NOTES ON ASHBURNE CHURCH. III 
solemnity. The stalls were rescued from a farm-house in the 
neighbourhood, and form good specimens of bold wood carving, 
A.D. 1480; on one we have the linen fold pattern ; on another 
the armorial bearings of Ralph Fitzherbert quartering Marshall 
of Leicestershire ; whilst on a third, enriched with some striking 
foliage, a snail is seen devouring the leaves. 
The north transept was in somewhat better condition, but the 
roof was in a sadly decayed state. On the second beam from the 
north wall was inscribed— 
“ Churchwardens, 1697. 
. * “Samuel Milnes. Richard Fletcher. R.M._ T.C.” 
Three of the soundest beams have been retained, but otherwise an 
entirely new roof has been constructed ; externally the high pitch 
has been restored, whilst internally the old ceiling has been exactly 
copied, with this exception, that we have so raised the ridge-piece 
as to leave the head of the window quite free from obstruction. 
During our excavations here we found the Early English base of 
the central pillar, which had’ been superseded by the present 
Perpendicular column. 
The tower needed very careful treatment, for it had shared in 
the serious injuries inflicted on the other portions of the Church. 
However, after all our expenditure of time and labour, the effect 
more than compensates us for the outlay. No one can observe 
_ those four piers, and mark the warm variegated tints of the stone- 
work, with the graceful wave molding relieving their massive 
proportions, without being struck by their dignity; and the 
princely gift of tiles, presented by Mr. C. Minton Campbell, of 
_ Woodseat, lends additional beauty to the space beneath the tower. 
With regard to relics, and objects of ecclesiastical art, it should 
be borne in mind that Ashburne Church has been swept with the 
besom of destruction—tiles, stained glass, carved wood-work, stone 
corbels, alabaster memorials and mural paintings—these have been 
damaged or utterly destroyed by ‘‘ repairers or restorers” in past 
days ; hence I have been able to secure but few specimens out of 
* The Milnes family was connected with the Taylors and Websters, of 
Ashburne, 
