th century, when Christianity was again
propagated in this country by Augustine, Mellitus, and other zealous
monks, St. Gregory, the head of the Papal church, and the originator of
this mission, wrote to Mellitus not to suffer the Heathen temples to be
destroyed, but only the idols found within them. These, and such churches
built by the Romans as were then, though in a dilapidated state, existing,
may reasonably be supposed to have been the prototypes of the Christian
churches afterwards erected in this country.

In the early period of the empire the Romans imitated the Grecians in
their buildings of magnitude and beauty, forming, however, a style of
greater richness in detail, though less chaste in effect; and columns of
the different orders, with their entablatures, were used to support and
adorn their public structures: but in the fourth century, when the arts
were declining, the style of architecture became debased, and the
predominant features consisted of massive square piers or columns, without
entablatures, from the imposts of which sprung arches of a semicircular
form; and it was in rude imitation of this latter style that the Saxon
churches were constructed.

The Roman basilicas, or halls of justice, some of which were subsequently
converted into churches, to which also their names were given, furnished
the plan for the internal arrangement of churches of a large size, being
divided in the interior by rows of columns. From this division the nave
and aisles of a church were derived; and in the semicircular recess at the
one end for the tribune, we perceive the origin of the apsis, or
semicircular east end, which one of the Anglo-Saxon, and many of our
ancient Norman churches still present.

But independent of examples afforded by some few ancient Roman churches,
and such of the temples and public buildings of the Romans as were then
remaining in Britain, the Saxon converts were directed and assisted in the
science of architecture by those missionaries from Rome who propagated
Christianity amongst them; and during the Saxon dynasty architects and
workmen were frequently procured from abroad, to plan and raise
ecclesiastical structures. The Anglo-Saxon churches were, however, rudely
built, and, as far as can be ascertained, with some few exceptions, were
of no great dimensions and almost entirely devoid of ornamental mouldings,
though in some instances decorative sculpture and mouldings are to be met
with; but