106 DALE ABBEY REPORT. 



Separated from this chapel on the south, by three arches, is 

 another chapel, which may be termed for convenience the South 

 West Chapel. The octagonal bases of the piers remain, and are 

 noticeable for their extreme plainness as contrasted with those 

 of the parallel arcade. They are, however, remarkably elegant, 

 and of pure Decorated work. Almost beneath the middle arch 

 is a sepulchral vault about 7 ft. long, 2 ft. wide, and 3 ft. deep. 

 When discovered, it was carefully covered by large slabs of stone, 

 one of which on being turned over proved to be part of the 

 lid of a stone coffin, with an incised cross head of very peculiar 

 design. There appears, however, to be no connection between 

 this and the vault. The vault was devoid of contents, but from 

 the traces of charcoal in the surrounding soil, and of smoke on 

 the wall of the vault itself, it had probably contained a leaden 

 coffin, which had been melted down for portability ; the bones 

 of the tenant were scattered around. The eastern respond of 

 the arcade of this chapel is built upon part of a monumental 

 slab, with a fine incised cross fleury, very like one in the Chapter 

 House ; the next base also nearly covers an incised slab. 

 Doubtless one or both of these are relics of the church built 

 by the Black or Austin Canons, from Calke Priory, about 1160. 

 No trace of the altar of this chapel remains, but there undoubt- 

 edly was one, as the inventory enumerates — " On the ryght hande 

 of the Quier, 2 aulters, wyth 2 tables of allebaster" which 

 " soulde for 6s." Some fragments of this last material were 

 found amongst the debris in both chapels. , 



The whole of the area of the choir and two chapels has been 

 carefully drained and levelled, and the turf relaid. In cutting 

 the drain across the S.W. Chapel, a small cist was found beneath 

 the eastern arch, 3 ft. long, 1 ft. wide, and 2 ft. 6 ins. deep, 

 containing three skulls and several of the larger bones. Mr. J. 

 Charles Cox suggests that it was constructed by the builders of 

 the chapel to contain the bones disturbed by them during their 

 operations. 



The Rood-Tower was supported on four fine groups of piers, 

 but the bases, which are in situ, are singularly unlike one another. 

 The S.W. and N.W. are similar, but the S.E. one is somewhat 



