Architecture And Archæology.

and been reopened . The roofs and interior had long been in a sadly dilapidated condition ; the internal walls were formerly plastered , and the church was disfigured by huge high-backed pews ancl an unsightly western gallery . The latter have been entirely swept away ; and , by a neiv arrangement of the floor space , in the fitting up of open benches , a large number of persons can be accommodated

AA * ith sittings . The area of the church has undergone no change . An archway has been opened in the tower below the belfry floor , and decorated tracery has been added to the neAV clerestory windows . The arches in the chancel have been reopened , forming a vestry ancl organ recess on the site of what was once a mortuary chapel , probably belonging to the Lowdham and Brougkton families . The

plastering of the walls has been removed , and tlie face of the stone dressed ancl pointed . A new roof has been added to the chancel , and the gable raised in accordance ivith ifc , and the nave ancl aisle roofs restored . A large tomb within the altar rails has been removed by permission of a descendant ofthe family to whom it belonged , and the floor inlaid with encaustic tiles at the expense of the vicar . A stained-glass window has been placed on the south side . The expense of the restoration ivill be about £ 1500 .

The neAV Congregational Church , in Alctoria-strcet , Derb 3 * , has been opened . The church and schools together form a parallelogram of 138 feet by 63 feet ; tho entrance front of the former being on the north side and facing Victoria-street . The schools ancl library are at the south end , and the approach to them is from Becketivcll-lane , next which street tho whole building presents a frontage of

140 feet . A toiver 69 feet- high occupies the north-west angle formed by these two streets , and is surmounted by a slated spire 60 feet high , terminating with a metal cross and vane . Near the south end of the church are transepts projecting east and west . There aro galleries in tho north-east aucl west sides of the church with openwork fronts . The dimensions of the building are ns

follows : —Ciuii'cb , 75 lect by 50 feet , exclusive of organ recess , corridors , ancl transepts ; school-room , 60 feet by 30 feet ; seven class-rooms , averaging 12 feet by 11 feet : and a library , 60 feet by 18 feet . The style is the Gothic of fche fourteenth century . Sfc . Paul ' s Church , Birmingham , which has been under repair , has been reopened for DiA'ine sendee . The interior

of the edifice has been improved by the application of some colour in place of the former cold surface of fche piers and columns , AA * hich have been relieved bj r contrasting the tints of reel and grey granite ivith Sienna marble , tbe more ornamental architectural members being joicked out in AA'hite and gold . It haA'ing been found necessary to remove the curtains hanging afc the east end of the chancel ,

it was resolved also to decorate that portion of the building . The ceiling and the Avail space behind tbe cross at the east end haA * c been painted ultramarine , ancl are to be ¦ studded ivith gold stars . The other wall space of tho chancel is to be decorated ivifch panels formed ivith ornamental borders , together with the altar tablets , the latter being surmounted with symbols of Trinity ancl of the Redeemer . The painted window , bj * Egginton , Avhich represents tho conversion of Sfc . Paul and other incidents in tbe

life of thafc aiiosfcle , has been cleansed . Alterations and restorations are in progress at St . Peter ' s Church , Bradford . Amongst other " improvements , it has been resolved fco remove the plaster ceiling of the nave and expose fche olcl oak roof . A curious tradition exists as to the ceiling and concealing of this roof . At the vestry meeting ( probably in 1724 ) held to consider the propriety of cedthe the

ing roof says Bradford Observer . " there ivas some difference of opinion , and matters ran high . As each ratepayer ivenfc into fche vestry the epiostion put to him was , 'Arc yon for Gocl or the Devil ? ' the promoters of a plaster ceiling being supposed to be for God , the opposite for the Devil I" The churcliAvardens and chapelAvardens of thetownshiin the parish are said to have sent

. ps a Avritten remonstrance to the vicar against enforcing the order in vestry . The church of St . John . C'hapel-toivn , Doncaster . has been consecrated by the Archbishop of York . The church

Architecture And Archæology.

stands on an eminence overlooking tho Blackburn valley , and cost about £ 1700 . It is in the decorated Gothic style , and consists of nave , chancel , and south aisle , ivifch tower and spire at the south-west , forming in their basement story a porch , and is capable of containing 420 persons . A memorial window has been erected in the south aisle of Gloucester Cathedral to tbe memory of tbe late Mrs .

