of about three feet. From the plan it will be seen that the shape of it is somewhat similar to that of a coffee-pot. This fire-hole is suitable for warming a vestry, or for portions of a church which may be too distant from the main flue. It can also be placed at the lower end of the chimney, to be lighted before the furnace, and thus causing a better draught. The principle upon which it acts is that of a downward current; the coals are placed at the bottom, then some smaller sticks, and shavings at the top; these are lighted, and the flame is carried downwards by the pressure of the air above, igniting the wood and coals, and consuming the smoke in descending. The superiority of this plan of warming over that by means of iron stoves, consists in the purity of the heated air which ascends from the furnace, and being filtered, as it were through the tiles, rises into the space above, purer than when contaminated by passing through any heated metallic substance. Other advantages are, the beneficial way in which the heat is produced at the lowest point in the building; its safety from fire, the only access to the furnace being on the outside; the absence of dust, smoke, and dirt; and the economy of fuel. The person who has executed the work at Rockingham and Weldon, is Mr. Bradshaw, an intelligent builder at Leamington, who has applied this system of warming to several churches and schools in that neighbourhood. The cost of it for the length and extent I have described, amounted at Rockingham to £35; at Weldon, to £65. The materials were supplied by Mr. Arnold, tile and brick manufacturer, Tamworth. 'It was impossible to convey any idea of this plan, without carrying these remarks to a greater length than I could have wished; and even now, I fear, I have left much unsaid, and which I shall be happy to communicate to any person who wishes for further information on the subject. "Before concluding, I must not omit to notice one other method of keeping our churches warmed and aired, and which cannot fail to be attended with beneficial results, and that is, to open them as frequently as possible for Divine Service. Let this simple method be adopted, in addition to the artificial means already recommended, and we shall not have to complain of cold, which may, in some measure, be the result of a want of zeal and devotion in ourselves." A long discussion followed the reading of this paper, Mr. Law contending that the hot water system was the safest, most effectual, and cheapest. The importance of the subject was generally admitted, and a sub-committee, consisting of Lord A. Compton, Mr. Bigge, Mr. James and Mr. Law, was appointed to draw up a report on church warming, describing some of the methods hitherto adopted, stating the expense of construction and of fuel, the area heated and the degree of heat gained in each case, with any further remarks they may think advisable. CAMBRIDGE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. THE third meeting for the October term was held on Wednesday, November 23, 1853; the Rev. the president in the chair. The minutes of the preceding meeting having been read, the gentlemen who had been proposed at that meeting were elected. The following gentlemen were proposed for election at the next meeting : Mr. H. M. Bayley, Trinity College. : The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. E. S. Lowndes, of Christ's College, for some specimens of granite, and to the Rev. H. M. Ingram, M.A., Chaplain of Trinity College, for a volume of "Reports of the Church Building Society." Mr. Norris Deck read a paper on the Priory church, Great Malvern, illustrated by some drawings of the encaustic tiles which exist there in great numbers. The thanks of the meeting were voted to Mr. Deck, and he was requested to allow his paper to be copied. Mr. S. B. Gould, of Clare Hall, exhibited some drawings of roodscreens and pulpits in the churches of Devonshire. The colours and gildings of the originals were very faithfully represented. A report was read from the committee for superintending the restoration of S. Andrew's church, Barnwell. In seconding the motion for its adoption, Mr. H. R. Luard, M.A., Fellow of Trinity College, spoke very highly of the services rendered by the late treasurer to the fund, and by Mr. R. R. Rowe. Mr. J. Walker, B.A., of Trinity College, read a paper on Glasgow Cathedral. In moving a vote of thanks to Mr. Walker, the Rev. G. Williams, B.D., Warden of S. Columba's, and Senior Fellow of King's College, formerly president of the society, addressed the meeting at some length. He congratulated the society on its increased numbers and efficiency, and expressed a hope that its proceedings would be conducted in the same cautious manner as they had hitherto been; and that care would be taken not to wound the feelings of others by putting forward opinions in an offensive manner. These remarks were received with much applause. The motion, having been seconded by the Rev. H. M. Ingram, was carried. The meeting adjourned to Wednesday, December 7, 1853. The last meeting of the society for the Michaelmas Term was held at their rooms, on Wednesday, December 7th, 1853. The Rev. the president took the chair at seven o'clock. The minutes of the preceding meeting having been read, the gentle men then proposed were balloted for, and declared duly elected, and the following names were proposed for election at the next meeting : The Rev. Harvey Goodwin, M.A., Caius College. Mr. J. Nunns, S. John's College. Mr. G. W. Fisher, Christ's College. - The thanks of the society were voted to the treasurer, Mr. H. R. Bailey, S. John's College, for presents of the casts of some interesting seals of the monastery and cathedral church of Ely, and of the rubbings of several brasses; and to Mr. R. R. Rowe, for a collection of specimens of the different sorts of stone now generally employed for building purposes. Mr. G. A. Lowndes, B.A., Trinity College, read a paper containing notices of the cathedrals at Aix-la-Chapelle and Cologne, and other remarkable churches in the latter city, illustrated by the magnificent works of Boisserée on Cologne Cathedral and the churches of the Upper Rhine. The Rev. S. T. Gibson, M.A., of Queen's College, in moving a vote of thanks to the writer, especially alluded to the magnificence of design, and the exquisite beauty of the minutest details, apparent in every part of the works at Cologne Cathedral. Mr. Lowndes having, in the course of his paper, made some allusions to the peculiar style of stained glass executed at Munich, a discussion followed on the relative merits of the English and Bavarian schools of glass-staining, with especial reference to the windows