MOST RECENT DISCOVERIES IN REPTON CHURCH. I07 



The excavations on the east side revealed a set of six stone 

 steps, which had taken the place of the blocks, etc., like those 

 on the south side. The steps are single roughly-hewn stones 

 of varied length, resting on the earth, without mortar. Six 

 more would be required to reach the floor of the Crypt. Dr. 

 Charles Cox, who inspected the excavations, writes (see 

 the Athenatim, October 1st, 1890), "These steps are of neither 

 of the Saxon periods, and are probably the work of the Austin 

 Canons who came here in 1172, and whose Priory was (is) 

 immediately to the east of the parish church which they served." 

 They would gain a quicker entrance to the church down the 

 steps. 



The recess on the north side was destroyed when the stone 

 steps — with holy water stoup on the western wall — and door 

 were made, probably in the thirteenth century. Although 

 the " finds " were not considerable, they settled one fact, 

 the recesses were rectangular, and not apsidal. Further, they 

 corroborate Mr. Micklethwaite's theory, so well argued out in 

 his article referred to above, that the apsidal owe their origin 

 to Roman influence, represented by that " Roman of 

 Romans," St. Wilfrid, of York, who followed the basilican 

 form of building, and the rectangular owe their origin to 

 Scottish influence, represented by Benedict Biscop, of 

 Northumbria. It was from Northumbria that Diuma, first 

 bishop of the Middle Angles, came, sent by Finan, Bishop 

 of Lindisfarne, to preside over the newly-converted Mercian 

 race, and, if " Feppingum " was one of the names that Repton 

 bore, he " died and was buried among the Middle Angles there." 



