By a E. Ponting, F.S.A. 381 



The Church of S. Michael, Wishford. 



With the exception of the eastern part of the chancel and the 

 lower part of the tower, this Church was re-built in 1861. I 

 have no knowledge of what its previous plan was, but the pi-esent 

 consists of nave, with north and south aisles of three bays and south 

 porch, western tower, and chancel, with vestry on the north side. 



It would appear that in the re-building, in order to preserve the 

 tower and at the same time to extend the nave, the latter was 

 lengthened at the co^t of the chancel, for it is inconceivable that 

 the old chancel was only the length of the present one — 1.2ft. 6in., 



The chancel walls and triple lancet east window with the string- 

 course under it on the outside are 13th century work, the north 

 wall having been subsequently set back on the outside to form a 

 recess for the Grobham monument ; the priest's door in the south 

 wall of the chancel is debased work. 



The Norman font points to a still earlier Church here ; it has a 

 bowl of early " tub " form with ten pillars of low projection around 

 the side, and chevron ornamentation between • the base is modern. 



The lower stage only of the tower is old; it is of 15th century 

 work with diagonal buttresses. 



With the exception of the font the most striking object in the 

 Church is, perhaps, the exquisite monument to Sir Richard Grrobham, 

 who died in 1629, and his wife, which stands in a deep recess in the 

 wall of the chancel. It is a most refined piece of Renaissance 

 design, carried out, apparently, regardless of cost, in various kinds 

 of marble. The base is panelled and has a moulded mensa, above 

 which is a deeply recessed arch, flanked by two pillars and the 

 whole surmounted by a fine cornice ; over which there is a central 

 shield with one on each side, all three contained within panels and 

 charged with arms. 



On the mensa are two recumbent effigies, their heads resting on 

 cushions ; the husband being represented as wearing the armour of 

 the period and his feet resting on a dog's head, the wife with plain 

 robe and her feet resting on a dove. The knight's banner and visor 

 are on the opposite wall of the chancel. 



2 B 2 



