Star.
London, England, 1825-12-12 00:00:00

ST. SAVIOUR'S CEIURGII, SoUTIIWARK.

A question of considerable interest to the admirers of I
ancient architecture, is now in agitation in the Parish
of S!. Savour's, Southwark. Of this building, the
history of which is full of classical assnci itions, the east
end and a large portion of the interior have recently
been restored with great correctness, under the skilful
superintendence of Mr. George Gwilt, the architect
and experienced antiquary. ?rimy of the inhabitants,
and amongst them Mr. Ellice, the tobacconist, considtr
that one wing of the church may be rendered much
more commodious for the parish, and that for this pur-
pose it will be necessary to make considerable altera.
tions in the ancient structure. This proposition is
warmly resisted by another party, as a sort of sacrilege.
!ley advocate the correct restoration of the whole
edifice, but they are in the minority, and must, in all
probability, yield to those who prefer comfort to the
preservation of this grand memorial of the days of old.
A determination was come to by the great body of the
parishioners, to have the edifice altered, aid a deputa-
tion went to view Mr. Savage's new Church, at Chelsea.
which though the most elegant and the least expensive
Gothic Church of modern construction in the Met: opulis,
or perhaps in the kingdom, is quire in a different style
Isom that of S'. Saviour's. Mr. Savage was consulted
on the subject of altering St. Saviour's on the planof the
Chelsea Church, and that Gentleman, after having in-
spected St. Saviour's Church, declared that his opinion.
was in favour of the correct restoration •f the whole
edifice, and said it would be highly inconsistent to
rebuild one wing in a character at variance with the
style of the other. He at the same time declared that
he thought the parish exceedingly fortunate in having
Mr. Gwilt, who was a man of taste, and well qualified
to restore ancient embellishments, as the superintendent.
The majority, however, notwithstanding this very un-
equivocal hint, persisted in their determination of hav-
ing the alteration made according to their favourite
plan, and advertised for plans from which to make a
selection. At the same time Mr. Savage was invited
to submit a plan, but he declined to exert himself on
the occasion, stating that the parishioners might copy
Chelsea Church, if they thought proper, and if they
were determined to break up the classical uniformity,
by throwing one part •f the edifice into an incongruous
style, and chose to direct him to prepare a plan, he was
willing, as a matter of business, to accommodate them;
but he was decidedly of opinion that the whole should
be restored in the manner partly accomplished by Mr.
Gwilt. He at the same time, we understand, observed,
that plans were seldom canvassed by the mode of elec-
tion proposed. Designs which cost great labour were
constantly rejected on account of some apparent defi-
ciency, or some unsuitableness, which was capable of
being explained, justified, or removed, upon consultation
with the architect, while other plans were adopted the
deficiencies of which would not readily be detected by
an inexperienced eye, in the small drawing upon paper,
but which, in the erection, wete found to be overloaded
' with absurdities : neither were intrigues and interest
the less operative on such occasions, according to Mr.
Savage's opinion. He finally believed that a very
slight alteration in the ancient edifice would serve the
purposes of the parties. On the other band, the
slightest alteration of the ancient structure is strenuously
opposed by those who favour Mr. Gwilt's labours,
productive as they have been of the revival of the
ancient grandeur of St. Saviour's, and in this state, we
believe, the matter remains at present. The old Eccle-
siastical Court in which Ridley and Latimer and the
reformers were ruled, and in which the trial by ordeal
used to tike place, has been strictly restored, and the
tomb of Gower, one of our earliest poets, is in high
preservation.

Letters from Gibraltar state, that trade was ex-
ceedingly brisk at Gibraltar, and English produce
and manufactures went off briskly. The demand
for wheat for Barbary continued, and it appears
the scarcity in those parts exceeded even the first
accounts. There is no mention, however, made of
the fever having broken out at Tangiers, and this re-
port appears but little entitled to credit.
We cannot too strongly impress on the minds of our
fair readers, the necessity of wearing thick shoes ; the
amiable Duchess of RUTLAND lost her life by exposing
her feet to damp, in het drily perambulations around
,the grounds in supetintending the workmen, &c.
The new Piece, by PLA ECHE, at the Adelphi Theatre,
to be produced this evening, is to be called Success;
or, a Hit if you Like it. Report speaks most highly
of its cleverness and eccentricity.
Establishments are at present forming in Demerara
for a few Clergymen of the Church of Scotland, in
addition to the very elegant one which was erected a
few years ago at George Town, the capital of the Colony.
By letters recently received, it appears that the Rev.
Mr. GUNK, formerly of the Scots Chapel, Bishop-Monk
Wearmouth, was on the eve of being appointed by the
Lieotenant•Governor to the pastoral charge of the
districit where Mr. ELLIOT, late Missionary of the
London Society, was for some time stationed; and
'that two more country parishes were likely to be soon
filled in a similar manner. It is proposed to apply to
the General Assembly, at its next meeting, for having
a Presbytery erected in Demerara, similar to that
which was formed a few years ago in India.
Several master buildero,• who had entered upon wild
schemes-for building mansions in the environs of Paris,
to accommodate the English, have completely failed in
their calculations of John Bull's gullibility. Many or
these rash speculators were last week lodged in theprison
of St. Pelagie for their defalcations and folly.
The largest silk throwster in
.Watford, discharged,
II
nearly 100 hands on S eturclay last, on account of the
forthcoming reduction of duty on foreign silks.
At the Middlesex Sesiions, on Saturday, John Mitchell
was convicted of fraud, by making out a false porter's
ticket for several parcels directed to the prosecutor
thereby receiving l id. over and above the charge made
at the booking office, and sentenced to hard labour and
one month's imprisonment. It is not generally known
that this offence may be visited with transportation.
Michael Ford, who is accused of the murder of Mr.
Perry, at Birmingham, and who absconded from thence
has been apprehended at Liverpool. He was stepping,
ou board a trading vessel, when the police officers took
him into custody.
ALARMING Fret.—B.tsveen fOur and five o'clock
yesterday afternoon, the neighbour hood of Stacey-etreet,
end parts adj scent. were thrown into great alarm by
the discovery of a fir, jn the nppor -part of a house, No.
3, Lloyd's-cour!„ Crown•street, Seven Dials. Several,
engines were soon on the spot, and by the exertions of
he firemen the flames were cuftined• to the above lionise,
stile upper part of which is'cbniiderably damaged.