Ecclesiologist, "That single figures are by far the best for church windows." And here we have not only for our authority the manifestly superior effect of single figures, as exemplified in the windows of S. Neot's church, but also the fact that the ancient designers preferred them; for, out of the sixteen windows of S. Neot's, while five are mosaic, one armorial, and two subject (and these are modern windows), there are eight that have single figures. It is supposed that the Creation window is the earliest of these: probably the glass is; the window is not, but the glass does not fit the window. Some have gone so far as to consider it to be First-Pointed. I cannot allow this; it appears to be late Middle-Pointed. The Noah window is perhaps of the same date. The window presented by John Mutton, Esq., I imagine to be early Third-Pointed, perhaps circa A. D. 1400. Three only retain their dates, and these are 1528, 1529, 1530. The other windows are all Third-Pointed, somewhat laté; perhaps it would not be right to assign an earlier date than 1485 to any of these.

CHURCH NOTES FROM NORMANDY.

(A Communication.)

S. Honorine, Graville.-This noble Norman cross church, built, as it is said, by the architect of S. Cross Church, Winchester, is admirably situated at two miles from Le Havre, on a sort of terrace on the side of the côte which backs the town. The plan is choir and nave, with aisles, central tower and transepts, and two western towers, of which one only remains, having small crypts. The choir is of three bays, the arcades and windows being First-Pointed. The east windows, two, with an external buttress between them, like the Oxfordshire small churches of the later style, are double lancets, with a simple circle in the head; the clerestory windows circular lunettes, which I noticed in several churches, but could not decide whether they were original or not. The tower is not lofty externally, but forms a fine lantern, with four noble (circular) pier arches and piers. The nave is of five bays: the piers monoliths, with the ordinary cushion caps and square bases. The clerestory windows are small Norman ones. The windows, with the exception of the west window, are all Norman, The west window is good Middle-Pointed, reticulated quatrefoils, but not all of the same size. The church has been put in substantial repair, and the nave and north aisles restored and refitted, but not well. The vaulting appears to have been throughout quadripartite, with First-Pointed or Transition moulded ribs. This has been reproduced in the nave, nave aisles, and transepts, in plaister, and the walls plaistered and marked in large courses; in the choir and choir aisles the old remains, but is rather dilapidated. The altars and fittings of the choir and choir aisles are bad, and much worn, renaissance; those of the rest of the church rubbishing new ones. The nave is full of deal pews, of the most offensive medium height, and

hardly kneelable in: in front of one detachment of them is a squire's pew,' square, carpeted, and with a table in it. The pulpit is new, and very bad; the choir and sanctuary have no screen, or veil of any kind. This, one may hope, will be rectified when they come to restore this part of the church. There is in the north transept (chapel of the Blessed Sacrament) a new altar, by far the best in the church, though not very good either. In the north-west tower is the font; as far as I could see (it being railed in) it is an ancient Norman one. The exterior has been plainly, but not nicely restored: the roofs are slate, and a broach of the same covers the central tower. Under the southwest tower is a small crypt with an apse, now filled with rubbish. Under the remains of the other west tower I could trace a similar one, and from marks of a roof between the towers, and the late character of the west window and door, I am inclined to think the towers were once engaged, and perhaps the part between used as a narthex. In the churchyard is a very good and perfect cross. It stands on two octagonal plinths and one square one, and seems about eight feet by two and a half or three. The shaft and limbs are octagonal, with a running pattern of ball flowers along the alternate faces. On one side is our Lady and Child, on the other the rood, both surrounded by a raised and pierced quatrefoil. The humbler graves in this churchyard were very nice plain wooden crosses and the priez pour lui or elle: the finer ones were gaudy and less Christian.

Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the petit-seminaire at Yvetot.A modern Middle-Pointed chapel, built seven years ago by M. l'Abbé Robert, one of the masters. It has six windows on each side, with a trilateral apse, also with three windows. All the windows are similar, two-light, with large multifoil circles in the head. The altar, a temporary wooden one, is against the east wall of the apse. On the other two sides are niches (with canopies) with statues of the Blessed Virgin and Child, and S. Louis, beneath which are shelves used for credences. The next bay is included in the sanctuary, ascended by three steps; and under the windows are statues of SS. Romain and Gertrude, in niches with canopies. The sides of the sanctuary have a stone bench table, which is continued in the choir. The benches in front of this for the boys are merely temporary, as are the chairs used for sedilia. There is no ante-chapel. At the west end are two doors, one of which leads into the sacristy, and between these, and for a little way up the sides of the chapel, are stalls occupied by the masters (twenty in number, of whom fourteen are priests) with subsellæ. The superior sits in the middle stall. Over these stalls, (which are arranged round the apsidal termination of the west end,) is a small tribune, or gallery, latticed for the sœurs de charité and visitors. The great want in the chapel now is stained glass, which it is hoped will be gradually supplied. Also the roof is plaister vaulting: wood would of course have been preferable, though probably too dear for the limited means of the pious builders. Besides the chapel, there are two rooms, fitted up as oratories with altars, in the house. There is no attempt in these at anything but seemly neatness. The chapel on the whole is satisfying, being decidedly religious, but by no means faultless; allowance

being made for limited means, and for the time at which it was built. The exterior is quite plain, with square buttresses, pedimented, a slate roof, of sufficient pitch, and a large statue of the Blessed Virgin, gilt, on the point of the apse.

Notre Dame, Mantes.-One of the finest parish churches I know, consisting of choir with aisles, circular apse with retrochoir, and seven radiating chapels, (three with trilateral apses,) nave with aisles, and two western towers engaged. The choir, of two bays, is merely one of arrangement, the piers and vaulting being similar throughout choir and nave. These vary in form, but always in pairs, and the basis being throughout a cylinder, with four or more shafts attached or engaged. The caps are throughout square. The apse has seven narrow stilted arches on monolith cylinders, with square capitals. The soffits square, with rolls at the angles. Above these the triforium gallery, (which is very lofty, and vaulted throughout the church, being of the same width as the aisles and retrochoir,) extends round the entire apse, and is pierced with seven roses, of great size and beauty, set in oblique splays, so that they all present themselves to the eye at once from the entrance of the choir. The triforium arcade is of three arches, on slender shafts, (square capitals,) under one very shallow arch. The triforium windows, and two of those of the nave aisles, (the two easternmost,) are beautiful Middle-Pointed ones, as are those in the chapels, but the aisles and clerestory have merely plain Pointed windows, without monials. The towers open into the aisles and into the nave; into the latter by two lofty arches the whole height of the triforium and clerestory, which has a very fine effect. The west window is a magnificent rose. The church is vaulted throughout with simple quadripartite vaulting, with roll ribs. This church was once filled with splendid stained glass, which must have made it glorious. It has now none but some good modern glass in the lady chapel, which is also a good specimen of modern polychrome. Externally the church is not so striking, except the west end, which is a fine composition. The centre has a splendid late Middle-Pointed portal, with a noble Majesty and our lady in the tympanum under a lofty pediment. Over this are three lancets under a hood, and a noble rose (I should think of the same date as the portal) under a fine gable: the towers have handsome portals with pediments, two lancets and then one. The upper part of the towers (one has been recently taken down to the roof line, being dangerous, and the other is much patched and decayed), must have been rather curious than beautiful. The tower still remaining has an external double gallery, (one over the other,) with slender shafts and a pierced parapet, as far as I could make it out. This church has great unity of design, and the frequent recurrence of the mystical numbers, three and seven, is well worthy of attention. It is said to have been built by S. Louis and his mother. In part of the west end is the spot where tradition says that William the Conqueror received that injury (by the fall of his horse) which ended his life. The arrangements are poor, and not free from objection, the choir rails being wide apart, and of common iron, &c., but there are no pews. At first mass (six o'clock) there was a fair congregation, and several communicants.

S., Yvetot.-A large brick church of the seventeenth century. I notice it to mention the full developement of pews; they were old, (perhaps fifty or sixty years old,) high and inconvenient, still all turned the right way. Low choir rails.

S. Mary, Goderville.-A small parish church, nave and north aisle, and chancel with tower between: early Transitional tower, fifteenth century chancel, with fair vaulting, nave aisle arcade of four Debased arches, nave full of open fixed pews, west gallery ditto, of the regular churchwarden type. The images, &c., very coarse, but reverently kept and decorated.

