ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 293 
support the roof, are undoubtedly old, being of that low, squat, thick 
order, usually called Saxon. These, I should imagine, upheld the 
roof of a former church, which, falling into decay, was rebuilt on 
those massy props, because their strength had preserved them from 
the injuries of time.* Upon these rest blunt Gothic arches, such as 
prevailed in the reign above-mentioned, and by which, as a cri- 
terion, we would prove the date of the building. 
At the bottom of the south aisle, between the west and south doors, 
stands the font, which is deep and capacious, and consists of three 
massy round stones, piled one on another, without the least orna- 
ment or sculpture: the cavity at the top is lined with lead, and 
has a pipe at the bottom to convey off the water after the sacred 
ceremony is performed. 
The east end of the south aisle is called the South Chancel, and, 
till within these thirty years, was divided off by old carved Gothic 
framework of timber, having been a private chantry. In this 
opinion we are more confirmed by observing two Gothic niches 
within the space, the one in the east wall and the other in the 
south, near which there probably stood images and altars. 
In the middle aisle there is nothing remarkable ; but I remember 
when its beams were hung with garlands in honour of young women 
of the parish, reputed to have died virgins ; and recollect to have 
seen the clerk’s wife cutting, in white paper, the resemblances of 
gloves, and ribbons to be twisted in knots and roses, to decorate 
these memorials of chastity. In the church of Faringdon, which is 
the next parish, many garlands of this sort still remain. 
The north aisle is narrow and low, with a sloping ceiling, reaching 
within eight or nine feet of the floor. It had originally a flat roof, 
covered with lead, till within a céntury past, a churchwarden stripping 
off the lead, in ,order, as he said, to have it mended, sold it to a 
plumber, and ran away with the money. This aisle has no door, 
for an obvious reason; because the north side of the churchyard, 
being surrounded by the vicarage-garden, affords no path to that 
side of the church. Nothing can be more irregular than the pews 
of this church, which are of all dimensions and heights, being 
patched up according to the fancy of the owners; but whoever 
nicely examines them will find that the middle aisle had, on each 
side, a regular row of benches of solid oak, all alike, with a low 
*Tn the same manner, to compare great things with small, did Wykeham, when he new- 
byilt the cathedral at Winchester, from the tower westward, apply to his purpose the old 
piers or pillars cf Bishop Walkelin’s church, by blending Saxon and Gothic architecture 
together.—See Lowrn’s Life of Wykeham. 
