36 PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 1907 
addition of a south aisle. The walls of this have gone, but the arcade 
remains. In the fourteenth century, probably in the early part, the 
west walls of both transepts and the outer walls of both aisles were 
demolished, and new aisles built, by continuing the north and south 
walls of the transepts westward to the line of the west wall of the 
nave. A south porch was also added. The south arcade, having 
too little abutment at its east end, was strengthened by building against 
the south face of the tower a wall in the line of thrust of the arcade, 
pierced with an arch in order not to block up the south arch of 
the tower. In these alterations the gabled end of the south transept 
was retained. The gable of the north transept, however, was removed 
from the north to the east side, so that the roof which then covered 
the north transept was merely the continuation of that of the north 
aisle. In the fifteenth century the chancel was rebuilt after the usual 
custom, namely, by building the new walls outside the older, and only 
pulling down the old chancel when its successor.was practically com- 
plete. The west wall of the present north aisle was also built and 
windows inserted both in the east and west walls. An upper storey 
was added to the tower. Here, as is so often the case, the axis of the 
new chancel (the present one) is out of line with the nave. The wall 
which blocks the three western bays of the north arcade of the nave 
may be of this date, namely, fifteenth century. What ancient features 
the chancel once had it lost in ‘‘ restoration” begun about 1857: it is 
only possible to say that its north and south windows may occupy 
the places of older ones. Also much of the ancient stone-work 
was re-tooled. The font in use is of the fifteenth century, but the 
other now standing unused under the south arch of the tower is 
far older, and has long been a bone of contention. It has been sug- 
gested that it was a Roman altar converted from Pagan service into a 
Christian font. But this view is held to be untenable, because Roman 
altars were never cubical, and the characteristics of altars are lacking. 
There is no evidence that it is Saxon, but Norman fonts were often 
cubical, and this one is said to be ‘‘ in keeping with the peculiarities of 
known Norman specimens,” and therefore may be Early Norman. This 
seems probable, seeing that the church was founded about A.D. 1100. 
When the present scraped fifteenth century font was introduced, the 
old font was relegated to the churchyard, where it remained until 1831. 
The last point to be visited was Scowles Farm, where are to 
be seen the ‘‘ scowles”—ancient workings for iron. Mr Richardson 
explained that the middle of the Carboniferous Limestone, to which 
formation they had now come, was discovered by the Romans to be rich 
in iron-ore. In their struggle with the Silures they found it necessary 
to develop the industry of working the iron, and that is why so many 
disused workings are to be found in various parts of the Forest. Canon 
Bazeley writes :—‘‘ As iron has been dug here from pre-historic times, 
probably in the Iron Age of Britain, most certainly by the Romans, 
and, with few intervals, ever since their departure, it is needless 
to say these workings are varied in appearance and character.” 
Returning to Coleford, tea was had at the Angel Hotel, after 
which the return journey was made. 
