Identifier: cathedralsabbeys01bonn (find matches)
Title: Cathedrals, abbeys and churches of England and Wales, descriptive, historical, pictorial
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Bonney, Thomas George, 1833-1923
Subjects: Cathedrals Church architecture Abbeys Church architecture
Publisher: London : Cassell
Contributing Library: PIMS - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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4m ST. JAMES S, PICCADILLY. St. Stephens, Walbrook, is yet another of Wrens remarkable works, the designbeing in many respects unique. He has availed himself of a plan of constructionwhich, though common among Eastern architects, has found little favour withtheir Western brethren. The ground plan is a rectangle, the sides being roughlyin the proportion of nine to seven. But the distinctive feature of the design St. Stephens, Walmuook.) A UNIQUE DESIGN. 318 is the relatively large dome which is placed near one end of the building; itrests on an octagonal base, supported by as many pillars. There is, however, nodrum, for it rises directly from the roof. Internally, the effect is extremelygood; a cruciform plan is just indicated by giving a barrel vault to the inter-
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8X. STEPHENS, WALBKOOK. (UEiOKE THE LAST KJiSTOKATION). columnar sections wliicli cross in the centre of the dome; while the isolation ofparts which sometimes results from the ordinary cross slia^DC is entirely avoided.Critics unite in praise of St. Stephens as a whole, though exception is taken,and sometimes justly, to certain points of detail. The most objectionable featm-esare the oval windows in the sides; the tower also, which is at the western end,is poor, and Fergusson complains that, as is often the case with Wrens work,the decorative part is not quite satisfactory. There is too much of the feelingof Grinling Gibbons wood-carving carried into what should be constructiveornament. Still, as a whole, we have the most pleasing interior of anyRenaissance clim-ch which has yet been erected. It is not impossible that Wrenwould have defended the poverty of the exterior, both here and at Bow Church, 314 ABBEYS AND CHURCHES. (St. Steihenb, Walbuool by reniarkin*^ that he knew tluit in n

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