Charter of Baldwin de Redvers, fourth Earl of Devon, of the various Estates, &c. given by his ancestors and others to the Church and Canons of Christ- church Twynham, as copied from the original Deed, (but with the contractions supplied) now preserved in the parish chest at Christ-church. It has the following indorsements. " This curious Deed of Baldwin, the fourth Earl of Devonshire, Lord of the Isle of Wight, is a Deed of Confirmation of great Estates given to the Prior and Canons of Christ-church by his ancestors. This Baldwin lived between the years 1164, and 1184." " Copied and mended, the better to perpetuate this valuable Manuscript. Christ- church Priory, the 20th October, 1773, by Gustavus Brander, the present Prior." The Deed is beautifully written, and in fair preservation ; a part of a seal, of green wax, which still remains attached, exhibits a griffin, segr. (but broken), and the letters — S RICHARDI -|-. F. Sciant tam praesentes quam futuri quod Ego Comes Baldewinus de Redveriis, filius Ricardi Comitis, concessi, et hac carta mea, confirmavi Donationes et Confirmationes quas Antecessores mei, scil. Comes Baldewinus avus meus, et Ricardus Comes pater meus fecerunt Ecclesiae Sanctae Trinitatis de Twinham, et Canonicis ibidem Deo ser- vientibus atque servituris, in perpetuam elemosinam, tam in ecclesiasticis beneficiis quam in terris vel aliis quibuslibet redditibus : scil. Ecclesiarn de Bolra cum Capellis suis de Brocheherst et de Limentona, Ecclesiarn de Hordulla, Ecclesiarn de Milneford, Ecclesiarn de Stoppelia, Ecclesiarn de Pideltona, cum omnibus pertinentiis suis,Capellam de Holeherst, Ecclesiarn de Torleia; totam terram de Streta cum omnibus appendiciis suis, et totam terrain de Duna, in qua Tosti manebat ex dono patris mei, cum corpore suo ; villam de Heorne cum omnibus pertinentiis suis; terram de Borstel, et unam virgatam terrae juxta pontem de Heorne ; et aliam virgatam terrae quam Ailmarus prior tenuit quae vocatur Lagraya ; terram de Prestetona, terram de Huburna, hidam terrae et virgatam de Sumer- ford ; terram de Bailuchesleia, ex dono Ranulphi et Walteri filii ejus, triginta solidatas VUl APPENDIX. NO. VI. terrse apud Cristecherche, scil. tres virgatas terrse quae sunt extra portam de Eggerte ; et terram quam Rogerus Longus tenuit : et quandam terram quam duo rustici tenebant, ante portam Curiae Canonicorum ; et hoc pro excambio terrse illius quam Reginald de Albamara dedit prsefatae ecclesiae, pro pace reformata inter ipsum et Eanfridum de Insula ; hidam terra? et virgatam de Stamputta, ex dono Witronis Falconarii et Adelmse uxoris ejus : In insula quae dicitur Wecta, villam que vocatur Ningweda cum terris et pertinentiis suis ; unam terram in Hamtona qua? pertinet ad idem manerium ; terram de Preostetona, terram de Selborna, ex dono Ricardi Comitis patris mei, petitione et conces- sione Rogeri Mascherel: terram de Absa, cum omnibus pertinentiis suis; terram de Winestona, ex dono Cuneboldi. Has omnes ecclesias et terras confirmavi et concessi praedictae ecclesiae et Canonicis praenominatis, pro salute animarum meae, et Ricardi fratris mei, et omnium antecessorum et amicorum nostrorum, libere et quiete tenendas in omni- bus ; sicut Carta? avi mei et patris mei testantur. Praeterea concedo et confirmo omnes donationes et confirmationes praedictae ecclesiae post mortem patris mei Comitis Ricardi de feudo meo factas, et per cartas donationis confirmatas : Scil. terram de Beora et Chi- nentona, ex dono Hadewisae Comitissae de Rumara cum corpore suo, et cum omnibus quae pertinent ad praedictam terram; Terram de Freschewetera, ex dono Galfridi de Insula, cum corpore suo ; unam virgatam terrae in Niwetona, ex dono Ricardi de Estro, cum corpore suo ; terram de Milneford, et quasdam salinas, ex dono Hugonis Peverel, petitione Walteri servientis sui ; et in Cristesch. terram quae fuit Godwin Nade, ex dono praedicti Hugonis Peverel. Hiis testibus : — Dionisia Comitissa matre mea ; Ricardo de Redveriis fratre meo ; Gardino priore de Bumora ; Willelmo Giffard ; Hugone filio Roberti