VOBTH aiALTRAVEHS. 243 



clim'cli ever happily come in for a share of that interest now 

 so lai'gely and generally taken in the restoration of our Parish 

 churches, it would be desirable to rebuild liiis interesting 

 psurt, and thus at the same time supply the pressing want of 

 accommodation for the Sunday-School children during Divine 

 Service. The church scarcely seats 200 people and there are 

 80 children in the Sunday-School.* 



The roof of the chttrch is as I am informed by an ex- 

 perienced architect, very ancient and most probably the 

 original Norman one. It is in perfect condition, and owing to 

 its having a 'Hie beam" is very strong. The presumption of 

 its great antiquity is supported by the fact that its timbers 

 have no mouldings. There is a satisfactory specimen of the 

 same kind at Swardeston Church, Norfolk, and also at the 

 Bishop's Palace, Hereford. This portion of the structure is 

 entirely hidden by a flat plaster ceiling, which it would pro- 

 bably be a satisfaction to all to see removed. 



The (ihancel, as has been before said, is Early English, i.e. 

 of the fourteenth century. It is 28-ft. high, 21 -ft. 6-in. wide, 

 and 26-ft. long. 



The East window is the Decorated of reticulated pattern. 

 The four windows, three of which are closed, are Early English 

 of the Lancet form ; if all four were open there would be light 

 enough in the church to justify stopping up the two square 

 churchwarden -windows in the nave. The chancel arch (see 

 Plate 83) a beautiful specimen of the Noiman, is stilted 

 semi-circular with zigzag and cho^Ton moulding (12th century 

 work) WTOught in soft burr stone, obtained I believe near 

 Langton. The Northern impost has been sadly disfigured by 

 a longitudinal cutting made to admit a wooden support for a 

 sounding board, this I have removed, and present experience 

 proves that it was never really needed except to gratify the 

 peculiar tastes of the day. In the Southern chancel wall there 



* Since writing the above, I have consulted Mr. Wyatt, the Diocesan 

 Architect : he considers the hypothesis of a semi-circular building, 

 doubtful, he thinks it was more projpabl^, square* 



