Feb. 1.

ST. GILES'S CHURCH, OXFORD. Mr. URBAN, Tis conjectured that those Churches which were dedicated in former times to St. Giles*, the patron Saint of Lepers, usually occupied a position at one extremity of the town to which they belonged, and were intended principally for the resort of those perSons afflicted with the leprosy, and who resided in an Hospital near the spot. The Church thus dedicated, belonging to the magnificent City of Oxford (see Plate I.) stands at its Northern extremity, a considerable distance beyond the gate called Bocardo, which joined, or very nearly so, the ancient Tower of St. Michael's Church. St. Giles's Church is the most extensive of the thirteen + Parish Churches contained in this City. It is composed of architecture of various periods, the most ancient of which, appearing in the Tower, and in the massive and plain pointed arches, by which it is supported, belong to the 12th century, the age when some of the characteristic features of the Norman style were united with those belonging to the pointed arch; an invention which made no progress for a considerable period as a distinct style of architecture, but which was incorporated at the above period with the Norman or semi-circular arch, thus forming a mixed style, which flourished till the superior elegance of the pointed arch prevailed.

The body of this Church is composed of three very handsomely-proportioned ailes, which are each spacious, and well lighted; the centre by a clere story of windows, and the side ailes by lancet windows, which on the South side are single openings, of lofty and narrow proportions, uniformly placed on each side an elegant stone porch, which is the principal, and indeed now the only entrance to the Church. The North aile is lighted by double and triple lancet win dows, in five divisions. Four of these divisions are covered with pediments which increase the variety of the

St. Giles was born at Athens in the seventh century.

+ The beautiful North Transept of Merton College Chapel, which is called the Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, is not

included in this number.

GENT. MAG. February, 1820,

design, and augment the elegance of this side of the Church, now the most concealed from public view. The other component parts of this Church are, a chancel and a South aile, the walls of which are not less ancient than those of the body, having a lancet window on the South side, and another on the North side: all the other windows possess various forms, and are of various dates; and so extensively and injudiciously has the Eastern portion of the Edifice been altered, that internally it appears gloomy and inelegant.

Of the associated members which compose this ancient, highly curious, and interesting structure, and of its external appearance, I shall further observe, that the walls are well constructed, and all, excepting that of the South aile, stands unimpaired. The injury sustained by this conspicuous portion of the Church, has been occasioned by the numerous interments which have taken place within and without the building near the foundations, which have been weakened, and have therefore caused the superincumbent wall to appear in an unsafe condition. The Tower is built of small stones and rubble, united by a strong cement, and tied by quoins of the most durable and closely constructed masonry, and having on each side an elegant window, with double openings, and columns with carved capitals. The parapet terminates with battlements, and the Tower, consisting only of one story, is not lofty.

Entering the Church by the South porch, we are led to remark the autiquity and the elegant proportions of the external and internal doorways. Both arches are plain, but the capitals are carved with foliage, which is much mutilated, and the columos on which they formerly rested are demolished. The ailes of the body of the Church are separated by four wellproportioned pointed arches, resting on lofty cylindrical columns, with capitals and bases of the same form. The Tower, standing within the body of the Church, has side arches opening to the ailes-these arches correspond, and are low, and quite plain, while the great arch, once exposed to the middle aile, and admitting the light from the West window, is lofty, and rests

its

"Elizabeth, his wife, the daughter of John Smyth, esq. of this place, and of Elizabeth Gundrey, died March ye 8th, 1769, aged 75."

On a small square of marble on the floor:

"Charles, the son of John Hawkins, esq. died Jan. 3d, 1692. John Hawkins, esq. was the occupier of the antient residence of the Miltons, and was the father of that eminent Lawyer, Mr. Sergeant Hawkins, the author of the Pleas of the Crown."

In the corner of the North aile, on a marble compartment, is this epitaph:

"H. S E.

"Johannes Smith, filius natu maximus Johannis Smith, de Milton, in agro Oxoniensi generosi: magnæ spei juvenis vixit annos tredecim duosque menses, tantæ vero pietatis, ingenii, eruditionis et modestis, quanta ejus etatule vix quisquam alius, innocentiæ exemplum amabile: obiit 22 die Nov. A. D. 1699. Hoc monumentum filii charissimi et Parentes mæstissimi posuere,"

In the South aile, on a brass plate, is the following inscription:

"In a vault lie the remains of Wm. Skynner, esq. son of John and Elizabeth

maternal ancestors, the Smyths, and by the aid of some judicious additions, after a design by the late Mr. Wyatt, it has been made a convenient and elegant residence. It is now occupied by Wm. Stephens, esq. The property has devolved to the Right Hon. Richard Ryder, the present Earl of Harrowby, in right of his Lady, the daughter and heiress of the late Chief Baron.

In the Chancel, near the altar, is the following inscription on a mural

monnment:

"Manet hic sepultum quicquid mortale reliquum est Joannæ Meetkerke, Adolphi Meetkerke hujus parochia generosi uxoris, et Thomæ Young ejusdem Parochiae gen. nuper defuncti, filia unica. Obiit quarto die Martis, anno Domini 1695, ætatis suæ 22. Ad matris latus abdormiscit Jia unica Joanna Meetkerke, quæ nata erat die 26 Nov. 1695, denata die 23 Dec. 1695. In charissimæ uxoris et teneræ filiæ memoriam Adolphus Meetkerke mærens posuit."

It is observable that by an error in the date, the mother is here represented to have died eight months previous to the birth of her child. The

1794.

"Also Martha, the faithful and beloved wife of Sir John Skynner, daughter of Edward Burn and Martha Davie; she died the 4th day of Dec. 1797.

