DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.6914#0084
52
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
which was practised in Sweden and Norway in the middle ages, as described by
Peringskiolld.
That the Pointed style originated from an imitation of wicker work, or the in-
terlacing of wands and twigs, is the theory of Sir James Hall, who first published
his opinions in the " Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," 1800;
and again, in a handsome quarto volume, 1813, intituled " An Essay on the Origin
of Gothic Architecture." This system (which is evidently deduced from the hy-
potheses of Stukeley and Warburton) seems rather to arise from the sport of fancy
than from the inferences of scientific and discriminating investigation.
The theory which attributes the invention of the Pointed style to the architects
of our native country, and supposes that the idea of forming the pointed arch
was derived from the observation of the effect of intersecting semi-circles, used as
ornaments on the walls of different Saxon or Norman churches, has found an able
advocate in Dr. Milner, and is supported by the testimony of many other writers.
Bentham, though he does not express himself positively on the subject, may be
considered as having first advanced the idea, that the Pointed style originated in
England. He says, " This style is modern, and seems not to have been known in
the world till the Goths ceased to make a figure in it."60 After remarking on the
inaccuracy of Sir C. Wren's opinion, he adds, " Indeed I have not yet met with
any satisfactory account of the origin of pointed arches, when invented, or where
first taken notice of. Some have imagined they might possibly have taken their
rise from those arcades we see in the early Norman and Saxon buildings, on walls,
fio Mr. Bentham's reputation as an antiquary has been impeached by some, who have asserted that he
was indebted to his friend Mr. Gray, for the information which he published relative to architecture. Dr.
Milner, in Rees's Cyclopxdia, article, " Gothic Architecture," states that " the Poet Gray drew up
the Architectural part of the History of Ely Cathedral." This imputation is shown to be unfounded,
in Stevenson's new edition of the *' History of Ely," 4to. p. 17, in narrating the Memoirs of Bentham.
Mr. Whitaker also repeats the charge against Bentham, with his usual severity, of having borrowed his
information from Gray. See " Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall," vol. i. p. 83. Respecting Bentham s
" History of Ely Cathedral," Mr. Willson thus expresses himself, "The knowledge of ancient
architecture, displayed in this work, far exceeded all that had been published on that subject. The Cathe-
dral of Ely, where Mr. Bentham was beneficed, had furnished him with examples of every variety
of style, from the Saxon era to that of the Reformation. The peculiar ornaments of each were
carefully studied by him, and his numerous quotations from ancient authors prove his diligence in
historical research." Vide " Remarks," prefixed to Pugin's " Specimens of Gothic Architecture,"
vol. i. p. xv.
ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES.
which was practised in Sweden and Norway in the middle ages, as described by
Peringskiolld.
That the Pointed style originated from an imitation of wicker work, or the in-
terlacing of wands and twigs, is the theory of Sir James Hall, who first published
his opinions in the " Transactions of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland," 1800;
and again, in a handsome quarto volume, 1813, intituled " An Essay on the Origin
of Gothic Architecture." This system (which is evidently deduced from the hy-
potheses of Stukeley and Warburton) seems rather to arise from the sport of fancy
than from the inferences of scientific and discriminating investigation.
The theory which attributes the invention of the Pointed style to the architects
of our native country, and supposes that the idea of forming the pointed arch
was derived from the observation of the effect of intersecting semi-circles, used as
ornaments on the walls of different Saxon or Norman churches, has found an able
advocate in Dr. Milner, and is supported by the testimony of many other writers.
Bentham, though he does not express himself positively on the subject, may be
considered as having first advanced the idea, that the Pointed style originated in
England. He says, " This style is modern, and seems not to have been known in
the world till the Goths ceased to make a figure in it."60 After remarking on the
inaccuracy of Sir C. Wren's opinion, he adds, " Indeed I have not yet met with
any satisfactory account of the origin of pointed arches, when invented, or where
first taken notice of. Some have imagined they might possibly have taken their
rise from those arcades we see in the early Norman and Saxon buildings, on walls,
fio Mr. Bentham's reputation as an antiquary has been impeached by some, who have asserted that he
was indebted to his friend Mr. Gray, for the information which he published relative to architecture. Dr.
Milner, in Rees's Cyclopxdia, article, " Gothic Architecture," states that " the Poet Gray drew up
the Architectural part of the History of Ely Cathedral." This imputation is shown to be unfounded,
in Stevenson's new edition of the *' History of Ely," 4to. p. 17, in narrating the Memoirs of Bentham.
Mr. Whitaker also repeats the charge against Bentham, with his usual severity, of having borrowed his
information from Gray. See " Ancient Cathedral of Cornwall," vol. i. p. 83. Respecting Bentham s
" History of Ely Cathedral," Mr. Willson thus expresses himself, "The knowledge of ancient
architecture, displayed in this work, far exceeded all that had been published on that subject. The Cathe-
dral of Ely, where Mr. Bentham was beneficed, had furnished him with examples of every variety
of style, from the Saxon era to that of the Reformation. The peculiar ornaments of each were
carefully studied by him, and his numerous quotations from ancient authors prove his diligence in
historical research." Vide " Remarks," prefixed to Pugin's " Specimens of Gothic Architecture,"
vol. i. p. xv.