Page:The first report, etc., of the Lichfield Society.djvu/27

the lancet window still exists in the chancel, and one also at the West end of the nave, which end now forms one side of the tower; there were also buttresses at the West end of the nave corresponding with those in the chancel: subsequently a South aisle was added, in the decorated style, the succeeding style to the Early English, and this was followed by a North aisle in the perpendicular style, the succeeding style to the decorated, and at this period the nave was taken down and rebuilt with a clerestory and a tower and spire added, so that it began in the early part of the thirteenth century, and was finished about the middle of the fifteenth. Now, Sir, why should we not follow our ancestors in this respect? If our funds are limited why attempt to complete the whole? why not leave our successors a share to perform in the great work before us. Take a district wholly destitute of church accommodation, and which, from its population, requires a church to hold one thousand persons. Now, I should provide a church to hold seven hundred, for depend upon it, however great the zeal of the clergyman, he will find a strong predilection for that dissent which has existed in the absence of a church, and which will require, probably, years of labour to remove. In many cases an aisle might be omitted, or a western gallery, or both, according to circumstances; also the tower, if we have not the means of building what a tower should be: we need not be distressed about the bells, a neat campanile in these days will be quite sufficient for them. Look at the many large churches which have been built under the control of the Church Commissioners, to hold two thousand with comfortable sitting room, to say nothing of hearing and seeing, and with a congregation generally not exceeding one half of that number. I cannot but think this has been a great error. Where is the clergyman who can be distinctly heard in such a church? I am of opinion, one thousand five hundred ought to be the maximum of numbers. Having designed some of these churches, I may be permitted to say, I think we have been in error in respect to the Architectural decoration of them: the exterior has generally some pretension, nay, some of them are profuse in ornament; but when we come to the interior we find them in a state of nudity, bare walls and barn-like; I do not mean the old Tithe barn, for some of them were beautiful in design and good in execution. Would it not be more in accordance with the spirit of our religion if we were to concentrate our decoration, if it be limited, to the interior of our churches: a quiet exterior, bold in its outline, of fair proportion, built of rubble stone with wrought masonry of simple detail to the windows, and other prominent parts could never offend the most scrutinizing eye.