DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.26747#0908
844
SAXOiST ARCHITECTURE.
Eook YIII.
Norman; the latter, as before pointed out (p. 475), niay conveniently
be divided into Plantagenet, Edwardian, Lancastrian, and Tudor; tbe
periods of transition between eacb of tbese falling by a curious coin-
cidence in t-he reigns of the three Eicbards. Tbese divisions are, it is
tme, somewbat indefinite, but tbey are necessarily so, as tbe cbanges
were frequently slow, and began, or were nearly perfected, in one part
of tbe country or in one building, before they were tbougbt of else-
wliere; and in no place were tbey suddenly introduced so as to enable
us to fix tbe exact year or mode of their introduction. Tbe fact is,
tbat it was a constant progression from a rude to a bigbly finisbed and
elegant style ; tbe improvements taking place steadily from year to
year up to a certain point, and tben declining as steadily to tbe Eliza-
betban period, witbout any resting-place being found in tbe wbole
series, so tbat all attempts at a more rigid classification only lead to
false impressions or to error, and tbe sooner tbey are abandoned tbe
better.
Saxon.
By Saxon architecture is meant of course tbe works of tbe Saxons
in England before tbe Norman Conquest in 1066. Tbe remains of it,
bowever, are so few and insignificant tbat it is difficult to say exactly
wbat it was. It is true 120 churches are enumerated in tbe last
edition of Eickman wbicb sbow traces more or less distinct of tbis
style, but among tbese tbere is no one instance of a complete Saxon
church built before tbe Conquest; in some tbere is a tower, in otbers
a fragment of walling, in otbers only a door or a window. Tbese
scattered remains suffice to enable us to assert tbat tbe style was rude
and tbe details clumsy as compared witb tbe few specimens that
remain upon tlie Continent of tbe Carlovingian era. Indeed, tlie state
of England was singularly inimical to tbe development of any of
tlie arts of peace, for witb tbe exception of tbe one brief but brigbt
period of Alfred’s reign, tbe country was eitber torn to pieces by
domestic troubles or devastated by foreign invasions, so tbat no
resting time was given for perfecting tbe native arts or for erecting
durable monuments. ITad any of tbe cathedrals of tbe Saxon epocb
survived to tbe present day, it migbt perbaps tend to modify tbis
opinion; but every one of tbese was rebuilt eitber during tbe Norman
or subsequent periods, and not one vestige of tbeir superstructure
remains. We liave of one only a sufficiently clear account to enable us
to form an opinion of wbat its plan and dispositions were. Tbe
description left by Edmer tlie Singer of tbe Saxon catbedral of Canter-
bury, wbicli lie saw before it was rebuilt by Lanfranc in 1070, suifices
to prove tbat it was a double apse cathedral, like tbose of Germany,
witb lateral entrances, one on tbe tnorth, tbe other on tbe soutb side.
Bebind tbe eastern apse was a circular baptistery erected by Cutbbert
tbe eleventb arcbbisbop, “ for,” says our author, “ tbe following pur-
poses : that baptisms miglit be celebrated tberein; tliat certain judicial
trials tbat were formerly carried on in tbe church might be held tbere ;
ancl lastly, tbat the boclies of the archbishops migbt tlierein be buried,
SAXOiST ARCHITECTURE.
Eook YIII.
Norman; the latter, as before pointed out (p. 475), niay conveniently
be divided into Plantagenet, Edwardian, Lancastrian, and Tudor; tbe
periods of transition between eacb of tbese falling by a curious coin-
cidence in t-he reigns of the three Eicbards. Tbese divisions are, it is
tme, somewbat indefinite, but tbey are necessarily so, as tbe cbanges
were frequently slow, and began, or were nearly perfected, in one part
of tbe country or in one building, before they were tbougbt of else-
wliere; and in no place were tbey suddenly introduced so as to enable
us to fix tbe exact year or mode of their introduction. Tbe fact is,
tbat it was a constant progression from a rude to a bigbly finisbed and
elegant style ; tbe improvements taking place steadily from year to
year up to a certain point, and tben declining as steadily to tbe Eliza-
betban period, witbout any resting-place being found in tbe wbole
series, so tbat all attempts at a more rigid classification only lead to
false impressions or to error, and tbe sooner tbey are abandoned tbe
better.
Saxon.
By Saxon architecture is meant of course tbe works of tbe Saxons
in England before tbe Norman Conquest in 1066. Tbe remains of it,
bowever, are so few and insignificant tbat it is difficult to say exactly
wbat it was. It is true 120 churches are enumerated in tbe last
edition of Eickman wbicb sbow traces more or less distinct of tbis
style, but among tbese tbere is no one instance of a complete Saxon
church built before tbe Conquest; in some tbere is a tower, in otbers
a fragment of walling, in otbers only a door or a window. Tbese
scattered remains suffice to enable us to assert tbat tbe style was rude
and tbe details clumsy as compared witb tbe few specimens that
remain upon tlie Continent of tbe Carlovingian era. Indeed, tlie state
of England was singularly inimical to tbe development of any of
tlie arts of peace, for witb tbe exception of tbe one brief but brigbt
period of Alfred’s reign, tbe country was eitber torn to pieces by
domestic troubles or devastated by foreign invasions, so tbat no
resting time was given for perfecting tbe native arts or for erecting
durable monuments. ITad any of tbe cathedrals of tbe Saxon epocb
survived to tbe present day, it migbt perbaps tend to modify tbis
opinion; but every one of tbese was rebuilt eitber during tbe Norman
or subsequent periods, and not one vestige of tbeir superstructure
remains. We liave of one only a sufficiently clear account to enable us
to form an opinion of wbat its plan and dispositions were. Tbe
description left by Edmer tlie Singer of tbe Saxon catbedral of Canter-
bury, wbicli lie saw before it was rebuilt by Lanfranc in 1070, suifices
to prove tbat it was a double apse cathedral, like tbose of Germany,
witb lateral entrances, one on tbe tnorth, tbe other on tbe soutb side.
Bebind tbe eastern apse was a circular baptistery erected by Cutbbert
tbe eleventb arcbbisbop, “ for,” says our author, “ tbe following pur-
poses : that baptisms miglit be celebrated tberein; tliat certain judicial
trials tbat were formerly carried on in tbe church might be held tbere ;
ancl lastly, tbat the boclies of the archbishops migbt tlierein be buried,