By C. E. Vonthig, F.S.A. 247 



the apex. The outer order of the arch, too, springs at a higher 

 level than the mouMcd parts, and the " centre " from which the latter 

 are described is below the springing. This arch has certainly been 

 taken down from its original position and re-built here; then, if we 

 look at the east and west walls of the lower stage of the tower we 

 shall see indications of there having been a low lean-to roofed porch, 

 and I think there is little doubt that all this part of the Church — 

 the north transept and the lower stage of the tower — were built at 

 just before the middle of the fourteenth century ; that the vestry was 

 then erected and the chancel arch inserted, also the arch into the 

 transept with its cusped piscina in the east jamb, showing this to have 

 been founded for a chantry ; and that the fine doorway was removed 

 from the south wall of the nave to its present position. The lancet 

 in the east wall of the transept — which is the original Early English 

 one — is the outer part of the window with a plain splay, like those 

 of the chancel ; but it will be seen that the other has a cavetto 

 mould and I consider this to be a fourteenth century window, made 

 to match in outline the old one re-built here at that time but with 

 later detail, and that the inner moulded arches of both were then, 

 added. The fine Flowing Decorated window in the north gable is 

 also of this date, but the gable over, and the parapet, have been 

 since re-built. The deep plinth-mould carried continuously round 

 transept, tower, and vestry, is very remarkable, and the absence of 

 any break in the line, or any buttress, points to the probability that 

 it was not contemplated to build a tower when this part was erected, 

 as the tower does not seem to start from the ground, but from the 

 top of the fourteenth century work, although the same excellent 

 flint-work is employed in bothj and, in spite of the weight thus 

 added — thanks to the chalk subsoil — the whole has stood without a 

 crack. 



The ogee cusped single-light window of the vestry, with sunk 

 patterns and with inside curtain arch, is a typical fourteenth century 

 feature. Inside the vestry will be seen the corbels of its original 

 roof, which must have been at a lower level than the present one, 

 as the low position of the side window also indicates. The aumbry 

 and fireplace are ancient features. 