Evans , of Highgrove . The design is composed of the vine , which rims through the whole of the window , and the panels for the groups are formed by the stems and tendrils . In the tracery are three groups and two Evangelists . A stained-glass window , at the east end of the South . Chapel of St . Michael ' s Church , Coventry , has been erected , in memory ol the late Archdeacon S . The subjects

pooner are from the Old ancl New Testament;—in the top roiv , " Moses Delivering the Law , " " Moses Smiting the Rock , " "Passage of the Red Sea , " ancl the "Palling of Maima ;" below "The Nativity , " and "Baptism of Our " Lord , " "The "Woman of Samaria , " and "The Supper at Emmaus ; " in the traceiy , the four Evangelists , Avith foliage . The "Whitlo 3 * Schools , AA'hich have been erected mainly

through efforts in Sfc . Giles ' s , Reading , on a spot about about mid-way betAveen Reading and Three Mile Cross , are noiv open . The schools are of flint and stone , wifch Bath stone dressings , ancl are in the Gothic st 3 'le . The building comprises a school-room and class-room , and a residence fertile schoolmaster and school-mistress is attached . Tbe newly-erected middle-school at "Weymouth has been ,

opened . It is situated upon the site of the olcl water-works , and built in the Tudor style , with red bricks , pointed with coal-ash mortar , and Bath stone dressings to the windows . The roof is covered ivifch Bangor and Delabole slates . Prom the roof rises a turret , b 3 * means of which the ventilation is effected , and in ivhich a bell is fixed . The entrance-hall is 27 feet by 12 feet . There is a class-room , 30 feet by 23 feet , and

14 feet high , on one side , accommodating forty-five boys ; and on the other a smaller room , 23 feet by 16 feet , having a g-a . llp . i'y . U'ha principal school is ascended to "by a stone staircase with iron hand-rail , and measures 60 feet by 30 , ancl 24 feet in hei ght , giving space for the tuition of nearly 200 boys . There are four starlight gas-pendants , and , to heat the room , a fire-place at each end , with stone chimneypieces .

Masonic Notes And Queries.

MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES .

LODGE PLATE . Iii reply to the inquiry of " P . II . C . " at p . 503 of your last volume , I beg to mention two instances of the possession of lodgejilate in this province . The John of Gaunt Loclge ( No . 766 ) in this toivnbas an elegant silver " loving-cup , " on which is engraved a figure of John of Gaunt , copied from a contemporary illuminated MS . in the British Museum , ancl the

names of all the AVorshipful Masters of fche loclge since its foundation , a neiv name being added after each installation . Prior to the erection of the Ereemasons' Hall in Leicester , the cup was in the custody of the "W . M . for the time being . And the Knights of Malta Lodge ( No . 58 ) , Hinckley , have a very handsome and capacious " loving-cup , " which was presented in 1859 by the R . AV . Bro . Earl Howe ,

Proi * . G . M ., in commemoration of his election to the Mastership of the lodge in tivo successive years . — "WILLIAM KELLY , D . Prov . G . M ., Leicester . The Alfred Loclge ( No . 425 ) , and the Apollo University Loclge ( No . 460 ) , both holding their meetings afc the Masonic Hall , Oxford , possess a large ancl valuable collection of table plate , it having been generall y the custom , since 1832 , for each brothershortl

, y after becoming a Master Mason , or on leaving the "Oniversit 3 * , to make a ] iresent to his lodge , as a memorial of his connection ivith it . Each jnece is engraved wifch the donor ' s name . —RICIIAHD JAIIES SPIKES , D . Prov . G . M ., a- ' -fonl AVAKEANT OF COXFIIUI-ATIOX . If " Ex . Ex . " whoat . 408 of last volumerequested

, , p your , to be furnished ivith a cop 3 * of a warrant of confirmation hasnotyefc been supplied with what he requires , and Avill sen ... me his address , I shall be happy to transmit one to him . — AYILUAII KELLY , D . Prov . G . M .. Leicester .