DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6910#0066
42
ARC HIT EOT U HA L AN TiQ CITI15S.
of these buildings in England: St. Sepulchre's Church at Cambridge, St. Sepulchre's
Church at Northampton, the Temple Church, London, and a small church at Little
Maplested, Essex. All these, with one that was at Temple Bruer, and one at
Aslackly, Lincolnshire, are generally attributed to the Knights Templars,*
during their power and prosperity in England. This singular religious order of
"knights-errant" obtained their origanization and fame in the vicinity of the Church
of the Holy-Sepulchre at Jerusalem.
It is the general opinion of writers, that this sacred structure was built by Helena,
the mother of Constantine the Great; but, unfortunately, none of these writers have
identified the part then built, or described its size, character, or style of architecture.
Besides, we are informed that Charlemagne (A. D. 813.) rebuilt this venerated
edifice. " The east end," observes Mr. Essex, " I take to be of his building, con-
taining the semi-circular tribune ; but the intermediate part, between it and the
sepulchre, is more modern, and might be rebuilt when the church was restored, in
the year 1049, after it was defaced by the Saracens towards the end of the tenth
century." f Bede, speaking of this structure, describes it as a large round church,
with three walls and twelve pillars ; but the precise disposition of these walls and
pillars is not specified. J The round part of the present building materially differs
from this description. It consists of a semi-circular wall, which attaches to a large
mass of buildings on the east, and a little within the wall is a circular colonnade,
consisting of sixteen columns and piers, with an open space for four others, towards
the east. § The circular part of the building is of Roman architecture, and its roof,
which is mostly of cedar, gradually diminishes from its base upwards, and terminates
with a round aperture. This shape is rather singular, as it differs from the usual
form and construction of domes, or cupolas. The other parts of the building consist
of several chapels, oratories, passages, towers, &c. and on the south side is displayed
several examples of pointed arched doors and windows, with corresponding clustered
columns. Sandys, Le Bruyn, and Maundrell, who have all visited this place, are
so extremely vague and unsatisfactory in their respective accounts, (I cannot apply
* The Templars had numerous other places of residence in England, where they established preceptories, &c.
In Strype's edition of Stow, 1720, Vol. I. p. 270, it is said that they had temples at London, Cambridge, Bristol,
Canterbury, Dover, Warwick, &c.
f Archa?ologia, VI. p. 169.
X Resurrectionis Dominicae rotunda ecclesia tribus cincta parietibus, duodecim columnis sustentatur. (De Locis
Sanctis, Cap. 2.)
§ See the ground plan in Sandy's Travels. I have also been favoured with a view of a model of this church,
now in the possession of the learned author of Munimenta Antiqua.
ARC HIT EOT U HA L AN TiQ CITI15S.
of these buildings in England: St. Sepulchre's Church at Cambridge, St. Sepulchre's
Church at Northampton, the Temple Church, London, and a small church at Little
Maplested, Essex. All these, with one that was at Temple Bruer, and one at
Aslackly, Lincolnshire, are generally attributed to the Knights Templars,*
during their power and prosperity in England. This singular religious order of
"knights-errant" obtained their origanization and fame in the vicinity of the Church
of the Holy-Sepulchre at Jerusalem.
It is the general opinion of writers, that this sacred structure was built by Helena,
the mother of Constantine the Great; but, unfortunately, none of these writers have
identified the part then built, or described its size, character, or style of architecture.
Besides, we are informed that Charlemagne (A. D. 813.) rebuilt this venerated
edifice. " The east end," observes Mr. Essex, " I take to be of his building, con-
taining the semi-circular tribune ; but the intermediate part, between it and the
sepulchre, is more modern, and might be rebuilt when the church was restored, in
the year 1049, after it was defaced by the Saracens towards the end of the tenth
century." f Bede, speaking of this structure, describes it as a large round church,
with three walls and twelve pillars ; but the precise disposition of these walls and
pillars is not specified. J The round part of the present building materially differs
from this description. It consists of a semi-circular wall, which attaches to a large
mass of buildings on the east, and a little within the wall is a circular colonnade,
consisting of sixteen columns and piers, with an open space for four others, towards
the east. § The circular part of the building is of Roman architecture, and its roof,
which is mostly of cedar, gradually diminishes from its base upwards, and terminates
with a round aperture. This shape is rather singular, as it differs from the usual
form and construction of domes, or cupolas. The other parts of the building consist
of several chapels, oratories, passages, towers, &c. and on the south side is displayed
several examples of pointed arched doors and windows, with corresponding clustered
columns. Sandys, Le Bruyn, and Maundrell, who have all visited this place, are
so extremely vague and unsatisfactory in their respective accounts, (I cannot apply
* The Templars had numerous other places of residence in England, where they established preceptories, &c.
In Strype's edition of Stow, 1720, Vol. I. p. 270, it is said that they had temples at London, Cambridge, Bristol,
Canterbury, Dover, Warwick, &c.
f Archa?ologia, VI. p. 169.
X Resurrectionis Dominicae rotunda ecclesia tribus cincta parietibus, duodecim columnis sustentatur. (De Locis
Sanctis, Cap. 2.)
§ See the ground plan in Sandy's Travels. I have also been favoured with a view of a model of this church,
now in the possession of the learned author of Munimenta Antiqua.