165 



On the latter — 



NEAR THIS PLACE LYETH THE BODY OF THOMAS STITIIP, GENT., WHO 

 DEPAETED THIS LIFE THE 6 DAY OF APRIL, ANNO DOM. 1698. 



O Death how cruel ia thy dart, 

 To strike this Captain to ye Heart, 

 For good He was here to remaine, 

 Jehovah took him for to traine, 

 In Grave His Body to remaine 

 Till Christ himself doth come againe. 



Having collected the members at the most suitable point of 

 view on the outside, Mr. Davis called attention to the pyramidal- 

 pinnacles connected with the flying buttresses, and to the excel- 

 lence of the masonry, the size of the stones agreeing with that of 

 Glastonbury Abbey. The magnificent south porch had a Decorated 

 addition, and the arrangement of the angels over the Apostles on 

 the north and south sides facing the figure of the Deity over the 

 inner door he thought might throw some light on those similar 

 pieces of sculpture found at Bradford, if indeed they were not of 

 the same date, i.e., temp. Bishop Aldhelm. Mr. Talbot was 

 unwilling to admit this ; at the same time he considered that the 

 carving round the soffits of the deeply recessed arch might have 

 been executed at a subsequent period to that of the interior of 

 the porch. Neither was he prepared to admit that the figure of 

 Sagittarius, carved on a capital at the west-end, was an unfailing 

 proof that the work was executed in King Stephen's time. Many 

 other structural pecuUarities were pointed out ; the Norman 

 medallions, on the outside of the clerestory, clearly showing where 

 the old Norman windows, of unusual height, formerly existed ; 

 the ingenious arrangement whereby the water from the roof was 

 conducted along the flying buttresses, the subsequent addition of 

 a buttress at tlie west-end over the more ancient one to support 

 the tower, the remains of the central tower and transept arches ; 

 in fact it is needless to add that under the guidance of two such 

 able masters of the masonic art as Messrs. Davis and Talbot, 



