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very obvious or remarkable antiquity; and it ought to have, for, "new" as it is called, it has been a parliamentary borough since the time of Edward the First, five centuries and more ago. As for Old Shoreham, it has a history as far back as the earliest Saxon times, being the spot where king Ella, the first of the South Saxon kings, landed from Germany, whither he had gone for recruits to enable him to conquer this part of the coast.

The junior Shoreham church-it seems paradoxical to call it "new," when it is at least six centuries old-was the conventual church of a monastery of Carmelites, or White Friars, founded by one of the ancient family of Mowbrays;-when, however, Tanner and the monastic authorities do not tell us. Originally it was far more extensive than it now is. The whole of the nave has been suffered to vanish in ruins, but indications of its extent and form may be clearly traced towards the west. The doorway at the west end, though of ancient materials, is clearly not in its ancient position. The church, in its early state, was cruciform, the square tower, as in Old Shoreham, and other Sussex churches, standing over the intersection of the cross. The spacious choir, its aisles and the transepts, are now the principal remains. Essentially, however, the church still retains its Norman features, though windows of a later date have been pierced, as was very constantly the practice, and intermixed with the original design. Thus on the south transept, below the two upper semicircular windows, there has been inserted a larger window, of a different era-that which is now called the "perpendicular," the lines of the pointed head being placed perpendicularly. Other similar windows have been placed on the south aisle. Others are square headed, marking a still later architectural date than those which have pointed heads. Others have been blocked up, and the tracery taken The general outline of the gable of the east end, with its circular, recessed, lancet-headed, and lower semicircular windows, is shown by the sketch at the conclusion of this paper.

out.

The upper part of the tower appears to have remained untouched, but there are marks visible on

[graphic]

the transepts which show that the pitch of the roofs has been changed. It is however the interior of the church which presents so rich and varied an object for study. It has a great diversity; the north and south sides of the choir materially differing from one another. On the north, massive round and octagonal columns support the triforium, the range below the clerestory or upper tier of windows, whilst on the south the pillars

are of many clustered shafts. The triforium on both sides presents an interesting arrangement of forms, cunning and very fanciful: on the north the arches are in pairs, with rich mouldings; on the south they are single. The north side is most interesting, especially on account of the pendants or corbels on which the arches rest.

We know no other instance than the neighbouring Broadwater church, where such like corbels exist. Here they are far more numerous than at Broadwater. The roof, too, is supported differently on both sides, by light clustered shafts on the south, by corbels below the stringcourse on the north. At the west arch, the pitch of the ancient roof is here shown, curiously enough, to have been below the present roof, the reverse being generally the practice. The mouldings throughout are well worth attentive study, particularly in the transepts. A piscina remains in the north transept, showing that an altar must have been erected in this part; slight remnants of paintings are visible in parts.

Whether for its general architectural features as a specimen of later Norman work, at the period when the semicircular arch seems at once to have taken the very opposite form of an acutely pointed one, by a metamorphosis which is extremely puzzling to antiquarian controversialists, or as a specimen of very rich and curious details, we know of no church more interesting and so easily visited as this of New Shoreham. In point of date, the church is the latest of three churches in this neighbourhood, which should be studied together; first Old Shoreham, then Steyning, and lastly the present church. The three form as it were exemplars of an unbroken series:-Steyning Church we reserve for our Bramber excursion. It should be known that the keys of the church are kept by the sexton, who lives close to a gingerbread day-Vauxhall called the Swiss Gardens, nearer the Old Shoreham church than the present one, so that when the visiter is in the neighbourhood of the latter, he should hunt up the grey-headed warden for them. As a last word, let us remark that the church is sadly in want of restoration, though this has been begun in parts. It is worthy of the utmost care, for it is really the great glory of these parts, and the Brightonians who flock to see the church, even as mere sight-seers, ought to contribute liberally to the work of preservation. How far the railway has helped them to visit the church may be inferred from the fact that ten times the number of persons now come to Shoreham than formerly did so in the age of coaches.

East of New Shoreham Church.

LONDON: PUBLISHED AT THE RAILWAY CHRONICLE OFFICE,
14, Wellington-street North, Strand.-Price 1d.

PLEASURE EXCURSIONS.

WALTON AND WEYBRIDGE,

ON THE SOUTH-WESTERN RAILWAY.

[From the Railway Chronicle.]

The present excursion cannot be fully enjoyed in less time than a long summer's day. But an afternoon of five hours will suffice for seeing the sunset on St. George's Hill or on the Thames at Walton Bridge.

WEYBRIDGE and WALTON are spots which may be enjoyed at all seasons. The former, owing to the abundance of evergreens and its dry sandy soil even in winter. But the best time for an excursion is in the latter end of July and month of August, when the purple heather

Viaduct of the Wey, west of the Station.

is in full bloom. A ride of three quarters of an hour takes the smokedried inhabitant of the metropolis to a scene luxuriantly mantled with this lovely flower,-one almost as extensive and as wild as he will find on any moors at hundreds of miles distant, west or north of London. The whole of the sandy hills and plains which extend along the northern part of Surrey, and into Hampshire, from Esher to Hindhead, are coloured with all shades of purple flowers.

