^Itoit §iini^$ Cljuulj : 



^ Jacobean Eablet of tfje ©craloguc, ^c. 



By The Rev. Chr. Wordsworth ; 

 With Architectural Note by C. E, Ponting, F.S.A. 



Through the energy of the Eector, the Eev. C. A. Sladen, and 

 his friends, with a generous donation from New College, Oxford, 

 the ancient Church of St. Mary, Alton Barnes, near Pewsey and 

 Woodborough, was re-opened, after restoration, by the Bishop of 

 Salisbury, on 8th November, 1 904. 



The architect, C. E. Ponting, Esq., F.S.A., who has restored the 

 roof, and carried out the re-hanging of the two bells, &c., has 

 kindly supplied the following architectural description : — 



Church of S. Mary, Alton Barnes. 

 This little Church, consisting of nave and chancel only, without 

 even a porch to break the outline, possesses much more of interest 

 than is at first obvious. The nave is only about 25ft. long and 15ft. 

 wide inside : what strikes the eye at once is its lofty proportions ; 

 this peculiarity, here as at Avebury, is due to pre-Norman influ- 

 ences, all four walls of the nave being Saxon work, and retaining 

 the " long-and-short " quoins for their full height. The north and 

 south walls are each divided into three bays by pilasters of free- 

 stone, about ll^in. wide, with practically no projection— the face 

 being fair with the surface of the wall ; there is a similar pilaster 

 in the centre of the west end, but with very slight projection. No 

 window or door is left of the work of this period. The jambs and 

 impost mould of the chancel arch, of apparently Norman work, are 

 preserved, but the arcli itself was destroyed when the present one 

 was inserted, about thirty years ago. There are north and south 

 doorways, the former being of 14th century date ; it has long been 

 blocked up, and within recent times it has been concealed by the 