senescallis mei; Willelmo de Maunvers, Rogero de Glanulph; Samsone Folroch ; Willelmo de Argent ; Hugone Chafin ; Roberto Pincerna ; Jordano Camerario ; Ricardo de Plimtona ; Hugone filio Rogeri ; Jordano Pichot ; Huwardo de Bichel. No. VI. CHRISTCHURCH TWYNH A M, LATE PRIORY. [From the original document in the Augmentation office, as contained in a manuscript volume intituled, " Certificates of Monasteries," &c. arranged under the direction of John Caley, Esq. F.R. S. and S.A.] Surrendred into Thandes of the seid Coihyssioners to the vse of the kingf magestie and his heires for euer : As by dede therof made, bering Date the xxviij th daye of Novem- bre, in the xxxj th yere of the Reigne of o r most Dradde Soueraigne lorde king Henry the APPENDIX. NO. VI. ix viij th more pleynly may appere. The seid daye and yere clerely Dissolued and sup- pressid. The Clere yerely value of all the Possessions to the seid Mo'stery belonginge, aswell Spuaii as Temporal!, ouer and besides iiij xx xv u - iiij 8 - v d - in flees and annuytes g'unted to diu'se psons by Lres patentes. Dxix u - iij s - vi d - ob. Wherof in John Draper, bisshopp of Neapolitan e, late Prior there, Cxxxiij 1 '- vi s - viij d -, and to have the mancon of Somford for tme of liff sine aliquo inde redd.' Pehcons assigned to the late religiouse dispetched [sent away] is, that is to say, to Robert Beverey . Reio;nolde Bennett Richard South. Wiihn. Gierke. John Pope . . Walter Churche John Poppett . Wittm Marten Robert Merifelde xli. vili. xiijs. iiije?. vili. xiijs. iiijd. vili. xiijs. iiije?. vili. vili. vili. vili. vili. vili. vili. vili. xiijs. iiij^. Walter Mathewe Willm. Keyte. John Stone . . Thorns Andrewes John Tulse. . . vili. John Drover . . vili. Thorns Hancock . vili. Thorns Cooke .... vili. vili. xiijs. mjd. Anthony Pitteman . . lxvis. viijd. CCxlvi 11 - And soo Remayneth clere CClxxiij/i. iijs. vid. ob. Records and Euydences belonging to the same late priory remayn in the Treasoury there, the keyes wherof bene deliuered to the Custodie of Richard Poulett, esquier, Receyuo 1 "- Houses and Buyldings assigned to remayn vndefaced : The late Priours lodging hoollye, as it is sette in a Quadriinte, w' halle, buttery, pantree, kitchyn, and lodginge ouer the same ; the gate house in the base courte, w l baking and bruyng houses, the stabull and the barne there : Comytted to the Custodie of Wittm Avery, essquier, to thuse of the kings ma tle - Houses and Buyldings demed to be supfluous : The church, cloister, dormytory, chap- trehouse, ffrayter, infirmary ; the Subpriours lodging, w l the vtter cloister and galery, the chapell in the same cloister, and all the houses thereto adioying: Comytted as aboueseid. Leades remaying vpon the church, cloister, and houses aforeseid. xxxviij. ffoders. Belles is remaying in the steple there vij ; wherof assigned to the parish v, and re- mayneth to the vse of the kings magestie ij : poiz by estiacon. jyj ••• J Juelles resued to thuse of the kings magestie, None. Plate of Goolde and Silver resued to the use of the kings magestie : Goolde, xxvi oz. Siluer gylte, DClxiiij oz. di. ; Siluer pcell gilte, Dlxxxvij oz. di. ; Siluer white, DClv oz. di. MDCCCCvij oz. di. Ornamentes resued to the same vse, None. Shi of all the Ornaments, Goods, and Catalles [chatties] belonging to the seid late Mo'stery, Solde by the seid Comyssioners, as pticulerly apperith in the boke of sale therof, made redy to be shewed, Clxxvij/i. xs. b APPENDIX. NO. VI. Wherof in Paymente to the late religious and svnts [servants] dispetched. To xxi late religious P'sons being preests of the seid late Priory, of the kings magesties Reward, as by booke of pcelles therof may appere, xliiij/i. iiijs. vijd. To lxiij sunts of the same late Priory for theyr wages and liveres, xxxixli. vs. viijd. lxxxiij/i. xs. iije?. Paymente of dettes owing by the seid late Mo'stery. To diuerse Parsons [persons] aswett of Sar [Sarum], as of Poole and Christ-church, for victualles and oder necessaries bought to the vse of the seid late Priory e, xlili. xixs. vje?. And