1 66 The Field Naturalist's Quarterly May- 



can yet be seen. Access to this gallery was by a winding 

 stair (blocked up) in the body of the S. wall ; the later steps 

 were built on the N. side of the choir crossing a low-side 

 window. (The low -side window was once sheltered by a 

 lean-to, as evidenced by the chamfered string-course still 

 embedded on the exterior of the N. chancel wall. I think 

 this low-side window was used for hearing confessions, and 

 not for the use of lepers or the excommunicated.) There 

 seems to have been an altar under the rood-gallery, judging 

 from unequal levels and the remains of projecting masonry 

 on the N. end of the chancel arch under the rood-entrance. 

 There is a stoup 1 on the N. wall of the choir and near the 

 communion-rails. This unusual situation of the stoup is 

 explained by the N. stone bench (recently covered over with 

 oak board) and the stone stairs 2 to the rood-gallery — i.e., 

 those Templars who entered the chancel through the chapel 

 of the Order, and did not officiate, either sat down on the 

 stone bench or went up the stairs : these must pass the said 

 stoup on the right, and would dip their right hand into the 

 stoup and make the sign of the cross (as is the custom) on 

 their foreheads. 



From the choir we proceed to the sanctuary. The east 

 wall contains, high up, three small and singular windows : 

 the outer ones are round - headed, with deep splays ; the 

 central one is formed of two slightly pointed heads with 

 a rosace or quatrefoil. On the N. wall are two long narrow 

 windows (lancet) — one inside the communion-rails and one 

 outside. These are the only ones of the kind in the whole 

 church. The communion-table has the pre -Reformation 

 altar -stone top on oak stand and under oak board; the 

 altar-stone exhibits the well-known five crosses representing 

 the five wounds of our Lord. On the N. side a fine Jacobean 

 oak stall, and on the S. side the Preceptor's 3 oak chair, are 



1 Another broken stoup is at the W. end, to the left of the door. 



2 The later date of the said bench and stairs is proved by the insertion into 

 them of portions of the Templars' tomb slabs with cross flory. 



3 Philip de Mewes was the last Preceptor of the Templars at Garway. His 

 signature immediately follows that of Thomas de la More, the last Master of the 

 Temple, London, in the noble profession of faith, and pathetic appeal to the 

 justice and pity of the papal inquisitors and bishops of London and Chichester on 

 the 20th April 1310 (see ' Archaeologia,' vol. xxxi. pp. 182-197). 



