By a E. PonUng, F.S A. 27 



the reign of George I. or II. The font is a plain circular one with 

 moulded deep base — perhaps of thirteenth century date. 



On the north and east walls of the chancel are the remains of 

 colour decoration before referred to. It is of the masonry pattern 

 usual in the thirteenth century and has a foliated band along the 

 top, a cross is painted in the centre of the north wall, evidently a 

 restoration of an older painted cross, traces of which are seen. The 

 glass of the east window bears the Berkeley arms. There are 

 thirteenth century gravestones or coffin slabs in the sill of the 

 chancel window, in the jamb of the west window of the nave, and 

 in the outside quoins of the chapel. 



The Norman work has suffered much from subsidence of the 

 foundations and the spreading of the walls ; that this is of old. 

 standing is shown by the south-west quoin having been re-built in 

 the fourteenth century to a vertical line against the leaning older 

 wall. 



There are two rude sun-dials cut on the inner doorway of the 

 porch, which indicates that their date is anterior to that of the porch 

 itself; two others are on the south wall of the nave; a late niche 

 occurs over the south door. 



In the wall- of a cottage near the Church is a stone containing 

 one bay of an arcaded pattern — this is very small and might have 

 formed part of the side of a font of Norman work. 



All SAINTS^ Someuford Keynes. 



Nave with south porch and two-bay north aisle, chancel with 

 north chapel, and western tower. 



This Church contains the earliest work to be found in situ in any 

 Wiltshire Church we visit during this Meeting. There can be no 

 question that the western half of the north wall of the nave and the 

 doorway (now blocked up) are pre-Norman, and I am of opinion 

 that the plaster to be seen on the outside is the original Saxon 

 coating, for it appears to have been an almost invariable practice in 

 the pre-Norman period to coat the whole of the exterior of the walls 

 with plaster, and the composition of it in this case is similar to 

 that found elsewhere and proved to belong to that early time. 



