that used by the clergy, and is reached by a turret staircase from a porch placed on the north side. The walls above the brick footings, consist of an outside casing of broken flints, with quoins, etc., of red brick-an inner casing of red brick built in alternate courses of headers and stretchers-the space between these two casings being filled in with a core of Portland cement concrete. The columns of the nave arcade are of red bricks, specially made, with a similar core. All the external wrought stonework, including the windows, as also the caps and bases of the column of the nave arcade, is in Box-ground Bath stone. The other internal stonework is in Corsham Down stone. The floors, with the exception of the chancel, sanctuary, porches, etc., which are of mosaic paving, are laid with wood blocks. The open timber roofs are constructed principally of fir, that of the nave being covered with tiles, while those of the aisles, south chapel, etc., are covered with lead. Clerestory windows are placed over each bay of the nave arcade; windows of the same description and a large east window light the chancel. The chancel, which is divided from the nave by a dwarf wall, is raised two steps from the floor of the nave, and it gradually rises up to seven steps before the altar table is reached. A temporary door is erected at the west end; but when the church is completed, there will be a large central western door, and doors at the north-west and south-west corners of the aisles. The bell is now placed on the outside on a temporary wall, but this will be carried in a turret placed at the west end. The cost of the whole building will be about £9,000. At present, however, only two bays of the nave, in addition to the chancel, south chapel, organ chamber, vestries, etc., have been carried out. The lighting is by pendants from brackets in nave and chancel, and from the beams in the aisles. The altartable of oak has a black marble super-altar. Consecration of the incomplete building took place on Feb. 11th.

CLACTON, GREAT.-The new mission hall on Magdalen Green was opened by Canon Mayor on March 11th. It is a red brick building, 60 by 50 ft in area, with slate roof.

LANGLEY.-A new Baptist chapel has been built, replacing that

of 1828.

LEYTONSTONE.

The new church of St. Margaret, Harrow Green, situated at the junction of Woodhouse and Cobbolds Roads, is a brick building of thirteenth-century style. It has a fine nave with lofty barrel roof, clerestory windows, and north and south

aisles.

The chancel is shut off from the nave by a dwarf screen, and is approached by three or four steps. Another flight of steps leads to the altar. The organ-chamber is on the north side of the chancel, and the morning chapel, not yet completed, on the south side. The columns supporting the arches of the nave are of dark red brick with Bath stone dressings. The nave is furnished with plain open benches. The Misses Wigram have presented communion plate, and the Misses Nutter an oak altar-table, the carving of the three panels of which is descriptive of "The Good Shepherd." Above the panels is carved in raised letters the inscription, Dedicated to the service of God, in memory of Thomas Legh Claughton, D.D., father in God, first Bishop of St. Albans.

MANOR PARK.—A new iron church, St. Saviour's, in Carlyle Road, was consecrated on Feb. 9th for the Reformed Episcopal Church.

UPTON PARK.-The new Wesleyan chapel here seats about 800 people.

Church BARTLOW.-An organ has lately been provided for the Restora- parish church.

tions,

BRENTWOOD. The following is the specification of the etc. new organ of the County Asylum Chapel :

Great organ: Open diapason, 8 ft; Stopped diapason, 8 ft.; Clarabella, 8 ft. ; Gamba, 8 ft.; Principal, 4 ft.; Flute, 4 ft. Swell organ: Open diapason, 8 ft. ; Lieblich gedacht, 8 ft.; Vox angelica, 8 ft.; Gemshorn, 4 ft.; Fifteenth, 2 st.; Hautboy, 8 ft.; Cornopean, 8 ft. Pedal organ: Bourdon, 16 ft.

BROOMFIELD.-Through the liberality of Frederick Nield, Esq., a credence and sedilia have been added on the north side of the chancel, designed to harmonise with the reredos which was erected a few years ago.

BUCKHURST HILL.-A stained-glass window, representing Christ blessing little children, has been placed in the north aisle of St. John's Church, Buckhurst Hill, by Mrs. W. R. Hodge, in memory of Mrs. Amy S. Leonard and her infant daughter.

CHELMSFORD.-St. Peter's Mission Church has been furnished with a new two-manual pedal organ, thus specified :

Great organ: Compass CC to G (56 notes). Open diapason, metal, 8 ft.; Gedacht, wood and metal, 8 ft.; Dulciana, wood and metal, 8 ft.; Harmonic flute, metal, 4 ft. Swell organ: Compass CC to G (56 notes). Salicional, wood and metal, 8 ft.; Vox Angelica, wood and metal, 8 ft.; Salicet, metal, 4 ft. Pedal organ: Compass CCC to F (30 notes); Bourdon, wood, 16 ft. tone. Couplers. Swell to Great; Great to Pedal.

The Dulciana, Salicet, and Bourdon stops are constructed on Messrs. Brindley and Foster's patent "Metechotic" system, affording economy of space and money, whilst, with the aid of artistic voicing and special scales, the perfect tone balance is maintained. The action work is the firm's patented tubular pneumatic, which dominates every part, including windchest, coupler, key, pedal, and drawstop actions. There is not a tracker or a slider in the organ. Perfect attack repetition is obtained, and a touch equal in lightness and firmness to a grand pianoforte, which never varies, no matter whether couplers be used or not.

GESTINGTHORPE.-In the restoration of the chancel, lately completed, the sacrarium has been extended to include the sedilia, and paved with mosaic. The work has been presented by Miss Branwhite as a family memorial.

HARLOW. A memorial window has been erected in the parish church to the late Mrs. Ethelston.

HAROLD WOOD.-The church here has lately been improved by the addition of a chancel and other alterations.

NEWPORT.-The widow of the late Mr. Thomas Shirley has placed a memorial window in the parish church.

