making its curve elliptic instead of segmental, which is no improvement on his model, and is also constructionally weak. The springing of the second 16th century nave arch and west side of the clustered shaft were shown during this rebuilding, but have again been cased over with modern masonry. The respond of the small arch could also have been replaced or reproduced; it now forms the western respond of the new north aisle.

MODERN REPAIRS OF THE CHANCEL ARCH.

During the work a remedy was sought for the failure of the south pier of the chancel arch, which has moved some inches out of the perpendicular towards the south, distorting slightly the chancel and southern cross arches. This was done by taking down the wall above the chancel arch, and rebuilding it hollow with only inner and outer faces, to relieve the weight above.

Inasmuch as the failure probably arose in the foundations, and through the injudicious digging of graves inside and outside the fabric, the weakening of this wall is more likely to cause additional danger than to remedy it; the weight of a thoroughly solid and well compacted wall over an arch is a source of strength in spite of its weight. In this hollow wall is concealed a bottle, recording the work done in 1897, together with coins of the realm, newspapers, and a parish magazine. The names of those responsible for the late works have been conspicuously cut on a collar beam in the chancel; there is therefore no occasion to further advertise them. Had some money been spent in reducing and removing to another site the huge and overpoweringly noisy organ that completely blocks up the lovely north chapel, a good work would have been accomplished.

MASON MARKS.

The mason marks in Bebington Church are more interesting and numerous than any in Wirral. They are fully given in Mr. W. H. Rylands' paper in vol. vii.-viii. (N.S.) of the Society's Transactions. All that need be said of them further, is that the very numerous ones in the chancel and chapels showed that a very large number of men was employed. The work was evidently hurried. forward, and, though very good, shows many signs of haste. The two side chapels, although bearing a general resemblance to each other, differ in almost every detail of moulding, window tracery, and finish. from each other, suggesting that each was built by a different donor-many marks on the north side do not appear on the south-but enough of identical marks are found throughout to show that the two sides were built concurrently. Additional men seem to have been employed on the north chapel, and this shows the greater signs of haste, and some awkward junctions where the work of the several sets of masons met.

The very careful way in which the whitewash was removed from the beautifully finished stonework of the chancel in 1870, leaving every mark distinct, is one of the most creditable of the many restorations. This stone work was wrought to be seen, and contrasts strongly with the present condition of the nave.

TRADITIONS.

An unrecorded battle has left some trace in Bebington Church. When the old nave floors were removed at the earlier restoration a number of skulls were found, many of which were perforated and fractured by wounds, and the iron head of a spear was also found. As this latter is lost, and

no careful examination of the remains was undertaken, it is now impossible to find any clue to the history of these remains.

Two popular errors with regard to this church have been so often repeated that they need correction. The first is that the bowl of the font is Saxon; it is of Norman date, with its bowl divided into plain square panels by semi-cylindrical ribs, and a row of shallow oval hollows forms a band round its upper rim. Its pyramidal oak cover, which had an ancient finial carved with two angels, disappeared with other old oak at the 1870 restoration.

The second mistake, which has been repeated in many notices of the church, is, that the chancel was designed for stone groining. There are no springers for groining over the wall shafts, nor any wall ribs at the side walls, or east or west ends, and the masonry appears original; no sign of flying buttresses that would be essential for so wide a span, nor are the side walls of the aisles or the buttresses of sufficient strength to sustain so large an area of groining; nor, were the original lean-to aisle roofs replaced where they originally were, would there be any room to set groining between them and the heads of the original wall shafts. The actual character of the ancient roofs I have already explained, and I have done so the more carefully, because in "restorations" that have retained nothing they have dealt with in their original form, much interesting sequence of history has been lost. Some of the fine sound oak of the old roof has been made into lining for the churchwardens' pew, with imitation. lap joints; also into panelling of the south porch by a parishioner, the style adopted being late Jacobean. Several little tables were also made of the same timber.

Mr. Charles Reid, writing in 1848 on Bebington Church, speaks of fragments of stained glass remaining in some windows. The late Rev. T. B. Banner, who was curate at Bebington prior to the 1847 restoration, spoke both of some excellent painted glass, which my informant thinks was chiefly in the south chancel chapel, also of a number of the now dispersed grave cross slabs being then in situ. Not a fragment of old glass

remains.

CARE OF ANCIENT BUILDINGS.

It is to be regretted that the several interesting fragments of the cross and the Norman Church, now lying about in the churchyard and hearse house, have not been provided with a safer place for their preservation; also that, in spite of remonstrances made for some years past, graves continue, from time to time, to be dug in close proximity to the walls, and especially about the foundations of the very heavily-constructed tower and its buttresses. The chancel buttresses have also been pierced by a modern drain. It is much to be desired that the parishioners of this ancient and beautiful church, in addition to their praiseworthy liberality in finding funds for its restoration, would also endeavour to learn its great architectural and antiquarian value, which far exceeds the worth of any modern adornment that may be designed to obscure or replace these old features; and that their new lamps, however costly, can never possess the charm and magic influence of the old, which once lost can never be supplied.

LANCASHIRE AND THE BENEDICTINES.

By Dom Gilbert Dolan, O.S.B.

Read 8th April, 1897.

(With subsequent additions by Joseph Gillow.)

Introduction.

IN a paper, read before the Historic Society of

Lancashire and Cheshire, in December, 1892, it was my endeavour to give some account of the principles of life and organisation of the Ancient Religious Houses of the County of Lancaster. My present task is of a more limited character; it is to bring together from various sources not generally accessible such facts as bear on the connexion in post-Reformation times between the said county and the order of Saint Benedict; a subject not, I am willing to suppose, of very general interest, but still not unworthy of the notice of those to whom nothing is without value which throws any light on the bygone history of this part of England.

Whatever else may be in controversy, no one will gainsay that the Reformation and the "Elizabethan settlement of religion" gravely affected the prosperity and legal status, nay, the very existence, of the Religious Orders which had figured so prominently in previous times. In that great change, when so much that was once honoured and venerable was lost for ever, no more than three of the orders which of old had been known and honoured in the land were able to maintain themselves; the Bridgettines of Syon, the Friars Minor, or Franciscans, and the black monks of St. Bene