72 BRADBOURNE CHURCH. 



the church we find a block of masonry (a on Plan) which was 

 brought into service for the same purpose. Now, the centre line 

 of the opening before alluded to (A. A. on Plan) comes exactly 

 half way between the west face of the tower and the east face of 

 this block of masonry. This can hardly be an accident, and 

 it therefore appears to show three things : — (i) that the rude 

 opening is original work ; (2) that the block a is also part of 

 the early foundations ; and (3) that the Saxon tower was wider 

 from east to west than the existing Norman one. Into this 

 angle, then, the Norman thrust his stair, and the evidence in 

 the lower part of its being an insertion, you will have an 

 opportunity of seeing. You will also observe that it is a Norman, 

 and not a later stair, from the method of its construction in 

 concrete, upon a wooden frame which has left the impression of 

 the boarding or "lagging" in the mortar on the under side. You 

 will further see that each step radiates or works ofif from the centre 

 of the newell like the hues in a spider's web, and is jointed near 

 the newell, and has no continuous bearing across the gangway, 

 the steps being supported upon the concrete arch. This actual 

 stair is entered by a narrow Romanesque doorway in the tower, 

 and begins to rise under two circular arches, and, mounting up 

 to the level of the bell chamber, is continued in later work. 



Concerning the tower generally, it speaks for itself, and is a 

 striking thing in a country not remarkable for great Norman 

 buildings. The masonry is not of the best quality, with fine 

 jointing, such as may usually be found in buildings of the 

 eleventh century ; this is to be accounted for by the nature of 

 the local material. 



In every part of England we meet with elaborate late Norman 

 doorways. They are wonderfully varied, and seem to have always 

 been respected by subsequent builders ; they are often the only 

 Norman remains in very many churches, and are therefore very 

 seldom in their original positions. At Bradbourne the Normans 

 made the entrance to their tower on the west side, the usual 

 place. That doorway you will see, now used as a window. 

 Whether any part of it is earlier than the Norman, or indeed 



