carried one line farther than is inevitable, and every part which has been renewed or rebuilt should bear upon its face an inscription to that effect in some conspicuous spot. New work in counterfeit imitation of old is, to our thinking, simply dishonest-the worst of architectural "shams" though it be in such marvellous favour with that section of gothicists which is always protesting against shams in architecture. What, for example, is to be said of a restoration of which a semi-official account like the following (which we copy from the 'Builder') can be put forth? "Besides various other restorations and alterations, the whole of the building has been re-chiselled the tout ensemble of the edifice is that of a new one in the Norman style; in the interior every vestige of antiquity has disappeared." Surely this is rather the wanton spoliation than anything that can honestly be called the restoration of an ancient structure! Restorations and repairs are proceeding in the cathedrals of Hereford, under Mr. Scott; Norwich (where the Bishop's palace is also being rebuilt); Lincoln; Winchester; Manchester; Gloucester; Landaff; Westminster; St. Paul's-the latter in connection with preparations for an evening service.

Restorations of a scarcely less costly character are in progress in several of our larger churches, as at St. Mary, Sherborne, where upon the nave and tower 14,000l. have been spent, and upwards of 12,5007. upon the chancel, which is not yet completed; these works have been carried out under Mr. Salter, chiefly at the cost of Mr. Wingfield Digby, and are of a most substantial and ornamental character. By a pamphlet issued by the Restoration Committee, entitled "Sixteen Years' Doings in the Restoration of St. Mary Redcliffe Church," we learn that the repairs of that edifice, "Bristol's pride," has been a far more slow and wearisome affair than we had any idea of. "A restoration under difficulties" the committee call it; and in truth the difficulties they have met with in raising the money necessary to keep the works in operation on even the most moderate scale, are such as could hardly be supposed possible in a proud and wealthy city like Bristol, when the question was really the preservation or ruin of its most famous church and one with which so many of its most interesting memories are associated. In all, something under 13,0001. have been raised during the 16 years, and 11,8357. have been expended in the actual repairs and restorations of the fabric. Enough has been done to secure the safety of the more dangerous parts of the pile and a good deal in the way of restoration, and all that has been done, has been well done; but very much remains to be accomplished: however, the Committee in a trustful spirit express "their earnest hope that another half-generation may see the work fairly renovated for posterity." The famous tower of Taunton, which no one who has been in that town can fail to remember, is about to be entirely rebuilt under the direction of Mr. Scott; but whether the new tower is to be a copy of the old (Perpendicular), to meet the wishes of the townsmen, or of an earlier pattern, to suit the taste of the purists does not seem very clear; probably the Doncaster precedent will be followed. Other restorations we can only name: Stamford, at a cost of 2,0007. under the direction of Mr. E. Browning, of Stamford;

