THE CHURCH OF CUTHBERT
"Conjectural Plan"[1] as an octagon standing to the east of the Cathedral, connected with it by a passage leading from the south aisle. Sir Wm. St. John Hope in his article on the plan and arrangement of the first Cathedral Church of Canterbury,[2] gives a plan showing an octagon due east of the apse of the Cathedral and connected with it by an opening directly from one to the other. It must have been of considerable capacity, as ten Archbishops are known to have been buried therein; and possibly six others whose place of burial, except that it was in Christ Church, is unknown.
It is difficult to hazard an opinion as to what this Church of St. John was like, or even where it stood; except that, as Edmer says, it was built to "the east of the Great Church and nearly touching it." But here again, we must bear in mind that these words are a schoolboy's recollections and make allowances accordingly. Professor Willis emphasizes that communication with Rome was always maintained in those early centuries, and that the Saxons did indeed imitate Roman models very closely; and he points out in a Note that the baptistery of Constantine stands in a somewhat similar relative position to the Church of the Lateran, "but at a greater distance," from where he places the building at Canterbury on his conjectural plan; and also that the baptistery at St. Peter's was at the end of the North Transept. He also suggests that this baptistery was octagonal in shape.
Professor G. Baldwin Brown, in Arts of Early England, Vol. II, was of opinion that it was probably cruciform, as more in accordance with tradition, and as it had to serve for burials as well as baptisms and other purposes. But whatever its shape may have been, I think we have shown that Cuthbert's baptistery must have been later than the eastern apse and crypt and not, as the Professor suggests, of an earlier date.
Sir Wm. St. John Hope thought the baptistery was octagonal outside and circular within, but Edmer merely says that it was "to the east of the Great Church, and nearly touching it." What was its shape, size or style, who can tell in the absence of any record whatsoever? It is
- ↑ Willis, Architectural History of Canterbury Cathedral, p. 27.
- ↑ Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, April 11th, 1918, Second Series, Vol. XXX, p. 152.
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