The Sun.
London, England, 1823-01-03 00:00:00

HENRY THE SEVENTH'S CHAPEL.

The restoration of the outside of IlEmny the
St MTH'S CHAPEL, is at length completed, the
scaffolding at the west end, which was the last part
of it that remained to be done, having been now
removed for some weeks. To those who admir-
ed this elegant pile, even in its dilapidated state,

it must afford great gratification to witness so
elaborate a work conducted to its close, and that
in a way which not only reflects the highest
credit on the talents of the artist employed, but
on the liberality of Parliament, which voted the
necessary .supplies for carrying it on. As our
readers will no doubt feel entertained with some
account of the nature and progress of this re-
storation, which combines a good deal of inte-
resting and useful information, we shall make
some extracts from a recent publication on the
subject, with the sight of which we have just
been favoured, and which we know is no where
else to be met with. The publication to which
we allude is by Mr. Cottingham, architect; who
has given a series of plans, elevations, sections,
and details of it, from actual admeasurement, ac-
companied by a memoir, furnished entirely from
the communications, official and professional, of
the persons concerned ; and which we have no
doubt will soon meet with all the distinction and
encouragement which so important and valuable
a production deserves.
The rapid decay of this building appears, for
many years before a restoration of it was at-
tempted, to have caused the expenditure of con-
siderable sums for its repair. These had been
usually supplied from what was termed the "Fab-
rick Fund" of the Abbey. But the fire which
happened in the roof of the church there in 1803
(just as the Dean and Chapter were about to com-
mence a repair of the. Chapel on a large scale),
and which occasioned them a loss of nearly 4,0001.,
put it entirely out of their power to do any more
for it; and it at length became in many respects
dangerous. In this situaton the late worthy
Dean, Dr. Vincent, whose attention to the con-
cerns of this Chapel appears to have been un-
ceasing, and to whose exertions the public prin-
cipally owe its restoration, addressed, on the be-
half of himself and the Chapter,a Memorial to the
Lords of the Treasury, accompanied by a letter,
requesting permission to state to them different
proposals which had been made for its repairs, as
also to give in an estimate of expence, in order
to procure their recommendation of the matter
to Parliament. This request being acquiesced
in, the Lords of the Treasury directed a letter to
be written on the subject to the Committee for the
Inspection of Models for National Monuments,
&c., fo,r their advice as to the best mode of con-
ducting the repairs, as well. as opinion respecting
the probable amount of the expellee.
In their answer, the Committee offer any ad-
vice and assistance, but decline giving an opinion
as to expence; a petition was therefore prepared
in June, 1807, and presented to Parliament,
statiug the decay of the fabric, and its immediate
need of reparation ; that the Dean and Chapter
wished the repairs " to proceed gradually, and
for that purpose solicited a grant of 10001. an-
nually, and 10001. extraordinary for the first year,
to meet immediate exigencies ; and that they
wished to be placed under the directions of the
Lords of the Treasury; and hoped to receive their
instructions from the same authority.
Mr. Wyatt, the architect, being examined in
consequence of this application, reported that it
would be difficult to fix the exact amount of the
rfecessary and the ornamental repairs ; but he
conceived the first would cost about 14,800/., and
the latter about 10,4001., and that they might he
completed in about three years. And his esti-
mate being taken into consideration, 2000/. was
voted to begin the work with, accompanied by
this remarkable observation of the Committee--
That grants for purposes of this description did
not seem to come strictly within the class of be-
neficial grants made to individuals, or to bodies
corporate, as in tha present instance the money
was to be applied for, and was to be expended
solely to prevent the dilapidation and decay of a
great national monument of ancient taste and
magnificence, consecrated to uses of a public na-
ture ; being the burial place of the Sovereigns of
these kingdoms, and which came immediately
within the notice and observation of the two
.ilouses of Parliament."
A number of interesting queries were put to
Mr. Gayfere, the Abbey mason, by the Dean of
Westminster, and Dr. Bell, immediately on this
grant being made, relative to what stone the cha-
pel was built with, and what stone would be fit-
test to be used in the repair, according to the
parts about which it should be employed ; whe-
ther the masonry was so totally decayed exter-
nally that the whole must have a new ashlering;
what would be the thickness required for such
ashlering or outward covering ; what would be
the price to begin with of restoring a pair of the
turrets, with their flying buttresses and tier of
windows between ; whether the range of pin-
nacles at top, represented in old prints, ought to
be restored to give the building its original
beauty, and generally as to the then state of the
masonry throughout the Chapel ?
To all these satisfactory answers being return-
ed by Mr. Gayfere, and the Dean having re-
quested that the repair might be put under the
direction of the Committee for National Monu-
ments just mentioned, a meeting of the gentlemen
composing that Committee met at the Deanery
House, 'Westminster, February 3, 1808, the
llon. Charles Long (now Sir Charles), in the
Chair, and Messrs. Wyatt and Gayfere in at-
tendance ; when, after certain inquiries as to
the sort of stone best to be used, and the opi-
nion of the Committee being given thereon, Mr.
Gayfere was directed to go to Bath, St. Alban's
Abbey, Woburn Abbey, and other places,
to inquire into the different qualities of the
stone used in those places, and report thereon ;
and that gentleman accordingly left town for the
purpose on the 99th of February, and returned to
town on the 9th of May following.
Mr. Gay fere's report is extremely curious, and
being accompanied with letters and documents,
is rendered particularly interesting to the archi-
tect' and antiquary. The screen in the nave of
St. Alban's Abbey, he fOund executed in the Tot-

