314 Notes on the History of Great Somerford. 
where he died in 1861. A niece married Rev. C. Pitt, for many 
years Vicar of Malmesbury. Henry Wightwick’s son, Henry, was 
Rector of Codford St. Peter (1840—1883), and his daughter, Susan, 
married Rey. A. Evans, Rector of Little Somerford (1847—93). 
THE CHURCH. 
Mr. Brakspear, F.S.A., has kindly furnished me with the following — 
notes upon the architecture of the Church:—“ Although no features — 
remain in the present Church earlier than the last decade of the 14th 
century, it is very evident there was an earlier building on the site. 
Apparently the Church mentioned in the “ Taxatio,” 1290, consisted 
of chancel and nave and remained in that form until the extensive 
re-building of the 15th century created the Church of to-day. This 
consists of chancel, nave with north aisle, south porch,and west tower — 
and a small modern vestry on the north side of the chancel. The — 
first work of alteration was the addition of the north aisle, for which Z 
purpose the old north wall of the nave was removed and replaced — 
by the present handsome areade of four moulded arches on clustered 
pillars and carved capitals. At the same time the chancel arch 
was inserted in place of an earlier one. At first the aisle was 
covered by a pitched roof, which is shown by the remains of a small 
piece of tabling at the west end, but this was subsequently altered — 
to the present lean-to. The north wall is pierced by two two- © 
light square-headed windows, with a small plain-chamfered four- 
centred doorway between. At the north-west angle is a diagonal 
buttress and at the north-east angle a square buttress, on the north 
side. In the east end is a three-light window and in the west a 
single light of similar character to those on the north side. The — 
next alteration was the re-building of the chancel in its present 
form, about the middle of the 15th century. On the south side are 
two good three-light windows with traceried heads and a small — 
priest’s door between. The east window is now divided into four — 
lights with modern tracery! but the arch and jambs are original — 
and are flanked with diagonal buttresses. In the north wall is a_ 
‘A careful pencil drawing of the Church, made in 1837, gives this as a _ 
four-light window. 
