Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/550

 406 NOTICES OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL PUBLTCATIOXS. the Dean of Llandaff, as to the probable site of the British church which existed previous to the building commenced by Bishop Urban, in IlJJO. It is not impossible that some portion of the masonry of this primeval cathedral may remain ; the structure erected by Bishop Urban, to judge from existing details, must have been an edifice of no small magnificence. The arch between the Presbytery and Lady Chapel, with the north and south doorways of the nave (of which representations are subjoined by the author's kind permission), will convey a striking idea of the importance of this building. One of these presents an unique moulding, described by the Dean as an Etruscan scroll, without parallel in Norman work. It must be regarded as an interesting local feature of design, viewed in con- nexion with sculptured crosses and fonts in Wales, on which it occurs ; as on crosses at Penally, Pembrokeshii'e ; and Llangaffo, in Anglesea (Arch. Camb. vol. i. 301); and on the font at Penmon (Ibid. pp. 122, 123). The west doorway of the nave (see cuts), although Norman work also, Mr. Freeman does not consider to have formed any part of Urban 's cathedral, but to have been subsequently erected when the enlargement of the cathedral took place, and before the Piomanesque style was quite extinct, probably during the Episcopate of William Saltmarsh, from 118.5 to 1193. This doorway is of veiy singular design, having never had a central shaft, although the tympanum is divided into two arches, with a singular figure of the patron, St. Teilo. The Early English portion of the fabi'ic was completed about 1220. It is gratifying to announce that the present authorities are strenuously exerting themselves to repair the injuries caused by the neglect of their predecessors. The designs of Mr. Thomas H. AYyatt, who is, as we believe, the diocesan architect, have been already in part carried out, luider the superintendence of Mr. Prichard, of Llandaff. The Lady Chapel has been completed satisfactorily; but so completely had this venerable and beautiful cathedral been suffered to fall into decay, that its thorough restoration must be a work of considerable time, and large expenditure.' It is to the interest excited of late years by publications similar to this of Mr. Freeman's, that we are indebted not only for the preservation of much that is ancient and beaiitiful, but also for a general improvement in the style of our ecclesiastical edifices. In conjunction with the Rev. W. B. James, Mr. Freeman announces the complete history of St. David's. A monograph of the remarkable ancient remains of architecture at Mevevin is still a desideratum in archaeological literature : it might have supplied to the Society of Antiquaries a very worthy object of illustration ; and we believe that a valuable series of drawings was prepared some years since with that express purpose, which, however, was abandoned. ' Some surpi'iso has been expressed ai'chitect, as well as to the author, to ob- tliat Mr. Freeman should have omitted serve that this inadvertent omission has all mention of Mr. Wyatt, as having largely been acknowledf^od by Mr. Freeman in participnted in this good work', and sup- " The Builder " of Doe. 7 ; vol. viii., pliod the designs. It is due to ihat tiilented p. AiM.