altar of Norwich cathedral; but the portion immediately above these, in the same tower, must be referred to A. D. 1200; the windows, still higher, to perhaps 1230; and the summit to the latter end of the century. The whole tower, with its buttresses, niches, windows, turrets, and pinnacles, affords an excellent specimen of the early English style of architecture, (ycleped Gothic), from its leaving the Norman to its entering the decorated English. The great west window is of the perpendicular English style; and which, from its minutely pannelled and fretted oriel, is attributed to the reign of Henry VII. The dean and chapter of Norwich retain their ancient right of presenting a minister to this church. But the preachers, who are styled and accounted lecturers, are chosen and appointed by the corporation, who generously allow to each a certain salary of 100l. per annum; and this preferment does not disqualify them for holding other livings with the cure of souls. St Margaret's church, before the year 1741, was one of the largest parochial churches in England; having a nave and three spacious aisles, with a lanthern over the cross aisle, supported by four main arches, in which hangs the clock bell. There were two towers, one of which was ornamented with a lofty spire; the other contained a ring of eight bells. The latter tower is still remaining. It is built of freestone, and is eighty-six feet high. On the outside of this tower, towards the street, was placed a moondial, shewing the increase and decrease of that planet, with the exact hour of the day, actuated within by clock work. The largest bell, called the Margaret, had a fine and curious sound; the other bells took the name of the St. Thomas, the Trinity, &c. This structure is lighted with above seventy arched windows, which at one time were all of painted glass. In the south wall of the church is a piscina. In 1684, a fine altar was erected in this church, the ascent to which is by four easy steps. The church plate is very splendid, as may be seen represented in Mackarel's Hist. of Lynn, accompanied by their marks, &c. The spire was blown down in a violent gale of wind, in September, 1741, and falling upon the body of the church destroyed the middle aisle, leaving the chancel only standing. It was two hundred and fifty-eight feet high, and the breadth of the whole church, which to the outside of the foundation walls was one hundred and thirty-two feet, and two hundred and forty feet, within the walls, in length. It had at least three chapels attached or comprehended in it'; one dedicated to the Trinity, one to St. John, and one, it is believed, to St. Stephen; only two of which now remain. That of the Trinity was taken down a few years since, in the process of the Paving Act improvement; and long before that the whole north side of the churchyard was laid open and made a part of the street and marketplace. A new burying-ground, however, of much larger extent, has since been laid out, adjoining St. James's churchyard, with a small chapel for the purpose of reading the burial service. The body of this church was rebuilt in 1747, the king contributing 1000l. and lord Orford 500l. towards its erection, but its form is contracted. There are, however, three aisles, and a handsome gallery over the north aisle. A new organ was erected at the west end, with many harmonious stops in it; one in particular, a vox humana. Numerous as are the monumental inscriptions in this church, we cannot but regret the loss of many beautiful, rich, and costly brasses, which have been sacriligiously torn away and defaced. Memoranda occur, a not uncommon circumstance in these times, in the church books, of money paid for defacing these curious relics, &c. The intercourse with the continent through the port of Lynn, enabled the wealthy merchants and manufacturers of this ancient town to obtain the richest brasses from France, where Mr. Cotman thinks they were originally invented; and it is a circumstance worth notice, that these brasses are not of one entire piece, but composed of several squares, for the greater convenience of packing and importation. It was, probably, owing to the interest excited by these early examples, that this species of sepulchral monument came to be generally adopted in Norfolk, which, above every other county, abounds in brasses. See an interesting account of the origin of brasses, in Cotman's Introduction to his work on Brasses. The monuments commemorating some of the burgesses of Lynn, and exemplifying their civil costume, are among the earliest, and are probably the most splendid of the kind in the whole kingdom. In St. Margaret's church was at one time a sermon or lecture every Thursday, for which the preacher was allowed a certain salary by the corporation, and at which the mayor, with the sword and serjeants at mace, were generally present; and after the service ended, the clergy and others, who were thought fit, were entertained by the mayor: the master, usher, and scholars of the free school, were also obliged to attend the church, &c., but this has been discontinued from the year 1692. Here is also a sermon on every New-year's day, for which the preacher receives twenty shillings, the gift of John Strogers, late cook of this corporation, who also gave yearly for ever, fourteen shillings, to fourteen poor widows, in Trinity hall ward, in this town, the place where he lived and died, as also other bequests. Likewise a sermon is preached in the church every Good Friday, &c. &c. On the pavement of St. Margaret's church is a superb brass, to the memory of Robert Braunch and his two wives, 1630, in the centre of which are their effigies. The dress of Braunch is the same with Adam de Walsoken, mentioned