There is a little church, near London, known as Perivale. Although
so near to the great metropolis, it is situated in a peculiarly
lonely district. It lies in the valley of the Brent amid expansive
meadows and hay farms. In 1871 there were only seven houses and
thirty-three inhabitants in the parish. The midget church is
situated at the end of a field near a low, semi-Gothic half-timber
parsonage and a farmhouse. Although somewhat desolate, the spot is
a restful one, and the hill and spire of Harrow in the distance
make the scene pleasing to the eye. The little church is in the
Early Perpendicular style, and consists of a nave, a narrow chancel,
a rough wooden tower with short, pyramidal spire at the west,
and porch on the south-west. The interior presents a well-kept
appearance. The church was restored in 1875. In the windows is some
late fifteenth-century glass containing figures of St. John the
Baptist and St. Matthew, in fairly good condition, and of Mary and
Joseph, which are not so well preserved.
The prettily situated ivy-clad church of St. Lawrence, Ventnor,
Isle of Wight, is another edifice which might well be described as
a midget church, although some years ago it was found necessary to
enlarge it. The church originally was thirty feet eight and a half
inches long, it is now forty feet eight and a half inches; and its
breadth was formerly eleven feet, whereas it is now twenty feet.
The height to the eaves is about six feet. The architecture is Old
English, but not at all striking. The church dates back to about the
year 1190.
[Illustration: (_Photo: F. N. Broderick Hyde._)
THE OLD CHURCH AT ST. LAWRENCE.]
We have now exhausted our space, but not our subject. There are
other examples of diminutive churches throughout the country, but we
have made a selection of the more interesting ones. However small
the church, the worshippers have this assurance from the Founder of
the Christian religion: "Where two or three are gathered together in
My name, there am I in the midst of them"; and with that quotation
this little article may fittingly be concluded.
[Illustration: Canon's Daughter]
THE MINOR CANON'S DAUGHTER
_THE STORY OF A CATHEDRAL TOWN._
By E. S. Curry, Author of "One of the Greatest," "Closely Veiled,"
Etc.
CHAPTER IV.
A PREMATURE PROPOSAL.
In the Canons' Court, between Mr. Bethune's and the Deanery, lived
Mr. Warde. He was a pleasant man, well off, artistic, musical--and
happy in a life of little work, which left him leisure for his
artistic pursuits. He had a rosy, kind face and plump figure; the
Bethune children, Marjorie included, went to him before anyone else
in times of need. He had often shielded them from offended law.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account