The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1866-09-25 00:00:00

SEhILEY.

CONSICRATION OF Tilt CII•NCOL OF ST.
LtOMAID'S COMICII.—On Sunday the 16th it.st. the
Lord Bishop of Salisbury consecrated the channel of
...entley church, wh:ch has been rebuilt at the sole
expense of the Rev. H. Hall, the rector of the parieb.
"he choreh of St. Leonard's. Setnley. originally consist d
of • nave and south aisle and chine-I, with • chantry on
the mouth aide, a reel' on the north side of the nave
and a timer at thy west end. The style of architecture
appears to belong o the Perpendicular period, but the
rheum], which wet originally Early Itnglish in charseter
hes been rebuilt is the Decorated style. The restoration
of this part of the church wan rendered neesasary by the
damp condition arid general decay of the old building
The chatted wee lengthened five feet, and it was
, widened about three and a half fees. The
proportion. are extremely good, and the canons'
effect be very fins. The facings and dressing of the but.
tresses and 'Meows are of Tiabury stone, end the walls
are of the old green sandstone worked to • smooth mar-
fore and IS rsiinted ; the white and green stone*
having • more beautiful effect th.n if the work were
done all In one stone. The chancel is in the Decorated
stile of aichSecture, cod the east window, which is
quite a gem. is of three lights, with fiamboyant tracery
above, the iirerior having • hood, running round the
arch, supported by Devonshire marble columns, with
nioulded caps and bases. The emits which form the
pendants; frost the roof between the corbels are also of
Devonshire warble. There are one two-light and one
stogie-Sight windows on the north side, and one mingles
li Olt window on the smith side. The two single-light win-
dows being within the altar rail, the mils are prepared for
credence tall. and seddia. On the south aideof the chancel
to an arch of Bath stone, having so iron screen or grille
richly deconted, which separate, the chancel from the
organ chamber, which wail formerly used as • chantry
coleatteel,„abuvek.wlllhe i7„°,:rw.2.-zsaornthi: tohhearcealhart'ol;
Itsth alone, and the carvings of the corbels, all done hy
London artiste, are so finely executer, as to attract
general admiration. The roof, which is lofty, is pencils d
and stained, with bosses richly carved, to represent
various flowers and leave., This ha. &much finer effect
than those heraldic devioe., coats of arms, seen
sometimes on modern roofs. The roof of the chanted is
at present higher than that of the none, and the ridge
it surmounted by an iron crestwork, painted in dark blue
to oorrespond with the circular mese at the east end,
which is decorated with blue and gold. The reredos is
formed of elaborate tiles from Maw. manufactory, with
very rich compartments on each side of the communion
table, and the text running along the top, "I am the
Living Bread, which mune down from Heaven." The
floor also is entirely composed of these rich tiles, which
are all laid in • bed of cement. The channel is light, d
by some beautiful bran, bracket. from the manufactory
of Messrs Hart, the eminent workers in metal. Three
Itreekets have • mush better appeareose than corona,
which would block up the view of the really beautiful
east window. The altar rail is of polished 0,1, with
.tandarde twee. and bras., atel the effect in light
and graceful. The communion table, which is
the gift of the Bishop, is of muerte oak, and
is covered with • crimson silk velvet cloth, worked
and ornamented by the filetere ofl Leroy at (lower,
and in of rare beauty and *silliness. It was presented
by • lady woo formerly attended the services of this
church. The seats or stalls, which are of solid oak
wltli carved poppyheads and pierced fronts, are the gift
• personal frienti of the rector. The whole restora-
tion, as before stated, haa been effected at the entire
expense of the rector, and it is hoped that the day may
I some when his example will be followed in rebuilding a
, church, the tower of which is in a very decays., and
I dilapidated state. Mr. T. H. Wyatt, of Oreeketreet.
London, was the architect, and Mr. Thomas B. Miles,
lof Mate...bury. the contractor. It only remains for Us
to state that the work has been carried out in • most
mtisfactory manner.