Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/836

 678 The Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal. [May, this beautiful window is composed of open tracery of uncommon and striking character. The Central tower exceeds in height any tower in Britain, rising up three hundred feet from the middle of a church, and not having a spire, added to which the boldness of its situ- ation giving a great advantage of eleva- tion, a prospect of unrivalled extent is visible around it. The elevation of this tower was the work of two periods. The lower portion being coeval with the nave ; the upper being undertaken in the reign of Edward the Second, at an early part of the fourteenth century. An exceedingly tall spire of timber, sheeted with lead, completed this sub- lime composition ; but this spire was destroyed by a violent storm in the year 154*7, and has never been rebuilt. The pierced screen, or parapet, which con- nects the pinnacles on each side, was a modern work, designed by Mr. James Essex, Architect, about ninety years ago. Its effect is extremely light and beautiful, although something discordant appears, upon a critical examination of its parts. That beautiful portion of the church whicn extends eastward from the upper transept, is frequently called the Pres- bytery, the choir and surrounding aisles being anciently appropriated to the priests and clergy who celebrated pub- lic worship. The south porch, being the usual entrance for the bishop, was designed in a style of extreme richness, and the workmanship fully equalled the design : but the barbarous hands of fa- naticism have demolished the central statue, decapitated the others, and bro- ken away many of the ornaments. The figures over the doors represented Jesus Christ sitting in judgment, surrounded by angels, with the dead arising from their tombs, and the jaws of hell open be- neath his feet. The arched roof has been exquisitely wrought in perforated wreaths of foliage, intermixed with small statues, several of which remain perfect, whilst others have been broken and defaced. These sculptures show traces of colors and gilding, the decay of which is not to be regretted. Time has spread a warm mellow tone over the whole, and long may it remain un- touched by any presumptuous attempt to restore or beautify it. Among the monuments are those to Bishop Cantelupe and Dean Welbourne, of Edward the Third's time, a chapel to the memory of Eleanor, queen of Edward the First, and another with the Burg- hersh tombs. There is an ancient brass of Lady Swinford, the mother of the Beauforts, by John of Gaunt. It con- tained a rich gold and silver shrine of great value, removed at the Reforma- tion by Henry the Eighth's vicegerent Cromwell, whose reforms were so ill re- ceived that the people rose in rebellion under Mackerel, or " Captain Cobler," Prior. The Library contains a very early charter, such as the Norman kings were used to grant, to please their Saxon subjects. The Deanery and Vicar's College are of the thirteenth century. An old Episcopal Palace was ruined in the civil war; parts of the great hall of which are still standing. The Exchequer Gate is one of three or four old gates worth notice, especi- ally the Newport (or North) gate, which is of Roman execution. This gate was erected one thousand eight hundred and twent3 r -nine years ago. The City of Lincoln, over which the Minster just spoken of presides like a venerable patriarch of centuries, at one time possessed so many churches and religious houses that the fact gave rise to the proverb — " He looks like the devil over Lincoln," because it was sup- posed to be the object of his peculiar envy. Many of those edifices may be still recognized by the remains of Gothic windows and doors. Of the fifty churches fifteen remain, mostly of little conse- quence. Some of them offer to the ob- server specimens of Norman and Early