—— SC 
By C. E. Ponting, F.8.A. 211 
Monasticon (vi., 536), the dedication is to the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
St. Katharine, and All Saints.”’] 
We are thus able to fix the exact date of the commencement and 
completion of the Church, the whole of which was carried out during 
the bishop’s lifetime. 
It is by such authenticated examples that we are best able to fix 
the periods at which the various styles of Gothic Architecture pre- 
vailed, and this is an especially valuable example as it marks the 
change from one of the great divisions to another—from the “ Deco- 
rated” (which Mr. Parker sets down as ending about 1360, and 
and Rickman as 1377) to the “ Perpendicular ” (which both these 
authorities consider as commencing about 1400). 
The value of this example is enhanced by the fact that, with the 
exception of the porch, which appears to have been added to the 
aisle wall, rather than dwilé up with it, and is somewhat later in 
detail, [the upper stage of the porch was probably added in the 
sixteenth century, and the original parapet and cornice re-set at the 
higher level] the building is all of one date, and it remains practically 
unaltered, so that it presents to us a complete specimen of the 
Monastic Church of the fourteenth century. 
The plan of the Church is cruciform, with central tower, and the 
various parts are set out with great precision. It consists of a nave 
of six bays with lofty clerestory, north and south aisles, north and 
south transepts, and large chancel. Against the second bay of the 
south aisle from the west is a porch of three stories, the lowest of 
which is vaulted in stone. The middle one has a fireplace, and is 
approached by a turret staircase on the west side—the steps 
going on up to the aisle roof, from which again by a step about 
3ft. high the doorway of the upper room is reached. There are 
other stair turrets at the western angles of the transepts, each of 
which leads to its respective side of the nave, transept, and aisle 
roofs, the parapets being ingeniously corbelled out and the angles 
of the tower canted off to admit of passage, and that on the south 
gives access to the tower by means of another turret starting from 
the transept roof, and carried up the south-west angle. 
It will thus be seen that, with the exception of that of the north 