tenhoe stone, in the highest state of preSeremikly
and seemingly imperishable for internal work ;
cbauyt
etdh.e
T exteriorhe sto
stone
rotfs eoxtphoesre d
placesto the
wt
ai)ri
•
sited had different defects, and he finally found
the finest stone, and most fit for the work, at the '9
quarries on Comb Down, south-east of Bathotad
having ascertained the prices, and other pada. ) ,
lars, he entered into an agreement with the
owners, for a certain quantity to be immediate)!
sent to London. it
ande de-
cayed.
The first cargo of stone, after several delays
shipping it off, was unfortunately lost in its OP
sage. This, and some further calculations asie r
expence, had like to have spoiled the intended
restoration altogether. The Committee xof ilia;.
House of Commons determined on the repair a
certain parts only, and but for the steady resolned
and representations of the Dean,we should inemai
of the present beautiful restoration, have pee;
mere piece of patchwork. l'hat gentleman coati'
ing this determination completely at variance W
the former directions given him, ordered Mr.Get'. I
fere,"unless stopped by the injunction of theiloaer
of Commons," to proceed in the repairs as oriO't,
'laity intended by them, and he accordingly.
gan the restoration of the first turret, on the 15P !
of
the 3
July that
of Marchtyear( 1810.
(1809), and finished the site*
on .
Such is the account of the progress and impf
ments at the beginning of this great work. le1;
account goes on to detail various examinattol ,
the Dean, &c. by the Committee of the Hower
Commons, in consequence of this procedure Op',
out their order, on the Chapter being obliged tt,i
apply for more money ; in the course tif wine' ,
there are a number of interesting statementl°':
The cost of restoring the first turret which
begun, termed, by way of distinction, the"
Tower," was up to the time of the examinattOPV,
about 1,039/. the flying buttresses not being thell'
completed—(this included workmanship onlyttl,
not stone), and the cost of carving up to the'llt;
was 1161. The value of the wrought stone
on the premises for the repair, was 8681.195. dt,'i
The money that had been voted was expeadt
and there was a debt of 3001. incurred. The .!
suit of this examination 'proving satisfacti)l„
1,500/. more was voted to carry on the work,
a second turret was begun andfinished in less thet
seven mouths. From this period the supplies
repair proceeded regularly, though not sfitll"7
some observations as to expence. The angular
dow at the east end, was begun, Jan. 26, 1811,1
finished on the 11 th of the following June. I'l
Dean's order to begin the upper parapet, is date
March 19, 1811. Other remaining parts rief.
begun and finished, with the like dispatch, not:
the year 18'21, when the lower turrets at 17;
south-west corner were finished, and the wha
work finally completed, with the exception of ttP:l
west front and its turrets, now also perfectlYl4:',
stored. The expence of the whole, according 0,
the sums voted in the different years, amolt
(with the exception just mentioned), to 37,71
16s. bid.
The following inscription, on commenigt
their restoration, was cut in the bases of seven!
of the ornamental domes which crown the td
rets : each bearing the date of the year its whip
it was done, commencing with the first toot:
46 Restored 1809, Anno Regni 50 Geo. 111,.4.•
William 'Vincent, Dean ; James Wyatt, architect!'
Jerentian Glanville, clerk of the works; Thotav:
Gay fere, mason."
Michael Bog, and David Bog, his son ; Jo
Holmes, John Teasdale, sen., and John TeS •
dale, jun., were the principal carvers, and Rich'
Lane, masons' foreman. •

TREAD LL.—The good effects resulting
,he discipline of the Stepping Mill in our p

continue to afford high satisfaction. The
ings for the last year have amounted to the

of 2621. 17s. 10d-.

As this mill has been in

for a longer period probably 00,1°
being one of the first erected on this PI
ciple, much satisfaction is to be
from the report of the medical attends!
of this prison, relative to the effect of this or,
scription of labour upon the prisoners' health);
states, " that he has never experienced a sing.
case where the stepping mill was prejudicial':
the health of the prisoner, neither does he 1101/‘
cipate any ; he is, on the contrary, of °pint
that it tends much to the general health of
prisoners."--(Bury Gazette.)
roo
Aged natives observe, that the old Christ
ea
sports of the working classes, which had exist ;
in Exeter from time immemorial, have this st.,
son almost entirely disappeared.—To what c 01,7
are we to attribute this change of mannersli
(Western Luminary.)
Pins and Fish Bones.—Any person who pl 0
have the misfortune to swallow a pin, or the boll,
of a fish, will find almost instant relief by mkt!
four grains of tartar emetic dissolved In win
water, and immediately afterwards the whites,
six eggs. The coagulated mass will not reins`
on the stomach more than two or three minutes'
So effectual is this remedy, that it has be,
known to remove no less than twenty-four PD3
at once.

. II [RTES. i
On Wednesday last, at his house, in Hereford-streeti tl°- '
Lady of Edmund Antrobus, Esq. of a son. 10'i
On New Year's-day, at Ilerne-hill, the Lady of J. 11. 1,:.'
. .
Esq., of the India-house, of twin suns.
14$111. '
1 esterday, Jan. 2, the Lady of B. G. !lodges, Esq., _
beth, of a son and heir.
.4'o:

MARRIED.
At Cheltenham Church, on the 30th ult., Samuel 14
Esq. of Parson's Green, Middlesex, to Mary, only cbilu
William Wood, Esq., or Cheltenham.
On Wednesday last, Mr. 11. I. Monteflore, of Kenningt
to Sarah, eldest daughter of Mr. Daniel Moeatta, of iirobw.'"
place, Russell-square.

•
Printed and Published for the PROPRIETORS, at the Su'

Otii.ce, No. 112, Striuul, by J. B. CARSTAISB.