. Wayfaring in France, from Auvergne to the Bay of Biscay. e ideaof which was probably borrowed here. Steps leaddown into the nave, where there is an odour ofancient death, and where the light darting throughwindows pierced in the face of the cliff reveals oneach side a row of huge rectangular piers support-ing round-headed arches, all forming part of therock. These separate the nave from the aisles, ofwhich there are three, the one farthest from thecentre having been used chiefly for burial. Allabout are numerous tomb recesses. The piers andtheir arches are covered with green or black lichen,
. Wayfaring in France, from Auvergne to the Bay of Biscay. e ideaof which was probably borrowed here. Steps leaddown into the nave, where there is an odour ofancient death, and where the light darting throughwindows pierced in the face of the cliff reveals oneach side a row of huge rectangular piers support-ing round-headed arches, all forming part of therock. These separate the nave from the aisles, ofwhich there are three, the one farthest from thecentre having been used chiefly for burial. Allabout are numerous tomb recesses. The piers andtheir arches are covered with green or black lichen,which adds not a little to the gloom and dismalnessof this subterranean church. Ornamental details of the exterior, such as thedoorway with the Last Judgment shown in relief,are of a much later period than the rude excavations F F 434 BY THE LOWER DORDOGNE of the interior. From the platform of rock immedi-ately above the vast crypt rise a Gothic tower andspire dating from the twelfth century. This struc-ture, which lends so much character to St. Emilion,. Monolithic Church and Detached Tower at St. Emilion. appears to belong to the church beneath ; but suchis not the case. Although separated, it is a part ofthe collegial, now parish, church, which is higher upthe hill, just within the line of the ramparts, it is ST. EMILIONS FOUNTAIN 435 said to have been built by the English, but theRomanesque lateral doorway would be strongevidence of the contrary if there were no influence, however, may have played somepart in the extensive rebuilding which was carriedout in the fourteenth century. The east end,scarcely forming an apse, and pierced in thecentre with a high broad window with a narrowerwindow on each side, suggests this, as do also thevery massive columns of the choir. Close to the monolithic church is the cavernwhere the hermit Emilion is supposed to have order to see it, I had to find a little girl who keptthe key, and who led the way down the steps wi
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1913
