Whether, indeed, the method of building such stone erec tions was learned from the Roman missionaries, or originated in an imitation of the edifices which the Romans had left in the island, is by no means certain ; we are inclined to think, however, that the latter is the more probable, for it would appear very unnatural that the Saxons should not have attempted to imitate the buildings which they found in the country even before Augustine made his appearance; although it is not unlikely that he and his companions might have given them further instructions, and imparted to them some knowledge of the method of building at Rome. This seems the more reasonable when we call to mind the letter which Gregory, bishop of Rome, sent by Melitus to Augustine, respecting the employment of existing buildings for places of Christian worship.
" When, therefore," says he, " Almighty God shall bring you to the most reverend man, our brother, Bishop Augus tine, tell him what I have. upon mature deliberation on the affair of the English, thought of, viz., that the temples of the idols in that nation ought not to be destroyed : let holy water be made and sprinkled in the said temples : let altars be erected and relics placed ; for if those temples are well built, it is requisite that they be converted from the worship of devils to the service of the true God, that the nation, not seeing those temples destroyed, may remove error from their hearts, and, knowing and adoring the true God, may the more familiarly resort to the same places they were wont." From this it would appear, that the Saxons had erected temples for their worship before Augustine's appearance amongst them : and we hear, also, at a subsequent period, of Coifi, the heathen arch-priest in Northumbria, desecrating and destroying the idol's temple, upon his conversion to Christianity. That they had temples, therefore, there can be no doubt ; the only question is, whether they built them themselves, or made use of such buildings as they found ready to their hands: the latter supposition is by no means impro bable: whichever be the case, however, it is almost impos sible, that, after a century's residence in the island, the Saxons should still remain totally unacquainted with the method of construction of those buildings which they had found there on their arrival.
"At the time the Saxons were converted," Mr. Bentham observes, "the art of constructing arches and rankings, and of supporting stone edifices by columns, was well known among them ; they bad many instances of such kind of build ings before them in the churches and other public edifices erected in the time of the Romans. For notwithstanding the
havoc that had been made of the Christian churches by the Picts and Scots, and by the Saxons themselves, some of them were then in being. Bede mentions two in the city of Can terbury; that dedicated to St. Martin, on the east side of the city, wherein queen Bertha performed her devotions, and which Augustine and his companions made use of at their first coming ; and the other, that which the king, after his conversion, gave to Augustine, and which he repaired and dedicated to our blessed Saviour, and made it his arehi-episco pal see. Besides these two ancient Roman churches, it is likely there were others of the same age in different parts of the kingdom, which were then repaired, and restored to their former use." We do not suppose, however, that their acquaintance with the Roman method of building was very intimate, or that they had acquired much skill in the construction of vaults and arches, for their time was too much occupied with was with the Britons, and quarrels amongst themselves, to admit of much opportunity for the cultivation of the arts of peace. All that we wish to assert is, that we were not entirely igno rant of Roman bt.ilding, although practically, in all probability, not very expert i m it, so that they would be ready to adopt some more easy method of construction, such as that afforded them by the Scots.
When at a later period the Anglo-Saxon Christians made a journey to Rome to visit the tombs of the Apostles, where churches were erected over them, and had seen those buildings, they blushed at the inferiority of their own low, dark, and gloomy flumes, and henceforth resolved to imitate what they had learnt to admire. Walls of wrought-stone, therefore, succeeded the rough material. After this we find that architects and work-people were frequently procured from abroad, to plan and raise ecclesiastical structures. The Anglo-Saxon churches, nevertheless, were of comparatively rude construction, until the time of Alfred the Great, when ninny, according to Asscr, were rebuilt with stone, and, as far as can be ascertained, up to this time they were, with some few exceptions, of no great magnitude or dimensions, and almost entirely devoid of ornamental mouldings, though, in ' some instances, decorative sculpture and mouldings are to be met with. This improved method might be more properly termed the Roman manner, as being imported from 1 Zonme, and carried into execution by Roman and French workmen.