Chapel of our Lady of Safety, near Fécamp.-This chapel, of which a low tower, north transept, and the chancel, are in repair, the nave being nearly levelled with the ground, is situated on the headland to the north of Fécamp. The sides of the hill are worn with the feet of frequent pilgrims who come to offer their prayers for the fishermen. The tower was central; it, and the choir, and a short transept, are good early Middle-Pointed, with quadripartite vaulting. The four windows of the chancel have been filled with tracery of a much later date. The modern wooden altar and reredos closes up two east windows of the original design; they are simple two-lights, with a large foliated circle in the head. Behind the altar is a low sacristy, recently built, in which is preserved the piscina, a fine double one with a shelf.

MR. COTTINGHAM'S MUSEUM OF MEDIEVAL ART.

We have received a catalogue of this collection, formed by the late Mr. Cottingham, at 43, Waterloo Bridge Road. It is published with the hope of prevailing upon government "to purchase this museum as an adjunct to the Schools of Design, or what would even be more desirable, as the nucleus of a national and mediæval museum, in which we might hope eventually to see the skill of our ancestors in other departments of art as fully represented, as architecture is in this collection." Failing this, it is hoped that some private party, or some manufacturing town, may buy it in gross. And if this expectation is not realized, the proprietors will sell it by public auction in the month of April next ensuing.

As we have always earnestly wished for a mediæval department in the British Museum, we have no hesitation in expressing our hope that this valuable collection of casts, models, and ancient details, may not be allowed to be dispersed, but may become public property. The catalogue before us is very full and detailed, and is illustrated by fifteen woodcuts of some of the most interesting subjects. There are no less than 1,453 articles in the museum.

ECCLESIOLOGICAL LATE CAMBRIDGE CAMDEN SOCIETY.

MEETINGS of the Committee of this Society have been held on December 16, 1850, (special) and January 13, 1851; and have been attended by the Rev. Dr. Mill, V.P., Mr. Chambers, Mr. France, Sir John Harington, Rev. T. Helmore, Rev. G. H. Hodson, Mr. A. J. B. Hope, M.P., Mr. Luard, Rev. W. Scott, and Rev. B. Webb.

At the Special Meeting, the following Resolution was unanimously adopted :-Resolved,-That the Committee of the Ecclesiological Society beg to express their cordial sympathy with the Rev. W. J. E. Bennett, under the trials which he is suffering from his zeal to restore the Ritualism of the English Church.

The following ordinary members have been elected :—

Barber, Esq., Tulse Hill.

John Lindsell, Esq., 10, Torrington Square.

Lieut. Col. Short, 1, Albert Terrace, Knightsbridge.
Rev. Nugent Wade, M.A., S. Anne's, Soho.

W. S. W. Vaux, Esq., M.A., British Museum.

Mr. Bevan having resigned the Treasurership of the Society on the grounds of residence in the country, and contemplated absence from England for many months, W. C. Luard, Esq. was elected into the vacant office.

The publication of Part IV. of the New Series of the Instrumenta Ecclesiastica was announced, and the contents of Part V. agreed upon. Part IV. contains a plan, elevations and sections of the wooden church designed for the island of Tristan d'Acunha, by Mr. Carpenter.

The Committee was consulted as to the subjects of the embroidery &c. intended to be prepared for the Great Exhibition, by Messrs. Newton Jones and Willis, of Birmingham, from the designs of Mr. Street. Thanks were received from the Oxford Architectural Society for the last published part of the Instrumenta Ecclesiastica, and Reports from the Bristol and Northamptonshire Architectural Societies.

Designs for rebuilding Kingweston church, by Mr. Giles: for a restored parsonage at S. Columb, and a new one at Ruan Lanihorne, both by Mr. White, were examined; and also tracings of some projected improvements at Kirkham. The Rev. E. D. Butts forwarded for inspection coloured sketches of some of the frescoes discovered in Netherbury church, Dorsetshire. They represented the Seven Corporal Works of Mercy, and the Seven Deadly Sins. In the drawing of "Visiting the Sick," a physician is shown in a long black robe, with a hood, lined and edged with (apparently) ermine, round his neck. "Burying the dead," is very curious, showing a priest with an attendant, four other figures, and a gravedigger with pickaxe and shovel. "The Seven Deadly Sins," are less well designed. Sloth appears to be carrying a large pillow on his shoulder-a very clumsy representation. The costumes are curious and very plainly indicated. The circumstances of the desecration of the chancel of Upper