This article was downloaded by: [Northwestern University] On: 11 February 2015, At: 00:38 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK Archaeological Journal Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/raij20 On the Differenes of Plan Alleged to exists Between Churches of Austin Canons and those of Monks; and the Frequency with which Such Churches were Parochial the Rev. J. F. Hodgson Published online: 15 Jul 2014. To cite this article: the Rev. J. F. Hodgson (1884) On the Differenes of Plan Alleged to exists Between Churches of Austin Canons and those of Monks; and the Frequency with which Such Churches were Parochial, Archaeological Journal, 41:1, 374-414, DOI: 10.1080/00665983.1884.10852146 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00665983.1884.10852146 PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content. This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/ terms-and-conditions Downloaded by [Northwestern University] at 00:39 11 February 2015 ON THE DIFFERENCE OF PLAN ALLEGED TO EXIST BETWEEN CHURCHES OF AUSTIN CANONS AND THOSE OF MONKS; AND THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH SUCH CHURCHES WERE PAROCHIAL. By the Rev. J. F. HODGSON. Before entering upon a detailed examination of the subjects referred to in the above heading, it may be desirable, perhaps, in the first place to offer by way of preface, a few words of explanation as to the reasons which have induced me to undertake so long and arduous a task. It is one, moreover, for which I must at the outset crave, to some extent at least, the indulgence of my readers, seeing that, to the best of my knowledge, it has never been undertaken, oven partially, in either of its branches, by any previous writer, as well as on account of the vast field traversed by it, which, confining myself solely to our own home examples, reaches to well nigh every nook and corner of the land, and touches, directly or indirectly, every monastic church that we possess. The facilities for error, therefore, will, it is clear, be only too numerous; and I can hardly hope—from the sheer impossibility of visiting the several places referred to, personally—to escape falling into many, and perhaps not inconsiderable inaccuracies. Setting all such considerations aside, however, I have been led, not only to take these practically untouched subjects up, but—since such is the only satisfactory course— to pursue them, as far as possible, exhaustively:—firstly, on account Downloaded by [Northwestern University] at 00:39 11 February 2015 of their intrinsic interest and importance; secondly, because of the misconception which prevails respecting them, and thirdly, from an illustration of the latter fact afforded by the Report of the Annual Meeting of the Institute held at Carlisle in the autumn of 1882. In vol. xxxix, p. 458 of the Journal, where the excursion to Lanercost is described, Mr. Micklethwaite, who undertook the explanation of the priory church, is said to have addressed the members assembled therein as follows:—" This was a church of regular canons, like that at Carlisle, but it differed in one respect, which was characteristic of the order. Here they had a church with only one aisle. The explanation of this was that the regular canons always THE CHURCHES OP AUSTIN CANO¥S. 375 founded their churches where parish churches already existed. If they had not done so here this church would not have been at present in existence as it was. When the canons built it, it was built on the parish church lines, though much larger than the parish church. The twelfth century parish church was built in different forms. He would only speak of one of those forms. That was a church in the form of a cross, but without aisles. The canons built on this model, or at least began to build so. They first built a choir without aisles and a transept; and when they had built that much they would build a cloister and the buildings round to live in. The next thing they built was the nave. By the time they got to building the nave the larger parish churches began to have aisles, and the canons thought they must have aisles too, and they accordingly made such additions, but the existence of the cloister prevented an aisle being added on that side. When built the nave was assigned to the parish, and was cut off by solid screens from the eastern part of the church," &c. In his account of Bolton priory church also, delivered before the Yorkshire Archaeological Association, August 29th, 1877, the same gentleman is stated to have said (Report, p. 4), "The church of a house of canons has peculiarities which differ altogether from those which we find in the churches of any of the monastic orders. One of the commonest, and at first sight most unaccountable, of these is that the nave has only one aisle " . " The monastic and collegiate church plans, though in late times they often became very much alike, have quite distinct origins. The ordinary monastic church from the earliest times was a large cruciform building, with aisles " . " The secular cathedrals seem early to have imitated the abbeys. But many other foundations of canons, whether regular or secular, are built on quite a different model—namely, the parish church. In fact, most canons' churches actually were parish churches either before they were made collegiate or from their foundation, if they were absolutely new. " Now the original parish church plan differed from the monastic in that it was entirely without aisles. Our parish churches as first built were sometimes cruciform, and sometimes without transepts, but in either case aislelessThe canons took the cruciform, which was the finer type of parish church before them, and glorified it by making it larger . but still keeping its characteristic want of aisles "... " The canons felt that their churches were inferior to those of the monks" . " They craved for the addition of aisles which were now becoming common even in parish churches," &c. To return, however, to our point de depart, the Carlisle Meeting. Besides the name of Mr. Micklethwaite, there appears on the list of Downloaded by [Northwestern University] at 00:39 11 February 2015 speakers who touched on the subject of Austin canons' churches, that of one whose utterances on architecture and archeology, no less than on history, will always be listened to with admiration and respect— Mr. E. A. Freeman. When speaking of Carlisle Cathedral, and putting the ease of an archasologist suddenly dropped from the clouds, engaged in investigating the nature and history of the place by the light of general knowledge, he says that, after ascertaining at a glance that he was in England, and under the shadow of a great church, which was more than a parish church—one of regulars, not of seculars, he would then come to doubt a little. " He might think that it was a church of Benedictines ; he could not tell by the light of nature VOL XLI. 3 A 376 THE CHURCHES OF AUSTIN CANONS. that it was a church of Austin canons "... " He would also see that the nave must formerly have been much longer " . "Then he would guess that this nave had been the parish church, as was so common a custom with the Austin Canons," &c. But, though saying no more at Carlisle than that the nave of the cathedral was a parish church "as was so common a custom with the Austin Canons," Mr. Freeman, in a triangular correspondence with Precentor Venables and myself which took place in the latter part of last year, writes thus:—"And the feature in the churches of Austin Canons is that they seem to have been always, or almost always, divided between the convent and the parish, so that they supply the greatest allowance of any class of churches cut in half." Thus then, if we pass carefully in review the statements contained in the above extracts, we shall see that they formulate the following propo- sitions :— 1st.—That the churches of Austin canons were always, or nearly always, parochial as well as monastic, either before they were made col- legiate, or from their foundation if they were absolutely new. 2nd.—That a church of Austin canons has peculiarities which differ altogether from those which we find in the churches of any of the monastic orders, one of the commonest of these being that the nave has only one aisle.