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Article GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL CONGRESS IN OXFORD... ← Page 2 of 5 →
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General Architectural Congress In Oxford...
mediaeval architecture were comparatively speaking unknown , but in later days great progress had been made . The works of Butler , the elder Pugin , and Rickman were in existence , but there was lacking a general and intelligent interest in the matter .. For that reason it was thought desirable to have the opportunity of examining the several parts , and comparing them with each other , and all the parts with the whole ; and the special object , therefore , which the society had in view was that they might examine the models of mediaeval architecture in Oxford as compared with its state twenty years ago . One substantial reason why Oxford hadbeen selected as the place for holding the congress was that there was a larger number of modern buildings existing more closely together , and more readily in view , than in any other city . in England . It was needless for hirri to refer to the new buildings and churches in the neighbourhood , which to a . great extent
had been repaired under the superintendence of the Oxford Architectural Society . They formed an item in the progress of the society , and would be viewed by the gentlemen present in the course of the meeting . It was needless to mention the rich and elegant chapel which had been recently built at Balliol College , or the splendid building ; in course of erection at Exeter College , which promised to rival the noblest specimens of collegiate chapels . ( Cheers . ) But- there was another matter in which mediaeval architecture was being carried out in a higher degree in Oxford than
elsewhere , namely , its application to the uses of modern society . He did not mean its application to private dwellings and the purposes of private life , but he referred to the new museum which was in course of erection on the confines of the city . ( Cheers . ) He was not in Oxford when the new museum was first entered upon , but he remembered that a great outcry was raised When it was proposed to apply Gothic or mediaeval architecture to a building of that character . How far the architect had succeeded in adapting the building to the purposes for which it was designed he would not pretend to say ; that part of the subject would be descanted upon by
Professor Acland in the course of the afternoon ; but he wished to refer for one moment to the application of metal to scientific purposes , and the manner in which the architect had adapted it to fulfil those purposes . It was quite plain to them all that iron was becoming more and more used in its application to habitations . They were told of " the wooden walls of old England , ' and yet , in the present day , both as regarded the commercial and steam navy , the use of iron was fast superseding wood ; and in the Great Exhibition , seven years ago , they had not only seen iron applied to the purposes of strength , but also contributing to the elegance of the building . In the erection of the new museum both these objects had been kept in view—they had not only made use of iron as an article of strength , but also of ornament . ( Cheers . ) After a few more remarks , the Rev . Chairman sat down , inviting any gentleman present to address the meeting .
The Rev . Mr . James , Secretary of the Northamptonshire Archaeological Society , next addressed the meeting . Referring to the progress of architecture in Northamptonshire , he said the number of restored churches was every year greatly increasing , but he thought it was necessary that they should keep a watchful eye on what was called " restoration . " ( Cheers . ) He believed that a great deal of mischief had been done under the plea of restoration , and expressed a decided opinion that the less the fabric of the
church was touched the better . ( Cheers . ) E . A . Freeman , Esq ., concurred witli Mr . James that every effort should he made to stop the torrent of destruction that was going on under the guise of restoration . Some people seemed to think that they had done no
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
General Architectural Congress In Oxford...
mediaeval architecture were comparatively speaking unknown , but in later days great progress had been made . The works of Butler , the elder Pugin , and Rickman were in existence , but there was lacking a general and intelligent interest in the matter .. For that reason it was thought desirable to have the opportunity of examining the several parts , and comparing them with each other , and all the parts with the whole ; and the special object , therefore , which the society had in view was that they might examine the models of mediaeval architecture in Oxford as compared with its state twenty years ago . One substantial reason why Oxford hadbeen selected as the place for holding the congress was that there was a larger number of modern buildings existing more closely together , and more readily in view , than in any other city . in England . It was needless for hirri to refer to the new buildings and churches in the neighbourhood , which to a . great extent
had been repaired under the superintendence of the Oxford Architectural Society . They formed an item in the progress of the society , and would be viewed by the gentlemen present in the course of the meeting . It was needless to mention the rich and elegant chapel which had been recently built at Balliol College , or the splendid building ; in course of erection at Exeter College , which promised to rival the noblest specimens of collegiate chapels . ( Cheers . ) But- there was another matter in which mediaeval architecture was being carried out in a higher degree in Oxford than
elsewhere , namely , its application to the uses of modern society . He did not mean its application to private dwellings and the purposes of private life , but he referred to the new museum which was in course of erection on the confines of the city . ( Cheers . ) He was not in Oxford when the new museum was first entered upon , but he remembered that a great outcry was raised When it was proposed to apply Gothic or mediaeval architecture to a building of that character . How far the architect had succeeded in adapting the building to the purposes for which it was designed he would not pretend to say ; that part of the subject would be descanted upon by
Professor Acland in the course of the afternoon ; but he wished to refer for one moment to the application of metal to scientific purposes , and the manner in which the architect had adapted it to fulfil those purposes . It was quite plain to them all that iron was becoming more and more used in its application to habitations . They were told of " the wooden walls of old England , ' and yet , in the present day , both as regarded the commercial and steam navy , the use of iron was fast superseding wood ; and in the Great Exhibition , seven years ago , they had not only seen iron applied to the purposes of strength , but also contributing to the elegance of the building . In the erection of the new museum both these objects had been kept in view—they had not only made use of iron as an article of strength , but also of ornament . ( Cheers . ) After a few more remarks , the Rev . Chairman sat down , inviting any gentleman present to address the meeting .
The Rev . Mr . James , Secretary of the Northamptonshire Archaeological Society , next addressed the meeting . Referring to the progress of architecture in Northamptonshire , he said the number of restored churches was every year greatly increasing , but he thought it was necessary that they should keep a watchful eye on what was called " restoration . " ( Cheers . ) He believed that a great deal of mischief had been done under the plea of restoration , and expressed a decided opinion that the less the fabric of the
church was touched the better . ( Cheers . ) E . A . Freeman , Esq ., concurred witli Mr . James that every effort should he made to stop the torrent of destruction that was going on under the guise of restoration . Some people seemed to think that they had done no