so Remayneth clere lili. xjs. je?. Wherof in s Thands of Wittim Avery, for such pcelles of stuff as he bought of the seid Comys- sioners being yette vnpaid, iiij/i. viiijs. # And so Remayneth xlvij/z. ijs. ]d- Debtes owing to the seid late Priory : viz. by Henry Aysheley, esquiere, by obligacon .... xli. Willm Brasebrigge, Clerke, Vicar of Boldre for v yeres pencon being behinde vnp d at Michellms last passed, at liijs. iiijd. by yere . xiij/z. vjs. viij d. John Cayleway, knight, by bill signed and sealed. . . . xv'ili. John Kyrkeby th'elder ffermo. r of Paynes hill, for Rente beinge vn- paid at Mychelms last passed. ..... vinli. John Cooke, Regester, ffermo. 1, of the p'sonage of Swey, for like Rente due at the seid fFeast ....... xxviijs. xlviij^'. xiiijs. viijrf. Qm on a in Comp5 Rici Poulet rec. de anno xxxij d0 Reg. H. viij. 1 qr sol ad vsimi ffermour, of Henton Marton, for his Rente due I nup prior xiij die at the said ffeast being vnpaid . . . . . f octob r anno xxxi mo J vt pz acquit inde. Debtes owing by the seid late Priory : viz. to John Mylle, Recorder of Southt for wine and oders, [other things] and hadde of hym to the vse of the seid late Priory . . . xxiiij/i. ijs. viij c?. Willm Havelond, of Poole, Marchunt for wyne, ffish, and bere, hadde of him ........ viij li. xiiijs. ijd. Guillim, — Taillo 1 " of Cristchurch, as apperith by his bill . . xxvjs. Roger Thorns, of Southmpto for a payer of organs . . . iiij/i. xxx viij li. ijs. xd. * In this place the following words have been subsequently interlined ; — qm on a in Compo Ricu Poulet Rec. Dni. Reg. de anno xxxiij. APPENDIX. NO. VII. XI Patronage of Churches. Com Southt. Cora Soms. The vicarege of Cristchurche. The vicarege of Sopley. The vicarege of Pidelton. The vicarege of Fflete. The vicarege of Bolder. .The vicarege of Thorley. The parsonage of Soffeton. No. VII. Henry the Eighth's Grant of the Priory Church to the Wardens and Inhabitants of Christ-church, as contained in the Exemplification given in the Letters Patent of James the First. From the original document in Latin, preserved among the paro- chial archives. James, by the Grace of God, of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all whom these present Letters shall come greeting. We have had inspection into the Enrolment of certain Letters Patent, bearing date at Westminster, the 23rd day of October, in the thirty-second year of the reign of our Lord Henry the Eighth, late King of England, made to the Wardens and Inhabitants of the town of Tvvynham, in our county of Southampton, and in the Rolls of our Chancery enrolled, and there of Record remaining in these words : — " The King, &c. to all, &c. to whom, &c. Greeting. Know ye that we, at the humble supplication of Edward Lewyn and Robert Westburg, gentlemen, and Thomas Hancocke, and James Trym, yeomen, Wardens of the Parish Church of Christ-church Twynham, in our county of Southampton, and the Inhabitants of our town of Christ-church Twynham, aforesaid, of our special grace, certain knowledge and mere motion, Have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant, that the aforesaid Wardens, and Inhabitants of our Town afore- said, shall be one body and have perpetual succession, and be persons able and capable in law ; And that the same Wardens and Inhabitants of the Town afore- said, under the name of Wardens and Inhabitants of the Town aforesaid, of our gift may be able to receive, have, and enjoy, the site, foundation, ambit, circuit, and precinct of the Church of the late Monastery or Priory of Christ-church Twynham, in the county aforesaid, and the entire Church aforesaid, that is to say, as well the choir, body, belfry, stones, timber, and lead of the roof and gutters of the aforesaid Church, as every thing whereof the said Church is erected, built and covered ; and the Churchyard of the same Church, lying and being on the north part of the church aforesaid ; together with the seven bells now hanging in Xll APPENDIX. NO. VIII. the belfry aforesaid, to them and their successors for