The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-27
KEYsTONES.
Some Curious survIvaIs in London
Archite cture.


Archite cture.
From the st. James Budget.
Keystones and keystone masks are only
to be found in classic, neo-classic and Re.
uaissance architecture, by reason of the
Gothic styles not using the rounded arch.
The pointed windows and doorways rang
ing from early English to late Elizabethan
have no prominent keystones.
Perhaps the best known and altogether
most notable keystones 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 1885,
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
| sculptor's art. They were the work of
that very accomplished lady, the Honora-
bic Mrs. Dawson-Damer, who at that time
resided at Park place, Henley She was
| cousin to Horace Walpole, for whom she
carved an eagle so exquisitely that he
wrote unde it-this enthusia site cousinl-
| Non Praxiteles sed Anna Damer me fecit
so, you see, Praxiteles can never fitch the
credit OF that piece of sculpture from this
| lsdy artist OF the eighteenth century, But
| the Honorable Mrs. Dawson-D amer was
| aIter ALL but an amiabie amateur. She
gave ner work to the bridge authorities
most reprehensible vagary. Yet the re-
| cipients were grateful, as witness the
Bridge Minutes. True they only acknowI-
| edge mask May g. 1885, Ordered that
| the thanks OF the commissioners he given
TO the Honorable Mrs. Damer for the verv
elegant head Of the River Thames which
S sue mas cut ana presented to them for the
Aeystohe OF the center arch of the bridge"
mere are several good EXAMPLES of
sculptured keystones in London. There is
an elaborate design, for instance, over the
western doorway of st. Brides Fleet
street contemporary with Wren-possiblv
MS work 1t exhibits that widespread
convention OF the winged cherub, podgy
ana smiling, whom you may find eracinp
| al the city churches in different positions
Oh usefulness; now as a keystone, now, a
| cornell and, again, most appropriately
USED as decoration for fonts. The Guild
nan Huseum-that ola podrida Of London
ansiqulues' from Roman-BritisS old boots
ana potsherds to massive Jacobean carved
| nreplaces-has two keystones in its crep-
uscular crypt One came from an old
mouse in Paternoster Row, now demolish-
ed; II was the keystone of a window. An
other, from the doorway of house I'm
Spltal square, is an example of that very
ueDased art, the domesticated keystone
mask, so to speak. There was at the end
OF last century, and at the beginning OF
TINS, quite classic rage. Buildings fondly
believed to be Of classic design sprang un
everywhere, and traces of that fallacy arc
10 pe seen at this day, even in the undls-
tinguished streets of what were at thar
time the suburbs OF London. Parts of the
Marylebone road, the Clapham road, the
OId Kent road, and many streets of Ken
| nlngton and Brixton show this debased
S,lassiclsm. and many of these houses bear
Keystone masks over their arched door
ways. For the most part however thew
are not sculptured. They are OF, perhaps.
hat dozen different patterns, and they
are nearly all cast IN plaster from a
mould. Also the would-be classicism OF
them is generally very dreadful 10 loolo
upon.
keystone that no longer fulals Its Of
flee OF completing an arch Is TO be seen in
the shape of a grotesque head built into
the wall OF a house In Kings Cross road.
above singular tablet bearing the in
scription; This is Bagnlgge House, neare
ihe Plndar Wakefellde. $780," The pin
OAR OF Wakefield" was the sign OF an old
inn that stood near here. and took its
name from the popular play Of that title
that was written IN the time OF Queen
Elizabeth. Bagnigge house, too, is gone,
ana also Bagnigge Wells, that one-tlme
fashionable suburban spa.
There Is an archway IN the Renaissance
style leading into New square. I.lnooln's
Inn that has sculptured keystone on
either side-gaping and gi0wering masks
that look down with forbiddlng aspect up.
on the barristers and solicitors, the attor-
neys ana clerks who pass beneath them
continually to and from the law courts
across the street. Dour ana threatening
they are, ana typical Of the terrors OF the
law 20 unsuccessful suitora mulct in
heavy costs, but never yet have portents,
even more insistent than these guardians
OF the legal precincts OF Llncoln's TIM, dis
Huaded the angry and lltigious Brltcn
from rushing In where ofttimes lawyers
gear 70 tread on their own account.