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VRANGLI GROTMATZ

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1826.]

NEW CHURCHES.-St. Peter's, Walworth.

NEW CHURCHES.-No. IX.

201

the Church, as well as the South

ST. PETER'S CHURCH, WALWORTH. side, and the North front being uni

Architect, Soane.

HIS edifice is situated at a short Tdistance from the Eastern 'side of the Walworth road, in the Parish of St. Mary, Newington, and is the second new Church built in that parish. It has an extensive and populous district assigned it, in which the want of a Church has been for years felt and acknowledged. Eight centuries ago the Parish Church was situated in that neighbourhood, but in modern times, (until the last year), the respectable part of the inhabitants have had no opportunity of assembling for public worship, except within the walls of the conventicle, a description of buildings which has sprung up in this neighbourhood with a rapidity proportioned to the increase of the population, and the consequent want of accommodation in the Parish Church. In fact, the "holy business of dissent" seemed to be the most thriving trade at Walworth; that it has received a check since the erection of the Church is evident to all whose prejudices do not prevent their judgment from acknowledging the

fact.

St. Peter's Church was commenced on the 2d of June, 1823, the first stone being laid by his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, immediately after the performance of the like ceremony at Trinity Church in this parish (vide vol. xcv. ii. p. 393). It was consecrated by the same Prelate on the 28th of Feb. 1825, on which occasion the Rector of Newington, Mr. Onslow, preached a sermon from the same text which afforded the subject of his discourse at the like occasion at Trinity Church, being in fact a continuation of that sermon. The Rev. Gilbert Elliot, M.A. is the first Minister.

The accompanying engraving (see Plate I) shews the West front and South side of the edifice. The Church is built of brick, with the exception of the steeple and architectural ornaments, which are constructed of stone. The range of columns in front of the Church are of the Roman Ionic or der, the first story of the tower is Corinthian, the second Composite. As the view embraces this portion of GENT. MAG. September, 1826.

form with that which is shewn in the engraving, a further description is rendered unnecessary.

The large gilt weathercock, which forms the finish of the steeple, is not the most happy ornament that might have been selected. The arms with the letters indicating the cardinal points are so nearly equal in radius with the circular story which supports this ponderous appendage, that the steeple appears diminutive, and the situation of the Church, not being due East and West, causes the vane to stand awry upon the steeple, and gives it in consequence a very awkward appearance. I am ignorant of the motive which displaced the cross, the almost universal termination of modern Church towers; it would in this instance have formed a far happier finish than that which has been chosen.

The Eastern end of the Church is flanked on each side by two rooms above each other, which are built beyond the wall of the building, and serve as vestries; they are correspondent with similar projections at the West end, containing the staircases, and give an appearance of great length to the body of the edifice. The wall between them contains three windows with arched heads; and below them is a gallery resting on an arched corridor, within which are entrances to the vestries, and through them to the Church; the roof finishes with a parapet and a low attic wall.

The INTERIOR of the edifice under consideration possesses a more decided Church-like appearance than the generality of new Churches. In breadth it is made into a nave and ailes by columns and arches. A small division is made at the East and Western ends of the Church by arches, crossing the whole building at right angles with the former ones, and which rest upon piers rising from the floor. The smaller arches above the galleries are semicircular; the larger ones crossing the nave are segments of large circles. The division to the East forms the chancel, the Western one contains the organ gallery. An arch of the like form is also constructed at the East end above the altar windows. The spandrils of all these arches are pierced with circles, giving an air of great

lightness and elegance to the whole composition. The side ailes are occupied by galleries, sustained on an architrave supported by unfluted Grecian Doric columns. The fronts are ballustraded. From the architrave four octangular pillars without capitals, are carried up, and sustain five semi-circular arches springing immediately from the pillars, without the intervention of imposts, and occupying the spaces between the piers at the East and Western ends; the divisions Eastward of the piers are covered by plain circular arches. A gallery crosses the West end of the Church, in which is erected the organ. On each side of this instrument is an additional gallery for the charity children.

The ceiling, part of which is pleasingly broken into portions by the various divisions of the Church, is quite flat, and formed into large paunels; that portion which belongs to the central division is surrounded with a frieze of foliage disposed in a con tinued scroll. Each alternate pannel in the centre row is enriched with a flower, as are all the pannels in the ailes and chancel.

The altar-screen is a beautiful composition, in three divisions. The centre contains the decalogue on dark red pannels, and is bounded by two pilasters sustaining an architrave, cornice, and pediment, having cherubim applied as acroteria; beneath the architrave is a dove in white marble, with expanded wings, surrounded with a golden irradiation. The lateral divisions contain the Creed and Paternoster on corresponding pannels, and the whole is flanked at the sides with two columns, and finished with an architrave and cornice enriched with scroll work, and broken above the columns, where the cornice is decorated with acroteria and cherubim. The body of the screen, and the pilasters and columns, are painted in imitation of Sienna marble; the capitals, frieze, and other enrichments of white veined marble. In the wall above the altar are three arched windows occupied by pleasingly executed subjects in stained glass by Mr. Collins of the Strand. The centre one contains an oval medallion bearing the head of our Saviour crowned with thorns, the size of life, from the picture of Christ bearing his cross, by Carlo Dolci. The effect of this painting is heightened by the whole of the medallion being