OCKENDON, NORTH.-A latten-brass memorial, with inscription and coat of arms, has been put up to the memory of Major W. H. Poyntz, chief constable of Essex for seven years.

SALCOT-VIRLEY.-These two parishes, which were formerly separate benefices, were united a few years ago. The church at Virley was very small, in a ruinous condition, and inconvenient for the parishioners, and therefore the church at Salcot, standing in the middle of the village, was selected as the future church of the united parishes. The tower of this church had been restored by a previous rector, the Rev. F. Watson. The chancel and about one-third of the nave were pulled down many years ago, and the east end of what remained of the nave was enclosed by timber framing, plastered inside and outside. The old walls of the nave have been preserved where sound, and rebuilt with the old materials where defective, and lengthened, and a new chancel erected. The rector, the Rev. Edward Musselwhite, has, with untiring perseverance, collected the greater portion of the funds necessary for the work; but he still requires further assistance to enable him to complete the pavements, benching, and fittings, and the restoration of the interesting porch. SOUTHMINSTER.-The parish church (St. Leonard's) has under

tower.

gone thorough restoration and great improvement, at a cost of about £2,000. It was possibly founded in the latter half of the seventh century by Cedd, Bishop of the East Saxons; but the earliest portions of the present building point seemingly to the reign of Edward the Confessor, as traces of work of that period are to be found in the south doorway (with two curious dedication crosses) and in the Other alterations to the church followed in the Norman period, and in about 1430 it was rebuilt, the very handsome porch with its room above, called a parvise, being then erected. In 1819 the present transept and apsidal chancel were erected, the money necessary for the work being raised under Act of Parliament by means of a church rate. Some years afterwards an organ was purchased, and a gallery, cutting off one-third of the church at the west end, was built, and a wall run up to the ceiling, which made a complete division of the church, and left the vestry in the tower, with a region of desolation between it and the church proper. Several improvements have since been made in the church, and now the work has been thoroughly completed from designs by and under the personal supervision of the vicar, the Rev. W. H. Lowder. The building has been cleared from end to end of all encumbrances, and the transepts have been screened off for a vestry and organ-chamber in the north side, and for a chapel for occasional use on the south side. A choir has been formed in front of the chancel; it is enclosed by a handsome screen of oak, and is provided with choirstalls of the same material. The chancel has been raised, two new windows inserted on the north and south, and a beautiful reredos in white stone, and an arcading round the sides of the chancel erected. The organ has been enlarged, improved, and removed to the north. side of the church. The specification for it was as follows:

Great organ: Open diapason, 8 ft.; Stopped do., 8 ft.; Dulciana, 8 ft.; Principal, 4 ft.; Flûte harmonique, 4 ft.; Fifteenth, 2 ft.; Mixture, 3 ranks. Swell organ: Double diapason, 16 ft.; Open do, 8 ft.; Lieblich gedacht, 8 ft.; Viole d'Orchestre, 8 ft.; Principal, 4 ft.; Mixture, 2 ranks; Cornopean, 8 ft. ; Tremulant. Pedal organ: Open diapason, 16 ft.; Bourdon, 16 ft. Couplers; Great to pedal; swell to pedal; swell to great; swell to great sub. Composition pedals: 3 to great, 2 to swell.

There are separate reservoirs on different pressures of wind for great and swell organs. A new altar table has been placed under the reredos, iron standards fixed for an altar-rail, and a pavement of stone, interspersed with red and black tiles, laid on the platforms, which have old black marble steps inserted for the rise to them.

The new pulpit stands on the south side of the main screen. The nave is seated with open pitch-pine benches. The tower arch and the west window have been opened out, and the font stands in the centre of the tower. New oak doors have been fixed at all the entrances to the church. The unsightly gallery in the west end has also been removed. Two windows plastered over were discovered in the porch, and these have been well restored and filled with cathedral glass. Hot water apparatus has been furnished, and the effect of all this work is that, in place of a chilly, echoing, barn-like building, Southminster possesses a comfortable and beautiful church, capable of accommodating over 500 worshippers. The bulk of the work was effected by local tradesmen, and the vicar not only designed and supervised the whole, but with his own hands took part in the delicate carving of the pulpit.

TILBURY, WEST.-An east window of stained glass, illustrating the twenty-third Psalm, has been put up by Mr. Wilfrid J. Homewood, in memory of the late Mrs. Sawell, of West Tilbury.

WALTHAM, GREAT.-The vicar, Rev. H. E. Hulton, not content with restoration, at his own cost, of the parish church tower (E.R., i, 142), has accorded similar generosity to the church at Ford End in rebuilding the chancel upon a solid bed of concrete, eight feet thick. The roof was supported by underpinning during the reerection of the walls, in which an organ-chamber has been added on the north side.

The Zoar Chapel at Ford End has undergone alteration and improvement internally and externally.

WOODFORD.--A handsome new reredos has been placed in the parish church in memory of Mr. and Mrs. H. FORD BARCLAY.

CAPTAIN SIR WILLIAM WISEMAN, Bart, R.N., of Writtle

Obituary. Priory, died of pneumonia at Plymouth on January 11th. He caught a severe cold, which speedily proved fatal, when acting as one of the members of the court-martial on Admiral Fairfax. Sir William was the only son of Admiral Sir William Saltonstall Wiseman, eighth baronet, by Charlotte Jane, only daughter of Admiral Charles William Paterson. He was born in 1846 and succeeded to the title in 1874; he entered the navy in 1859, and served with his father in the New Zealand War in 1863-5, and in the Niger Expedition in 1869. In 1878 he married Sarah Elizabeth, third daughter of Mr. Lewis Langworthy. He was a J.P. for Essex.

The Rev. ROBERT STEWARD DOBSON, rector of Little Leighs,