George Edmund Street: Unpublished Notes and Reprinted Papers — A Reader’s Guide

Street's Architectural Method

Street's notes reveal a methodical approach to examining churches. He frequently compares structures across regions, as when he links the lantern at Ainay to those at Le Puy, inferring common workmanship. His descriptions are laden with technical terms: quadripartite vaults, engaged shafts, cruciform piers, and pendentives. He evaluates sculpture critically, noting that at Le Puy the capitals are "inferior in delicacy and beauty" to Rhone valley work, attributing this to a native school influenced by inferior Roman sculpture. Such judgments are grounded in visual evidence, not mere opinion.

Street also attends to chronology, assigning dates like "circa A.D. 1180 to 1200" to later portions of Le Puy. He considers structural evolution, such as how the choir-aisles were altered over time. His observations are often comparative: he contrasts the Le Puy steeple's "bizarre and unusual" nine stages with more conventional designs. This method of close looking, combined with regional comparison, defines his architectural analysis throughout the volume.

The Role of the Editor

Georgiana Goddard King's contribution extends beyond the introductory essay. She organizes Street's scattered notes into a coherent sequence, grouping them by region: Central Italy, French Churches, and Northern Germany. The table of contents lists specific sections such as "Notes of a Tour in Central Italy" and "Some French Churches Chiefly in the Royal Domain." King also includes an appendix with items like "S. Mary's Stone" and a list of illustrations featuring photographs and drawings.

Her editorial voice is present in the acknowledgments, where she thanks Arthur Edmund Street for the loan of materials, and in the brief preface dated Epiphany 1915. She does not interject commentary within Street's notes, allowing his voice to dominate. The volume thus serves as a preservation effort, making accessible material that might otherwise remain unknown. King's role is that of a facilitator, not an interpreter, letting Street's architectural observations stand on their own.

Regional Focus and Travel Context

The excerpts show Street's travels across Europe, with detailed notes on churches in France, Italy, Germany, and Spain. The catalog subjects list "Europe -- Description and travel" and "Church architecture -- Europe," confirming the geographic scope. In the Le Puy description, Street mentions M. Mérimée's description of the church, indicating engagement with contemporary scholarship. He also references local traditions, such as the chapel of S. Jean serving as the city's baptistery until recently.

Street's travel is not merely touristic; it is a systematic survey. He measures, compares, and dates structures, often noting construction phases. For instance, he divides Le Puy Cathedral into three portions based on building periods. His observations are grounded in physical evidence: the "enormous substructure forming the porch" at Le Puy, the "clerestory of wide and rude round-headed windows." This regional approach allows readers to trace his itinerary and understand the architectural landscape of 19th-century Europe.

Reading the Unfinished Notes

The excerpts are incomplete, with ellipses indicating gaps in the digital text. For example, the description of Le Puy's steeple cuts off mid-sentence: "The internal diameter of the tower at the bas..." This fragmentary quality is characteristic of unpublished notebooks. Readers should expect occasional abrupt transitions or missing details. Street's notes were not prepared for publication; they are working documents, sometimes repetitive or lacking polish.

Despite this, the notes convey Street's enthusiasm and expertise. He writes directly to an imagined audience, as when he says "I think you will agree with me that considering its early date... it would be difficult to find a grander or more nervous scheme." This conversational tone suggests these notes may have been intended for lectures or correspondence. The volume thus offers a rare glimpse into the mind of a practicing Gothic Revival architect, recording his immediate reactions to buildings. Readers should approach the text as a primary source, not a finished treatise.

This edition juxtaposes King's biographical framing with Street's raw architectural notes. Readers interested in Gothic construction details will find precise observations on vaulting, stonework, and chronology. The volume's value lies in its preservation of a working architect's field notes, offering direct insight into 19th-century architectural practice. Approach the text as a collection of fragments, and allow Street's technical eye to guide your reading.

Holding King’s edition of Street’s notes, I lingered on his quiet reverence for weathered stone, how he noticed the seams where centuries meet. That same gentle absorption came back to me reading On the Lady Chapel in Chester Cathedral — Reading Companion, whose patient attention to a single, small space feels like sitting beside someone who truly looks before speaking.