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taken, and the two churches, St. John's and St. Mary's, were 

 visited. Dr. Hart Surges, the Kector, kindly pointed out their 

 architectural peculiarities, and read a Paper, of which the follow- 

 ing is an abstract : — 



St. John's Church, so far as his information from reliable sources 

 went, was considered one of the most interesting parochial churches in 

 Great Britain ; and contained specimens of five distinct styles of 

 architecture. The oldest of these are the chancel tower and 

 transept, built about the same time as the Castle, by the celebrated 

 Koger of Sarum, 1130 a.d. The small arcades on the outside of the 

 tower, as well as those within the belfry, the nail head chevron, 

 embattled fret, and intersecting arches are indications of the date. The 

 east and west arches of the tower are semicircular, while the north and 

 south are pointed, but evidently built at the same time. Oblong in 

 form, the measurement from north to south being half as much again 

 as from east to west as is sometimes found in these central towers, it 

 is considered to resemble Tewkesbury Abbey. The fineness of the 

 jointing in the masonry of the tower is another indication of Roger's 

 work. The original form was that of a cross, with lantern tower in 

 centre, and nave without side aisles, chancel being vaulted. Side 

 aisles and cutting away of the basement of turret staircase took place 

 in the 15th century. Duke Humphrey's residence in the Castle having 

 given an impetus to ecclesiastical architecture, the transept windows 

 were supposed to have been altered at this period. The north-east 

 and south-east private chapels are of somewhat later date, the more 

 florid one being attributed to Beauchamp, who held the town and 

 Castle for Edward IV. The transepts have been much cut about for 

 the insertion of Perpendicular windows. On the outer walls of the 

 chancel, within the present church, the original Norman corbel table 

 may be seen. Ihe present east window is a recent restoration. The 

 Norman nave has almost entirely disappeared. The church plate has 

 been recast some years since 1804. The registers commence 1559. 

 One monumental brass of John Kent, 1630, is worthy of note. 

 There are eight bells. 



St. Mary's Church, consisting of a chancel, nave, two side aisles, 

 western tower and south porch, was evidently erected at various 

 periods. The chancel is supposed to have been built soon after the 



