Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/203

ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE IN FRANCE. 1 t5 being made into a square by chancel aisles, and a fine tower, which occupies the north-eastern angle. The whole is of early Pointed, with shafts, and the square abacus. The tower has a very striking outline, having a gabled roof, and four turrets with pointed top. It has a tall double belfry window in each face, and in the stage below also a couplet of arches. The choir and transepts are vaulted, and have diagonal ribs. There is a little good pattern-glass, without much colour, in the east window. RiEUX — Has a nave of transitional character, wdth pointed arches ; the pier arches are blocked up, and the aisles, if ever built, are totally destroyed. The central octagon has some Romanesque features, but has been much altered ; it is crowned with a low spire. The old transepts exist, but swallowed up in a manner by the later addition, which also prevents any view of the octagon from the eastward. This addition consists of an enormous transept, without any projecting chancel, or any gable to mark the east end. Nor does the east window coincide with the axis of the nave. It is a geometrical window, with four lights. This transept is decorated, and has the octagonal abacus. The old transepts have a stone barrel roof with a ridge. There is a good early circle in the western gable. I was attracted by the outline of a cross church at Brenouville, a mile or two from Rieux ; but, on reaching it, found the greater part of the church to be modern, that is, about the 17th century. The old outlines, however, seem to have been kept, and one or two good windows of late Decorated or early Flamboyant. So I retraced my steps and went to Monchy St. Eloi, a village at no great distance from the railroad, but hidden by the trees. The first aspect of the church is that of one with a nave and chancel termi- nating in a polygonal apex, having a southern tower engaged in an aisle. The lower part of this tower is Romanesque, the upper in one of the late pointed styles. But we observe that the east end of the aisle is a gable, corresponding with the tower, and the south wall of the nave ranges to the southward of that of the tower ; in short, there seems no doubt that the original church consisted of a nave, central tower, and chancel, which still exist, forming the southern aisle of a much larger structure. The western arch under the tower is pointed, very narrow, and enriched with