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1823.] Church of St. Olave, ponding arched work, are filled in at the head. This filling in, however, I consider to be of later date than the aperture itself, and part of the operations, probably of Richard and Robert Cely, whom Stow mentions as principal builders and benefactors of this Church; and who, as he states, were buried in it. The said Richard Cely, if Newcourt's idea respecting his identity be correct, presented to the living in the middle, and again towards the latter end of the Fifteenth Century. Very likely the three other windows also once assumed a similar appearance; but the window at the West end of the nave has, at present, merely plain ribs springing from the old mullions; and each of the two others had, until lately, upright mullions without any arched ribs turning from them. In regard to all the several other windows throughout the fabric, and leaving out of consideration here, as well as in what respect the drip-stones aftermentioned, some small apertures, in the middle story of the tower; (which are Pointed internally; but the exact shape of them externally, as originally formed, is now dubious) each of them consists of three lights, or divisions, with cinque-foil heads, formed under one arch very flatly pointed. The whole of the windows, excepting the two Westernmost (which at the present day have not any) are finished externally with drip-stones, having square returns. And in respect to doorways, those to the North and South entrances of the Church, and the doorway from the South aile into the vestry, have arches under square heads, with ornamental spandrels; and both the former doorways have, externally, drip-stones with square returns. There are two narrow entrances (exclusive of two others of recent construction) into the staircase tower, and another small aperture leads from the nave into the rectory-house; of the arches over these apertures, those to the South entrance of the Church, and to the said entrances to the staircase, are of the depressed kind, turned from four centers; but those to the three other doorways are of a boldly pointed character.

The arched tie-beams, with their intermediate moulded ribs, and oak pannellings (each of them ornamented at one angle with a floweret) over the nave and both the side ailes, remain entire, with the exception of a few

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mutilations: and their general aspect would lead me to conclude, that the whole of them were constructed when Richard and Robert Cely, as aforesaid, improved this building: if what is recorded in the edition of "Stow," 1633, as afterwards alluded to, did not, as to a part of them, instruct me to the contrary. The tie-beams spring from stone corbels; one component part of each corbel being, as very commonly found, a shield: in a few instances the original sculptures of the shields have, some time ago, been replaced with wooden imitations. Five of the corbels on the North side of the nave are further decorated with angels; and a male figure, represented as habited in a loose garment, supports one of the shields towards the East end of the South aile: upon three of the shields are sculptured two lions passant gardant; which remind us of the bearings of our monarchs at an early period of English History. Several have bearings in relief, corresponding with the first of the following sketches, and two of them resemble the second sketch.

On these bearings I will merely notice as follows:

The patronage of this Church appears to have been of old in the family of the Nevils; and upon reference to Edmondson's "Heraldry," I find, under the name of Nevil, the saltire mentioned in numerous instances as a principal feature of their arms. It belonged at a later date to different parties; among whom appears the family of Windsor: and in the latter work, under the three examples of this name, I find the saltire mentioned likewise. By far the greater part of the said shields, however, have no bearings sculptured upon them.

The decorations at the junctions of the moulded ribs of the ceilings are principally of shields; in some parts, however, the rose is introduced instead thereof; and in others they consist of foliage; most of these shields also are plain, but on a few of them are sculptured the bearings expressed in the first of the above sketches. On

one

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Church of St. Olave, Hart-street, described.

one other appears what I should suppose to be intended for the City Arms; but that the dagger is placed in the second of the four quarterings formed by the cross, instead of in the first, as usual; and on one other of the shields, the cross only is introduced without the dagger.

At the West end of the nave is a good organ; the wainscot front of which displays a respectable appearance, but the style bears reference to the Gothic of Batty Langley's school. The several pews and galleries, likewise the altar-piece and its accompaniments; the pulpit and its appendages; the several lobbies and screens; the fittings of the vestry, and the porch to the South entrance, appear to have been constructed within the last century, and are respectable of their kind; but in every point of view discordant to the original character of the building. The ceiling of the vestry is finished with pannelling and ornaments in plaster-work; the principal subject being an angel of nearly full size in relief, but of inferior execution; over the chimney-piece are painted in chiaro oscuro, the three cardinal virtues. The figure of an old man, between two glories, which is mentioned in Seymour's "Survey of London,' to have been within an arched space under the pediment of the altar-piece, does not appear there at the present day. The effect of the interior of the Church generally, and particularly as regards the ailes, is much disparaged by the crowded appearance which the galleries occasion. Previously to the recent repairs, questions as to their removal from the ailes, also as to an improvement of the Western gallery, and the restoration of Sir Andrew Riccard's statue (aftermentioned) to its original place, were duly agitated in the vestry; but the schemes did not seem to meet with approbation. Other points of proposed improvement also were introduced to notice; but experienced a similar result. Some amendments, however, have taken place. A square-formed window, which had been made in the North front, has been built up. A modern frontispiece, which had been fixed up to the North entrance, has also been removed; and the imperfect parts of the said entrance restored in their original style. It is to be regretted that the square headed window in the South front has not also been closed up; but this,

