The Express.
London, England, 1851-08-01 00:00:00

TIIE ARCILEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

BRISTOL, THCRSDAT, JrLY 31.

The members of the society yesterday paid their
premised visit to Wells, fur the purpose of making an
examination of and hearing from Professors Willis and
Cockerell an explanation of the architecture and sculptures
of the Cathedral, Episcopal Chapel, Deanery, Bishop's
Close, Vicar Chorals' College, and other ecclesiastical and
ancient structures of that ancient and interesting city.
About IJO of the members started from Bristol in carriages
and four, and at Wells they were joined by numerous
parties resident in the county of Somerset, who take an
interest in nrchmological pursuits.
Alter divine service in the beautiful cathedral,
The Rev. Professor Willis delivered, in the Grand Jury
Room, at the Town-hall, an erudite and eloquent lecture
on the architecture of the cathedral and ecclesiastical
buildings. Arranged above the lecture table were drawings,
ground-plans, and sections of the cathedral, to which the
lecturer constantly referred and without which it would be
impossible to convey an adequate idea of the details of his
lengthened discourse. After adverting to the great beauty
of the architecture, workmanship, and sculpture of the
cathedral, the rev. professor observed that cathedrals de-
clared their histories in two ways first, by their masonry,
which proclaimed to the practised eye the period at which
the stones were nut together; and second, by documentary
records. The records of the Cathedral of Wells did not
present a continuous history of that structure; nor, indeed,
did the records of any cathedral do so, but he was happy to
state that, by the kindness of the dean and chapter, he had
had access to three books of record, called the Liber Albus,"
Liber Rufus," and a smaller book not named, and he had
been fortunate enough to obtain information upon some
points of interest. Most of the English cathedral+ had been
originally governed by monks of the Benedictine and other
orders, but that of Wells was conducted from the
earliest period by canons presided over by a dean. Sur-
rounding and connected with the cathedral were a chapter
house, an episcopal palace surrounded by a wall with bas-
tions and by an extensive moat; a deanery (which presented
a very splendid specimen of domestic architecture) and
suites of buildings as residences for the canons, the vicars
choral, and singing boys. The cathedral differed in style
from most others in England, and could only be called for
the most part improved or decorated Norman, but in the
towers was united sortie of the perpendicular style. It was
probable that the architects who did not adopt the style of
the early cathedrals (probably introduced from France) had
a style peculiar to the architects and masons of Somerset-
shire, who, front its being a district abounding in stone,
had probably been accustomed to work much together. In
the walls of the cathedral three periods were discernible,
and it was evident, from peculiarities in the structure, as
well as from the records of the canonry, that after the great
tower was built, it—as was not uncommon with the works
of the rash and careless media.val builders—sunk, and disk,

tatted the masonry, and thus ent ni led the necessity fur resorting
to various expedients to strengthen and consolidate the tower
and prevent danger from the pressure upon it. This would
account for many of the striking peculiarities which were
observed upon an inspection of the edifice. The cathedral
was recorded to have been built by Bishop Jocelyn during
the period between 1206 and 1212. The bishop' however,
only proceeded to an extent and elongations and additions
were subsequently made. The Chapter-house would
seem, from an entry in the recoil's, to have been com-
pleted about 12h6. Front records of the convocations
it appeared that in 13378 the canons were called
together to consider the imminent peril in which the build-
ing was placed by the settling of the tower. The date atilt
Lady Chapel would appear, from a minute of a grant of
license by one of the bishops of a portion of his garden to
the resident canon, to have been finished about a year or
two before 1326. Among the contributors to the
erection was Bishop John de Hartwell, who pro-
vided two-thirds of the amount required for
the completion of the great west tower, which was carried
up from the roof in the perpendicular stele, and Bishop
Burbege corded up the other tower. AnOther contributor
was Bishop Bekington, who raised the west cloisters, built
part of the Bishop's Close, a gateway of the same, gateway
of the Episcopal Palace, some houses in the Market place,
&c. The 8011 of a weaver proved himself a innenifi,ent
architect and furtherer of the work. The date of the
foundation of the Bishop's Palace could not he det rminesl,
but it must have been very early. The hall, which, al-
though in ruins, presented a beautiful specimen, was erected
by Bishop Burnell, who lived in the commencement of the
13th century ; and the wall and moat were constructed by
Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury. There hod been likewise, in
the earlier times, a college for the secular priests, but no
remains of it could now be found. The lecturer concluded
by expressing a hope that the officers of the cathedral and
chapter would devote themselves to the investigation of the
chapter records, which, he was sure, would throw light on
the history of the cathedrals of canonries and chapters.
A Note of t auks having been passed to Professor Willis,
Professor Cocks-roll proceeded to lecture on the sculp-
tures of the west-front, repeating the theory laid down in
his well-known work, as to the nature and character of the
600 or more figures which enrich the building, and which
he conceived to represent the early preachers of Christianity;
the bishops of Sherborne, in which see Wells was originally
included; the nine angels, the Apostles, the bishops of the
sec of Wells, and the five of those prelates raised (down to
the time of Jocelyn) to the archiepiscopacy of Canterbur ;
groups illustrative of the Old and New Testaments, and the
kings, princes, and princesses of the Saxon line, beginning
with Isgbert, to which dynasty it was evidently the inten-
tion to do honour, as being the dynasty most worthy of
honour in England at that day.
A dinner now took place in the judges lodgings, after
which the two professors accompanied the visitors through
the building, explaining as they went along the different
points of interest mentioned in their discourses, and
' the grounds upon which their respective hypotheses were

