a en ee ee ame mettetnhheedendand Pr 
the Virgin, Bishops Cannings. 11 
stopped, the height of the slab being about 8ft. 3in. from the floor- 
level. This insertion, together with the failure of one jamb, had 
caused the settlement of the gable and a leaning forward of the 
archwsy itself to an extent which rendered it necessary to replace it. 
This was done by forcing the latter back with screws, and re- 
building the shattered gable over. In doing this oyster shells were 
found in the joints, and as the work had every appearance of being 
of the twelfth century (the original pitch being retained) my oyster 
shell theory seemed to be in danger of falling to the ground. 
Later on, however, the discovery of thirteenth century mouldings 
on the back of some of the stones set the matter at rest. I was 
then fully convinced that the gable was re-built in the fifteenth 
century. This probably accounts for the one-sided position of the 
window in the gable, as shewn in the view. It was also made clear 
that the archway was subsequently inserted, and not built in at that 
period, by the fact that it was bedded in mortar of an entirely 
different kind to that used in the surrounding work. 
The question arises, when and from what part of the Church was: 
this altar tomb removed? There is no wall-space in the chancel, 
unoccupied by features of an earlier date, of sufficient width to 
receive it; and I can only conclude that it was taken from the 
chapel of “S. Mary of the Bower,” at, or shortly after, the time 
of its conveyance to John Ernlé, of Bourton, which was made by 
deed, dated 6th November, 1563. 
The only means of access to the room over the porch formerly 
appeared through the window in the outside gable, but in the course 
of the restoration a doorway into the aisle over the south entrance 
doorway was opened out; it had two steps in the thickness of the 
wall, and the jambs are rebated and retain the original hooks for 
door hinges. The inner twelfth century doorway of this porch has 
a corbel of fifteenth century character, inserted in the label over the: 
centre of its arch, evidently for the support of a figure, and the rib 
of the early vaulting has been cut away to give additional height 
for it. The remains of a fifteenth century stoup exist on the right 
side of this doorway. Stoups also exist by the fifteenth century 
doorway of north aisle, and the thirteenth century one of north 
