The Original Freemasons.

their services were no longer indispensable , the clergy and laity withdrew their patronage from them . At length the Freemasons ceased to be architects , and the guilds expired . The present Freemasons , we may add , originated in the time of Oliver Cromwell . But Freemasonry is no longer an art ; the lodges are bands of friends who have applied a past organisation to social and brotherly purposes .

General Architectural Intelligence.

GENERAL ARCHITECTURAL INTELLIGENCE .

On the south side of John ' s Church , Chester , the whole of the clerestory has been restored . This work consists of seventeen shafts and arches , with a large cornice and parapet above . The size of the piers , and the number aud height of the arches , was clearly seen in the old work , but there was nothing to show the sections and the mouldings . The architect , Mr . Hussey , has given the drawings the chai acfcer

of the inside work , three bays of which have carved capitals to the shaft , ancl one bay moulded capitals . As there is great difference in western bay of the inner clerestory , the same change is made on the outside . The north clerestory has been cased , and the architect thought it probable that there might be traces of the old work hidden by the casing , -and he had the satisfaction of seeing this on tho removal of

the modern stones , for the whole of the arches , or parts of them , were brought to li ght . The section of the bases ancl the hoods were not traced , but every other part was most clearly preserved ; some jambs aud arch-stones were perfectly sharp and well defined , and the sizes of the piers and their heights , and the widths and heights of the arches , were also well made out . The whole of this north

clerestory has now been restored , and its cornice and parapet- set . This arcade is divided into four bays like the interior , which are again subdivided by five moulded piers and detached shafts . _ The western bay is very different ; to the eastern ones ; it is divided into five arches , the centre one wider the four side ones , which are more pointed than any of the others , and their capitals are alternately carved and moulded ; all have the round abacus . The first three bays have their

-shafts and arches very deep ; the west bay is not so deep , the ashlar being thicker . All the ten larger arches are but little pointed , only rising a few inches above a half-round , and the whole of the work shows very early character . Mr . Hussey has taken care to preserve every feature , and has straigfchened the old work by making the ashlar thicker . outwards . There is not much heavy work of masonry left

undone belonging to the first contract , the cornice , & c , being all ready for the chancel , aud a fine window for the east end is also prepared . Last week a third contract was ¦ arranged , which is for the rebuilding of the south aisle wall , as it was found to be unfit for a new roof—being without foundations adequate to its thickness—overhanging outwardsthrough the great thrust of aisle roof upon ' itand

, , through its dilapidated character generally . The inside design of this wall has been clearly traced in all its parts , and is to be a perfect restoration ; the old stones are all to be used again when sound , and have beeu marked for tho purpose . The traces of ancient work are not so clear outside this wall ; yet there are not many parts undefined . On the removal of the large modern buttress one of the

window-jambs was discovered , and the flight of downward steps being removed , the full jamb and bases were found of the great west door : the base , or plinth , was also discovered several feet below the present outer surface . Designs have been jirepared for restoring the west end of the nave and aisles . The whole the wood-work for floorin " and for pews is in a very forward state , so that they may be fixed in the church as soon as the roofing and cleaning are completed .

The ancient ancl interesting church of St . Braivels ' , Forest of Dean , which has been undergoing a complete restoration , iyas lately re-opened . The chancel has been entirely rebuilt , the old pews have been removed , and more commodious sittings substituted , while the nave and transepts have been restored , the roof being new . The dilapidated and inconvenient entrance has given place to a

General Architectural Intelligence.

doorway of Norman character . By economising the space in the interior for sitting accommodation , about 205 extra sittings have been gained . The foundation of the church itself dates from the Conquest . Ifc is built in the cruciform style , with a low tower in the middle , and is dedicated to the Yirgin Maiy . There was originally a chantry . We believe there is sbill a deficiency in the sum required in

carrying out the restorations , which we hope will soon be supplied . The manor of St . Braivels is invested with considerable historical interest . Ifc formerly possessed a castle , which belonged , with the manor , to Richard Nevil , Earl of Warwick , the " King Maker . " M . G . G . Scott who as been entrusted with fche restoration of St . Sepulchre ' s ChurchNorthamptonin a recent report

, , says that to complete the fabric ofthe new building , with the old roof repaired , would cost about £ ' 500 , and tvith a newroof on the old chancel and aisles about £ 1200 . The Eev . Lord Alwyne Compton , who was present , said thafc in the old church the service was carried on in the round part aud in the chancel , but as that was inconvenient for public worship , and the people iu the round ancl in the square part were

seperated by heavy arches , the plan adopted by the Committee was to build a new part to the east end of the church , and to leave the old part to be used as a vestibule . The old east end had been pulled down , a new building had

been erected , the second aisle up the north side having been obtained through the exertions of the ladies who undertook to get up subscriptions for that purpose . The body of the church now consisted of four aisles . The new portion of the church was roofed , bufc the old portion adjoining the round part of the church , either required to be re-roofed , in harmony with the new building , or to have what remained

of the old . roof patched up in the best manner they could . That he was sure was a plan whieh no one either in the town or county would like to see . Ifc was possible to patch it up , but if that was done they would have a roof partly very handsome and partly very ugly . The walls were handsome , and if the roof was finished chairs might be put inand the new building afc once opened for public

, worship . For completing the first , portion of fche contract , including making the old roof good , the sum of £ 500 was still required . The principal part of the second contract was to put a new roof on the old chancel , in harmony with the roof on the new building , and the cost of that would be about £ 1600 . If that was done the church could be opened for service without , at presentbeing reseatedas chairs

, , could be used . For the sum of £ 500 the church coulcl at once be made useful in a certain way , bub if the roof was done afc once , all that patchwork would be saved , and he hoped ifc would not be deferred , as ifc would have to be done at no distanfcperiod .

Notes On Literature Science And Art.

NOTES ON LITERATURE SCIENCE AND ART .

Mr . Cornelius Nicholson has compiled The Annals of Kendal , in which he gives us tlie following account of the manner in which the famous Kendal green was produced : — " The Kendal cottons which were for home consumption , were mostly white , made in pieces twenty-yards long . Some of them were spotted by the hand witli red , blue , or green , ancl were hence called ' ermines , ' or cottons

' spotted . ' Of this kind , probably ,, was the dress of the Kendal bowmen , at the battle of Hodden field , mentioned at p . 26 . The spots might easily , by poetic fancy , be magnified into * crosses red . ' Or , the ' spots' might be designed as the ( rude ) armorial bearings of the several Barons , for the sake of distinguishing their respective retainers . There were other cloths of a somewhat finer description , dyed mostly blue with a mixture of greenor altogether . Of this colour was the clothing of

, green Ealsfcaff ' s ' misbegotten knaves , ' ancl 'Rigged Robin's , ' in Strutt ' s romance of Queenhoo-Hall . And as the Kendal green was perhaps the first colour of celebrity in the manufactures of this kingdom , it may nofc be amiss to give a few particulars of the process h y which it was obtained . A . plant which is known to have abounded in tho neighbourhood of Kendal many years ago , though it be now nearly uprooted , called by Linnaeus Genista tinctoria , and commonly callecl' Dyers' Broom , ' was brought in large quantities to Kendal .