Scarborough, and screen removed; Sanderingham, Norfolk, under Mr. S. E. Teulon, also stained-glass windows inserted, and new lich-gate to churchyard; Kennett, Cambridgeshire, under Mr. G. E. Prichett, at the expense of Rev. W. Godfrey, owner of the parish; the interesting church of Winterbourne Basset, Wilts, under Messrs. Field and Hilton; Kempsford, and new south aisle added to chancel; Cattistock, Dorset, a very superior work, the building chiefly Early English in character, by Mr. Scott; Hemington, Somerset, also by Mr. Scott; Higham Ferrers, by Mr. Slater; Bromsgrove, by Mr. Cooke; Martin Hussingtree, new chancel added, Early English, by Mr. Preedy; Spetchley, under Mr. Rowe, of Worcester; Malton (Norman), new chancel added; All Saints, Buckingham, near Newark, (Norman and Early English), under Mr. Bailey, of Newark; the fine Early English tower of Newport, Essex, under Mr. Pritchett; Panfield, Essex, with new chancel, aisle, &c., by Mr. Withers; Bromsgrove; Bishopstone, under Mr. T. H. Wyatt; Ufton; Falkingham, by Mr. Kirk; Flemington, near Cowbridge, Cardiff; Braintree, Essex; St. Mary, Humberstone, by Mr. R. Brandon; Farnborough, Warwickshire, chancel by Mr. Scott; Okeover, near Shrewsbury, in a very costly manner, under Mr. Scott, at the expense of Mr. H. C. Okeover, and several new stained-glass windows of a superior class added; Sibthorpe, at expense of Duke of Portland; Stoke, under Mr. Clacy of Reading; Kidsgrove Tunstall, new chancel by Mr. Scott, at cost of Mrs. Kindersley; Hagley, the church altered and restored in a very ornamental manner, and new stained-glass windows added, as a "testimonial to Lord Lyttleton ;" Boxley, by Mr. Bulmer of Maidstone; Hanley Castle, by Mr. Street, at the cost of Sir E. A. H. Lechmere, with new stained-glass windows by Miss Lechmere; Rearsby, Leicestershire, under Mr. Johnson, of Melton Mowbray; Berrington, near Shrewsbury; Hanmer, near Shrewsbury, by Mr. Morris, of Chester, at the cost of Sir J. Hanmer; Middle, Shrewsbury, by Mr. J. Cunningham, of Liverpool, with several new stained-glass windows; Compton Martin, by Mr. Gabriel; St. Michael's, New Malton (Norman), under Mr. Chantrell; the tower of Kingston Church, Surrey; St. Bartholomew's, Sydenham, new chancel by Mr. Nash; Thatcham, Berkshire, by Mr. Hallyer, of Ryde; Millfield, by Mr. Butterfield; Theddingworth, by Mr. Scott, at a cost of above 2,000l.; Boulge, Ipswich, by Messrs. Habershon, at cost of Mr. J. P. Fitzgerald; Martham, Norfolk, in a very costly manner, at the expense of Mrs. Dawson, daughter of the vicar; Woolstanton, under Messrs. Ward of Hanley; Finedon, Northampton, under Mr. Slater; Charlton, near Pewsey, under Mr. Pearson; Walsoken, under Mr. W. Smith; Brinkburn, on the Coquet, under Mr. Austin, of Newcastle; Middlewich, under Mr. J. Clarke; Williton, under Mr. Giles, of Taunton; Moreton-in-the-Marsh, under Messrs. Poulton and Woodman, of Reading; Ludborough, by Messrs. Maughan and Fowler; St. Helen's, York, with new chancel by Mr. Dykes, of York; Kempsford, Bristol, and new aisle added; Great Haywood, Colwich, with new south aisle and chancel, by Mr. Stevens of Derby; Loughton-le-Morthen, Rotherham, and new chancel, at cost of Mr. St. Leger.

Several churches of greater or less importance have been completed

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by the Roman Catholic body, so far at least as to permit of their use; the completion of towers, spires, and ornamental details is in most cases left for a future day. One of the most ambitious of these works is that of St. Peter, Scarborough, a spacious structure, 115 feet long by 53 feet, with lady chapel, side chapel, confessional, sacristy, &c. ; the architects were Messrs. Weightman, Hadfield, and Goldie, of Sheffield, and the work is said to be very creditable to their abilities: several rich stained-glass windows have been inserted. At Hadfield, Glossop Dale, Derbyshire, the same architects have erected another church, but in the Early English style; the cost, with the schoolhouses, about 5,000l., was defrayed by Lord Edward G. Howard, M.P. One at Devonport, dedicated to St. Mary and Bonifice, is larger than that just noticed, its dimensions being,-length 155 feet, breadth across transepts 80 feet, across nave and aisles 50; the spire is intended to rise to an elevation of 200 feet; the interior is very rich and costly; the architects were Messrs. Hansom, of Clifton. Other Roman Catholic churches and chapels have been completed, or nearly so, during the year-at Preston (Church of the Holy Cross, Croston Hall), by Mr. Pugin; at Kidderminster, Early Decorated, by Mr. Gilbert Blount, 600 sittings, cost 2,4007.; at Bishop Eton; at Clewer, chapel to the House of Mercy (very richly ornamented), by Mr. Woodyer; St. Mary and St. Michael, at Bonds, Garstang, Decorated, by Mr. Paley; at Gateshead; at the Oratory, Brompton, plain outside, Corinthian within, by Mr. Scoles; Virgin Mary Hospital Chapel, Rye Hill, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; at Great Harwood, near Blackburn, a rather small cruciform building (500 sittings), with apsidal chancel, and a presbytery on the north, style Decorated, by Messrs. Pugin and Murray, entire cost 5,000l.

