451 



used as a school, being granted for that purpose from the date 1666. 

 The Sacristy opens into S. choir aisle. 



The total length of the Church is 311ft. ; Nave, 118ft. by 58ft. ; 

 Choir, 70ft. by 60ft. ; Transept, 101ft. by 24ft. The West Tower is 

 120ft. high ; Lady Chapel, 36ft. by 21ft. ; S. Michael's Loft, 58ft. 

 by 19ft. The Eefectory measured 36ft. by 20ft., the Infirmary was to 

 the S. of it. The Dormitory stairs remain at the W. end of the S. 

 aisle. The Prior's Lodge was in the S.E. The Mill and Porter's 

 Lodge (16th century) remaiu. 



In the year 1404 there were 33 canons, and at the Dissolution 18. 

 The name Paradise still points out the Canons' walk by tlie water. 



At the Dissolution iu the time of Henry VIII., the Prior implored 

 the King to spare the house on the ground of its utility to the neigh- 

 bourhood, because there "was neither church, town, nor parish of 

 any substance where any honourable or honest man might have 

 succour or repose on horseback or on foot nigh thereto, by the space 

 of 8 or 9 miles, and some ways by the space of 16 or 18 miles ; and 

 the poor folk, inhabitants of the town, and also of the country there- 

 about, are daily relieved and sustained with bread and ale."* There 

 is a bridge over the Avon a short distance from the Church, and 

 is of old construction, probably the 12th century, or still earlier. The 

 view from it takes in the ruins of the Castle with its Norman keep ; 

 and the hall of the " Castellan," or custodian, partly covered with ivy; 

 and has been thought to be one of the most picturesque in England, 

 commanding as it does the Castle, the Hall and the Piiory Church, 

 with the landscape beyoud. The Norman houset is stated to be the 

 most perfect house of the 12th century remaining in England, the 

 walls being entire, though much concealed with ivy. It is thus 

 described by Mr. Hudson-Turner in his work on " Domestic Archi- 

 tecture of the 12th century," p. 38 :— "At Christ Church, iu Hamp- 

 shire, is the ruin of a Norman house, rather late in style, with good 



* See "Walcotfs English Minsters, 1879," and also his "Memorials of 

 Christ Church," and B. Ferry's "Delineations, 1834," and "Remarks on the 

 Architecture of Christ Church," by F. A. Paley, LL.D. 



t See "Journal of the Archselogical Institute, Great Britain and Ireland,' 

 vol. ii., p. 310. 



