Lyndhurst Parish Church
W. White, F. S. A.
1858
The church itself exhibits evidence of Mr. White's ingenuity and vigour in design side by side with those eccentricities of form either structural or decorative which distinguish nearly every building that he has erected. How far these eccentricities result from individual caprice, whether they are the consequence of some peculiarity in early studies, or whether they arise from an endeavour to escape from conventionalities in design it is impossible to say, and perhaps Mr. White himself could scarcely explain. If they are to be judged fairly they must be judged on their own merits, and quite apart from the question as to how far they indicate a departure from ancient precedent. When an architect, as in the case of Lyndhurst Church, chooses to introduce a large dormer window in the clerestory, we ought to try and forget that in such a situation the latter feature is an unusual one, and simply ask ourselves first whether it serves its purpose, and secondly whether it helps the composition. If these conditions are fulfilled it is sheer pedantry to raise further objections. [292]
Image scan and text George P. Landow