"Also of Elizabeth Skynner, died the 14th day of Oct. in the year 1802.

“ Also of Sir John Skynner, son of John and Elizabeth Skynner, one of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, and some time Chief Baron of the Court of Exchequer, who died the 26th day of Nov. in the year 1805."

It may not be here unworthy of remark, as a circumstance remarkably happy, that Chief Baron Skynner, and Mr. Justice Ashhurst, who had passed the early part of their lives together as friends at the bar, and had risen to the summit of their professions, at length sat down upon their family property in contiguous parishes, the one at Waterstock, the other at Milton, to enjoy that dignified ease, to which their high stations and great attainments entitled them. They maintained the friendship begun in early life uninterrupted to the latest period of their existence, and they now lie buried in the Churches of their respective parishes. The house of the late Chief Baron Skynner descended to him from his

a race of nobility of the same name, once flourishing at Bruges: as Adolphus Meetkerke, it appears, was deputed by the United Provinces to ne gociate a loan of 200,0007. with Queen Elizabeth. Camd. Eliz. p. 283.

In the Eastern extremity of the interior of the South aile are some brasses upon the wall belonging to the family of Edgerley, formerly resident here, with the following inscription at the feet of two figures,

which form the centre of four coats of arms:

"Of your charite pray for the soules of William Edgerley, John Edgerley, William Edgerley, and Elizabeth Edgerley, ye children of Robert Edgerley and Kateryn his wife."

The tenor bell is inscribed with the names Christ. Pettie, Simon Neale, Thos. Prince, Saim. Knight, 1684.

The family of Pettie had formerly very handsome property in this parish and neighbourhood; upon the last of whom, Christopher Peltie, esq. Dr. Rawlinson makes an observation in his notes to this effect ;

*This is accounted for by the Old Style. The death of the mother occurred in 1695-6. EDIT.

that

that he was much addicted to bellringing, cudgel-playing, wrestling, and the like; be carried about the country with him a set of silken bellropes, and a party of dissolute companions, by whose assistance he was reduced to poverty, and finally kept an alehouse at Thame.

The Living is a Vicarage, in the presentation of a Prebendary of Lincoln, to a stall in which Church the rectorial tithes are annexed, with the exception of a considerable corn-rent payable out of them to the Vicar. The present incumbent is the Rev. Thomas Ellis of Christ Church, Oxford, Mr. Delafield observes, "that the Register of Milton, with the exception of a few literal mistakes, is by far the most perfect he had ever seen." The following is an extract from the beginning of it:

"Gr. Milton, Oxon. Register commences 1550. 4 Ed. VI. This booke was new written in yo yeere of our Lord 1604."

In the earlier pages are various sums collected by briefs; among others, an entry, by which it appears, that a benefit play was given for a fire in the parish :

"Collected for ye fire by ye Royall Theatre, 17. 4s. 4d."

In the Church-yard, on the South side of the Tower, are two very antient plain raised altar tombs, defaced by time, but reported by tradition to belong to the ancestors of the Smiths, whose mausion they closely adjoin.

The antient residence of the Miltons was for some time the property of the Wilkinsons. Dr. John Wilkinson was President of Magdalen College, and his brother Henry was Principal of Magdalen Hall. The elder brother, Dr. John Wilkinson, tutor to Henry Prince of Wales, eldest son of James I. was Principal of Magdalen Hall till the year 1643, but upon apostatizing to the side of the Parliament, he was ejected. Upon the ultimate prevalence of that party, however, he was restored in 1646, and finally upon the ejection of Dr. Oliver, by the Parliamentary delegates, he was elected President of Magdalen College; he was buried at Milton in 1649. His brother was dispossessed of the Headship of Magdalen Hall in 1662, in consequence of not subscribing to the Act of Uniformity. While this pro

perty was in the hands of the Wilkinsons, it was for some time tenanted by, and became a favourite residence of Thurloe, the secretary to Cromwell, and in consequence was often visited by the Usurper himself during the recesses. The village traditions, respecting that personage and his Secretary, are not yet extinct. The arms of the Wilkinsons still remain well emblazoned in the window of the large parlour of this house. This, together with a farm attached to it, now belongs to Mr. Eldridge.

Among the families of consequence, formerly resident here, was that of Young; the founder of which was John Young, born in Cheapside, educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, of which he was fellow, and afterwards Master; in 1567, the next year, he was elected Vice-chancellor, in 1572 he was made Prebendary of Westminster, and Bishop of Rochester in 1577. His son and heir was John Young, who was settled, and finally buried in this place; Fuller observes, that this gentleman "interred his father with great pomp and solemnity, tho' on his deathbed he forbade it." His eldest son was Sir John Young, or more commonly known in his own time by the familiar name of Jack Young. It is to this gentleman we are indebted for the quaint epitaph in Westminster Abbey, "O rare Ben Jonson," which marks the spot where that Poet's remains are deposited. The expence of the stone and labour of inscription amounted to eighteenpence-the subject of it fortunately needed no monumental marble.

By the census taken in 1811, the population of this parish, including the hamlets, amounted to 1059. By an antient assessment, made between the years 1562 and 1580, it appears that of 24 families nained in it four only now exist, viz. those of Eustace, Ives, Wildgoose, and Wiggins.

The first of these families is an instance of the vanity of the pride of Heraldry. Though regularly descended from that Eustace, Count of Boulogne, who was, I believe, a cousin of the Norman Conqueror, and attended his person in all his wars, it has now for a generation or two mended, and sometimes made, the shoes of the villagers of Great Milton.

E. E. CAMBRIAY