105 



The second is over the inner door of the porch, having a pedestal 

 for the image with leaf-work round it. (See Illustration VII.) 

 The third and fourth are two exactly corresponding to one another, 

 which have unfortunately lost their finials, and are now on the 

 south side of the Chapel, but which I imagine before the Chapel 

 was altered, in 1823, were on each side of the east window ; as 

 Collinson says in his account, " On either side of the east window 

 is an elegant gothic niche, but without any image."* (See Illus- 

 tration VIII.) It has been suggested that these niches, from their 

 peculiar flat, unwrought surfaces, contained the boards on which 

 were inscribed the names of the benefactors who were to be prayed 

 for at the time of mass, and to whom the inscription which was 

 on a stone below the chancel steps (mentioned below) would 

 possibly refer. The ^fth is different altogether in style (perhaps 

 of Prior Hollewaye's period, 1525 — 1529). It is now on the north 

 side, with an angel and shield at the base, and probably contained 

 a crucifix. (See Illustration IX.) 



One or two other points remain to be noticed. At the west end 

 of the Chapel, on the south side, and high up near the roof, is one 

 small window, and on the north side two, similar in size and 

 position. There are also (1) a window looking west, to the north 

 of the tower, which apparently was at one time a doonvay, and (2) 

 a doorway from the gallery into the belfry ; whilst on the ground 

 level there are two doorways, one, now blocked up, at the south- 

 west comer of the Chapel wall (perhaps the original entrance for 

 the people, as the present porch was evidently built by Prior 

 Cantlow to the wall, and does not join into the masonry of the 

 Chapel itself), and another doorway from the Chapel to the belfry. 

 From these appearances Mr. Irvine conjectures, and apparently 

 with good reason, that, at least since the time of Cantlow's restora- 

 tion, the Chapel has had a Gallery/, which is not a little remarkable, 

 but its small size was doubtless the reason. A staircase to the 

 gallery used to exist outside Old "Widcombe Church. There 

 are traces of a doorway on the south side, between the two original 

 windows, which was probably the " Pi-iest's doory Collinson also 

 mentions in his time there was " on an old stone just without the 

 ♦ CollinBon, vol. i., p. 173. Warner, p. 239. 