ever. And farther, Know ye that we of our abundant Grace, and of our certain knowledge and mere motion, Have given and granted, and by these presents do give and grant, to the aforesaid Wardens of our Town aforesaid, and to the Inhabitants of the same Town, the whole site, foundation, ambit, circuit, and precinct of the church of the late Mo- nastery, or Priory of Christ-church Twynham, aforesaid, in the county aforesaid, and all the Church aforesaid ; that is to say, the choir, body, belfry, stones, timber, iron, glass, and lead of the roof, gutters, and buildings of the Church aforesaid, as well as all and everything whatsoever, whereof the said Church is erected, built, and covered; and the Churchyard of the same Church, lying and being on the north part of the same Church, and the seven bells now hanging in the belfry aforesaid. All and singular which said premises came to our hands by reason or pretence of a certain Deed of Gift, Grant and Confirmation thereof made to Us, our heirs and successors, by the late Prior and Convent of the said late Monastery. To have and to hold the said Church of the said late Monastery or Priory, and all and singular the premises, to the aforesaid Wardens and Inhabitants, and their successors for ever, in as ample a manner and form as the aforesaid late Prior and Convent, or any predecessors of the said Prior and Convent, in time heretofore the Church aforesaid and the premises, or any parcel thereof, had held, enjoyed, or used, or any one of them had held, enjoyed, or used, Of Us, our heirs and successors, by Fealty only, for all services and demands whatsoever. To the intent, that the aforesaid Wardens and Inhabi- tants, and their successors for the future, shall have, and enjoy, and use the said Church of the late Monastery or Priory of Christ-church aforesaid as the Parish Church of all the parishioners of the Town and Parish of Christ-church Twynham, aforesaid, for that express mention, &c." In witness whereof, 8cc. the King him- self, at Westminster, as aforesaid. And We, the Enrolment of the Letters Patent aforesaid, at the request of our beloved William Gouldwyer and Henry Rogers, have thought fit to Exemplify by these Presents. In witness whereof we have caused these our Letters to be made Patent. Witness Myself at Westminster, the 12th day of February, in the ninth year of our Reign over England, France, and Ireland, and over Scotland the forty-fifth. No. VIII. EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF LIGHTNING AT HOLNEHURST, NEAR CHRIST-CHURCH. An extraordinary and somewhat incredible relation connected with this parish has been very gravely recorded in Howes' edition of Stow's " Chronicle," under the date 1613 ; most probably derived from a small pamphlet that was published in that year with the following title : — " Fire from Heaven burning the Body of one John Hitchell, of Holne- APPENDIX. NO. VIII. Xlll hurst, within the parish of Christ-church, in the county of Southampton, the 26th of June, 1613. By John Hilliard. London." The account states, that Hitchell, who was a carpenter, had been at work at the house of John Deane, of Parly Court, and after returning home on the Saturday evening, went to bed with his wife and her young child. About midnight " there happened a great and sodaine lightning," which came on so fiercely, that an old woman, named Agnes Russell, his wife's mother, " having, by undiscernable means, received a terrible blow upon her cheeke, was therewithal awakened and amazed, and cried out to her daughter and son-in- law to come and helpe her ;" but they not answering, she started up " and went vnto their bed, and awoke her daughter, who was upon the sodaine very grievously burned all the one side of her, and her husband and child lay dead close by her." — Thus far the narrative is consistent with natural causes, and involves no contradiction ; but now comes the marvel ! The afflicted wife " drew her husband out of bed, and perceiving that he still burned inwardly, she brought him into the open street, wher through the vehemency of thefier she was constrained to forsake him, and there he lay burning upon the earth for ye space of almost three days : you shall understand that there was no outward appear- ance of fire about him, but onely a kinde of smoke and glowing heat ascending from his body, untill it was quite consumed to ashes, except onely some small peeces of his bones, which some of the sad beholders cast into a pit made neere the place."