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MISCELLANEOUS CORRESPONDENCE.

Feb. 1.

ST. GILES'S CHURCH, OXFORD. Mr. URBAN, Tisconjectured that those Churches which were dedicated in former times to St. Giles, the patron Saint of Lepers, usually occupied a position at one extremity of the town to which they belonged, and were intended principally for the resort of those persons afflicted with the leprosy, and who resided in an Hospital near the spot. The Church thus dedicated, belonging to the magnificent City of Oxford (see Plate I.) stands at its Northern extremity, a considerable distance beyond the gate called Bocardo, which joined, or very nearly so, the ancient Tower of St. Michael's Church.

St. Giles's Church is the most extensive of the thirteen + Parish Churches contained in this City. It is composed of architecture of various periods, the most ancient of which, appearing in the Tower, and in the massive and plain pointed arches, by which it is supported, belong to the 12th century, the age when some of the characteristic features of the Norman style were united with those belonging to the pointed arch; an invention which made no progress for a considerable period as a distinct style of architecture, but which was incorporated at the above period with the Norman or semi-circular arch, thus forming a mixed style, which flourished till the superior elegance of the pointed arch prevailed.

The body of this Church is composed of three very handsomely-proportioned ailes, which are each spa-, cious, and well lighted; the centre by a clere story of windows, and the side, ailes by lancet windows, which on the South side are single openings, of lofty and narrow proportions, uniformly placed on each side an elegant stone porch, which is the principal, and indeed now, the only entrance to the Church. The North aile is lighted by double and triple lancet windows, in five divisions. Four of these divisions are covered with pediments which increase the variety of the

*St. Giles was born at Athens in the seventh century.

The beautiful North Transept of Merton College Chapel, which is called the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, is not included in this number.

GENT. MAG. February, 1820.

design, and augment the elegance of this side of the Church, now the most concealed from public view. The other component parts of this Church are, a chancel and a South aile, the walls of which are not less ancient than those of the body, having a lancet window on the South side, and another on the North side: all the other windows possess various forms, and are of various dates; and so extensively and injudiciously has the Eastern portion of the Edifice been altered, that internally it appears gloomy and inelegant.

Of the associated members which compose this ancient, highly curious, . and interesting structure, and of its external appearance, I shall further observe, that the walls are well constructed, and all, excepting that of the South aile, stands unimpaired. The injury sustained by this conspicuous portion of the Church, has been occasioned by the numerous interments which have taken place within and without the building near the foundations, which have been' weakened, and have therefore caused the superincumbent wall to appear in an unsafe condition. The Tower is built of small stones and rubble, united by a strong cement, and tied by quoins of the most durable and closely constructed masonry, and having on each side an elegant window, with double openings, and columns with carved capitals. The parapet terminates with battlements, and the Tower, consisting only of one story, is not lofty.

Entering the Church by the South porch, we are led to remark the antiquity and the elegant proportions" of the external and internal doorways. Both arches are plain, but the capitals are carved with foliage, which is much mutilated, and the columns on which they formerly rested are demolished. The ailes of the body of the Church are separated by four wellproportioned pointed arches, resting on lofty cylindrical columns, with capitals and bases of the same form. The Tower, standing within the body of the Church, 'has side arches opening to the ailes-these arches correspond, and are low, and quite plain, while the great arch, once exposed to the middie aile, and admitting the light from the West window, is lofty, and rests

its

its springings on semi-circular. columns at the sides, which have capitals carved with remarkably large and bold leaves.

Bosworth, who was buried Jan. 3,
1633. This monument was erected
A.D. 1635.

The Tower contains four bells.
Yours, &c.
J. C. B.

ACCOUNT of MILTON, CO. OXFORD.

(Concluded from p. 10.)

1

THE Church, Mr. Urban, is a hand-
Testone structure of pointed

Under the windows, towards the East end of the South aile, are two recessed arches and a piscina. Every division of windows in the North aile. has an arch extending across from the great columns to the opposite piers, where are brackets for their support. One of these arches has Gothic architecture, apparently of been destroyed, and we may conjec about the date of Henry V. or VI. ture that each division or space of It consists of a well-built square this aile was formerly used as a Cha- tower, containing an harmonious pel; having been separated by wood-ring of eight bells, a nave, two side en screens which are now removed. Whether this conjecture be probable or not, a more reasonable one cannot perhaps be suggested that will lead us to account for the singular variety appearing in all the windows, such as double and triple openings; some with attached, others with insulated columns; several of the arches are plain, and several are carved, with mouldings; some of the capitals plain, while others are enriched with exquisitely sculptured foliage. The Font is placed

on a sub-base at the West end of this
aile. It possesses considerable ele-
gance in design, with great novelty,
and was certainly constructed early
in the 13th century. Its general form
is a square, the body being composed
of broad semi-circular mouldings di-
vided by rows of ornaments, and
resting on a column with two slender
and detached columns at every angle.
A well-proportioned pointed arch
opens from the South aile of the body
to the aile of the chancel, which is
now used as a vestry-room. A more
spacious arch divides the body and
chancel. A large semi-circular arch
the chancel to the South aile,
opens
which was made a Chapel or Chantry
by one of the Fitzwarren's, and de-
dicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary *.

It contains a stone seat for the offi

ciating priest, and a piscina. The East window of this aile is peculiarly elegant, while the larger window of the chancel is quite plain.