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The Independents have erected several churches and chapels, like those we have noticed, mostly Gothic in style. We have only particulars of the following:-At Blackburn, cruciform, with nave, aisles, transept, at east end an evening chapel" in place of the chancel, and a tower and spire 125 feet high at the N.W. angle; style, Decorated, architect, Mr. T. Oliver, jun., 1,000 sittings, cost 4,000l. ; at Ipswich, Decorated (Kentish rag with Caenstone dressings), by Mr. Burnes, 1,200 sittings; at Weston-super-Mare, Decorated, by Mr. Prichett, 500 sittings, cost 2,300l., of which 1,700l. contributed by Mr. Ash of Bristol; at Baddow's Road, Chelmsford, Decorated (white brick with Bathstone dressings, and apsidal termination), by Messrs. Poulton and Woodman, of Reading; at Dorchester, in the same style and by the same architects (500 sittings); at Ruabon, Early Decorated, by Mr. W. J. Mason, of Liverpool, 250 sittings, cost 1,2501.; at Oxton Road, Birkenhead, by Mr. Cole, of that place, to seat 500, and cost 5,000l., spire, not yet built, to be 200 feet high; at Crawley, Sussex; at Rhyl, Lombardic, with tower and spire 80 feet high, by Mr. R. M. Smith, of Manchester.

The Baptists (who seem very Catholic as to style) have erected chapels at Preston, by Messrs. Hibbert and Rainford, to seat 500, with school-rooms beneath, cost about 3,000l.; at Birkenhead, Doric,' with portico of four columns, by Mr. Cole, to seat 700, cost 4,500l.; at Coleford, Forest-of-Dean, by Mr. Searle, to seat 1,000, cost 2,0007.

The Wesleyan Methodists have built chapels at Greenacre Road, Oldham, brick with stone dressings, 1,000 sittings, cost 2,4007.; at Newland, Hull, Early English (white brick with stone dressings), by Mr. Botterell, of Hull; at Ely (brick with stone dressings), by Mr. Freeman, chapel and school, to cost 1,100l., &c. The New Connexion Methodists have built chapels-at Wallsend, Romanesque, by Messrs. Haswell and Johnson, of North Shields; at Bacup, Norman, with schools beneath, 750 sittings, cost 2,6307.; at Woodhouse-lane, Leeds (Italian, brick with stone dressings), schools beneath, Mr. W. Hill, of Leeds, to seat 1,000, cost 3,700l.

The New United Presbyterian Church have erected places of worship at North Shields, by Messrs. Oliver and Lamb, of that town; at South Shields, Roman Doric, by Mr. J. Dobson, of Newcastle; and at Rock Ferry, Cheshire, Early Decorated, by Messrs. Hay, of Liverpool.

The Unitarians have rebuilt the Old Gravel-Pit Meeting-House, Hackney, in the Early Decorated style, from a design by Mr. H. A. Darbyshire; and a chapel at Idle, by Mr. W. Hobson.

The Jews have completed their Second Synagogue, in the Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester, a rather handsome structure in what is described as a Saracenic modification of the Byzantine style. When we saw it in its yet unfinished state it seemed to have a not inappropriate and certainly not unpleasing eastern character. It is 100 feet long by 50 wide, and is constructed of red and white brick with stone dressings; the architect is Mr. Salomons. Small synagogues have also been built at Cardiff, from the design of Mr. Paul, of Cardiff, and at Wolverhampton from that of Mr. Bloor.

