Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/364

 342 THE BUILDING NEWS. Aprm 26, 1872. Harrogate, Yorkshire, as well as examples on | BirrMincuam AND Mipianp Insrirure. — At many other places, all of them well worthy of eare- ful study, and these appear also to be fine examples of architectural photography. Mr. Hems seems to be a carver of no mean ability. This exhibition has undoubtedly given a remark- able stimulus to the artists who belong to the beau- tiful county where Sir Joshua Reynolds first saw light. All have striven to produce their best, and reference especially to the chef d’wuvresof Widgery, Gibbons, and Pike will show how great has been their success. Neither have ever painted better works; the stimulus is most beneficial to them, and the public have the advantage of the better work. Artists, too, from such exhibitions derive the incal- culable benefit of seeing their pictures out of their own studies, and side by side with the works of their brethren of the palette as anxious to progress as themselves.” ——— een PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY—ITS APPLICATION TO THE FINE ARTS. HIGHLY interesting lecture was delivered by Professor Ansted, M.A., F.R.S., on the 18th inst., at the rooms of the Society for Encourage- ment of the Tine Arts, 9, Conduit-street, the sub- ject being ‘‘ Physical Geography ; its Application to the Fine Arts.” Dr. B. W. Richardson, M.A., ¥-.R.S., presided on the occasion. In commencing, the lecturer drew attention to the fact that each has a physiognomy—distinct and characteristic—al- though, as in the human face, general details pre- vail. No artist ever attained to the front rank of his profession in the delineation of nature without making physical geography a prominent part of his studies. Turner, whose later pictures exhibit the wildest landscapes, wherein strange and startling differences are brought together in harmonious whole, studied nature closely, as his earlier pictures plainly show. Go where you will, you will come upon a fresh face in nature. Mountains, plains, and valleys are the three distinct features of the surface ofthe earth. In different parts of the globe moun- tains differ from each other as much as the features and colours of the human race. The learned pro- fessor, inconclusion, remarked that oftentimes the work of young artists, representing nature as they had seen her with their own eyes—fairly and hhonestly—was found grievous fault with by the critics, not because of the lameness of the produc- tion, butowing to the ignorance of Physical Geo- graphy andthe varieties of nature on the part of the critic. (Loud applause.) Dr. Zerffi, Messrs. Beavington Atkinson, Fleury, and Tidey joined in the discussion that followed. The usual votes of thanks terminated the proceedings, eee ARCH ZZOLOGICAL. Brampran.—The Roman pavement at Bramdean, near Winchester, is, we regret to see it stated, fast hastening to destruction. A suggestion has been thrown out to remove the pavement to the corridor and museum of the new Winchester Town Hall. Here there are ample spaces to receive it as encaustic, or rather, tesselated pavement. The pavement discovered in 1828 is one of the finest examples of domestic decoration extant, and merits the utmost care. There are two apartments—the Medusa room and the Hercules and Antwus room. The former is an octagon within a square. The pictures formed by the coloured tesserm represent Medusa’s head surrounded by eight busts of heathen gods and goddesses with their symbols, the square and other borders being formed of the cable ornament. The second room represents the combat between Hercules and the Lybian giant. —$$ —— ARCHITECTURAL & ARCHAOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. Norrnern ArcuirecruraAt Assocratron,—The fourteenth annual meeting of the members of this association was held on the 16th inst., at the Old Castle, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Mr. J. Hogg presiding, Mr. Thomas Oliver, the hon. secretary, read the annual report, which gave a résumé of the opera- tions of the association during the past year, and also expressed congratulation on the number of members, which amounted to 61, being an increase of one. The finances were also in a satisfactory condition, there being a balance of £19 7s. 9d. in the hands of the treasurer. The report was adopted. Mr. W. J. Shotten, of Sunderland, and Mr. Robert Lamb, of Darlington, were elected members. Mr. Oliver and Mr. Thompson were appointed delegates to the Architectural Alliance