594
ARCHITECTURE
In ordinary clmrcli architecture, though there is still a with a solid masonry dome, instead of a huge dish-cover good deal of mere imitation mediaeval work carried out, of glass and iron, there would have been little to find we have not been without examples of a new and original fault with in its general conception. It was also the application of Gothic materials. The interior of the church of St Clare, Liverpool, by Mr Leonard Stokes (Fig. 8), is a good example of the modified treatment of the three-aisled mediaeval plan already referred to, the side aisles being reduced to passages; and also of the tendency in recent years to simplify the treatment of .SUGGESTtD • CpOPIDOR-TO • DINING-HALL-, Gothic, in contrast to the florid and overcarved churches of the Gothic revival. The churches of Mr Brooks have shown many examples of a solid plain treatment of Gothic, yet with a great deal of character (Fig. 9); and the late J. D. Sedding built some showing great originality ; among which the interior of his church of the Holy Redeemer, Clerkenwell, affords also an interesting example of the modern free treatment of forms derived from classic architecture. In the architecture of public buildings Boys Entimncc one of the earliest incidents in the period was the completion of the Albert Hall, which, though the work of an engineer, and
Fig. 12.—Plan of a Master's House, New Christ’s Hospital. (Webb and Bell.) first modern English building of importance to be decorated externally with Pb^ngs. symbolical figure composition, in the shape of the large frieze in a coarse mosaic of terra cotta, which is carried round the upper portion of the exterior. Connected with this, both historically and in architectural grouping, is the Albert Memorial, the work of Scott, intended as a “ shrine ” on a great scale, which both for originality and beauty claims more credit than it has generally received. Its worst fault is that the angle piers are not adequate for the thrust of the arches, which are secured by concealed iron ties. Here again we had an early (modern) example of the sculptor working in harmony with the architect; and Fig. 15.—Sheffield Town Hall. (Mountjord.) though there has been a commonplace in detail, is in the main a fine and novel great advance in English sculpture during the last quarter architectural conception, and a practical success (consider- of the century, much of that on the Albert Memorial still ing its abnormal size) as a building for musical perform- commands admiration ; the colossal central figure, entirely ances. Had its constructor been bold enough to roof it out of scale with the rest, being unfortunately the weakest
