By C. H. Talbot, Esq. 355 
I noticed Aubrey’s words, was that there had been sucha gallery, It 
was erected in the aisle, or chapel, north of the chancelyand the 
arch was heightened to give it an opening to the latter. Probably, 
it was for the organ,' the loft at the entrance to the chancel being 
for the rood only. Amongst the devices painted, probably on the 
front of this gallery, which are figured in the illustrations of Jackson’s 
Aubrey, one® is a device of the Trinity, being a kind of rebus or 
riddle. The principle on which this rebus is arranged, though it 
has not in this case that exact form, may be described in words. 
Three small circles are described at the angular points of a triangle, 
in which, respectively, are inscribed the words “ Pater, Filius, 
Spiritus Sanctus,” and the circles are then connected by bands, 
bearing the words “non est.” A fourth circle is described at the 
central point, or that which is equidistant from the three angular 
points, and in it is inscribed the word ‘‘ Deus.” This circle is then 
connected with each of the former by a band, bearing the word 
“est.’ The rebus then reads “ Pater est Deus, Filius est Deus, 
Spiritus Sanctus est Deus,” and “ Pater non est Filius, Filius non 
est Spiritus Sanctus, Spiritus Sanctus non est Pater.” This iden- 
tical rebus still remains, on a fire-place, in a building to be noticed 
presently, recognisable by its form, but the legend that was on it has 
been obliterated. 
1 There was formerly an organ gallery, in a somewhat similar situation, in 
Chippenham Church, which Aubrey saw still remaining. He describes it as 
‘a very yood organ loft of free stone carved,” in the chancel, on the north side, 
and says that the sexton remembered the organ standing there (see Jackson’s 
Aubrey, p. 68). It had nothing, however, to do with the carved stone-work 
over the vestry door, with which it is identified in the accompanying note, and 
which was merely part of the decoration of the doorway. The true arrangement 
became clear during the recent demolition of that part of the chancel wall. The 
chancel of Chippenham Church had no north aisle, consequently the expedient 
uséd at Mere cvuld not be adopted. The gallery must have projected into the 
chancel, in front of a Perpendicular window at a high levelin the north wall, which 
was no doubt introduced at the same time, and it was approached from the east 
by a staircase in the thickness of the wall, which was found leading up to the 
window-sill, and was totally distinct from the staircase to the rood-loft which 
remained further west. These indications of the old arrangements haye been 
swept away in the “ restoration” of Chippenham Church. 
2 Plate xxxiy., No. 503, 