ADMIRALTY, JULY 31.—APPOINTIMENTS.—Master8
Assistant W. Bicknell, to the Styx; Clerk J. Sweatman,
to the Britannia; Clerk's Assistant D. F. Guy, to the
Centaur.

BUILDERS' BENEVOLENT INSTITUTION.—The fourth
annual meeting of the subscribers and friends of this insti-
tution took place yesterday forenoon, at the London
Tavern, Bishopmate-street;William Cuhitt, Esq., M.P.,
in the chair. The objects of the society are to allow pen-
sions to decayed persons engaged in the building trades,
and their widows, and to give temporary relief to deserving
workmen in eases of accident. From the report submitted
to the meeting it appeared that the amount of donations
and subscriptions during the year ending June 30, 1811,
was 688/. l3s. M., and the proceeds of the ball on behalf of
the institution 119/. Is, ltkl. ; the amount added to their
capital stock was 6.01. ; making a total amount of stock in.
vested in the Three per Cent. Consols of 2,250/. One pen-
sioner had died during the year, and the directors recom-
mended that three male and one female pensioners be
elected, the polling for which would take place at the close
of the meeting, making a total of recipients of their funds of
eight males and four females. The report having been
adopted, Thomas Griisell, Esq., F.S.A., was elected presi-
dent for the ensuing year, and the meeting broke up.

- • -
TILE Ettarwoop MußDEß.—Sarait Barber, the
woman condemned to be executed on Wednesday morning,
the 6th inst., in front of the county gaol, Nottingham, fur
wilfully poisoning her husband, Joseph Barber, on the 24th
of March last, since her condemnation has become ex-
tremely penitent, and appears disposed to confess to the
crime with which she is charged. Indeed, it is understood
that already she has divulged some particulars, sufficient to
satisfy her prosecutors and the jury as to the correctness of
their conclusions ; but the precise nature of these disclosures,
as well as of any others that may subsequently be made,
will, by command of the high sheriff, be kept secret until
after the execution. The unfortunate woman, who is but
twenty-three years old, has passed through a strangely
varied existence from the time she was a child ; nevertheless,
she is good-looking, and her manners appear prepossessing.
She is remarkable for her unusual stature, her gaol ad-
measurement now being slightly over 6 feet 11 inch. One
of the morning journals last Monday, by mistake, announced
that the execution would take place on the Wednesday next
ensuing. instead of that day week, and this mistake having
been copied into some of the other daily newspapers, thousands
of the people of Nottingham on Tuesday afternoon thronged
the front of the county gaol, where they remained till nearly
midnight, in spite of all the efforts of the police to disperse
them, or persuade them to go home. The early trains 011
Wednesday brought into the town many others from a dis-
tance, all doomed to disappointment. No female has been
hanged in Nottingham since 1802, and only two others
during the century previous, consequently the excitement
in anticipation of the event is very great, and anise fears
are entertained as to the consequences to some of the multi-
tude from the vast crowd that will no doubt assemble on
the occasion. In anticipation of this the high iticriff of the
county and the mayor of Nottingham have caused the
whole dntrict to be placarded with announcements in the
following terms, and which are also advertised in the news-
papers: " Executiod,of Sarah Barber.—Caution.—The high
sheriff of the county and the mayor of the town of Notting-
ham hereby. warn all persons of the danger which may re-
sult from joining iu the crowd on the above occasion, and
!more particularly females and young people. At the last
execution in Nottingham, several persons were crushed or
trampled to death. No precautions which can adopted
will effectually prevent danger; but should there be any
outcry of a crush and pressure in the crowd, all those on
the outside are particularly urged to withdraw.—JOHN
FRANt KLIS, High Sheriff. WiLtiasi Fttsix, Mayor.
Nottingham, July 30."