Spires are, in plan, square or multangular, most frequently octagonal ; sometimes they spring from the tower on a square plan, which at a short elevation is merged in the octagonal ; • some spring from the tower at a greater angle than others, but all terminate in a point surmounted by it vane, often by the symbolical cock, the emblem of St. Peter's fall, which proposesan opportune warning to the passe•s-by, not to neglect the aid of divine power, lint to watch and pray, lest they likewise enter into temptation." The elevation of the spire is relieved by one or two tiers of spire-lights, which are small open windows, carried up vertically, and therefiire projecting from the spire as they rise upwards. Spires are built either of or of wood, in which latter case, they are usually covered either with lead, slate, or shingles; and though not so imposing as those of st one. have a very picturesque appearance. Towers ofwood are very frequent in Sussex, Sarre v, and Essex; they are surmounted with low spires, the w hole being covered with weather-boarding, with small apertures of Inffer-boarding for windows :• wooden bell-cots of a similar description are commonly to be met with in Essex. Detached towers are not of frequent occurrence in this country, but several are to be found, especially in Lincolnshire.
Of the internal strueture.—The principal portion of the structure to which the eye is directed, in the interior is the chancel ; this is entered from the nave under an arch, termed the chan•el-arch, and is elevated frotn the body of the church on a raised platform, which is ascended by three or more steps; a further separation is effected by the rood screen, which is carried across the opening fo•ined by the arch, and stretches from pier to pier. In three-aisled structures, the aisles are separated from the nave by an arcade or series of arches, supporting in most cases a clere-story, to admit light into the body of the church. The proportion between the width ofst he nave and aisles, varies considerably ; in some cases, the aisles being less than half the width of the nave, and in others, of nearly equal dimensions.
The roofing throughout the church is composed in by far the majority of instances, of timber, the few exceptions, which are in the larger churches, being of stone vaulting. In roofs of the former kind, t he timbers were originally open to view, and not concealed, as too many of them are at the present day, with a flat The timbers were of oak, and consisted of principals, purlins, and common rafters, the whole of which were boarded over, and the boards protected by lead or other covering. The principals are placed at regular intervals, dividing the roof into a num ber of bays or compat tments, each inelosing several common rafters. and are partially supported either on corbels, or on the capitals of shafts ascending from the floor; they are formed either of collars with collar braces continued to the lower part of the rafter, of collars with intersecting collar braces, of intersecting braces only, or of timbers disposed in the form of an arch. and in many other ways which will be
discussed in the proper place; tie beams are seldom used ; in most instances the timbers are plain, but in many, of the later ones more especially, a considerable degree of ornamen tation is introduced in the shape of carved bosses, open panelling, and such like.
01 the internal arronueinent.—On entering the church through the wicket, at the entrance of the porch, we some. titnes notice on the right-hand side of the door, often pro jecting from the wall, and partially covered by a niche, a stone basun, which is called a stoup, or aspersorium, from its use, which was to contain the holy water, with which, in olden times. the worshippers sprinkled or crossed themselves before entering into the body of the church. This was a c (TV ancient practiee• and was adopted in a somewhat different shape by the early church; the small stoup, in filet, is a sub stitute the fountain to be seen in front of some of the Constantinian churches, at which Christians were accustomed to wash before entering the sanctuary ; the custom is typical of the purity of mind which should accompany our devotions. Before proceeding fUl•ti1C1', we may notice the stone seat, or bench-table, which runs along the sides or the porch, and is occasionally covered with an arcade, and sometimes sur mounted with a window to give fight to the porch : in ancient times, several religious ceremonies took place in the porch, especially those preliminary to baptism and matrimony. Having passed under the inner arch of the porch. we are now fairly in the church, and the first object to attract attention is the font, which is placed always near the principal entrance, as being the most fitting situation for the performance of that rite by which men are admitted into the membership of the church ; the exact locality is not fixed, being sometitnes in the central avenue of the nave opposite the entrance, and at others under one of the arches of the aisle near the porch. in which case it frequently adjoins one of the adjacent pillars; it is not unfrequently raised on a series of steps, which give it a more imposing appearance, and has always a space left around it for the accommodation of the priest, sponsors, &e: ; for the former t here is sometimes a kneelitm--stone on the west side. Fonts in a perfect state are provided with covers, generally of wood, some flat, and others of a pyramidal fortn more or enriched. 'We here speak of fonts as they were in former times, not as they are now found in old churches, tor the original ones are some times not only moved front their ancient positions, but even taken out of the church, and discarded.