Architecture And Archæloogy.

when , by a mutual arrangement , the inhabitants agreed to abandon the parish church , which was in great decay , and to maintain the abbey church in its place . Despite the usual rough usage consequent upon the introduction of "large galleries , sash windows , aud high pews , the features of the choir were not so much disturbed and spoliated by this parochial arrangement as they have been recently .

The restoration has been hi contemplation for some years , : and has now been carried out . The re-opening ceremony took place on the 10 th ult ., when the newly-installed Bishop -of Durham was the preacher . The first step towards its execution consisted in the purchase of several old houses that were built against the Lady chapel , and in their demolition . This proceeding disclosed the fact that the

walls of this Perpendicular part of the building had been so cut into by the erection of these houses that it was considered advisable fco take down and erase all existence of rfchis chapel . The scheme of restoration then resolved itself into the rebuilding of the east end . A plan afc first , how--ever , was prepared by a London architect , and approved , and contracts entered into , which converted the splendid

ancient choir into a neat modern parish church , and has unfortunately resulted in . the loss of the two shrines that occupied two such important places before . So little provision was made for their preservation that the beautiful Perpendicular wood screen-work of fche Ogle shrine is broken up and scattered , and the altar picture is now in the possession of the joinerbeing claimed bhim as part

, y -of the old materials he was entitled to per contract . It is a -choice specimen of fifteenth century painting upon panel , and represents , on a surface about 8 ft . by 4 ft ., in three compartments , the Virgin and Child , siu'rounded by a glory ; -our Saviour rising from tbe tomb , surrounded by clouds and stars ; and St . John , also surrounded by a- glory ; the nimbi

ancl ornaments being curiously raised in wax from the . surface . The stone shrine , reputed to be that of Prior Richard de Hexham , the historian of the abbey , has also been removed and re-sefc up , awkwardly , in the north transept ; and afc length , the Saxon stone Frid-sfcool , for so many centuries jealously kept near the altar , is removed to an unconsidered

and unprotected place in the same transept . The ancient cak stalls have been plucked from their places by the rooiloffc , and set up without their book-boards against the walls of the aisles ; all to admit of the crowding of the new plain . ; bsiiches round the comimuiion-table . We are informed that a Newcastle architect is responsible for the new east end . We much regret that , instead of

taking as the theme for his composition the matchless design and details of the choir , or the rerj- beautiful arrangement of the two rows of triple lancets , with panels between each lancet , existing in the north transept ; , as the basis for this restoration , ho has inserted six unnecessarily wide lancets , with a profusion of clustered columns betiveen each , unlike anything in the church , composed from remains at Whitby with carvings from Stone Church , in Kent ,

ana elsewhere . The absence of proper historic and archaaological feeling in the working committee is apparent from the fact among others , that no competent person has been placed , local !} -, in charge of the restoration . This absence of supervision has enabled the contractors to use considerable license . On the daj- we visited the church they were forming a large

warm-air drain , Oft . wide and 6 ft . deep , and 120 ft . long , through the length of the north transept ; that is to say , making a- cutting through layers upon layers of coffins and skeletons , —the burials of ' generations , —the fragments of which wore being wheeled out openly to tho churchyard ; and to form a cover for this drain the contractors wero using up fragments of Norman coffin-lids with zig-zag

ornaments , and entire gravestones of more modern date , because the sexton thought the churchyard too fall of them , and -wanted then put out- of his vevy . Many sculptured stones wore laying about the churclryard , of a very interesting description from their early character and comprehensiveness , of which ifc would be a great pity to lose sight . For tho sake of future reference , ancl to enable the public to keep an eye upon them , wo here catalogue two large stone coffin-iids , complete , wifch the simple legends—here Latin

and there English— -deeply incised in large Early English capitals , respective !} ' thus;—JOIIAXXIS MALHEBBE JACET HIC IIEXitlCUS DE WALTOXA . KOl'EKT DE GISBUKXE . EOBE 11 TUS DE BEDEDELIDT . KOBEltT DE KIEKEBJAIDE .

HIC JACET HAD DE T . ALKAX CAXOIO . JOIIES DE DALTOXA . IUC JACET 3 IATJ . LDA UXOR UPM IIEXCEXAKX . Ifc is to be regretted that a person of antiquarian information , who , if we may judge from the carefully-written Guide to the Church , is not wanting , has nofc been deputed to watch proceedings of so much importance to historians

and archaeologists . The lord of fche manor and lay rector has given , liberal aid to the extent of £ 5000 , or more , towards the removal of the parasitical buildings ancl the renovation of the Abbey Church , which , we must repeat , might have been treated with more reverence for its historic antecedents . There is a proposal to divide the diocese of Durham and

form a bishopric of Northumberland , to which , ifc is said , the Ecclesiastical Commissioners are favourably inclined . Hexham having already been an episcopal seat , might properly take precedence of Newcastle , Alnwick , Morpeth , or other competing towns , and claim restitution of its privileges as a see . Consider , then , the magnitude of the opportunity that has been lost . If fche money just expended

upon unfitting the edifice for this probability had been employed upon seating the large area under the tower and transepts , fche Abbey Church would have presented every condition requisite for the various solemnities and ordinances connected wifch episcopal duties . As it is , this space remains a vacant ; vestibule to the crowded choir . If ifc had been taken into consideration we should not have had fco

deplore fche transformation of fche venerable choir into a closelyjaaoked parish church , and fche removal of hislorie memorials —fche Saxon Frid-sfcool , the Ogle and Prior Richard's shrines , and the canons' oaken stalls . —Builder .

GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE . The old church afc Basingham , which for years past has been falling into decay , has been reopened , after undergoing a restoration . The north arcade , which was partly Early English and partly Norman , has been taken down and reconstructedthe old Norman archivhich was in a good

, , state of preservation , being again used . Two new arches have been placed afc the side of the old one . The clerestory windows have been restored , and placed in tho same position as they wero before . The parapets on the nave and aisle have been taken down and restored , twelve new pinnacles being added to tho nave , and ]} laced on the old bases . A new chance ! arch , wifch coping and cross on the apex , has

been erected , and a new coping and cross have also been added fco the chancel . The whole of the windows in the church have been taken out and restored , and reglazed with cathedral glass . A new tower arch has been added . The oak roof of tho nave , north and south aisles , and porch , have been taken off and restored . New oak doors have been added to the south and north entranceand to the tower

, . The inside of the church has been fitted up with open benches . The whole of the fittings of the nave and aisles are of fir . The nave and aisles have been paved wifch 6 'in . black and reel Staffordshire bricks , and the chancel wifch Minton ' s 4 in . square brick . The total cost of the restoration is upwards of £ 1200 . The parish church of Nov . - St Michael's , Farnsfield , has

been consecrated by the Bishop of Lincoln . The edifice stands principally on the site of the old church , which was formerly of vei y limited dimensions , and has been entirely rebuilt , with the exception of the lower portion of fche tower , and on a scale commensurate wifch the increased population of fche parish . The now edifice is in the stylo of the fourteenth century , ancl consists of a nave , 60 ft . by 21 fc . ; two aisles , with span roof , 60 ft . by 15 ft . ; a chancel , wifch apsidal termination , 21 it . by 19 ft . ; ancl a porch ancl vestry . The tower , which now stands at the west end of the south aisle ,