376 The Church of S. Mary, Staple ford, Wilts. 



north side carried up to the middle stage, where it is stopped in a 

 picturesque way ; it has an outer doorway dated 1858 as well as 

 the old inside one. The west window of the lower stage is a three- 

 light one with a small doorway under, apparently modern ; the 

 archway opening into the nave is of the full width of the tower, 

 the pointed arch has two orders of cavetto, the outer carried down 

 the jambs. The middle stage has single-light windows on west and 

 south only; the belfry stage has two light pointed windows of 

 plain type, without labels. On the top the nicely designed rod 

 and arms of a Eenaissance weather vane remain. 



The font — a Norman one, has circular bowl 2ft. 5in. diameter 

 with arcaded sides, the arches interlacing ; the stem is a plain 

 circular one, without base, standing on two steps, the lower one 

 (at any rate) being the moulded one on which it was set up when 

 the aisle was rebuilt in the 14th century. 



There are fragments of old glass in the tracery of the nave and 

 aisle windows, intermingled with glaring modern work. 



In the churchyard are the shaft and base of a late-looking cross 

 (the head modern) standing on three steps, the lower of which is 

 a " bench." The Church is beautifully situated, and the approach 

 to it through the yew-tree " Lych," past the cross to the porch, is 

 quite ideal. 



The Church of S. Mary, Stapleford, Wilts. 



There are many features of unusual interest in this Church, 

 not the least of which is its plan, which is somewhat complicated 

 by the position of the tower. There was originally a Norman 

 Church with nave and (at least) a south aisle, also of course a 

 chancel, although the latter was rebuilt early in the 14th century 

 and no part of the original remains. At about the same time a 

 clerestory was added to the nave, and the south aisle was rebuilt for 

 the full length of the nave. This is widened at its eastern end 

 to form a chapel roofed transept- wise. Shortly after came the 

 tower which, also in the 14th century, was built against the north 

 wall of the nave, and in about the middle of its length. 



In the 15th century a short north aisle was added to the part 



L- 



