The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-01-23
THE NEW ENGLAND MEETING HOUSE
AND THE WREN CHURCH,

THE NEW ENGLAND MEETING HOUSE
AND THE WREN CHURCH.
When l think of the multitudes of
steeples scattered over New England,
constructed on principle Of one box
placed on top of another box, with their
round topped or pediment- capped win
dows, their balustrades aud uTns, their
pllasters and cornices, have always q
mOmentary sensation OF wonder at the
persistency of the style Of Sir Christo-
pher Wren and its widespread employ
ment by so many men who never heard
of him. by builders to whom his name
would have sounded as unfamiliar as
that of Vishnu. In comparison with
the length of life which the Greek forms
have enjoyed, the period during which
Wren's plan of spire composition occu-
pied exclusive possession Of the field is
short. And yet il seems that II he could
have known the extent TO which his
style would be copied he might have
found cause for good deal OF self-con-
CIRCULATION, and have been reasonably
content with the impress which he made
upon the men Of his age.
Il Is unnecessary to state with much
emphasis, or to be at much ado to prove,
that the voyagers in the MdUtotcer did
not Immediately introduce his manner
in this country. One reason why they
lid not do so is that they were not in
situation to give immediate attention to
the ornamental, and another reason is
hat Wren was not born at that time.
How gladly would we know that their
ii tce of worship was like when they
first came to have a house appropriated
,ulely to that purpose, know 1T in all it's
painness, in all its baroness, in all its
tbsence of every trait which could be
called ornamental or worth seeing in
the sense in which we ordinarily count
things architecturally worth seeing.
There is no religious community on this
side of the Atlantic whose beginnings
are looked at with anything like such
eager curiosity. 1t if a curiosity which
nuches every phase of their daily life,
which follows them upon their gather
ing on the Sunday, and would gladly re-
construct every detail of the externals
hy which their worship was surrounded.
Nothing is said to be known OF the first
Westinghouse at Plymouth except that
il had bell; and this building, 1t Is
.tated, was not erect until 1637-well on
tnward twenty years after the landing
upon the Rock. would be glad If there
we're authorities other than those to
which have had access which would
show what this building was. In gen.
raj The exact appearance OF the very
earliest meeting houses all over New
England seems to be covered with some
doubt. o
A church was begun in Boston in 1928,
which when completed offered an Illus
ration of almost all OF Wren's
conspicuous traits in church building,
wen an illustration of bis vaulting.
This church, which is now standing and
which is the oldest church in Boston, is
Christ Church on Salem street, some.
times called the Old North. In its in
terror it resembles rather more st.
J4mes's Westminster, than any other
If Wren's parish churches. st. Jamess,
Westminster, is not near the Abbey, but
stands with its side on Jermyn street,
and is only few steps from Piccadilly'
l. is called also st. James's, Plccadlily.
Competent critics have pronounced tnat
IF st James's, Wren's most successful
interior after 81. Stephens, Walorook'
he latter being domed and much
more pretentious piece OF construction.
The ceiling of roof of st. Jamess IS es-
pecially praised as IAN appropriate
mode of getting height and light with
pleasing variety of form" Sir Christie
pher himself though he had produced
happy design in St. James's, a record
having been preserved somewhere OF his
laying, 81 think il may be found beautl-
ful and convenient" At Christ Church
The interior Is divided into a nave and
isles by plasters which support gal
lery at half their height. Instead OF
continuous plaster from the floor to the
ceiling, there is, in st. James's pilaster
| 70 the gallery level. and from this level
column rises in the same line to sup
port the vaulting. Otherwise there is
no material difference in the plan OF the
wo interiors Though the substitution
of two parts for one in such case IS
said to be better construction that IA to
saw, the substitution of a plaster and
column for a continuous pilasterl the
ffrct in Christ Church would be to
many persons quite as pleasing to the
eve as the effect in Wren's own compo'
j ion. The vaulting is identically alike,
xcppt that the barrel vault of the nave
hoes not approach 80 closely the circular
form in Christ Church as 1t does in st.
JAmes's. As the eye follows around the
line where the ceiling joins the end
wall, the curve is seen to be somewhat
4lliptical. Beams masked under the
form Of entablatures extend from the
rnps of the pilasters to the side wall OF
Christ Church, precisely as at st. Jsmess
-upporting the barrel vaults OF the
isles. There is not the el4borateness OF
minor details in the Boston church
which ia seen in the London one. No
one would expect thrs. but would rather
wonder that the ambitious plan OF con-
struction should have been followed 80
faithfully as it was. The visitor must
60 to the old church also with realiz:
ing sense that he is to look upon wood
and plaster construction which. ceased
10 be new much more than hundred
years ago; and if he sets himself to
realize this, and does not turn himself
owards Salem street with the expecta-
tlun that ne is going to see something
fresh, he ought to be disappointed. "A.
r Willard IN Netu England Magazine
for January.