meeting, and to the annual <onference of architects, proposed to be held in May next. the meeting of the Archxological Section of this In- stitute, on Thursday week, a paper was read by Mr. J. R. Holliday, on King’s Norton Church. Mr. Hol- liday having referred to the fact that the church had recently been restored, said it was supposed that the earliest part of the church was Early English, but a Norman window was discovered in the chancel. This window was brought to light by the removal of the vestry, which, he thought, was the only part of the restoration which was deserving of praise. He thought that, originally, there was a very small Norman church, which contained three or four such windows, and which did not extend beyond the chancel ground. The next remains were Early English, thirteenth century, but they were not very considerable. Stone foundations had been disco- vered, which he thought defined the limits of the Early English church, which was probably extended westward. The enlargement of the edifice in the thirteenth century, he believed, took place when William de Furnell was the owner of the manor. The tower, south porch, and parapet were fifteenth century. In the north wall of the tower there was a recess, which he should like to see explained. It was about 2ft. deep and 6ft. wide, and it was evi- dently of the same date as the tower. Having re- marked that up to the fourteenth century there were three ridged roofs, Mr, Holliday gave a description of the monuments, and afterwards referred to the modern restorations of the church. It was unfor- tunate for a church to bear the marks cf one mo- dern architect, but King’s Norton Church unfortu- nately bore the marks of three. The most interest- ing discovery he could have made would have been that the restoration was an improvement; but he could not say that it was. The alterations in the interior were most to be deplored. Fortunately, however, the tower, which was the chief feature of interest, had been left untouched. Speaking of the Grammar School building at King’s Norton, Mr. Holliday said there could be no doubt it was four- teenth century work, and, with a view to correcting an erroneous impression to the effect that this school and the Birmingham Free Grammar School were established at the same time, he quoted extracts from documents, from which he said it was pretty evident the school at King’s Norton was founded be- fore the reign of Edward VI., and certainly before the foundation of the school in Birmingham. —<—— PARLIAMENTARY NOTES., WATER SUPPLY oF THE Meprroprouis. —Mr. C. Fortescue, on Friday last, in answer to Dr. Brewer, stated that Government had no control over the London water supply, except to prohibit its being taken from below Teddington lock. SANITARY Commisston.—Sir. M. Lopes on Mon- day asked the President of the Local Board whether he had completed the necessary calculations, and was now prepared to inform the House with respect to what particular objects, and to what extent, the Government proposed to give effect to the recom- mendation of the Sanitary Commission, that “it is expedient and just that the localities should receive assistance from the State.” Mr. Stansfeld said that in committee on the Sanitary Bill he would state the intentions of the Government with respect to the recommendations of the commission. Buiiprne Socretirs Bron.—This Bill was read a second time on Tuesday. Committee, 2nd May. sd CHIPS. A new Wesleyan Chapel, to cost about £700, is to be erected at Marwood, near Ilfracombe. The British Medical Journal regrets that, in con- sequence of local electioneering tactics, the Croydon Board will lose the valuable services of Dr. Carpenter, well known as one of the ablest sanitarians of the day, and whose recent publications on the ventilation of sewers attracted widely favourable attention. The new buildings for the Hartley Institution (Southampton) Science Schools and Art Galleries are now completed. The School of Science consists of three rooms, lavatories, and room over for master, ‘The works have been executed by Mr. Crook. The foundation stone of a new Congregational Chapel was laid at Holywell Green, Stainland, Yorks, on Thursday week. It will cost £6,000. Mr. J. P. Pritchett, of Darlington, is the architect. Abietene, a new hydrocarbon, which is the product of the Pinus Sabiniana, a well-known Californian tree, is, it is said, likely to take the place of spirits of turpentine in tho arts, and to present many advan- tages over it. The Bishop of Exeter presidéd on Monday after- noon at a meeting at Plymouth to inangurate a scheme of church extension in the locality. Six new churches are to be built, and three already partially built are to be completed. Huilding Intelligence, —»>__ CHURCHES AND CHAPELS, BrrwicuAm.