The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1863-09-01 00:00:00

Somersetsbite.

WELLB.--Sv. COTHELRVIS re-
cent works in the well-known church of St. Cuth-
bert, at Wells, deserve record, especially as they
have resulted in the discovery of a splendid altar to
the Virgin, that had been erected at no very distant
period from when it was cast down in fregmenta by
the iconoclast.. Placed on the east wall of the north
transept several lines of sculpture*, ooecprisung
figures of mints with their appropriate em
soar above one another in the Centre was the
Virgin bolding the Saviour on her knee. Her dress
, was the customary blue and red robe, powdered with
' gold stars. The figures are about four feet high, and
all admirably sculptured in the late manner of the
fifteenth century. The large sane of the whole work
gives it • claim to our interest seconded by the per-
fect condition of the figures, or rather their frag-
ments, which were found buried in the plaster
employed to fill up the niches and make the will •
smooth swim* after they had been dashed down and
broken to pieces. On the wall the rows of cano-
pies, with exquisitively-carved tabernacle-work,
bearing delicate fentracery over the bead of each
figure, remain marvellously perfect; the roses that
had been wrought on the penitent% the cooping' and
other details are not to be Norwood for Baia and
preservation. Upon the entire remains the original
colouring., red, green, blue and white, exist in a
very vivid condition, and the gilding, which had
been profusely employed, is stilt hardly tarnished.
On the corresponding wall of the south transept in
the lame church has been found a remarkable Jame
tree, or genealogy of Christ, carved in stone and
coloured. The original eoetreot for the execution of
this still exists among the city records, and specifies
the price at which the whole was produced, namely,
£4O, • marvellously small sum unless, as was pro-
balikt, the contract included board and lodging for
the carvers at the expense of the corporation daring
their labours. We are sled to learn there is a pro-
' bability of the splendid proportions of this church
being revealed interiorly by removal of certain
galleries and opening the tower-arch, now blocked
by the organ. We need hardly oommend to the
student of architecture, or admirer of noble buildimse,
the magnificent tower of Si. Cuthbert', which, for
grade of composition and perfect proportion, is •
model of design, surpassieg in grave quality the
more broom tower of St. John's, Glastonbury.—
dthessones.

WILLITON.—Esair Frunurnio OE HARVEST.
—A large farmer, near Willitou, commenced ontiing
his coon on August Ist, and has cot and denied 110
acres of the dryad and beet quality, both of wheat
and barlq, he ewer had, and &imbed on Friday the
21et, to that, although hindered three days by alight
rain, and deducting the Sundays, the wboU was com-
pleted in fifteen days.
HIGH LITTLETOX.—The Bishop of Bath and
Wells has Militated the Rey. G. It. Taylor, curate
a positing. Bawarriet, to the Idolises. of High
laidgice, ESSE Bask sane £6O pm' aainun. with •
ranowage boon. in place at tk• Rev. 0. T. /4611,
resisbed 1866.