on the sides and at the angles of the nave; but none are seen attached to the south wing of the transept, thus implying a posterior age to the latter part of the building. Indeed the nave, as well as the chancel, have evident architectural features of an early Anglo-Norman origin; and it is related by historians that Remigius de Fescamp, who had been Bishop of Dorchester two years, and was removed to that of Sidnacester, or of Lincoln, in 1172, either built or re-edified the church of Stow. On this point the monastic chroniclers are not precise in language or in matter, and the antiquary has, therefore, abundant latitude for conjecture and hypothesis. According to Godwin,† Remigius was translated from Dorchester to Lincoln, the first being an obscure village, or town; the latter "one of the most populous cities in England, of great resort and traffique both by sea and land." At that place the prelate bought a tract of ground on the top of a steep hill adjoining the castle, and commenced "a goodly church." The Archbishop of York, however, endeavoured to prevent the prosecution of the work, as likely to infringe on his rights, privileges, and prerogatives; but the bishop seems to have had more influence with the king than the archbishop, or his funds were more influential, for, as Henry of Huntingdon relates, he gave the monarch no less a sum than 50007. to secure the title to his new see. He proceeded rapidly with his cathedral, and summoned "all the bishops of England, by the king's authority," to be present at its dedication, in May, 1092. Two days previous to this memorable event, the dwarfish prelate died.§ If, therefore, he built any part of the church at Stow, it must have been previous to the commencement of his large edifice at Lincoln; and both of them appear to have been altered and enlarged by Alexander, Bishop of the same see, in the time of King Henry the First. The great western door-way of the

See Neve's "Fasti Ecclesiæ Anglicana," p. 138. This author thinks that Ingulphus was mistaken in ascribing the removal of Remigius from Dorchester to Lincoln in 1172.

+ "Catalogue of Bishops," edit. 1615, p. 288.

Essex has written a dissertation on this church, which is printed in the "Archæologia," vol. iv. p. 149, &c. This is accompanied by a ground plan and elevation of the west front of the Norman cathedral. According to Essex, Remigius laid the foundations of the church in 1088, and that he only covered in the eastern part before his death, in 1092. This was finished by Bishop Bloet, who presided over the diocese thirty-one years.

This bishop, says Godwin, ut supra, “was a man, though of so high and noble a mind, yet so unreasonable low of stature as hardly he might attaine unto the pitch and reputation of a dwarfe; so, as it seemed, nature had framed him in that sort to shew how possible it was that an excellent mind might dwell in a deformed and miserable body."

In "Vetusta Monumenta," by the Society of Antiquaries, vol. iii., is an account of the west end of this cathedral, with plans, elevations, and details, by Mr. Lumley, clerk of the works to the cathedral, who promised to furnish some remarks on "that curious and ancient structure-the church at Stow, part of whose architecture being older than any at Lincoln."