The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1881-05-17 00:00:00

W! BORN.
THE PRoPOsED REsToRATION OP
WIMBORNE MINSTER.

A public meeting of the inhabitants, and others
interested in tho proposed restoration of our venerable
Moister, was held in the Corn Exchange on Thursday
afternoon lad. General Maclean presided, and
among those present were Sir Richard and Lady
Glyn, the Vicar (the Rev. E. F. Trotinan), Rev.
Campbell, Rev. L. Tmtman, General Thring, Mr.
W. Drnitt, Mr. H. Richards, dr. C. H. W. Parkinson,
and others. The original object for which the meet-
ing had been called was the restoration of the Cowen.,
but, as it will be seen, the subject afterwards took a
wiser scope.
After some introductory remarks by the CHAIRMAN,
Mr. FLatromut read the a eport of Mr. Ewan Christian,
ecclesiastical architect, who had , een chosen to report
as to the state of the towers upon the recommendation
of that eminent authority, the lat Mr. Wyatt. We
have already given ,he report, and it is only nsces.ary
to say that it states the central tower is in places in
a very dangerous state, and the western tower is also
Get of repair. The committee, which ha I boan
app Anted by the vestry to obtain this report. ha I
SI far completed their labours, and it would be for
the meeting to say whether they should be re-elected,
or a large committee chosen for the next step—
namely, the obta 'g the noccessary subscriptions
for carrying ou tho work. Ho also remarked, in
reply to a question, that Mr. netcher's rough
estimate for the work was 000—£350 for the central
tower, and £450 fir the western.
Mr. FIXTCHRR SI/111, in answer to others, said that
was the lowest possible estimate for which the work
could be done. They did not propose to go to the
cost of erecting scaffohling, but would use a hanging
seaff,.l.l.
The CH MIT AN said it heetued they might place
the amount rehirel at teoo or £l,OOO, and from his
experience f the iutter, he haunt there was a very
laudable cirit existing in supoart of the movement,
and he believed a large number of the inhabitants
would come forward and contribute.
lir. Datuarr thought while dealing with the question
of the towers it would be very desirable they should
also take into consideration the restoration of the
transepta. In sullen; .d this view he rea I the
following extract from a letter written him by
the late Mr. Wyatt, some three or four years ao:
I have often expressed the hope that my life might
he spared to see the restoration of the transepts
d.,ll4,letcd under my directi n. but I aiii afraA that
the outlay which this wqrk of restoration will render
imperative will sadly Interfere with the acminplish,
meet .d this hope." Ile thought they should
endeavour to raise sufficient funds now they had the
opportunity to carry out the whole of the work. The
' estimated cost of restoring the transepts which would
' include lengthening them by some 10 feet. so as to
to away with the present existing galleries, was alsou:
' k:150,0 Si) that the amount to be raised for the whole
, work was something like moo. He thought this
might be a-complished, for it WAS a work that might
be regarded ae a county and even a national one.
The Rev. J. CAMPBRLL concurred in these remarks.
I In addition, he thought thcre would be .found to be
I considerable objection on thu part ~1 the public to
have two separate applications for sub...criptions made

to them.
The Rev. E. L TKOTIIAN was equally agreed WS to
the advisability of carrying out the whole work, but
was afraid there were grave difficulties in the way.
For instance, they might find, after inviting gUlAcrip-
Li,046 fey }he whole work, that they were stopped in
the middle of it for want of funds. There warn an old
motto—" God hello them who help themselves," and
if the outside world saw the inhabitinta 14 Wimborne
engage.' in restoring the towers, they might afterwarls
be induced to unite with them, and to help them to
complete the work. He thought it would be better
to restore one tower first, then the second, and after
that they might turn their attention to the transepts.
They had had a number if reports abut the towers,
end one, Which had been furnished to himself by Mr
Jones, who Was with the late Sir Gilbert Scott. stated
that after a careful survey he had arrived at the con-
viction here was nothing wrong urtderimath the piers.
There were some SOCK) inhabitants a Wimbonie, and
If they all gave' Is. 'each, the result would be 450, and
he believed' il they set definitely to work they would
meet with ample support from the inhabitants of the
surrounding districts.
hr. P4alltNeoll was in favour if Mr. Druitt's pro-
position. He believed tlait appeal tq the outside
public in aid of the preservation of the grand old
building would be w .rinly reap .aided to.
A desultory discussion then ensued, in the course of
which the Rev. E. F. Trotman pointed out any in-
terference with the transepts would cause great
inconvenience, trout the length of time it would
neeessit to ths closing of the Minister.
Mr. Reigns:ls suggested that there was no reason
I why subscriptions should not be solicited for the
whole work, and then they could proceed with it as
the funds accumulated,
I And Mr. Furrtmica remarked that very great care
wonld have to be taken in dealing with the transepts,
I as their piers formed the chief Kupport of the central
tower.
Mr. DRuirr proposed the following gentlemen, with
power 1,0 add to their number, SR • committee :
Lord Whnbenis, Lard Alingtem, nir Richard Glyii
I Rev. E. F. Trottnan, Rev. J. Campbell, fleneraf
I Maclean. General Thrin„a, Messrs. W. Hennes,
W. Druitt, G. Burgess, Richards Bidden, C. R. Rowe,
G. Wilson, G. 1. Huntley, C. H. S. Parkinson,
Wyke-Smith, Finley, quick, and Fynes-Clint on. This
was carr ed.
Mr. Witism said he should be very happy to act on
the'ennunittise, but he certainly should not if it were
considered netesslry to collect kllOOO, a task which he
believed would not be found (Mite' so east. a matter
as some seemed to imagine. For his awn part 'he
would be willing to redeem the promise he made when
church rates were abolished and aid the maintenance of
the fabric, but he declined to contribute towards the
interior rramentation. He believed the wisest course
would be to finish the email work first and then they
could make a further appeal for the larger.
The Rev. E. F. TKOTLAN mooed--" That the
cotnmittee be empowered to celled subscriptions for
ale restoratjon ofthe two towers of the 14 inter, and
that the central tower be plmceeded aith first."
Mr. C. H. W. PAREINION moved as an amendment
—" That the committee be empowered to solicit and
Kolleet annual subscriptions or donatious; corny/tete
the reatoration of the Minster, the prob le cost of
which will En about £l,OOO or £l,OOO, an that the
committee be authorised to do the ziecovtory vepoii,s
to the central tower at once."
The amendineot was carried by eleven to nine.
It was also resolved the work he proceeded with as
Noon as there is enough money in hand, and a vote of
thanks to the Chairman for presiding closed the pro.
ceedings.