<lows which he repaired and retained. He re-opened numerous blocked-up windows in the crypt and removed a brick wall enabling the arches to be viewed once again. During the removal of masonry from the arches of the choir, yet another area that had been blocked-in, he made a ve1y significant discove1y, that of the tomb of Bishop Sheppie, who was consecrated Bishop of Rochester in 1352. EXHIBITIONREPORT honorary member of the Society of Antiquaries in recognition of his services to the preservation of historic buildings. St Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh, where Cottingham carried out restoration work from 1834 to 1841, revealed similar discoveries. Here too a number of disputes arose over the impecunity of the Cathedral authorities. Archbishop Lord Beresford, despite having to provide a further £16,000 (twice the original sum), approved highly of the finished work. In a letter to the Dean of Hereford Cathedral which was to be Cottingham's next major work of renovation, the Archbishop wrote: "... I had much reason to be satisfied with the judgement, skill and good taste which he displayed in executing the work." DrawingbyCottinghamoftheinteriorofMagdelanChapel,Oxford This exhibition was, and the book is, as much a tribute to Lewis Cottingham's conservation skills as to his prowess as an architect. It is to be hoped that wider acclaim is now given to his pioneering efforts as a practitioner of the art of careful, conservative and informed restoration work to medieval buildings. At a time when many in his profession were eager to make their own stylistic mark or to practise a drastic 'unity of style' approach. Cottingham was willing to step aside and to appreciate and evaluate the work of previous centuries. His originality as an architect did not suffer in the face of sympathy for the past but was often enhanced by it. It is to be hoped that the public appraisal of his many talents conveying his tremendous output of work in over 40 years practice finally accords him the recognition he deserves. Christine Jordan In 1829 Cottingham entered a competition to restore Magdalen College Chapel, Oxford and was the winning candidate out of more than 30 entries. He produced a number of illustrations for this project and, having viewed his superb water-colours of proposals for the East Encl and the West Encl for which he clesignecl the interior of the chapel including a new organ case and screen, it is no surprise that he was awarclecl the commission. These were finely, executed, conveying the splendour of the ecclesiastical interior and Cottingham's meticulous attention to detail. Cottingham also designed many church furnishings, a number of which were exhibited. These ranged from the elegance of gilt candle branches for Magdalen to the rustic simplicity of carved oak benches for the small country church of Market Weston, Suffolk. These were made by the leading craftsmen of the period including Thomas Pratt and Samuel Willement. Cottingham's great interest in the conservation of medieval buildings extended far beyond patronage. He led the campaign with James Savage to save the LadyChapel at StSaviour's, Southwark and Crosby Hall, Bishopsgate, an isolated example of a medieval corntyard house built in 1466 for SirJohn Crosby. DrawingbyCottinghamofSnelstonHall,Derbyshire Context62June1999 Nctes Both of these were successful and in 1832 he was made an 1 MYLES,]., L. N. Cottingbam 1 78 7-184 7 A rcbitect of tbe Gotbic Revival, London, Lund Humphries, 1996 2 ibid p.98. ILLUSTRATIONS INTHISISSUE Front cover: Corbel at Battle Abbey. Photo: Bob Kindred p 7: 42 Micklegate, York. Photo: Ann Petherick pl 4: University of Leicester Engineering Building. Photo: Carter Jonas pp15-17: Roof of St Mary's Church, Debenham. Photo: BrianM01ton pp 18 and 19: Diargams: Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings p24:Joseph Paxton Conservatory, Hampton Court, Herefordshire. Photos: Angela Dusley p30: St Werberg's Church, Warburton and St George's, Carrington. Photos: Alexandra Faulkner p32: Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris. Photo: Bob Kindred pp 38 and 39: Drawings by L N Cottingham. Photos: Christine Jordan 39
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