Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/216

 158 ON THE ARCHITECTURE OF ON THE ARCHITECTURE OF THE ABBEY CHURCH OF DORCHESTER.' Next to the monuments of ancient art which our University itself contains, and second to none even of them, if we except the Cathedral and perhaps Merton Chapel, we may fairly rank, among the architectural remains coming within the scope of the present meeting, the Abbey Church of Dorchester, Its great size, its historical associations, its treasures of detail, conspicuous equally for rarity and beauty, form a combination of attractions surpassed by few existing buildings. And though to grace of outhne and justness of proportion it can lay no claim whatever, yet this very deficiency forms a new ground of interest. What is lacking in beauty is made up in singularity, its ground-plan and general character being nearly unique among churches of the like extent and ecclesiastical dignity. Had I addressed you on this subject a 3^ear ago I should probably have said altogether unique, instead of nearly ; but the investigations which during that period it has been my good fortune to make among the little known and greatly undervalued architectural remains of South Wales, have revealed to me more examples bearing a • The first and third sections of the fol- resulted. I have also especially to thank Mr. lowing paper, or at least the greater part Parker for communicating some observa- of them, were read at a meeting of the tions subsequently made by Professor Willis. Architectural Section of the Institute Anything proceeding from such an autho- at Oxford. The substance of the second rity is so valuable that I trust the Professor was delivered as an extemporary lecture will excuse my having thus availed myself at Dorchester, to a large body of mem- of them without formal permission. I was bers of the Institute. The two other also extremely pleased to find that while sections are printed nearly as they were the Professor's inquiries explained several read ; some parts of the second I have points of difficulty, and threw doubt on a recast, to enable me to introduce several few minor portions of my view, they com- suggestions of importance made by Sir pletely coincided with my theory of the Cliarles Anderson, the Rev. J. L. Petit, history of the building, in all its essential the Rev. W. B. Jones, Mr. J. H. Parker, features. and others. Wherever it was possible, I I am extremely pleased to find that the have formally mentioned my obligations to money now in the hands of the Treasurer those gentlemen ; but, in many cases, of the Architectural Society, owing to a their remarks were so mingled up with collection made on the spot, and to other my own observations of which they were sources, is sufficient to extend some modifications, or with further inferences of measure of repair to the north aisle ; at my own to which they led, that it would be all events, to put some of the beautiful almost impossible to disentangle the com- windows into a state of safety, ponent jmrts of the theoi-ie.s in which they