Bingham (B. viii. p. 10.) says, that about the year 448, Bishop Ninian of Glasgow built an episcopal church on the confines of England, at Whithorn in Galloway, which was probably the labour of Roman workmen.
As the Romans remained in Britain 88 years after the death of Constantine, it is, considering his zeal, to be expected, that some Christian churches were, during this time, erected ; accordingly Bede mentions, that two were built in the city of Canterbury, one of which, on the east side of the city, was dedicated to St Martin, and given by Ethelbert, after his conversion, to St Augustine. Sec W harton's Essays.
During the period in which the Saxons subdued, or extirpated,the antient Britons, and established themselves in England, a dreadful scene of devastation took place ; the Roman cities and structures were wholly destroyed, and scarcely a vestige of their improvements was suffered to remain. But in the course of 100 years from the de parture of the Romans, when King Ethelbert was con verted to Christianity by St Augustine, the zeal for erect ing ecclesiastical buildings took place. He founded the first St Paul's in London, and St Andrew's in Rochester. In 627, Edwin founded St Peter's in York, which was built of hewn stone, with spacious porticos. The Abbot Biscopius went over to France to procure workmen to build after the Roman manner ; on his return lie built St Peter's church in the monastery at Weremouth. In about a century after the conversion of Ethelbert, Win fred, bishop of York, brought over eminent builders and artists from Rome, Italy, and France ; lie glazed the windows of York cathedral, and built the conventual church of Rippon in Yorkshire ; which Edius says, he raised with hewn stone to a great height, and supported by various kinds of pillars and porticos. But his most sumptuous edifice was the cathedral church of Hexham in Northumberland. Richard, prior of II exham, in whose time, 1180, it was standing, says, “That the foundations of this church were laid deep in the earth for the crypts and oratories, and passages leading to them, which were then with equal exactness contrived and built under ground. The walls, which were of great length, and
raised to an immense height, and divided into three sto ries or tiers, he supported by square and various kinds of well polished columns ; and the arch of the sanctuary he decorated with historical representations, imagery, and various figures in relief carved in stone, and painted with a most agreeable variety of colours. The body of the churCh he encompassed about with aisles and porticos, which both above and below he divided with great and inexpressible art by partition walls and winding stairs ; within the staircase, and above them, he caused flights of steps and galleries, and passages leading from them, both for ascending and descending, to be so artfully disposed, that multitudes of people might be there, and go quite .round the church without being seen by any one below in the nave. Moreover, in the several divisions of the por ticos or aisles, both above and below, he erected many most beautiful and private oratories of exquisite work nianship ; and in them he caused to be placed altars in honour of the blessed Virgin, St Michael, St John the Baptist, and the holy apostles, martyrs, confessors, and virgins, with all decent and proper furniture to each of them. It appeared, that of all the nine monasteries over which that venerable bishop presided, and of all others throughout England, this church of St Andrew in Hex ham was the most elegant and sumptuous, and that its equal was not to be met with on this side the Alps." Wilifred gave great encouragement to skilful builders and eminent artists ; he was himself well skilled, and was the chief director, in concert with those excellent masters he had brought from Rome; and it is probable, that the church and monastery of Ely, founded by St Etheldrida, were built under his directions ; as we are informed by Ely the historian, that he spent a considera ble 'time with her settling the economy of the convent. The connection with Rome continued to increase, as did the power and influence of the clergy, as well as their :teal for erecting ecclesiastical buildings.