THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| Vol. 20. No. 558.] | SATURDAY, JULY 21, 1832 | [PRICE 2d. |
THE NEW CHURCH OF ST. DUNSTAN IN THE WEST.
In our fourteenth volume we took a farewell glance of the oldchurch of St. Dunstan, and adverted to the proposed new structure.Little did we then expect that within three years the removal ofthe old church would be effected, and a fabric of greatlysurpassing beauty raised in its place. All this has beenaccomplished by the unanimity of the parishioners of St. Dunstan,unaided by any public grant, and assisted only by their own rightspirit, integrity, and well-directed taste. The erection of thisChurch, as the annexed Engraving shows, is not to be consideredmerely as a parochial, but as a public, benefit, and must be rankedamong the most important of our metropolitan improvements. Thedifferent situation of the new and the old churches will occasionan addition of 30 feet to the width of the opposite street, and itwill be perceived by the Engraving,1 thatimprovements are contemplated in the houses adjoining the church,so as to give an unique architectural character to thisportion of the line of Fleet-street.
The church has been built from the designs and under thesuperintendance of John Shaw, Esq., F.R. and A.S. the architect ofChrist's Hospital. The tower is of the Kelton stone, a verysuperior kind of freestone, of beautiful colour, from the county ofRutland. Of this material King's College Chapel, Cambridge, andmany other of our finest edifices have been constructed. The towerhas below an entrance doorway, finished with rich mouldings andtracery; on each side are the arms of his Majesty and the City ofLondon. Above is a clock with three dials, and a belfry to admitthe fine set of bells2 from theold church, the sound of which will doubtless receive effectthrough the four large upper windows which are the main features ofthe tower. Above these windows, the tower, hitherto square, becomesgradually octagonal, springing from corbeled heads; till terminatedby four octagonal pinnacles, and crowned by an octagonal mouldedbattlement. Upon the tower is an enriched stone lantern, perforatedwith gothic windows of two heights, each angle having a buttressand enriched finial; the whole being terminated by an ornamental,pierced, and very rich crown parapet. The height of the tower, tothe battlements, is 90 feet; and the whole height of the tower andlantern is 130 feet.
The body of the church is of fine brick, finished with stone,and of octagon form, about 50 feet diameter. The interior has eightrecesses; one of these being occupied by the altar with a largepointed window above, and three others by the organ and galleriesfor the children of the parish schools: the remaining four recessesare unoccupied by galleries; against their walls are placed thesepulchral monuments from the old church. The octag