Bell's Cathedrals: The Church of St. Martin, Canterbury: An Illustrated Account of its History and FabricRoutledge, C. F. (Charles Francis)
History
Bell's Cathedrals: The Church of St. Martin, Canterbury: An Illustrated Account of its History and Fabric
Routledge, C. F. (Charles Francis)
St. Martin's Church (Canterbury, England)
The whole controversy as to the existence of an Eastern apse is so
interesting and important, but at the same time so technical for the
ordinary reader, that we have placed, in Appendix C, a contribution which
Mr Livett has kindly sent to us, with the hope that it may be extensively
read and pondered by all those, whether antiquaries or otherwise, who
desire to weigh every point connected with the architecture and plan of
the church.
While still examining the exterior of the church, we may notice on the
east wall of the present chancel a nearly square insertion, measuring
14-½ by 13-½ inches. The matrix seems to represent traces of a brass,
with a kneeling female figure, carrying a child in her arms, with an
inscription underneath; and it may have been connected with a tomb
in that portion of the churchyard. It is of the fifteenth century,
but there is no evidence of its origin, though it has probably been
in its present position for a considerable period. The date of 1662,
and many subsequent dates and initials, have been cut into the stone,
showing the continuous existence of that pernicious class of tourists
who make a point of leaving their mark in places of interest!
Passing down the north side of the church, we may observe on the
chancel wall a piece of masonry, composed of Roman bricks, which is a
good imitation of Roman work; next the modern vestry which has no merit
except that of utility, and the traces of the Early English porch, which
has been described above--and then, rounding the north-west angle, we
come to a curious Norman squint or hagioscope, partially hidden by the
tower. The opening, sunk some three or four inches in the outer wall,
is of an oblong character. The sides are formed of worked chalk and
Kentish rag, with traces of a hinge and receptacle for a bolt, while the
lintel is composed of a piece of oak greatly decayed by age. The squint is
partially splayed on both sides, rather more on the right side than the
left, extends 18 inches into the interior of the church, and commanded
apparently a view of the high altar. Whether it was a lychnoscope,
or leper's window, or used by penitents standing under cover of a porch,
there are no grounds for determining. The actual opening does not measure
more than 12 inches by 8, and was lined originally with Norman plaster. On
the inside, where it is 15 inches across, it was till recently concealed
by the woodwork of a pew, but this has happily been removed. The masonry
inside is of a rugged character, and was evidently disturbed when the
interior of the church was covered by thick coats of plaster. Among
the fillings-up of the squint, we found three curious circular stones,
each with an ornamental _volute_ at the end. They are of oolite, and
probably formed parts of a scroll at the top of a Roman (heathen) altar,
and one of the fragments had small pieces of salmon-coloured mortar
adhering to it. We may refer to an opening in the church of St. Mary,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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