Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Legend Of The Introduction Of Masons Into England.
Mr . Woodford states that the old legend of Alban takes us back to A . D . 286 . It appears to me that the nearer evidence is obtained , as far as date goes , to the fact related , the nearer we are likely to be to the truth ; and , as I have already mentioned , there is no evidence
earlier than 1560 of the tradition that St . Alban was connected with building . Lidgate , to whom I hope to return in a future article , AA'hatever he may say on the subject , can hardly be accepted as doing more than recording a ti-adition , accepted at his time , or about 1483 , nearly 1200 years after St . Alban is said to have lived .
Of the records of building operations after the time of the invasion of the Romans , and that of St . Alban , as given in the early chronicles , notes will be found in this paper . Bede , * Avhen he mentions Paulinas having built the church at York , certainly says nothing about Roman artificers . f The same is
the case with regard to Wilfrid , who is only credited with " founding " a monastery . Benedict Biscop , brought the Masons to Wearmonth from Gaul , J and the Abbot Ceolfrid sent masons to Naitan from the monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow . §
Indeed , the early builders in England seem to have been imported from Gaul , and not from Rome , although they are said to have built "in the Roman manner , " which I have already suggested was of stone , as distinguished from the turves , wattles and boards , used by the Britons .
To Gaul we may very naturally suppose the British people Avould turn for such assistance . Gaul was the nearest country to England , and it is well known that it contained better and larger monasteries , and that it was there the English monks went " for the sake of monastical conversation " \\ and the place of refuge to which they are
said in the time qf trouble to have retired . Dunstan , who was born about 925 , is not of course mentioned in Bede ' s History , which ends A . D . 731 . The same may be said of S wythun , who died , according to the Saxon chronicle , in 861 .
JEdde , Eddi , Eddius or Heddius , as he is differently named , was a friend of Wilfrid ( who was elected Bisho 23 of York in 664 and died in 709 ) , went abroad Avith him during his troubles and died at Ripon about 720 . In the life of Wilfrid , by Eddius , it is stated ^ " that
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Legend Of The Introduction Of Masons Into England.
Mr . Woodford states that the old legend of Alban takes us back to A . D . 286 . It appears to me that the nearer evidence is obtained , as far as date goes , to the fact related , the nearer we are likely to be to the truth ; and , as I have already mentioned , there is no evidence
earlier than 1560 of the tradition that St . Alban was connected with building . Lidgate , to whom I hope to return in a future article , AA'hatever he may say on the subject , can hardly be accepted as doing more than recording a ti-adition , accepted at his time , or about 1483 , nearly 1200 years after St . Alban is said to have lived .
Of the records of building operations after the time of the invasion of the Romans , and that of St . Alban , as given in the early chronicles , notes will be found in this paper . Bede , * Avhen he mentions Paulinas having built the church at York , certainly says nothing about Roman artificers . f The same is
the case with regard to Wilfrid , who is only credited with " founding " a monastery . Benedict Biscop , brought the Masons to Wearmonth from Gaul , J and the Abbot Ceolfrid sent masons to Naitan from the monastery of Wearmouth and Jarrow . §
Indeed , the early builders in England seem to have been imported from Gaul , and not from Rome , although they are said to have built "in the Roman manner , " which I have already suggested was of stone , as distinguished from the turves , wattles and boards , used by the Britons .
To Gaul we may very naturally suppose the British people Avould turn for such assistance . Gaul was the nearest country to England , and it is well known that it contained better and larger monasteries , and that it was there the English monks went " for the sake of monastical conversation " \\ and the place of refuge to which they are
said in the time qf trouble to have retired . Dunstan , who was born about 925 , is not of course mentioned in Bede ' s History , which ends A . D . 731 . The same may be said of S wythun , who died , according to the Saxon chronicle , in 861 .
JEdde , Eddi , Eddius or Heddius , as he is differently named , was a friend of Wilfrid ( who was elected Bisho 23 of York in 664 and died in 709 ) , went abroad Avith him during his troubles and died at Ripon about 720 . In the life of Wilfrid , by Eddius , it is stated ^ " that