from that manufactory lately inserted in the chapel of S. Peter's College. Mr. E. S. Lowndes, of Christ's College, gave a brief account of the commencement of the work of restoration at S. Andrew's, Barnwell, under the superintendence of the incumbent and churchwardens of the parish, and the committee of the society. Mr. Gould, of Clare Hall, informed the meeting of the discovery of several fragments of the carved work of the old church, particularly of an incised slab, bearing a floriated cross of elaborate design. Mr. Rate, of Jesus College, urged the society to concentrate its efforts on this restoration, in order that, as soon as the work at present in hand was completed, the committee might be in a position to proceed to the repairs of the other parts of the church without delay. Mr. J. T. Walford, of King's College, read a brief but interesting notice of the church at Compton, in Surrey, so remarkable for having a gallery over its chancel opening above the chancel-arch. The Rev. H. M. Ingram, M.A., Trinity College, moved a vote of thanks; in seconding which Mr. R. R. Rowe made some suggestions on the singular feature of this church described by Mr. Walford, as throwing light upon some peculiarities observed at Chesterton church. The meeting then adjourned to February 8, 1854. WELLS COLLEGIATE ARCHITECTURAL SOCIETY. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. A YEAR has now elapsed since the foundation of this Society on September 17, 1852, and the Committee beg to present the First Annual Report. During the past year Six General Meetings of the Society have been held. At the First Meeting the President delivered an inaugural address, in which, adopting Mr. Sharpe's Nomenclature, he pointed out the main characteristics of the several periods of Architecture. After alluding to the total neglect of this study, both in England and the Colonies, (a neglect which was deeply deplored by the late Bishop of Barbadoes), he urged the claim which this branch of Christian Art has upon the members of a Theological College, as the future guardians and protectors of Ecclesiastical buildings. At various meetings since, ten Papers on different subjects have been read by members of the Society: On the "Truthfulness of Pointed Architecture," by Mr. Newdigate. On "Ruskin's Seven Lamps," by Mr. Tozer. On "Architectural Outline," by Mr. Rediper. On "Churches and their Arrangement, Congregational and Ritual, (first portion, on the nave), by Mr. Ravenshaw. On The Four Seasons of Architecture," by Mr. Tugwell. On "The Study of Architecture and its connection with other things," by the Rev. C. E. Richard, Vice-President. On "Stained Glass," by Mr. Ravenshaw. On "Basle Cathedral," by Mr. Tugwell. On "Anglo-Continental Ecclesiology and the new English churches at Geneva," by Mr. Ravenshaw. The Committee have thankfully to acknowledge a considerable number of presents from various members of the Society, and would especially mention the names of Mr. Newdigate and Mr. Tugwell, the latter of whom has kindly devoted the proceeds of the "Four Seasons" to the Society's funds. The Society has sustained a loss in the resignation of the secretaryship by Mr. Tozer, to whose exertions in behalf of Ecclesiology, and this Society in particular, our best thanks are owing. In connection with this gentleman's name, the Committee notice with great satisfaction the consecration of the chapel of S. John the Evangelist, Luton, South Devon, built from designs by Mr. Tozer, and the plans of which were laid before the Committee at their first meeting in the present year. At an early period of our existence, a correspondence was entered into with the President of the Bristol and West of England Architectural Society," with which it was proposed to form an amalgamation; no decisive steps having been taken, the matter remains in abeyance. During the past summer, an Ecclesiological visit was paid to the cathedral, when, with the exception of some important details, e.g., the arrangement of the seats, the form of the foot-pace, the sedilia, and the stencilling of the roof, a satisfactory opinion was formed of the restorations by Messrs. Ferrey and Salvin. The new window by Mr. Willement was noticed with commendation, and hopes were expressed that the east window, so deservedly eulogized by M. Henri Gerente, might at no distant period receive that restoration and repair which its exceeding beauty deserves. Mr. Willement's excellence in that department was alluded to, as testified by the effect of the centre window of the Lady chapel. Hopes were also entertained that the tracings of the east window taken in 1847 by M. Henri Gerente might not be lost to the world, notwithstanding his untimely death. This hope has been realized within the last few months by the successful reproduction of this window in the new church of All Saints, S. Marylebone, from the works of his brother, M. Alfred Gerente. Neither could the Committee refrain from expressing their regret that the scheme for building a new church for East Wells should not have been carried into effect, (for which a subscription was formerly entered into by members of the Theological College) especially as the accommodation in the restored choir seems likely to be less even than that at present afforded in the nave. At the last General Meeting it was unanimously resolved that the Ecclesiologist should be taken in by the Society. Your Committee have been engaged in drawing up a new set of rules, for the better government of the Society, which will be laid before them at the present Meeting, for approval and confirmation. The desirableness of ultimately obtaining a room, as a place of deposit for the Society's Books, Brasses, Casts, and other possessions, has also engaged the attention of the Committee; the Vicar's Hall seems eminently suited for this purpose, and might be used (as that at Exeter) for the Society's meetings. The Committee hope shortly to be able to come to some arrangement on this subject. In conclusion, your Committee think, in reviewing the past year, that both here and generally there is every reason to believe that true principles are widely spreading their growth and influence, and that there is great evidence of the acceptance of a sound and correct Ecclesiology, and would most strenuously urge on the Society to use their utmost exertions for the furtherance of such an end. OXFORD SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY AND PRACTICE OF PLAIN.SONG. A CORRESPONDENT favours us with the following account of a hopeful movement for the revival of Plain-Song, in the establishment of the Oxford Society for the Study and Practice of the Plain-Song of the Church. |