244 



1621 ("Orate pro nobis"); this inscription, M'ith the sculptured 

 liands, is also on the inside wall of the Chancel. Graves thinks it 

 is in memory of William Bate, of Eston, who married Elizabeth, 

 daughter of ^larmaduke Harperly, of Whorlton, and died 13th 

 October, 1621. The South Avail had evidently become unsafe and 

 was rebuilt, and in the middle of it a handsome buttress was built 

 in the 15 th century to strengthen it ; the priest's door label is not 

 Gothic. There is here a low sided window, commonly called a 

 Leper Window ; these Avindows are very common in most parts of 

 the country, and much has been written about them. The late 

 Mr. ^Matthew Bloxam told me some years ago that he thought they 

 were confessional Avindows, used by the Regulars (Dominicans and 

 Franciscans, etc.), Avho interfered greatly Avith the Seculars (i.e. 

 the Parochial Clergy), and heard confessions through them. Mr. 

 Bloxam found a document of the Reformation period thus describing 

 them, and ordering them to be blocked up. A most exliaustive 

 and scholarly paper has recently been Avritten on these interesting 

 AvindoAvs by the Rev. Canon Hodgson.* He clearly demonstrates 

 that they Avere for the exhibition of lights AvhereAvith to dispel 

 evil spirits. Lights Avere also burnt in churchyards and in niches 

 on crosses both in England and on the Continent, knoAvn as 

 Fanaux, Lanternes des morts or colonnes creuses des cemetieres, 

 etc. The present East AvindoAv is late perpendicular, and contains 

 some of the original painted glass. The Piscina remains, Avith the 

 drain cavity fluted : there is a holloAv moulding in the underside 

 of the arch, the same section as in the large arch over the ]\Ieynell 

 tomb ; there is an aumbry on the North side. 



In front of the Chancel arch there Avas a Rood-loft, the 

 doorways to Avhich still remain in the Avails — from this the Gospel 

 and Epistle Avere read, and sometimes the Sermon preached, and 

 important documents read to the faithful. Rood-lofts became 

 common in England in the 1 4th century ; many fine examples may 

 be found particularly in Devonshire and CornAvall, as well as in 

 Wales, Avith exquisite carving. They are also fouml in Brittanj', 

 and some may be seen in Normandy. The Altar Table is perhaps a 

 copy of a previoiis one of the Elizabethan or "Restoration period." 

 The Church has been rich in stone brackets or corbels : tAvo are 

 • placed one on either side of the altar, coarse and heavy in design, 

 and no doubt they supported statues. There are also two stone 

 corbels at the base of the mullions in the East AvindoAv, inside, 

 carrying the heads of a King and a Bishop ; they are artistic in 

 design, almost unique, and carried, no doubt, images or candles. 



* " Archseolofna .^^liaiia," Vol. xxiii. 



