Of the plan.—The amount of money at the disposal of the architect, as it determines the material to be employed, will likewise, to a certain extent, govern the size, and therefore the plan and arrangement of the building. The ground-plan will also depend, in it great measure, on the site allotted for the building. For very small churches, the best arrangement is the most simple, viz. ; that of the parallelogram, divided into nave and chancel, which division need out be shown on the exterior, although it is very desirable that it should be so, and in this case the chancel is marked by its smaller dimensions in height and breadth; the dhaneel should always be separated from the nave in the interior by an open screen of %vood-work, as also by being elevated on one or more steps. An important and inexpensive addition may be made to this plan in the shape of a porch, which may be either of wood or stone, and should be placed, there be any strong reason to the contrary, towards the western end of tile south side. A further improvement ?? ill consist in the erection of a bell turret, or gable. either on the western gable, or on that between the nave and chancel ; this again need not he expen sive, in SOOIC eases it may be made of wood, in which mate rial we have a sufficiency of ancient examples; but it is best, of course. of stone ; of whichever material it be constructed, it always forols a very marked and beautiful feature in a small chard'. We should be rejoiced to see it larger number of such small structures as the above erected at the present day, when all seem to aim at an edifice of much greater preten. slims, even though they have, it may be, scarcely sufficient funds for the erection of tile of the more simple structures efficient Towers placed between the nave and chancel are not 'infrequent in some pat ts of England.
If accommodation for a larger number of worshippers be required, one lir more aisles must be added to the nave. A nave with two aisles is the perfect but both aisles need not be built at the same time, unless the number of the con gregation require it, and there are ample funds fia- its erec tion. At the same time, never build only one aisle for the sake of appearing extraordinary, nor unless there is an intention of erecting a corresponding one at some future period ; flu- this reason, when a single aisle is adopted. let the opposite wall of the nave be built with arches of construc tion, so that when the second aisle is added, it may be neces cary only to remove the masonry between the arches. This last method might be adopted with advantage in the first class of churches. We may remark here, once flu- all, that it is by no means necessary that the opposite sides of a church should exactly correspond.
This last is the most eligible form of structure for ordinary churches, to contain, say from two hundred persons and upwards. For churches of this capacity the first-mentioned
fOrni is not adapted, as, When so large accommodation is required, you would be compelled to extend the nave to an inconvenient breadth; twenty-five feet is the greatest dimen sion allowable in a small church 'without aisles are added, their as a general rule, should he to that of the nave in the proportion of two to five, but this ratio is not fixed, it varies in different examples.
If still greater accommodation be required, it may be obtained by continuing the aisles on one or hoth side; the chancel. from which they should be shut by parcloses of open work ; but this addition is not a desirable one, and should be adopted only in such places as the architect is cramped for room. A more legitimate method of obtaining greater space in general instances is by annexing a tower, which should open into the church by a lofty arch. This, though not essential to a church, forms one of the most striking and picturesque features, and when the means will admit of it, should never be omitted ; though, on the other• hand, the essential; should in no case be sacrificed to obtain it.
Of the pogition of the /07•er.—The standard situation of the tower is at the west end of the nave, although there are very many exceptions to this position. amongst Which are the lidlowing, instances of which are given by the Ecelesiological Society :—west end of either aisle ; middle or east end of either aisle; north or south of chancel ; north side of a second north aisle ; north or south side of nave ; north-west and south-west angle of nave; north-east or south-east of nave; middle of nave and western end of the chancel. All these positions are allowable, when circumstances require the tower to be so placed ; as a general rule, however. we think it advisable to retain it at the west end of the nave. At one tune architects restricted themselves entirely to this rule, however more eligible any other situation might luive been now, on the contrary, it is the exception to see the towers in this position. We think both at fitult, the former following one arrangement too closely, simply it would appear for the sake of preserving an exact correspondence in both sides of the building, even at the risk of losing other advantages; while the latter seek out extraordinary positions merely for the sake their novelty, and for the purpose of exciting surprise. The nature and shape of the ground, as well as the internal arrangement, should decide the question. In cruciform churches the pi; yer location of the tower is over the section of nave and transept. Imt in addition to other ifosi .tions. the following are satisfaetory—at the mirth end of the 'north. and the south end of the south transept. Sometimes, though rarely in this country, we find the totter detached from the church, similarly to the campaniles of the Continent.