The South-Western is the only railway out of London whose embankments are fringed by the heather. It is a flower always accompanying a certain wildness of character, which is ever present on these sandhills and plains. They extend along the line from Walton to Winchfield, a distance of some 23 miles, and remind one of Wales and Scotland, making a most welcome variety in the scenery of this railway. Indeed, passing Fleet Pond, between Farnborough and Winchfield, and looking southward, we may almost imagine ourselves in Cumberland.

One of the very choicest spots among this comparative wilderness

propose a walk, as the subject of the present excursion, beginning with the circuit of St. George's Hill, proceeding through the village of Weybridge, and terminating along the banks of the Thames to Walton, a pilgrimage not exceeding eight miles, and certainly more varied in

Windmill at west of Weybridge Station.

its interest than any similar distance within twenty miles of London. Individual scenes, at Richmond, and such as we have noticed at Reigate and Guildford, may surpass any one thing at Weybridge-but taking the whole distance from St. George's Hill to Walton Bridge, these districts can show nothing to match with it for diversity of picturesque beauty.

If the tourist is indisposed for so long an excursion, or has a gentle companion with him, to whom an eight miles' walk would be over toilsome, then we recommend him to divide this excursion into two parts: taking St. George's Hill as the subject of one, and Walton of the other. Close to the station at Weybridge, the "Hand and Spear," a pretty little inn, with an Italian outline, will treat

him well; and at Walton, Mary Copp will match any one at stewing eels in port wine. So that, be the arrangements as they may, the inner man will be rewarded by good nourishment after his fatigue.

We grieve to say that there is a tendency to place restrictions, as unnecessary as they

are selfish, on the enjoyment of St. George's Hand and Spear Inn, at Weybridge Hill. The hill is crossed by more roads than

[graphic]

Station.

one, and has been so from time immemorial, à tempore quo non memoria extat, as some valid old record could doubtless be found to prove. The tourist need not stray from these roads, and therefore need be under no fear of trespassing. Arriving at Weybridge station, he crosses the rather elegant three-arched bridge southwards, but instead of descend

At Weybridge Station.

ing the high road, he will take a rough foot-path through gorse bushes, which leads direct to some small cottages; pursuing this through a fir plantation, and across a corn-field, without turning either right or left,

he will reach a cottage overlooking a rather steep sandy cutting on the right (i.e. the west), with symptoms of brick and tile making in the hollow. He will cross one road facing the front of the cottage, and ascend another leading southward by its side. For the years we have known this spot, our approach to it has always been saluted by the ferocious howl of a singularly ugly brute of a dog, chained to a kennel at the inside of the hedge. We mention the fact, because, should it occur, it will be a signal that the road is the right one. As soon as this ascent is made, it will be right to pause to enjoy the view northwards. In the horizon is the long outline of Windsor Castle. Its round keep, the principal or George the Fourth's entrance and southeastern towers are distinctly visible on a clear day. Westward of the Castle, much nearer, is St. Ann's Hill, near Chertsey, the residence of Fox, and among the trees the course of the silvery Thames may be traced, meandering through Chertsey Bridge. The foreground of the

180

Chertsey Bridge.

broken sand-bank and the acacias, with their bright and transparent green, contrasting with sombre-looking firs in the middle distance, make the whole into a beautiful landscape. A very few yards onward and we are under a clump of firs overlooking on the west long undulations of heath, and the distant hills of Bagshot, and the Cobham ridges, looking as deep a purple, especially in a sunset, as Ben Lomond or Cader Idris, and on the north, a wooded expanse of some five-andtwenty miles, bounded by the heights of Harrow and Hampstead. Buried in the midst of the foliage closer to us, may be descried the twisted chimneys and Tudor brick turrets of Hampton Court Palace. The wooded heights towards the east are Claremont, and immediately before us is Oatlands Park, formerly the residence of the late Duchess of York, and now the property of Mr. Hughes Ball. There is a famous grotto, which may be seen on application to Mr. Ball's Agent.

Several roads lead over the table land of the hill. Where two or three of them join, pursue the north-western (that on the right hand), and cut through luxuriant ferns, which leads to the end of the hill, the point of the Roman encampment, called "Cæsar's Camp," a supposed outpost to a greater camp at Oatlands. It is crowned by a clump of lofty firs, and affords a fine panorama of the surrounding country, as far as it is bounded on the south by the chalk ridges between Dorking and Guildford. Of the northern prospect we have already spoken. The western view terminates with the Cobham ridges and Fox hills; it is chiefly over a flat country, but rich with wood. The Wey is seen here and there stealing its course along. The foliage on St. George's Hill, though chiefly of fir trees, is fine and luxuriant. There are many steeps covered with spreading ferns, which it is pleasant to

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