The ailes have groined ceilings, ornamented at the angles with doves, &c. and beneath every division of the groining are small windows to light the galleries. When about to construct the new roof, it was found that the columns on the south side of the church were considerably out of an upright line (the sinking of the side wall having drawn them over,) and fears were entertained that it would be necessary to take them down, by which a considerable increase of expense would have been entailed the architect, however, with great ingenuity, contrived by sawing each of them half way through at the base, and by either introducing or removing a wedge-shaped piece, as the case might be, to force them into their proper position. Over each of the ailes, there is a gallery very clumsily introduced, which dates from the time when the church was rebuilt by Wren, and extends the whole length, excepting at the chancel. The front of this gallery, which is of oak, is carved into scrolls, branches, &c. and in the centre panel, on either side, are the initials C. R. encircled with carvings of laurel, which have, however, but little merit. The east end of the church presents three semi-circularheaded windows, the centre one of which was enlarged during the late repairs, and is partly glazed with stained glass. The wall at this end of the building deviates considerably, not merely from a right angle with the side walls, building is intended, and to induce ideas in unison with that purpose, should always be one of the chief considerations with an architect. A building in all its parts should ever appear to be what it is, and therefore (without hinting at the fact too that the tuscan order admits of no ornaments,) although the upper portion of this church per se may be deemed elegant, it can hardly be expected that it will obtain praise from the judicious critic. but from a straight line: the bad effect, however, consequent on this, is ingeniously lessened by a simple contrivance. This deviation and the little harmony which exists between the interior and exterior (for example, the columns which form the south aile face, in some instances, the centre of the large windows which occur in the external wall of the church, and, in others, the centre of the piers, indifferently,) induce the supposition that when the church was rebuilt, or rather restored, after the fire in 1666, the works were done rapidly, and without much attention from Sir Christopher Wren. Beneath the centre window at the east end, is a large Corinthian altar-piece of oak, displaying columns, entablature, &c. elaborately carved and gilded. At the back of the pulpit, in the centre of the church at the east end, there is a singular sounding-board, in the shape of a large parabolic reflector, about twelve feet in diameter, which extends over the preacher; and, by collecting those pulses of sound which would otherwise be dissipated above and behind the speaker, and reflecting them into the body of the church, assists the voice. It is constructed of ribs of mahogany, so arranged, that the grain of the wood radiates all ways from the centre, and the face of it is varnished. This was put up on the appointment of the present vicar, the Rev. J. Natt, by Mr. Elliot. At the west end of the church, and extending over the ambulatory, is an organ of great size, said to be the oldest and one of the finest in London.2 It was built in 1677, by We learn from Elmes's "Life of Wren." p. 335. that the whole was completed within four years. 2 The oldest organ now in England is supposed to be that in Exeter Cathedral, which was erected by John Loosemore in the years 1664 and 1665. See Britton's "History of Exeter Cathedral," p. 122, for some interesting particulars relating to organs. Renatus, Harris, and Byfield, and has forty stops; of which those representing the hautboy, clarionet, &c. termed the reed stops, are supposed to be unequalled.1 Within the church are several monuments and monumental stones, dating from the commencement of the sixteenth century, but there are none which require especial mention. Captain John Smith, Governor of Virginia, who, according to Granger, may be ranked with the most eminent travellers of his day, was buried here in 1631. Of his adventures, which, from his own account in a work he published, were most romantic and chivalrous, his epitaph as recorded by Stow, may give some idea. "Here lyes one conquered, that hath conquered Kings, Subdued large territories, and done things Which to the world, impossible would seem, Did give him as a Coat of Arms to wear, These conquered heads, got by his sword and spear ;- Done in Virginia, that large continent? How that he subdued kings unto his yoke, And made those heathens flee, as wind doth smoke; An habitation for our Christian nation; 1 A set of double open pipes has been lately added to this organ, which were used in the instrument erected for the last great musical festival at Westminster Abbey. The organist here is Mr. Cooper. Oh may his soul in sweet Elysium sleep, Here also was interred the body of Dr. Bell, grandfather of the originator of a system of education which bears his name. On the north side of the church, together with a vestry, robing-room, &c. there is a large apartment known as "St. Stephen's Chapel," and now used for the purposes of a Sunday-school; here also stands the font. This building, which evidently formed a somewhat important portion of the original church, and was probably appropriated to the votaries of the saint whose name it bears, was open to the church until 1817, when it was separated by a glazed partition.2 Among many other charitable bequests to the parish of St. Sepulchre, (of which lists are appended in the church) that of Mr. Robert Dowe, in 1605, may be mentioned for its singularity. This individual left £50. to the parish, on condition that a person should go to Newgate in the still of the night before every execution 1 Captain John Smith was born at Willoughby, in the county of Lincoln, and flourished in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. During the war in Hungary, when he overcame three Turks in single combat, as recorded in the epitaph, Sigismond, Duke of Transylvania, gave him his picture set in gold, and a pension of three hundred ducats. Smith afterwards went to America, where he was taken prisoner by the Indians, but contrived ultimately to escape from them. He had subsequently a considerable share in reducing New England. He published a Map of Virginia, 1612. England's Tryals," 4to. 1620. "A History of Virginia, New England, and the Summer Isles," 1624; and "Travels in Europe, &c." in 1630. See "Fuller's Worthies," and "Description of London," by Nightingale, Vol. III. p. 608. This epitaph no longer remains in the church. "New 2 This appartment is possibly on the site of the chapel built by one of the Popham family, and before mentioned. day, and standing as near as possible to the cells of the condemned, should with a hand-bell (which he also left) give twelve solemn tolls with double strokes, and then, after a proper pause, deliver a solemn exhortation. He likewise ordered that the great bell of the church should toll on the morning, and that, as the criminals passed the wall, the bellman or sexton should look over it and say, "All good people pray heartily unto God for these poor sinners, who are now going to their death"; for which and other services, he who says it is to receive £1. 6s. 8d.1 The place of execution being changed, a part of this ceremony has been long discontinued, and the Christianlike and politic spirit of mercy by which our criminal code is now tempered, will probably before long render the gift a free one. In 1749, Mr. Drinkwater left to the parish £500. to be lent to industrious young tradesmen, by £25. each, for four years without interest. The length of the church, exclusive of the ambulatory, is said to be 126 feet; the breadth 68 feet, and the height of the tower 140 feet. 2 Of the exterior of St. Sepulchre's Church we present an engraving which renders any description of its appearance unnecessary. The venerable tower with its four tall pinnacles ("one of the most ancient in the outline in the circuit of London," 3) forms, as may be seen, the principal and most pleasing feature, and forces one to regret the transfiguration which the body of the Church and the exterior of the porch underwent, when the building was repaired by Sir C. Wren. 1 Maitland's "History, &c." ut sup. |