4. BUILDINGS FOR PUBLIC PURPOSES.

The New Palace at Westminster is at length approaching towards completion, so far at least as the building as actually decided on is concerned; but Sir Charles Barry has always contemplated the removal of the present unsightly and inconvenient law courts, the continuance of the design along their site, and the rounding off of the whole by the erection of "a great entrance gateway, with flanking turrets at the corner of New Palace Yard, which would form the public entrance to the building as distinguished from the royal entrance at the other corner under the Victoria Tower." Indeed some such finish seems absolutely necessary to the integrity of the design, and it is most earnestly to be hoped that as soon as the works now approaching rapidly towards their termination are out of the architect's hands, he will be empowered to proceed with this part of his task: we shall then have what, with all its faults, will be, beyond dispute, the most magnificent building erected in this country for centuries, And few, we think, can look upon what has been already accomplished without a hearty wish that to the architect who has thus far, through evil as well as through good report, carried it steadily forward, it may be granted to carry it on till it shall stand complete in all its parts, a monument at once of the man and the age.

During the present year the Speaker's house at the north end of the building, containing besides the usual domestic apartments a

noble suite of official reception rooms, has been finished, and other official residences greatly advanced; the masonry of the Victoria and Clock Towers completed, and the roof and flag apparatus of the former, and the clock and bells of the latter brought pretty nearly into a serviceable state. The decorations of the royal robing room, and other state rooms, are proceeding, though not very rapidly, and the statues in St. Stephen's Hall are all on their pedestals. Much has been said of the long time which the works have occupied, and their extreme costliness; but in truth, when the extent and solidity of the works, and the elaborate and sumptuous character of the ornamentation are considered, and it is remembered that every part, from the most massive masonry and the most ponderous iron-work down to the minutest details of the decoration and the fittings has been executed in the best and most finished manner possible, the wonder rather will be that so much has been accomplished in the time. Probably no other building of similar extent and character has ever been erected in anything like so short a period, and carrying on the comparison with other works, the cost will not seem excessive. What its extent is few very clearly understand. The statement that it covers an area of upwards of eight acres, comprises eleven hundred apartments (including the Houses of Lords and Commons, the Central Hall, St. Stephen's Hall, &c., each equal in itself to a building of no ordinary magnitude as well as splendour), above a hundred staircases (many of which are of grand proportions), and more than two miles of corridors and passages, helps somewhat to a conception of its size. But to understand the enormous expenditure of time, as well as material—and with both, of course, money-which its construction has necessarily involved, it is needful to bear in mind how high it has reached, and how low it has delved, as well as how large an area it has covered; that its towers are among the loftiest as well as the most massive in Europe; and that its foundations, including the cofferdams and river works, are among the most remarkable combinations of engineering and architectural skill and energy employed in any modern civil edifice; and that to all this has to be added, that the artistic decorations stand quite alone in any English work. From the laying of the first stone-the river-wall having been previously completed-in April, 1840, nineteen years have not elapsed, and we have very far advanced towards the completion of one of the most magnificent and sumptuous of modern buildings. The entire cost to February, 1858, according to Mr. Barry's statement, was, as far as the architect is concerned,” 1,768,9797.; but as this does not cover all the items, there can be little doubt that it has reached at least two millions. The original estimate was only 707,104. "But the building to which the original estimate applied, and that which now exists, are two different things." From the river embankment to the flagstaff on the Victoria Tower, everything has been altered, and the effect of every alteration has been to increase the magnitude, the splendour, and the cost. Some of the alterations were made at the suggestion of the architect, but more originated with the various parliamentary committees and commissions, and some-and those of the costliest, toowere made against the architect's earnest protest; it is therefore

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