below, except that the elbow lappets are longer, and his shoes are tied across the instep, in both these instances the dresses of the men represent in their general features those of their wives. These lappets were common to both sexes, during the remainder of the reign of Edward III. Of the four men at the side of the canopy, one is habited in a short coat, buttoned in front, and in a hat with a feather standing up, and tied under the chin. A second, instead of the hat, has a cloth hood over his head, which falling low down on his breast and shoulders, is slit on the right side for the convenience of the arm, and the front is thrown back over the left shoulder. The third is habited much like the first, as is the fourth, with the substitution of a loose cloak thrown over the shoulders, and gathered round the waist by the left hand, for the short coat. All of these have long piked shoes, and their hose and breeches are of one piece. The effigies of Braunch and his wives are surrounded with a profusion of rich Gothic work, including fifteen small figures, under the same number of arches. Under the feet of the persons which this inscription commemorates, is represented, according to Gough, the story of Prometheus and the Vulture. Mr. Cotman, however, in his "Brasses," says, that if it be allowable to differ from such authority as Gough, he should imagine that as the designer of this brass has attempted to give us an idea of a heaven above, so has he figured a hell beneath.-For a fine etching of this plate, see the work alluded to. The following account of the lower part of this brass is extracted from Carter's Ancient Sculpture, VOL. II. p. 13. "But under the three principal figures is represented a feast, that for the splendour of the table and the company, the band of music, and the attendants, might pass for some grand anniversary celebrated in this wealthy town; perhaps the feast of St. Margaret their patroness, on the fair day granted them by king John; or perhaps the mayor's feast when Mr. Braunch held that office, 1349 or 1359. He may be seen seated at the upper end, left hand of the plate, and the aldermen and their wives in a row below him. In confirmation of this last conjeccture one might even fancy one sees among the decorations of the table, the silver cup which king John had presented to the town at his last visit, 1216, above a century before. Among the delicacies of this splendid table one sees the peacock, that noble bird, the food of lovers and the meat of lords. The honour of serving it up was reserved for the most distinguished ladies, who, attended by music, brought it up in a golden dish; when the victorious knight, or the master of the house, who was to display his skill in carving the favourite fowl, was to take an oath of valour and enterprise on its head." The whole of this monumental plate is eight feet eight inches long, and five feet five inches broad. In the upper part is a profusion of rich Gothic work, with fifteen figures under the same number of arches. In the same church is a similar elaborate brass to the memory of Adam de Walsoken and his wife, 1349. This brass affords a most beautiful example of the contemporary domestic costume of the fourteenth century, in the effigies of a rich merchant and his wife. He is represented in a plain close coat, open in front from the middle downwards, the loose sleeves of which coming no further than the bend of the arm, and there being slit above, fall down in short lappets, and leave exposed the long tight sleeve of an inner garment closely fastened from the elbow to the wrist by very many small buttons. Over his shoulder is a short hood, independent of the coat, and having a standing cape, but falling down in front. The shoes appear as if intended to fit the feet, yet are sharp toed, and coming close round the ancle, are laced up on the upper side. Hair flowing.* “Beautiful, however, as these effigies are, they are not noticed by any antiquary," says Cotman, "except, indeed, Mackarel, who in his History of Lynn contents himself with giving the words merely of the inscription." It is not perhaps less extraordinary that the person whose wealth procured him this splendid monument, should have left no other memorial of his existence; his name is not so much as mentioned by Blomefield. "The story at their feet, is" says Mr. Cotman, "perfectly unintelligible. The twelve figures in niches, on the buttresses, represent of course the twelve Apostles, beginning with St. Peter; and the hieroglyphics in the corners, are emblems of the four Evangelists." To this church has lately been added a new gallery, and it is in contemplation to glaze the transept. Among the numerous inscriptions in this church, recorded in Mackarel's Lynn, we select the following: one on a brass plate "To the precious memory of SIMon Blomfield, doctor of physic, translated November 18th, 1641." "If Youth, if Art, if Virtues rare could save From Death, oh then he should not sleep in grave! Upon a stone in the churchyard, to the cook of the corporation, who died in 1684, is the following: "Alas! alas! WILL SCRIVENOR's dead, who by his art Here is also an inscription+ on a tombstone, on which is "I am disposed to recant what I have before said, respecting the beard of Adam de Walsoken, that it was rubbed down by the feet of walkers in the church, and be lieve him not to have worn one, according to the fashion in the former part of the reign of Edward III. Braunch has the long whiskers without beard which succeeded, and the thin whiskers and little! curling bifid beard of Attelath, well suit the reign of Richard II. when most probably this monument was made." ↑ Our memoranda fails us here, but the inscription is in some churchyard at Lynn. |