At the East end of the North aile is a large marble monument, consisting of two arches, supported on columns, and forming canopies to the kneeling figures of a male and female, and three children. A long inscription records the worth of Henry

* Value Ed. VI. 3. 11s.

ailes, and a chancel. The whole is
roofed with oak, and is unceiled.
The exterior to the South presents
a venerable aspect; each buttress of
that aile is adorned with a niche of
elegant design, from which there have
been evidently torn, probably during
the reign of fanaticism, the corres-
ponding statues; the gutter-pipes are
conveyed through the mouths of gro-
tesque figures, which are, however,
much mutilated and defaced by time.
There is on this side the usual porch
or parvisum, over which is a small
room, formerly used as a vestry. This
apartment is reached by means of a
winding staircase in a small octangu-
lar turret, which is likewise adorned
with a niche similar to the others.
The principal object on the North
side is an elegant door-way, com-
posed of clusters of numerous minute
pillars, the capitals crowned with fo-
liage, from which springs a pointed
arch similar to the shafts. The pile

is dedicated to St. Matthew; on the
Sunday subsequent to which festival,
the parish feast is celebrated with the
usual sports.

Among the Monuments in the
Church, are the following.

A blue flag stone, of very hard
substance, adjoining the reading-desk,
on which a cross fleury is elegantly
embossed. It probably marks the
burial place of one of the ancient
priors of the religious house.

On the floor entering the chancel is the following inscription:

"In memory of John Smith, esq. who died June the 8th, 1764, who was a benefactor to this Church."

In the North aile are the following inscriptions:

"John Skynner, esq. the son of Edward Skynner, of Ledbury, and of Margaret Brown, died May y 18th, 1729."

"Eliza

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Great Milton Church, Oxfordshire, described.

"Elizabeth, his wife, the daughter of John Smyth, esq. of this place, and of Elizabeth Gundrey, died March ye 8th, 1769, aged 75."

On a small square of marble on the floor:

"Charles, the son of John Hawkins, esq. died Jan. 3d, 1692. John Hawkins, esq. was the occupier of the antient residence of the Miltons, and was the father of that eminent Lawyer, Mr. Sergeant Hawkins, the author of the Pleas of the Crown.'"

In the corner of the North aile, on a marble compartment, is this epitaph :

"H. S. E.

"Johannes Smith, filius natu maximus Johannis Smith, de Milton, in agro Oxoniensi generosi: magnæ spei juvenis vixit annos tredecim duosque menses, tanlæ vero pietatis, ingenii, eruditionis et modestiæ, quantæ ejus ætatulæ vix quisquam alius, innocentiæ exemplum amabile obiit 22 die Nov. A. D, 1699. Hoc monumentum filii charissimi et Parentes mæstissimi posuere."

In the South aile, on a brass plate, is the following inscription:

"In a vault lie the remains of Wm. Skynner, esq. son of John and Elizabeth Skynner; he died the first day of July, 1794.

"Also Martha, the faithful and beloved wife of Sir John Skynner, daughter of Edward Burn and Martha Davie; she died the 4th day of Dec. 1797.

"Also of Elizabeth Skynner, died the 14th day of Oct. in the year 1802.

"Also of Sir John Skynner, son of John and Elizabeth Skynner, one of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and some time Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer, who died the 26th day of Nov. in the year 1805.”

It may not be here unworthy of remark, as a circunstance remarkably happy, that Chief Baron Skynner, and Mr. Justice Ashhurst, who had passed the early part of their lives together as friends at the bar, and had risen to the summit of their professions, at length sat down upon their family property in contiguous parishes, the one at Waterstock, the other at Milton, to enjoy that dignified ease, to which their high stations and great attainments entitled them. They maintained the friendship begun in early life uninterrupted to the latest period of their existence, and they now lie buried in the Churches of their respective parishes.

The house of the late Chief Baron Skynner descended to him from his

107

maternal ancestors, the Smyths, and by the aid of some judicious additions, after a design by the late Mr. Wyatt, it has been made a convenient and elegant residence. It is now occupied by Wm. Stephens, esq. The property has devolved to the Right Hon. Richard Ryder, the present Earl of Harrowby, in right of his Lady, the daughter and heiress of the late Chief Baron.

In the Chancel, near the altar, is the following inscription on a mural monument:

Manet hic sepultum quicquid mortale reliquum est Joannæ Meetkerke, Adolphi Meetkerke hujus parochiæ generosi uxoris, et Thomæ Young ejusdem Parochiæ gen. nuper defuncti, filiæ uniсӕ. Obiit quarto die Martis, anno Domini 1695, ætatis suæ 22. Ad matris latus abdormiscit filia unica Joanna Meetkerke, quæ nata erat die 26 Nov. 1695, denata die 23 Dec. 1695. In charissimæ uxoris et teneræ filiæ memoriam Adolphus Meetkerke mærens posuit."

It is observable that by an error in the date, the mother is here represented to have died eight months previous to the birth of her child *. The family of Meetkerke is descended from a race of nobility of the same name, once flourishing at Bruges: as Adolphus Meetkerke, it appears, was deputed by the United Provinces to begociate a loan of 200,000l. with Queen Elizabeth. Camd. Eliz. p. 283.

In the Eastern extremity of the interior of the South aile are some brasses upon the wall belonging to the family of Edgerley, formerly resident here, with the following inscription at the feet of two figures,

which form the centre of four coats of arms:

Of your charite pray for the soules of William Edgerley, John Edgerley, William Edgerley, and Elizabeth Edgerley, ye children of Robert Edgerley and KateTyn his wife."

The tenor bell is inscribed with the names Christ. Pettie, Simon Neale, Thos. Prince, Sam. Knight, 1684.

The family of Pettie had formerly very handsome property in this parish and neighbourhood; upon the last of whom, Christopher Pettie, esq. Dr. Rawlinson makes an observation in his notes to this effect ;

*This is accounted for by the Old Style. The death of the mother occurred im 1695 6. EDIT.

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