shires in 1379, as well as knight of the shire in the parliament held at Westminster in 1382. He built the two western towers of York Cathedral about 1402. Another very interesting monument is the effigy of an ecclesiastic, on a high altar-tomb of alabaster. It is supposed to represent one of the members of the family of Marrow, upon whom the lordship was conferred by the crown after the execution of the Earl of Warwick. This has been pronounced by an authority in such matters to be one of the most curious monumental effigies extant. The church is adorned with some fine stained glass, and can accommodate upwards of 2000 persons. ST. PHILIP'S-the other parish church—a handsome structure in the mixed Italian style, was commenced in 1711, and finished in 1719. It will be observed from the steeple and cupola that the architect has been to some extent indebted for his design to St. Paul's, London. This edifice occupies the most elevated spot in the town, and a fine view of Birmingham may be obtained from the top of its steeple. It contains no monuments of any interest. ST. GEORGE'S, Tower Street, was built in 1820 from the designs of Mr. Rickman. It is in the Decorated style, and consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with a tower at the west end surmounted with battlements and pinnacles. HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, Bradford Street, erected in 1823 at a cost of about £14,000, is in the Perpendi cular style, and consists of nave, aisles, and chancel. It has for an altar-piece a painting by Foggo representing our Saviour healing the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda. CHRIST CHURCH, New Street, erected in 1815, is Grecian in style, and has a lofty portico of Doric columns, surmounted by a pediment, above which rises a tower ending in a spire. ST. PETER'S, in Dale End, and ST. THOMAS's, at Holloway Head, are both Grecian in style. The former was erected in 1827, the latter in 1829. There are many other churches; but they are not of sufficient architectural importance to justify a detailed account. Exclusive of places temporarily licensed for religious worship, there are nearly forty churches in Birmingham. Dissent is strong in Birmingham, all the principal denominations being represented. The INDEPENDENTS have numerous places of worship. The first congregation took their origin in a secession from the Unitarians in 1748. Their chapel in Carr's Lane has become interesting to the Christian world by the labours of the Rev. John Angell James, who occupied this charge for more than fifty years. Mr. James died in 1859, aged 74. The present building was erected in 1820, and possesses no features of interest. Edgbaston Chapel, in Francis Road, is a very elegant edifice in the Decorated style, with a tower surmounted by a spire, rising to a total elevation of 170 feet. It was erected in 1855 in commemoration of Mr. Angell James's jubilee. Also deserving of notice on account of the elegance of its interior is the Lozell's Chapel. The BAPTISTS have two chapels worthy of mentionChrist Church, in Aston Park; and Wycliffe Chapel, Bristol Road, a very beautiful building in the Decorated style, and certainly one of the handsomest Dissenting chapels in Birmingham. The METHODISTS, though possessing numerous meeting-houses, have only within the last few years shown any disposition to make architectural elegance a characteristic of their places of worship. The Martin Street Chapel, Islington, is a good building in the Decorated style; and the Bristol Road and Aston Villa Chapels are also tasteful structures. The ROMAN CATHOLICS have several places of worship. One of considerable pretensions, called the Cathedral, and dedicated to St. Chad, stands in Bath Street. The building is of brick, with stone dressings, and is a good rendering of the Decorated style with such materials. The west front, which contains the principal entrance, through a deeply-recessed arch, has on either side a lofty tower ending in a slated spire. Above the entrance is a fine window of six lights. The church consists of nave, aisles, transepts, and chancel. The aisles are divided from the nave by six clustered columns on either side, supporting pointed arches 75 feet high. Many of the windows are filled with good painted glass. The internal decorations of the edifice are in general very rich and tasteful. The Cathedral, which was built from the designs of the late Mr. Pugin, was consecrated in 1838, and cost about £29,000. The Roman Catholics have a convent of "Sisters of Mercy," an orphanage, "Little Sisters of the Poor," etc. The UNITARIANS possess one very elegant place of worship in the Church of the Messiah, Islington. It is in the Decorated style; and besides a beautiful arcaded entrance, richly adorned, possesses a graceful spire about 150 feet high. The interior is handsomely fitted This church was opened in 1862, and, with its adjoining school-rooms and vestries, cost about £15,000. up. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. The TOWN HALL, the principal architectural ornament of Birmingham, is a magnificent specimen of Grecian architecture, and is universally admired for its thoroughly classic style. It occupies a fine site at the top of New Street. This noble building was commenced in 1832, but was not perfectly completed till 1850. It is constructed of Anglesea marble, and is the work of Messrs. Hansom and Welch. We quote its principal dimensions: Height of the basement Height of the capitals 23 feet. 36 feet. 3 feet 6 inches. 4 feet. 26 tons. The principal room in this splendid building is open for inspection (without charge) every day except Sunday, and the tourist will do well to pay it a visit. Its dimensions are-length, 145 feet; breadth, 65 feet; height, 65 feet. It can afford comfortable sitting-room for upwards of 4000 persons; and double that number have often stood beneath its roof, entranced by the eloquence of Mr. Bright and other great popular orators. The decorations are of the most elegant and tasteful description. The lower part of the walls is painted grey, toned with red and yellow; the upper part being enamelled in imitation of Sienna marble. The pilasters are richly gilt, strict attention being paid to classical models in their various details. The gallery fronts are in bronze and gold, and are lined with crimson cloth. The covered sides of the roof are divided into recessed panels, and are adorned with the egg and tooth moulding, and richly gilt and painted. The ceiling, the gilding and painting of which are very gorgeous, is divided into three compartments, each inclosing a large circle, and divided into deeply-recessed radiating panels, diminishing in size towards the centre, where there is a magnificent sunlight gas-burner. At the back of the orchestra is a splendid organ, said to be unsurpassed by any in Europe. This organ, which is the property of the Governors of the General Hospital, was erected for the triennial musical festivals, which are held here for the benefit of that institution. Its weight is about 45 tons; and its trackers, if laid out in a straight line, would extend above five miles. The orchestra is further adorned with a colossal bust of Mendelssohn. On the ground-floor there is a room similar in size to the one already described. The building contains numerous other apartments. Both of the large rooms are let for public meetings and entertainments. In the immediate neighbourhood of the Town Hall is a statue of Sir Robert Peel (p. 23). The EXCHANGE, in New Street, adjoining the Central Railway Station, is one of the most recent additions to the architectural beauties of Birmingham. This is an imposing edifice in the domestic Gothic style, having a frontage of 180 feet to Stephenson Place, and of 63 to New Street. The ground-floor is devoted to shops, the front of each of which presents an arcade of three arches, one serving for the doorway. The entrance to the Exchange Rooms is in the centre of the main elevation in Stephenson Place, and consists of an elegant pointed arch under a tower, which, with its slated spire, rises to a height of about 100 feet. The several storeys above the ground-floor (three in number) present continuous arcades of pointed windows. Altogether, the effect of the building is light and graceful as well as imposing, and it is generally allowed to be a very successful example of the application of the Gothic style in the construction of a building for commercial and other purposes. It was built after the de signs of Mr. Edward Holmes of Birmingham. Besides the Exchange, which is a handsome room, |