[March,

with some other matters, and among them a porch to the South entrance, is more in unison with the doorway than the present porch; also the removal of the merely upright mullions from the East window of the North aile, must be left for a future, and I hope, successful consideration. The accompaniments to the central East window were, as aforesaid, lately of the kind last stated; but new masonry of Bath stone has been substituted instead thereof, of a character which appeared to the architect coinciding with the period at which the aperture in all probability was formed; and at the same time more suitable to the reception of stained glass (the introduction of which was the principal inducement towards its improvement), than masonry corresponding with the head of the West window of the tower, which has been before alluded to. The stained glass is, at this time (Jan. 1823), in preparation by Mr. James, of Gray's Inn-road; and bids fair to be a respectable specimen of his talent. The subjects of six of the nine compartments are the four Evangelists, expressed in reclined postures, and the apostles, St. Peter and St. Paul; two others consist of groups of cherubs, and another will display a dove with glory. The four lights or divisions below the head of the window are to be decorated with borderings of leaves, &c. of a lively colour; but not so powerful as to interfere with the tints of the principal subjects above them.

It is recorded in the aforesaid Edition of 1633, that considerable works were performed in this Church during that and the preceding year; and among some other items attended to at that period, it seems that "the roof in the middle isle, decayed to the danger of falling, was with new timber rebuilt, new leaded, and the inside very worthily garnished." Great merit is due to the directing parties for having restored the said roof in its original character, and the battlements also; but we must regret that the same taste was not extended to the upper portions of the tower, and to some other parts of the operations which were then conducted.

The upper timbers over the ailes were renewed at no very distant period; and lately the greater part of all the roofs have been uncovered and new leaded. J. B. G.

(To be continued.)

Mr.

Uar M

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1823.]

Natural History of British Hirundines.

Mr. URBAN, Hartwell, March 4.

O numerous have been the letters *

Sin the Gentleman's Magazine on the subject of the Migration of Swallows, that I imagine a short account of the natural history of each of the four species which inhabit Great Britain, will not be unacceptable to many of your readers. I have, therefore, subjoined a correct figure (see Plate II.) and a short account of the common Chimney Swallow, and of the Martin, and shall endeavour in a subsequent Number, to add the natural history of the Sand Martin and of the Swift, together with figures of the same, which will complete the British hirundines.

The CHIMNEY SWALLOW, hirundo rusticat (Fig. 1.) is the most common, as well as the best known, of them all; and for this reason is probably classed first by Linnæus. Its length is about six inches, breadth from tip to tip of the wings, when extended, about twelve. The upper parts of the body and its wings black; the under parts whitish ash-colour; head black; the forehead and chin are marked with a red spot; the tail is very much forked. This bird generally arrives in this country somewhat sooner than the rest of this genus, usually making its first appearance before the middle of April. It builds

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its nest in chimnies, at the distance of about a foot from the top, or under the roofs of barns and outhouses, has commonly two broods in the year, and generally disappears in the latter end of September, or beginning of October. Like the rest of this tribe, it is perpetually on the wing, and lives upon insects, which it catches flying. Before rain it may often be seen skimming round the edge of a lake or river, and not unfrequently dipping the tips of its wings or under part of its body into the water, as it passes over its surface§.

The MARTIN, or MARTLETT of heraldry, hirundo urbica, (Fig. 2.) is rather less than the swallow, and is distinguishable at first sight from it, by the bright white colour of all the under parts of the body. This bird usually makes its first appearance early in May, though sometimes sooner, and leaves us towards the latter end of October. It builds under the eaves of houses, in the corners of windows, and in crags of rocks and precipices near the sea, and has oftentimes three broods in the year; its nest is curiously constructed, like that of the swallow, with mud and straw, and lined with feathers on the inside .

The earliest and latest appearance of these birds, and their annual migration, have been the theme of numerous writers of both antient and modern

* See the General Index to the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. 1. p. 435; vol. 1. 426. In ventriculo dissecto scarabaos invenimus. In caminis nidificat.-Raii Synop.

P. 71.

The Swallows of every species are few on their first appearance; afterwards increase in numbers; are further multiplied by the accession of the young broods; and are diminished again before they wholly disappear.

§ This was observed by many of the antient writers of natural history and philosophy. So Virgil:

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Nunquam inprudentibus imber

Obfuit. Aut illum surgentem vallibus imis
Aëriæ fugêre grues; aut bucula, cœlum
Suspiciens, patulis captavit naribus auras ;
Aut arguta lacus circumvolitavit hirundo,
Et veterem in limo ranæ cecinêre querelam.

Which is imitated from Aratus:

Virg. Geor. lib. i. 377.

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| Pliny observes: "Hirundines luto (nidum) construunt; stramento_roborant. Si quando inopia est luti, madefactæ multa aqua, pennis pulverem spargunt. Ipsum vero nidum mollibus plumis floccisque consternunt tepefaciendis ovis, simul ne durus sit infantibus pullis. In fœtu summâ æquitate alternant cibum. Notabili munditiâ egerunt excrementa pullorum, adultioresq. circumagi docent, et foris saturitatem emittere.'

GENT, MAG. March, 1823.

times,

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