* * Vide Howes' " Chronicle," p. 926 a : and " Philosophical Transactions," No. 476, p. 461 . LIST OF ENGRAVINGS, WITH DIRECTIONS FOR PLACING THEM. I. Ground Plan to face page 30 II. View of the Priory Church from the north-west to face title. ^lll. View of the Church from the north-east 36 IV. Inner Doorway of the North Porch, and Conventual and Town Seals 38 V. Longitudinal Section ) , 7T m > to face each other 40 VI. lransverse Section y J VII. View of the Nave 42 Etching of the Oratories in the northern part of the Transept 45 s VIII. Compartments of the Choir and Lady Chapel Screens 48 IX. Grotesque Carvings on the Choir Stalls 51 X. Interior of the Choir 49 XL Altar Screen 57 XII. Monument of the Viscountess Fitzharris 59 XIII. North Aisle of the Choir, with the Monumental Chapel of the Countess of Salisbury, &c 62 XIV. Interior of the Countess of Salisbury's Chapel 61 XV. South Aisle of the Choir, with the Monumental Chapels of Robert Harys and Prior Draper 66 - XVI. Transverse Section across the Nave 36 XVII. Apostle Spoons, Initial Inscriptions, &c 46 XVIII. Monuments in the North Aisle and Lady Chapel 63 s View of the Castle ruins 95 INDEX. \ Ambrii, plains of, 99 Apostles, the sculptured heads of, 46 Apostle spoons, 92 Arch, the horse shoe, 77, note Avon and Stour rivers, 1 Bells, singular inscriptions on, 37 Bingley, Rev. William, A.M., his improvements at Christ-church, 31, 32 Birds' bones, a singular deposit of, 91 Blois, Henry de, Bishop of Winchester, 22 Brander, Gustavus, Esq., 28 ; his monument, 65 ; extract from his will, 65, note ; his disco- veries, 91, 92 Caricatures, political, at Christ-church, 51 — 54 Chimney, an ancient circular one, 96 Christ, the Saviour, sculpture of his genealogy, 57—60 Christ-church castle, its origin and owners, 93 — 95; its baronial hall and ruins, 95, 96 Christ-church harbour, 1, 98, 100 Christ-church priory, its early history, and pos- sessions of the canons, 14 — 17 ; its revenues seized by Flambard, 19; rebuilding of the church and its offices, 20, 21 ; changed into a priory of canons regular, 22; lists of deans and priors, 23 — 25; surrender of, to Hen. VIII., 25 — 27 ; how furnished at that period, 27, note ; descent of the demesne, 27, 28 ; character of the priors, and various privileges, 28, 29 ; ac- count of the conventual offices, 90 — 93 Christ-church priory church, rebuilt by Bishop Flambard, and his successors in the deanery, 19 — 22; granted to the inhabitants of Christ- church, 28 ; of what stone built, 31 ; recent repairs and improvements here, 31 — 33 ; mea- surements and general arrangement of, 34, 35 ; tower and bells, 36, 37, 82; north porch, 38 ; governor's rooms, 39 ; transept exterior, 39 — 41 ; St. Michael's Loft, and Lady chapel, ditto, 40, 84, 86 ; singular water-spouts, 41 ; sec- tional references, 42 ; nave, interior, 42 — 44, 81 ; aisles and transept, ditto, 44 — 47 ; choir- screen, 47 — 49 ; choir, 49, 50, 87 ; ancient stalls, curiously carved, 50 — 55 ; crypt, 56, 57, note, 66; altar-piece, or screen, 57 — 59; altar-table, 60 ; choir-aisles, 63 ; revestry, 65 ; lady-chapel, 69, 70 ; professional remarks on its architecture, and on the alterations it has undergone, 72 — 86; presumed dates of the choir and lady chapel, 86, 87 ; legends con- cerning, 87 ; granted to the inhabitants of Christ-church, Appendix, No. VII. Christ-church Twynham, town of, its situation, 1 ; the supposed site of a Roman villa, 2 ; ori- gin of its name, 2,3; domesday survey of, 4, 5 ; descent of the manor of Christ-church, 6 — 10 ; leased at the annual rent of a red rose, 9 ; granted in fee-farm, 10 ; borough