294 Mr. PETRIE'S Inquiry into the Origin and 



that of the apartment over the nave; and the communication between these apart- 

 ments is by a plain semi-circular headed doorway, within which is a flight of 

 six stone steps. The smaller apartment, or that over the chancel, is lighted by 

 two small windows, round externally, but square, and splaying considerably 

 internally : these are placed in the east wall, and are about ten inches in the 

 diameter of the circle. The larger apartment, or that placed over the nave, is 

 also lighted by two windows on the east side ; these windows are oblong and 

 semi-circular headed on the outside, but square, and splayed considerably on 

 the inside, and are each inclosed in a low and semi-circular headed niche. 

 This apartment is also lighted on its south side by two square windows, which 

 are of modern construction, but may possibly occupy the place of more ancient 

 apertures. At the west end, in a wide recess, there is an original fire-place, 

 with a flue passing through the thickness of the wall ; and on each side are 

 small flues, extending round the side walls, close to the present level of the 

 floor, and which were evidently intended to heat the apartment. 



In both these apartments the side walls converge from their bases, so as to 

 form a sharp-pointed arch; and, in the larger apartment, a series of corbels pro- 

 ject from the side walls, at the height of about six feet from the level of the 

 floor, apparently for the purpose of supporting a wooden floor, and thus form- 

 ing a second apartment, which was lighted by a square window placed at the 

 summit of the east gable. The formation of the roof of this apartment is 

 worthy of notice, inasmuch as it exhibits a considerable knowledge of the art 

 of construction. It consists of two distinct layers of stone, of which the external 

 one is formed of sandstone ashlar, and the internal one of squared blocks of 

 calc tuffa, a construction admirably calculated to lessen the superincumbent 

 weight, and obtain a greater security against moisture, without decreasing the 

 stability of the building. 



I have described the general features of this curious building with a minute- 

 ness which, I fear, may be deemed tedious, but which its importance seemed 

 to me to deserve ; and under this impression, I shall now present the reader 

 with detailed illustrations of its most characteristic sculptures, including those 

 on its capitals, which, as will be seen, present a singular variety in their de- 

 signs, and are never in any two instances exactly similar to each other. I 

 shall begin with a selection of the capitals of the shafts of the great northern 



