The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-09-11
II
Some Curious Survivals That Are Found
In london Architecture.

Keystones and keystone masks
are only to be found in classic, neo-
classic and renaissance architecture,
by reason of the Gothic styles not
using the rounded arch. The pointed
windows and doorways ranging
from early English to late Elizabeth
an have no prominent keystones.
Perhaps the best known and alto
gether most notable keystone masks
are those that decorate the center
arch of Henley bridge. The present
bridge of five arches that crosses
the Thames at Henley was built in
1856. The mask facing up river is a
head of Isis; that facing down
stream represents the conventional
idea of Father Thames, and they are
really admirable examples of the
soulptor's art. They were the work
of that very accomplished lady, the
Hon. Mrs. Dawson-D amer, who at
that time resided at Park Place,
Henley. She was cousin to Horace
Walpole, for whom she carved an
eagle 80 exquisitely that he wrote
under it-this enthusiastic cousin,
mon Praxiteles sed Anna Damer
me fecit." So, you see, Praxiteles
can v fitch the credit of that
piece of sculpture from this lady
artist of the eighteenth century.
But the Hon. Mrs. Dawson amer
was, after all, only an amiable anna
teur. She gave her work to the
bridge authorities-a most repre-
hensible vagary-yet the recipients
were grateful, as witness the
Bridge Minutes" True, they only
acknowledge one mask: MAY s,
1885. Ordered that the thanks of the
commissioners be given to the Hon.
Mrs. Damer for the very elegant
head of the River Thames which
she has cut and presented to them
for the keystone of the center arch
of the bridge"
There are several good examples
of sc%ulptured keystones In London.
There is an elaborate design, for in
stance, over the western doorway
of st. Brides, Fleet street, contem-
porary with Wren-possibly his
work. 1t exhibits that widespread
convention of the winged cherub,
podgy and smiling, whom you may
find gracing all the city churches in
different positions of usefulness,
now as a keystone, now a corbel,
and again, most appropriately used
as a decoration for fonts. The Guild
hall museum-that ola podrida OF
London antiquities, from Romano
British old boots and potsherds tc
massive Jacobean carved freplaces
| has two keystones in its crepuscu'
, lar crypt. One came from an ole
, house in Paternoster row, now de
molished. 1t was the keystone of {
window. Another, from the door
way of a house in Spital square, II
an example of that very debaset
art, the domesticated keystone
, mask, so to speak. There was at thu
end of last century and at the be
; ginning of this quite a classic rage
8 Buildings fondly believed to be o
classic design sprang up every
h where, and traces of that fallacy ar
= to be seen at this day, even in tn
undistinguished streets of wha
were at that time the suburbs O
, London. Parts of the Marylebon
road, the Clapham road, the OIL
Kent road, and many streets of Ker
Q sington and B~rixton, show this dc
based classicism, and many of thes
it houses bear keystone masks owe
b their arched doorways. For the mos
part, however, they are not scull
. tured. They are of perhaps half
:, dozen different patterns, and the
j. are nearly all cast in plaster from
mold; also, the would be classicisl
Of them is generally very dreadfl
to look upon.
n A keystone that no longer fulfil
Z its Office of completing an arch is
be seen in the shape of a grotesqu
~ head built into the wall of a hous
b in Kings Cross road above a singl
p. lar tablet bearing the inscription
I'd "This is Bagnigge House les tt
in Pindar a Wakefeilde, $780," I'll
st "Pindar of Wakefield" was the sig
of an old inn that stood near hel
and took its name from a pOpul;
u play of that title that vas write
in the time of Queen Elizabeth. Ba
- nigge House, too, is gone, and all
%. Bagnigge wells, that n time fas
ionable suburban spa.
There is an archway in the renal
sance style leading into New squar
al Lincoln's Inn, that has a sculpture
to keystone on either side-gaping al
OF, glowering masks that look dow
rs. with forbidding aspect upon t
in barristers and solicitors, the ATTIC
ice neys and clerks who pass benea
NJ them continually to and from t.
al law courts across the street. Do
~ and threatening they + and tyl
nm cal of the terrors Of the law to u
successful ~suitors, mulct in hea'
mis- costs, but never yet have porten'
ms even more insistent than the
ids guardians of the legal precincts
vs. Lincoln's Inn. dissuaded the ang