The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-03-28
MARKS IN ENGLISH CHURCHES.
Circles, DOTS and Lines Of UntnuSn Meaning on
Ancient Walls.

There are on the walls of many Eng
lish churches. particularly those of the
South Midland counties. mysterious
marks. some fairly large. many very
small. that have puzzled ecciesiologists
ever since that inestirnable race existed.
They are most common on the south
wall Of the nave and aisles. Almost in
variably they are at such a height as
would show that they cannot have been
made by village idlers OF the class who
have favored US with so many cup
marks, says the Church Gazette. They
fall into three main classes: "a, dot
surrounded by one or more concentric
circles; 60. circles containing radii.
more or less numerous; and CD, dots
arranged in squares sometimes con-
nected by lines and sometimes not
With regard 10 these last, i own 1 am
unable to even suggest theory.
could give a list OF things they cannot
possibly mean. but what they do rs, as
'Jeames" is reported to have remarked,
''wropp'd in mystery"
The second variety want To speak OF
is the circle with radii. Sometimes
there are twelve radli, sometimes twen-
ty-four, sometimes an odd number
Sometimes the radii are confined TO one
part of the circle, sometimes not. Ii Is,
confessedly, about this variety that the
interest in wall-marks eliminates. In
some instances there can be no doubt
that they are incomplete sun-dials.
though in these cases, as at Dedbourne
(Herts) they are so unastronomically
arranged as to lead TO the conclusion
that our early ancestors were as In
different as III they had beer Orientals
to the flight of time. But the majority
cannot by any stretch OF the imagina-
ton have been time recorders. No one
would put n dial on the south inner wall
OF q church.
Another theory which has been start
ed is that these marks are survival OF
an ancient belief i'm Orientalism. But
these marks are not to be found in Nor
man churches. The earliest we can
absolutely date are First Pointed. Why,
then, should "A heather belief have lain
dorman for couple OF hundred years
at least, and then have ben suddenly
and without reason, revived? ! desire
to reward my readers by propounding
a brand new theory. IL is remarkable
that we do not find these circular marks
containing radii common on our cath
edrals oT great fanes. Nearly all are
on the walls of obscure village
cnuTcNeS. we knOW floW tndt III
ing ministers and abbeys the workmen
had plans and elevations much as they
have today. but that such was the case
with small and unimportant. If equally
artistic. buildings is highly improbable.
Yet, the very regularity of design
shows that there must have been some
master mind who directed the whole
building. The theory j wish TO pro-
pound il that some. at least of these
wall-marks, with their varying radii
were intended. IL the lines were con-
tinued. TO mark such salient points Of
the building as the base or springing
lines of windows, the elevation of a
moulding of the coping stone Of the
gable. or what not. IL this should have
been the intention of the inscribers. IL
is difficult 10 imagine any moro useful
guide 10 those who desire, either with n
view TO restoration or for mere study
to discover what like was was an an
cient church.