of, and how represented in parliament, 10 — 14; the sup- posed site of a pagan temple, 91 Churches, cruciform, how arranged, 78, 79 Chydioke, Sir John, his tomb and helmet, 64 Clare, Gilbert de, Earl of Gloucester, 6 Coffins, stone, found at Christ-church, 92 Courtenay, Hugh de, 7, 8, 12, 23 Croyland abbey, 74 Crypts, presumed to be of Saxon origin, 79 Cyrograph, an ancient one, 89, note Deans of Christ-church, 23 Domesday book, explanations of some of its terms, 4, 5 Dousgunels, dean of Christ-church, 20 Draper, John, second prior of that name, surren- ders the priory to Hen. VIII., 25 ; his grave, 45, note ; vaults the south transept, 46 ; his chantry chapel, 67 ; his remains found, 68, note ; his initials on the lodge, 92 Edward the elder, his contest with Ethelwold, 3 Edward VI. visits Christ-church, 97 Eggheite, the ancient suburbs of Christ-church, 3 Ely Cathedral, 75, 76 Fitzharris, monument of the Viscountess, 55 Flambard, dean of Christ-church, and bishop of Durham, 17—20, 42, 72, 79, 80, 81 Fortibus, Isabella de, Countess of Albemarle and Devon, 7, 23 Garbett, Mr. William, his letter on Saxon and Anglo-Norman architecture, in application to the church at Christ-church, 72 — 86 Godric, dean of Christ-church, 19, 20 Groined vaults, 77 Harys, Robert, his chapel, 66 Hengist, some account of, 99 Hengistbury Head, 98—100 Henry VII. visits Ringwood, 97, note Heron Court, 25 xvi NDEX. Hillary, dean of Christ-church, 21, 22 Hoton, John, Esq., 95 Lazar-house, or hospital, 97 Lightning, extraordinary effects of, Appendix, No. VIII. Living of Christ-church, its value, 89 Mews, Sir Peter, 10, 13, note; his coffin, 66 Montacute, Elizabeth de, 94 Montacute, William de, first Earl of Salisbury, 8, 94 Montacute, William de, second Earl of Salisbury, 9, 94 Montacute, John de, third Earl of Salisbury, 9, 93 Montacute, William de, fourth Earl of Salisbury, 93 Neville, Richard, first Earl of Salisbury, 9, 95 Oglandres, Peter de, dean of Christ-church, 21 Oratories in the transept, 45, 46 ; in the north choir-aisle, 63 Parliament, members of, formerly received wages, 12, 13, note Pensions granted to the canons, &c. 25, 26, note Pierce, captain of the Halsewell, buried at Christ- church, 89 Priors of Christ-church, 23, 24 Radulph, dean of Christ-church, 21 Redvers, Baldwin de, second Earl of Devon, 6, 11, 22, 93; his charters to the canons of Christ-church, Appendix, No. II. and III. Redvers, Baldwin de, fourth Earl of Devon, 6, 1 1 ; his inscribed gravestone, 57 ; his charter to the canons, Appendix, No. V. Redvers, Richard de, first Earl of Devon, 6, 11, 22, 89, note Redvers, Richard de, third Earl of Devon, 6, 22; his charter to the canons, App. No. IV. Roman coins, found near Christ-church, 2 Rose, Right Hon. George, 10; his sepulchral tablet, 62 ; extract from his will, 62, note Rose, Sir G. H., 10, 14; his remarks on some of the stalls in the priory church, 50 — 55; ditto, on Hengistbury Head, 98 — 100 Roumare, William de, 89, note Salisbury, Margaret, Countess of, her heroism, and monument, 60 — 62 Salmon Fishery, 98 Screen, of oak, 63, note Screens, elegant, of stone, 47, 57, 69 Seal, corporation, of Christchurch, 97 Seals of Christ-church priory, 88 Slabs, sepulchral, of priors of Christ-church, viz. Draper, Mauri, Borard, Eyre, and Talbot, and of Say, sub-prior, 68, note Somerford Grange, 25 Subscriptions for repairs at Christ-church, 33 St. Andrew's church, Hexham, 73 St. Catherine's Hill, an exploratory camp, 2 St. Michael's Loft, 40; occupied as a school, 71, 84 St. Peter's church, 83 St. Peter's church, Wearmouth, 73 St. Peter's church, York, 74 Tapps, Geo. I. Esq., 10, 14 Tweonda, or Twynham, 2, 3 Vernon, William de, 6 Waldy, Rev. Richard, A.M., his improvements at Christ-church, 31, 32 Wallop, Sir Henry, 95, note West, Sir Thomas, his tomb, 70 ; made castellan of Christ-church, 94 Alice, Lady, her tomb, 71 White, Robert, his tomb, 64 Winchester cathedral, 74 — 79 Erratum— In note at p. 63, for " about £600" read, " about £200. C. Whittingham, Tooks Court, Chancery Lane. THE GETTY CENTEK LIBRARY