FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  
econd, 1382. This chapel does not, like others in Birmingham, seem to have been erected first, and the houses brought round it: It appears, by its extreme circumscribed latitude, to have been founded upon the scite of other buildings, which were purchased, or rather given, by Sir John de Birmingham, Lord of Deritend, and situated upon the boundaries of the manor, perhaps to accommodate in some measure the people of Digbeth; because the church in Birmingham must, for many-ages, have been too small for the inhabitants. Time seems to have worn out that building of 1382; in the windows of which were the arms of Lord Dudley, and Dudley empaling Barckley, both knights of the garter, descended from the Somery's, Barons of Dudley-castle: Also a whole figure of Walter Arden, Esq; of ancient family, often mentioned, Lord of Bordesley. The present building was erected in 1735, and the steeple in 1762. In 1777 eight of the most musical bells, together with a clock, entered the steeple. The present chaplain, the Rev. Thomas Cox--Income 80_l_. [Illustration: _St. Bartholomew's Chapel_.] SAINT BARTHOLOMEW'S. Built in 1749, on the east side of the town, will accommodate about 800 hearers; is neat and elegant. The land was the gift of John Jennens, Esq; of Copsal, in the county of Leicester, possessor of a considerable estate in and near Birmingham. By the solicitation of Mrs. Weaman, Mrs. Jennens gave 1000_l_. and the remainder was raised by contribution to accomplish the building. Wherever a chapel is erected, the houses immediately, as if touched by the wand of magic, spring into existence. Here is a spacious area for interment, amply furnished by death. The infant steeple, if it will bear the name, is very small but beautiful. The chancel hath this singular difference from others--that it veres towards the North. Whether the projector committed an error, I leave to the critics. It was the general practice of the Pagan church to fix their altar, upon which they sacrificed, in the East, towards the rising sun, the object of worship. The Christian church, in the time of the Romans, immediately succeeded the Pagan, and scrupulously adopted the same method; which has been strictly adhered to. By what obligation the Christian is bound to follow the Pagan, or wherein a church would be injured by being directed to any of the thirty-two points in the compass, is doubtful. Certain it is, if the chancel of Barth
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104  
105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

church

 

Birmingham

 

building

 
Dudley
 
steeple
 

erected

 
accommodate
 

immediately

 

chancel

 

Christian


present
 

Jennens

 

houses

 

chapel

 

furnished

 
infant
 

interment

 

spacious

 

singular

 
existence

difference

 
beautiful
 

Weaman

 

solicitation

 

Leicester

 

possessor

 

considerable

 
estate
 

remainder

 

raised


touched

 

Whether

 

spring

 

contribution

 

accomplish

 

Wherever

 

committed

 

obligation

 

follow

 

adhered


method

 

strictly

 

injured

 

compass

 

doubtful

 

Certain

 
points
 

directed

 

thirty

 

adopted