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Antiquaries in the Age of Romanticism: 1789-1851 - Queen Mary ...

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expensive and elaborate.’ 170 That def<strong>in</strong>ition will do as well as any <strong>in</strong> this context for, as<br />

those who have considered <strong>the</strong> question agree, it does not fit precisely any style, nor is it<br />

Gothic, but it draws on a variety <strong>of</strong> pre-Gothic sources from more than one national<br />

tradition. 171 The result is unique and it is precisely <strong>in</strong> its <strong>in</strong>dividuality that Sarah Losh’s<br />

church embodies <strong>the</strong> essence <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> romantic antiquarian enterprise.<br />

Figure 20 St <strong>Mary</strong>'s Wreay, West door<br />

The project began when <strong>the</strong> exist<strong>in</strong>g church at Wreay was found, accord<strong>in</strong>g to<br />

Losh’s notes, to be ‘<strong>in</strong> a very dilapidated condition’ and a committee was formed to<br />

consider restoration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> chancel. 172 Losh <strong>of</strong>fered <strong>in</strong>stead ‘to furnish a new site for <strong>the</strong><br />

chapel and to defray all <strong>the</strong> expenses <strong>of</strong> its re-erection, on condition that I should be left<br />

unrestricted as to <strong>the</strong> mode <strong>of</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g it’. 173 The grateful parishioners accepted this<br />

generous, if highly conditional arrangement and so <strong>the</strong> results can be confidently seen as<br />

a reflection <strong>of</strong> Losh’s ideas and wishes. She <strong>in</strong> fact made no attempt to re-erect <strong>the</strong> old<br />

170<br />

Document <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jackson Collection, Carlisle Library, unnumbered pages.<br />

171<br />

See Pevsner, ‘Sarah Losh’s Church’, and Bullen, ‘Sara Losh’.<br />

172<br />

Document <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jackson Collection , Carlisle Library.<br />

173<br />

Document <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jackson Collection, Carlisle Library.<br />

83

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