direct to Castle Donington church. 1'he Vicar, the Rev. A. S. 

 Mammait, received and conducted the visitors over the church, 

 and read the following paper descriptive of its past history : — 



CASTLE DONINGTON CHURCH. 

 I HAVE much pleasure in offering to you a few remarks on our church, 

 craving your indulgence, as only an amateur in antiquarian matters. And in 

 attempting to describe ihis interesting church I shall largely use a paper read 

 before the British Archseol -gical Society at Leicester, in 1862, by Dr. Pearson, 

 of this place, which he compiled from the best sources, chiefly, I believe, 

 Nichols' " Leicestersliiie," and there are some points which he does not 

 mention to which I should like to draw your attention. There is a difference 

 of opinion about the dedication of the church. Some authorities say that the 

 patron saint is King Edward the Martyr, who was murdeied in 979 ; others 

 declare that the church is dedicated to St. Luke " the beloved physician ; " 

 and, as is usual in such cases, there seems to be good reasons for either theory. 

 But I will not pursue that subject. I think it will be more interesting to you 

 if I speak of the objects which you may see with your own eyes this morning. 



The church consists of a nave, a chancel, and two side aisles. A careful 

 restoration of the body of the cliurch was carried out about thirteen years 

 ago in the time of the late Vicar, the Rev. J-. G. Bourne. The chancel 

 remains unrestored, as you see. 



The church may be described as Early English, and was probably built by 

 Henry Laci, Earl of Lincoln, about 1278. There are four Gothic arches on 

 each side of the nave. The south pillars are circular, with octagon capitals, 

 one of which is ornamented with dog-toothing. The north pillars are hexa- 

 gonal. The roof of the chancel and nave were originally high pitched, the 

 clerestory windows belonging to a later period, and probably added when the 

 roof was lowered. The corbels on which the original roof rested still remain, 

 and deserve special notice. 



The font is octagonal, with shields, on which are roses and crosses alter- 

 nately. 



At the east end of the south aisle was evidently a chapel, said to have been 

 dedicated to .St. Edward, and in it is a double piscina, with two stalls. 

 These, with the east window of this south aisle, and that especially when 

 viewed from the outside, and the entrance through the south porch, are fine 

 specimens of Early English architecture. 



During the restoration (thirteen years ago) a hagioscope was discovered on 

 the north side of this Edward chapel, and the entrance to the Rood Loft on 

 the south side of the Mary chapel (at the east end of the north aisle) was 

 opened. It is rather difficult to understand the use of this hagioscope on the 

 north side of the Edward chapel. There would, however, probably be aliars 



