248 Notes on the Churches in the Neighloiirhood of Warminster. 



To revert for a moment to the details of the fine thirteenth 

 century doorway forming the main entrance to the Church. The 

 arch is of two orders, both with deep roll mouldings, and the inner 

 order and the outside of the outer order are enriched with dog-tooth 

 members finely cut; this arch springs from clustered shafts (which 

 have been recently renewed) with moulded caps and bases. 



The tower has a weathered set-off at the top of the lower stage, 

 and above this rises the belfry stage erected at the end of the 

 fourteenth century, entirely without buttresses but with two-light 

 windows in three faces, embattled parapet with round outlets in the 

 cornice and without the usual gargoyles. Before leaving this part 

 of the Church I would call attention to the very uncommon position 

 of the vestry or sacristy, so far removed from any altar. The inner 

 doorway of the porch is coeval with the fourteenth century re- 

 modelling of the north side ; it is of two orders of large splays with 

 bold stops : a later stoup has been cut in the splay on the east jamb. 



The west wall of the nave was re-built in 1860, and the old 

 three-light window from the cast wall of the chancel was then 

 inserted here and the later square-head doorway reinstated in its 

 former position — in the spandrils of this doorway are carved a lion 

 passant (? the arms of the Giffard family). In the south wall of 

 the nave formerly existed an old doorway, but this was transformed 

 into a window at the restoration, at the cost of the present Vicar of 

 Warminster ; one of the door jambs having an old sun-dial cut on 

 it is built into the window, but placed upside-down. Remains of a 

 thirteenth century coffin-slab are built into the wall here. 



Mr. Fane, writing in 1853, refers to the remains of a rood-loft 

 staircase and passage, with staples yet remaining in the wall, but 

 these are no longer to be seen. 



On the south of the nave is one of the most complete specimens 

 in existence of a chapel of the transitional period from the " Early 

 English" to the "Decorated" styles — this chapel is supposed to 

 have been founded either by Walter Giffard, Archbishop of York, 

 who died lord of the manor of Boyton, 1279; or by his brother, 

 Godfrey, Bishop of Worcester, who died lord of the manor in 1301 ; 

 or by them jointly, for the resting-place of their brother, Sir 



