196 St. Peters Church, Marlhorough. 



The doorway which led in former times from the north aisle to 

 a rood-loft, perhaps spanning the whole church, was blocked, and 

 a buttress applied to the exterior. The face of the chancel arch 

 was rendered bald and bare by the removal of the half columns or 

 return moulding which formerly relieved the east end of the nave, 

 as the like mouldings still break the plainness of the western pier. 

 The north door of the chancel previously led straight into the 

 church from the churchyard, as there was no vestry then annexed. 

 In medieval times the priest assumed his chasuble at the altar ; 

 subsequently there was a place partitioned or curtained off for him 

 beneath the organ gallery, which formerly stood above the west 

 door of the nave. The south porch, which has a small priest's or 

 clerk's chamber above it, was added (about 1500) some two score 

 years after the 15th century church was built. The north door 

 of the nave has been closed on the inside. You see the discoloured 

 patch beneath the yeomanry and volunteers' flags, of 1804 — 12. 



A plain (four-centred) arched recess for a piscina marks the 

 place near which stood one of the side chantry altars of the 16th 

 century, one of which was founded in 1519. We had a Jesus 

 Fraternity with its service on Fridays, an altar of the Blessed 

 Vii'gin for " Our Lady's service," and an altar of St. Katharine 

 served by a chantry priest who resided at the Chantry House 

 (Mrs. Pope's), on the north side of the High Street. 



Benefactors to the " Jesus Service " at St. Peter's were J. Bower, 

 who gave the tenement known as "The Angel," in 1519; J. 

 Barnstaple, in 1521-2 ; J. Bytheway, who gave a tenement in 

 Marsh Ward in 1526 ; and W. Serle, who gave a tenement in 

 Kingsbury Street. J. Burdesey, aged 65, was the last incumbent 

 (when King Edward VI. dissolved the chantries and thus left the 

 parish clergy without any sort of assistant curate), and built the 

 Hermitage. 



The names of successive chantry priests of the "Bryddes 

 Chantry " celebrating at St. Katharine's altar occur among institu- 

 tions of clergy from 1479 to 1520. T. Russell, aged 62, was in- 

 cumbent at the time of the survey of 1534 before the suppression. 

 Part of the priest's income was derived from the rent of " The 