brought forward beyond the surface of the other parts of the window, and encircled by a narrow border of plain glass. The whole is encircled with rich Mosaic composition, and finished by a border of honeysuckle-work in vivid colours. This window was the gift of Mr. Firth, an inhabitant of the parish. The side windows are painted of an umber colour, and represent important facts in the life of the patron saint; each is agreeably set off by a border of honey-suckle work similar to the centre window. The subject of the window opposite the spectator's left hand is the Charge to St.Peter, after Rafaelle's celebrated cartoon. That of the other is The Angel delivering St. Peter from prison, from the painting in the Vatican by the same divine master. The two windows last described were the gift of Mr. Soane, the architect of the building, and were given I believe on the occasion of the present being the first Church erected by that gentleman in the long course of his professional career.

The pulpit and reading-desk are executed in oak, and rest upon columns on the opposite sides of the nave; though they are similar in form, they differ in dimensions, and one is lower than the other, contrary to the modern practice of setting up two pulpits, a practice which I have already had occasion to notice and deprecate in the course of this correspondence. The lighting of the Church is effected by the shadowless lamps, whose utility has been recognized in the parlour and the study, and in this instance in the Church; four are affixed to each of the pillars which rise above the galleries at the springings of the arches, and are made in some measure to supply the defect of imposts; these, with others dispersed in different parts of the Church, give light to the whole building, without impeding the sight like the massive pendant chandeliers in our older Churches.

The Church is very light, and possesses another excellence of no small moment in a large building of this description, that of hearing distinctly. On the whole, it has been much and deservedly admired for the tasteful nature of its decorations and the general pleasing character of the interior. font has not yet been set up; but I presume this indispensable appendage to a Church, possessing the power of

A

1826.]

On Regal Badges.

administering the sacrament of baptism, will not be forgotten. In the tower is a peal of eight very musical bells, cast by Mears, of Whitechapel, the tenor weighing 15 cwt. The basement story of the Church is occupied by spacious and well-ventilated catacombs.

The opposition made to the erection of this and Trinity Church is not yet forgotten. Long may it be remembered, and may the zeal displayed by the supporters of the measure animate every other member of the Establishment who may be placed in any position of hostility with her numerous adversaries.

ON ROYAL BADGES.

E. I. C.

BESIDE their Arms and Support ers t, properly so called, many of our English Kings adopted BADGES or Cognizances, a practice, says Mr. Dallaway, which was confined for many centuries to the Royal use, though afterwards imitated by many of the Nobility.

About the fifteenth century these cognizances or badges became universal; and minstrels, for distinction from menial servants, wore them suspended by a silver chain. Even younger brothers wore the badge of the elder. Soldiers wore them. Servants wore their masters' badges fastened to the left sleeve of a Blue Coat, a term synonymous with servant. The sleeve badge was, in servants, left off temp. James I. The badge is still retained by Watermen, Firemen, &c.

The first of our Sovereigns to whom these devices are assigned is HENRY II. His cognizance was the plant Genista, or broom-plant, from his name Plantagenet.

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cognizance of the House of PlantaThus the broom-plant became the genet. It was worn on the helmet of seals. It is on the robe of Richard II: Richard I. and is found on both his and was used by most of the succeeding monarchs. It appears in the Pa geants of Henry VIII. t

EDWARD THE FIRST seems to have adopted a Swan as a Royal device; as

did afterwards EDWARD THE THIRD. The latter monarch's devices were, the stump of a tree sprouting; a sword with three crowns; a fleur-de-lis; but erect on a chapeau, the blade enfiled his more peculiar device was, the sun issuing from the clouds.

feathers, distinguished from the King
JOHN OF GHENT adopted ostrich
and Prince's Badges, by being spotted
with ermine. The device of the ostrich-
feathers, variously tinctured, has been
The red rose was first assumed by
used by the Royal Family ever since.
John of Ghent.

Hart couchant, crowned, and ducally
RICHARD II. adopted the White
gorged with a chain, the device of his
Mother.
branch, with the cods open; a white
He also used a peascod
falcon; and the sun in splendour.

HENRY IV. introduced as a cognizance the letters SS. in whose reign it formed the ornament of a collar, in which situation it continues in use to the present day. He also used the

To the present rector, Mr. Onslow, the highest praise is due, not only for his persevering exertions in favour of the new Churches, but for his general conduct in the parish. To say more I am barred at present, and as the period when you will be at liberty to award praise where it is due is likely in this instance to be very far distant, I am only at liberty to add that since the incumbency of this gentleman the parish Church has been very considerably enlarged; a school in conjunction with the National Society, erected for 1000 children; and two new Churches built and consecrated. It is not remarkable, under such circumstances, that the minister of a parish should be opposed by the adversaries of our Church, especially when that Minister is one who'd "Preach from a pulpit rather than a tub, And give no guinea to a Bible Club. "

A List of the Royal Supporters used by our Sovereigns is given in vol. LXX. ii.

843.949. 1045. 1257.

Holinshed, sub anno 1513.

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