Church of S. James, Abuiy. 191 



lining in the alterations of the twelfth and fifteenth centuries. It was 

 in a very loose condition, but I have been able to retain a piece of 

 it near to C Fig. 1, by pouring thin cement behind it to secure it to 

 the wall. The antiquity of Ibis plastering was an interesting point 

 which further investigation proved in the most conclusive manner, 

 for on taking down, for the purpose of re-building, a dilapidated 

 portion of the late twelfth century wall at the west end of the north 

 aisle which abutted against — but was not bonded into — the wall of 

 the nave, the plastering was found to be continued through the point 

 of connexion of the walls, as shown by dotted line at D on the plan 

 Fig. 3. It was also carried around the quoin and into the connection 

 of the fifteenth century tower with the nave, and, upon the portion 

 of it on the west side being removed, the quoin itself was seen to be 

 of Saxon long-and-short work reaching from the ground to the level 

 E (Fig. 1). 



I then examined the south wall of the clerestory, on the outside 

 of which there are distinct traces of corresponding stones where not 

 interfered with by the modern windows. I was also informed that 

 a similar string-course to that on the north exists here, and that the 

 old roof rested on it, but it is now hidden by the oak ceiling erected 

 in 1880, having been kept below it. 



The valuable evidence thus obtained clearly established the form 

 and dimensions of the Saxon nave, the half plan of which is shown 

 in Fig. 3. It appears to have been a parallelogram, 41ft. 7in. long, 

 22ft. Sin. wide (extreme dimensions), and 24ft. 6in. high from the 

 present floor-level to the eaves (this however, as will be suggested, 

 is probably not the full original height) ; the side walls pierced by 

 four windows on each side at about Oft. from the floor, provided 

 with shutters externally, and an upper stage of small circular win- 

 dows or orifices which, so far as can be seen, were always open, 

 probably for light when the lower windows were closed in stormy 

 weather or " stormy " times. The two stages were separated by a 

 stone string-course 8 in. thick, and the whole of the exterior, with 

 the exception of this course, covered with plaster. 



The nave probably terminated at the east end with an apse : this 

 however would have been destroyed in building the present chancel^ 



2 