—The new Church in S. Joseph’s (Roman) Catholic Cemetery was opened on Monday. The chancel was first erected and used as a mortuary chapel. The new schools situate at one side of the cemetery were next built, and opened in June, 1868. In July last the church was completed by Mr. Herringham, of Wolverhampton, from designs by Mr. E. W. Pugin. The new buildings consist of nave and one aisle, and there is elso a presbytery attached to the church. They are of brick, with stone facings. Over the tabernacle is an elegant canopy, and in the reredos on either side are beauti- fully painted panels representing SS. William, Bernard, George, and Frederick. The total cost is about £2,500. Car.isLe Diocesan Cuurcu EXTENSION Society. —At a meeting of the central committee of this society in the Town Hall, Kendal, on the 11th inst., grants were made as follows, in aid of building churches at the places mentioned :—Natland, £25; Ponsonby, £50; Welton, £54; Broughton Beck, £100; and Wythburn, £50. A grant of £50 was made towards the building of a parsonage at Urswick, Lancashire. Carrrertck.—The parish church of Catterick, Yorks, has been reopened after restoration under the superintendence of Mr. C. G. Wray, of London. The church is a fine specimen of the Late Perpendi- cular style, and a remarkable circumstance con- nected with it is that the original contract for building it has been preserved, bearing the date of 1412, being the earliest building contract written in the English language. It having been found im- practicable, on account of the large comparative cost, to reconstruct the roof of oak with lead cover - ing, the new roofs have been made of a somewhat higher pitch than the old ones, so as to allow of a covering of Westmoreland slates. The old cleres- tory, which was in a decayed state, has been re- moved, and a new clerestory substituted, in which are ranged windows consisting of double quatrefoils. The font has been relieved of nume- rous coats of paint, and turns out to be of fine marble, bearing the arms of the founders of the church. Dixewatt.—On the 28rd of April last year, §. James’s Church, Dingwall, was destroyed by ‘ire, and on Thursday in Easter week it was reopened. The old church was in the Early Decorated Gothic style, and was designed by the late Mr. Ross, father of the present architect. The restoration has been completed after the original design. Internally it consists of a nave and chancel, with a south porch and vestry. The chancel-arch has been rebuilt of cut stone throughout, with handsome shafts and capitals, and dog-tooth ornament running round. The sanctuary is laid with encaustic tiles, the cre- dence-table of carved pitch pine, and the altar-cloth is the work of the Sisters of East Grinstead. The pulpit is of Caen stone. Hurrons Ampo.—The chancel of the parish church of Huttons Ambo has been renovated and decorated. The seats, which were very high and too large, have been replaced by stalls of pitch pine. The pulpit is lowered, and an oak lectern and a ere- dence bracket added, A stone foot pace has been fixed in the sanctuary, and the floor of it and the chancel laid with encaustic tiles. The decoration of the walls and roof is of a very ornate character. The former is painted a neutral blue and diapered with conventional flowers, whilst the latter is painted a vellum colour as low as the dado, and diapered in gold and colours. The dado is a deep red diaper with a dull red and gold. The chancel arch and organ chamber are decorated in a similar manner to the chancel, but without gold introduced. provements have been carried out by Mr. J. W. Knowles, glass stainer and mural decorator, of York. Metsonny.—The Church of S. James the Great, Melsonby, Yorkshire, was reopened on Wednesday week, after restoration. The old flat roof has given way for a pitched roof, the old square barn- like windows have been replaced by stained lancet. windows, and the old pews superseded by open sittings. The vestry has been placed on the north, instead of the south side, and has an entrance from without. RESTORATION OF Exeter CaruepRaL.—A pre- liminary meeting under the presidency of the Earl of Devon, and subsequently of Earl Fortescue, was held on Tuesday last at the residence of Mr. E, B. Stephens, A.R.A., 110, Buckingham Palace-road, The im-