78 
Turning one’s back on this hideous nave, and looking eastwards 
soon many redeeming points of beauty met the eye. The fire 
spared the crypt, chancel and Beauchamp Chapel with its sepul- 
‘chral side chapel and confessional. All are elegantly groined, and 
the magnificent monuments of the Beauchamps Karls of Warwick, 
of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and Sir Fulke Greville, first 
Lord Brooke, ancestor of the present noble family who own the 
‘Castle, and who are lineally descended from the Beauchamps of 
Powyk through an heiress, remain intact. The crypt is the most 
ancient part of the church; it is divided longitudinally by four 
piers with five bays of vaulting, the three western being semi- 
circular Norman of the 12th century, the two eastern pointed and 
built by Thomas Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, 1392. 
In this crypt are what remains of a much-needed article of 
public punishment for scolding wives, viz., a cucking-stool. It 
was used in the town up to 100 years ago. The railing virago 
being securely strapped into the chair fixed at the end of a long 
beam resting on wheels, was deftly dipped into the River Avon, 
until peace was restored to tle community. 
The chancel, with the beautifully groined roof is Perpendicular, 
built by Thomas Beauchamp, the second Earl Warwick of that 
name, who died 1401, and afterwards altered by his son Richard 
Earl of Warwick. The gorgeous tomb in the centre is that of 
the father of the builder, the first Thomas Earl of Warwick and 
his Countess, who died 1369. The incised brass effigies of the 
builder and his Countess, who died 1406, are inlaid in a marble. 
slab at the entrance of the Beauchamp Chapel. 
This magnificent chapel is south of the chancel, and is separated 
therefrom by a small chapel with elegant fan tracery in its roof. 
It formerly had an altar, at which masses for the deceased 
Beauchamps were said. It still contains a small squint with a 
view of the high altar in the chancel, and the most diminutive 
piscina known, with wooden pipe and bowl to carry off the 
ablutions. A small chamber in the wall, between this and the 
