The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1897-09-01
KEYSTONES.
1somo Curious Survivals That Are Found
In London Architecture.

1omc Curious Survivals That Are Found
In London Architecture.
Keystones and keystone masks
are only to he found in classic, laeo-
classic and renaissance architecture,
by reason Of the Gothic styles not
a1sing theEounded arch. Thepointed
windows and doorways ranging
from early English to late Elizabeth
an have no prominent }zeystones.
Perhaps the best known and alto
gethcr most notable keystone masks
are those that decorate the center
arch Of Henley ,bridge. The present
bridge of five ;auchea that crosses
the Thames 1T Henley was built in
17sC Tho mask facing up river is a
head Of Isis; Hhat facing down
STREAM represents the conventional
idea OF Father Thames, and they are
really Admirable examples :af the
sculptor S art. They mere the work
tof that very accomplished lady, the
Hon. Mrs. Dawson-Dame1, who sa:
that time resided at Park Place,
Henley. She svas cousin to Horace
Walpole, for whom she carved all
eagle SO exqnisitely that he wrote
n1nler 1t-tl3is enthusiastic cousin,
Non Praxitcles sed Anna Damer
me fecit.' So, you see, PraNiteles
can never filch the credit of that
piece of sculpture from this lady
artist Of the eighteenth century.
But the Hon. Mrs. Dawson-Damer
was, after all, only am anaiab]e anna
teur. She gave her work to the
bridge authorities most repre-
hensible yagary-yet the recipients
were grateful, as witness the
Bridge Minutes - True, they only
acknowledge one mask: MAY E,
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 sculptured keystones in London.
There is an elaborate design, for in
stance, over the western doorway
of st. Brides, Floet street, conte1n-
porary with Wren-possibly his
work. It exhibits that widespread
convention of the winged chcrub,
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 decoration for fonts. The Guild
hall museum-that 'oha podrida Of
Londdn antiquities, from Romano
British old boots and potsherds to
massive Jacobean carved tireplaces
has two keystoncs in it's crelasscu-
aar crypt. One came from an old
house in Paternoster row, now de
molished. 1t was tire keystone Of a
window. Another, from the door
way of house in Spital square, is
an example of that very debased
art, the domesticated keystone
mask, SO to speak. There was at the
end of last century and at the be-
ginning OF this quite a classic rage.
Buildings fondly believed to be OF
classic design sprang up every
where, and traces of that fal1acy are
to beseen ut this day, even il the
Mndistin g1lislleal streets of what
were at that time the suburbs OF
London Parts Of the Marylebone
road, the Clapham road, the OLD
Kent road, and many streets OF Ken
:sington and Brixton, show this de-
based classicism, and many of these
houses bear keystone masks ovel
their arched doorways. For the most
part, however, they are not sculp
tured. They are of perhaps half {
dozen different patterns, and they
are nearly all cast ill plaster from q
mold; also, the would be classicisn
>of them is generally very dreadful:
to look upon.
A keystone that no longer fulfills
AAo oAASC VI NVAAA AApAVA1A5 a1A III C14 ID ~
be seen in the shape Of grotesque
head built into the wall ct a house
in Kings Gress road above singu,
lar tablet bearing the inscription
''This is Bagnigge House neare the
Pindar Il Wakefeilde, $780, The
'tPindar Of Wakeield'' was the sig1
of an old inn that stood near here
and took its name from a popular
play of that title that was writer
in the time Of Queen Elizabeth. Bag
nigge House, too, is gone, and also
Bagnigge wells, that one time fash
ionable suburban spa.
There is an archway inthe renais
:sanco style leadinginto New:square
Lincoln's Inn, that has a sculpturet
keystone on either ,side-g gaping ;ant
glowering masks that look dow1
with forbidding aspect upon the
barristers and solicitors, the attor
neys and clerks who pass beneath
them continually to and from tht
law courts across the street. Dou1
and threatening they are and typi
cal Of the terrors Of the law to un
successful suitors, mulct in heavy