The Washington times., 1901-11-10
A REMARKABLE CHURCH.
Its Builder wished 1t to BE Like u
Drawing Room.

1t is safe to state that there is no more
extraordinary church in the world than
that of West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire.
1t was built in 1161 by the gay and eccen-
tric Sir Francis Dashwood- shortly before
he succeeded to the title q Lord lie De
| spencer, and stands on the summit of a
steep. isolated, ana extremely picturesque
hill, Immediately to the north of the lit
tie village, to whose spiritual needs it still
ministers during the summer months
alone.
When projecting the erection of his new
church, Sir Francis avowed his intention
to make it as much like drawing-room
as possible hence the unique "bizarrcries'
to be found inside. The nave is long,
oblong room. sixty feet in length, and for
| ty in width. The windows. which are
! large and numerous. are the common
| sashes Of the period each with a window
seat so as to form cupboard. These cup
boards were originally used as wine bins
and receptacles for domestic utensils.
The pulpit and reading desk which
stand respectively on each side Of the en-
| trance to the chanceI. are mahogany arm
| chairs, with 4 boobstand in front. Each
| stands on a low chest of drawers, and
when required for divine service the
| drawers are pulled out to form steps for
| the minister to enter. The front is n
bronze tripod. and has the appearance of
| small wash hand basin; it is surround
ed by four doves. in pursuit Of which a
| serpent is climbing to the slender
stand
The chancel, which is very small, has
| n rich and gorgeous appearance. 1t con-
| tains carvings Of Grinling Gibbons. while
| the ceiling has a fine painting Of the
] Last Supper" in which Judas Iscariot $
| eye seems TO follow one about with un-
| canny effect. The nave and its fittings
| are purely secular in character dt was
| said that Sir Francis and his boon com
| panions held drinking bouts and auctions
| th.rein) and, Notwithstanding its beauti-
| ful paintings, carvings, and stained
| glass, the chancel gives one much the
| same impression 1t the top Of the tower
| is another eccentricity, in the form of a
| large ball which can be entered from
| outside, and affords seating aCcOmmOda-
| tiOns for twelve persons.
| Abutting against the east wall Of the
| chUrChyaTd is = large, he&aGonal-shapcd,
| rooiless mausoleum, which was built at
| the same time as the church-dedicatcd TO
st. Lawrence, by the way. This singular
| buildings has Il number Of openings, OF
| various shapes and sizes, and at the east
end lofty arch, closed by an iron gate.
| IL contains inches and Tcccsscs. well fiji
| cd with sepulchral monuments. In the
| centre g Il small ionic temple. under
which is an urn holding the ashes Of the
| unconventional Lord lie Despencer's wife
| who died in 1863. An intimate friend of
| his lordship-Paul Whitehead, the poet,
| died in I7l5-bequeathed him his heart
| which was buried here with mock funeral
| hOnors. At this extraordinary ceremony
| the choristcrs and mourners wore fancy
| dress, and the procession peraInbulated
| around the mauSOleum chanting a comic
| operate dirge, specially COMPOSED for the
| occasion. Whitehead's heart. enclosed in
| lead. used 10 be taken from its urn and
| shown to visitors, until some years age
| il mysteriOusly disappeared, and it was
| supposed that some vandel had slipped il
| into his pocket The mauSOleum is st i'll
used as burial ground by the Dasher-
About halfway down the hill is the
| entrance to the caveS-yet another of
| Lord lie Despenccrs startling freaks. The
| entrance is in the form of an artificial
| ruin, while the caves themselves pene-
trate for over a quarter of a mile into
the hill. Inside, the path, which Is very
| slippery, sometimes divides, and leaves a
| huge pillar Of chalk To support the roof
| \ copious spring rises near the middle
| and was said to have once formed q sub
| tcranean pool, which could only be cross
cd by boat. The excavation terminates
| i'm a large, lofty, circular cavern, Win a
| vaulted roof
What these caves We're dug for is a
| mystery. many aver the reason to have
| been a simple one. namely, for the pur-
| pose of getting the chalk; but the char
acter Of their maker was so strange mat
| TO this day he is credited in the neigh
| bOrhoOd with all sorts Of sinister designs
| in forming them-notably devil worship or
| the celebration Of the Black Mass. To
| return to the church, which, owing 10 its
| inconvenient position, Is now used only in
| summer time, while recently "A smaller
| church has been erected at the foot OF
| the hill. When seen at distance (anl
owing to its commanding position, IL IS
a conspicuous landmark) IT Is impossible
to describe the odd appearance which the
whole pilo-church and mausoleum-pre'
sents, the BAH above the tower, It's top is
ei6 feet above sea-level, looking as il
| flying the air
Lord lie Despencer died in 17S1. but, de
| spite hts many and strange eccentricities
| he was an able servant of the State
| having creditably acquitted himself wher
| filling the post of head OF the War of
| flee. Chancellor of the EXchequer. anC
| Postmaster Gcneral-The Golden Penny