The Ecclesiological Society.

THE ECCLESIOLOGICAL SOCIETY .

TOWH CHURCHES . The twenty-fifth annual meeting of the members of this society was held on Monday , the 28 th ult ., at the South Kensington Museum . The chair was occupied by the president , Mr . Beresford Hope .

A collection of church-plate mosaics , by Signor Salviati , aud of mural paintings was exhibited , ancl appeared to attract considerable attention . The chairman commenced the proceedings by observing that the present ivas the twenty-fifth anniversary of the societand miht be said to

y , g make an epoch in its history . He Avas glad it was not a tercentenary ; for , judging from the experience of the Shakspeare festival to commemorate that event , they had no desire to emulate that ceremonial . The association had , he might say , been successful at all points ; and this was a

simple fact , of which every county , ei ^ ery archdeaconry , and every large town in England was a standing ivitness . He Avould not refer in detail to Avhat had been done for Gothic architecture , which had of late years revolutionised the external appearance of our churches , nor would he refer to

that which the report ivould disclose , but would content himself by calling upon their hon . secretary to read the narrative of their proceedings during the last twelve months . The Rev . Benjamin Webb , hon . secretary , then read the report , from ivhich we take the following part ion . —

"We proceed to notice the principal new churches of the year . In the first rank Ave must place Mr . J . L . ' Pearson ' s excellent church of St . Peter , Vauxhall , AA'kich is memorable as the first example , in the present revival , of a church vaulted throughout . Mr . Street ' s fine design for St .

Mary's , Clifton , and the same architect ' s church of St . John , Torquay , are very noticeable . We hear with pleasure that Mr . Surges is really beginning the new cathedral of Cork . That of Tuam , by Mr . Deane , is also in progress . Mr . Scott's new chapel for St . John's College , Cambridge , is

already above the first tabling . Mr . Buckeridge is building a very remarkable church , with hospital attached , at Holy Trinity , Ascot , Berkshire . Mr . Clarke's original chapel for the House of Charity , Soh ' o , Avill shortly be opened for worship . The shell of Mr . Bodley ' s new All Saints ' Cambridge

, , is completed ; and he has also in hand St . Wilfrid ' s , Hayward ' s Heath , Sussex . Mr . Robson has designed a good church at Rainfon , in Durham ; and Mr . St . Aubyn one at St . Mark ' s , New Brompton , Kent . Mr . Sktrr has designed a series of very inexpensive churches for Belfast

, and his chapel at Hurstpierpoint is in course of erection . At Edinburgh he is about to complete the enlargement and enrichment of the church of the church of St . Peter . Mr . Withers has designed a chapel-school for Coatham Mandeville , in

the parish of Haughton-le-Skerne , Durham , which deserves special commendation . Mr . Peacock ' s church of St . Jnde , Gray's-inn-lane , has madeexcellent points . St . Mary's , Aberdeen , the work of a clerical amateur , has been finished . " Out of England we notice the commencement

of Mr . Street's design for the memorial church at . Constantinople ; a church at Egutpoora , Bombay ,, by Mr . Buckeridge ( embodying some suggestionsby Mr . Cameron on Tropical Architecture ); and one by Mr . Wray , for Calcutta . " A design by M . Statzof Colognefor

an-, , Anglican chapel at Stuttgart , has been noticed at length in the Ueclesiolocjist j as also M . Cuyper'sremarkable Roman Catholic church at Amsterdam . " Mr . Withers is about to build a very good English church at Brussels ; and Mr . Smith has completed onewith many excellent pointsat

, , Naples . The work of church restoration continues with unabated zeal . Hereford Cathedral , restored by Mr . Scott , has been re-opened . Gloucester Cathedral and St . David's have been entrusted to the

same architect , who is also commissioned to take the spire of Salisbury in hand . The spire of Chichester is rising again , under Mi * . Scott and Mr : Slater . The works at Ely in the octagon aro making progress , and a county appeal has been made iu behalf of the continuation of the Avorks at

Worcester , under Mr . Perkins . A restoration of the reredos in Westminster Abbey is contemplated , under Mr . Scott ; and Signor Salviati ' s mosaics in the Wolsey Tomb-house in Windsor Chapel a ]) proach comjiletion . The Avell-meant but most deplorable restoration of St .

Patrick'sDub-, lin , continues to excite the deep regrets of all ecclesiologists . In St . Paul ' s , London , the first mosaic of the apse , designed by Baron Triqueti and executed by Dr . Salviati , is about to be fixed .. Persl . ore Abbey church , restored by Mr . Scott ,

has been . finished ; ancl Great St . Mary ' s , Cambridge , by the same architect , having been rearranged and re-fitted , now displays the fine proportions of the interior . Other large churches ,, such as St . Cuthbert's , Darlington , under Mr . Scott , and St . Nicholas , Great Yarmouth , under

Mr . Seddon , are in hand . In St . Sepulchre ' s , Northampton , a new font is to be placed , as a memorial of the late Canon James . Mr . Norton has been called in to suggest a plan for enlarging St . Mary's , Cheltenham , and Mr . Slater has in hand the fine church at CalneWiltshire . Newland

, Church , Monmouthshire , has been restored by Mr . White , and Bosham Church , Sussex , by Mr . Christian . Attention has been loudly called to the necessity for restoring the noble church of St . Nicholas , Newcastle- on-Tyne , to serve , it is hoped , as the cathedral for a Northumbrian see . In

London , Mr . St . Aubyn has finished his judicious alterations in the round nave of the Temple Church , and is about to begin the restoration of the interesting church of Cliffe-at-Hooe , Kent ;