260 Notes on the Churches in the Neighlourhood of IFarminster. 



north and south arcades of the chancel, and these are quite late, 

 verging on the Early English, say about 1180-1200; the east 

 responds and the two easternmost columns have clustered shafts of 

 freestone and slate alternately (the slate is new, and probably takes 

 the place of Purbeck marble), the two westernmost columns are 

 cylindrical — the one on the north having a scalloped capital and 

 that on the south moulded only. The west respond on the south is 

 like the column, and coeval, but the one on the north was re-built 

 with the tower — the former is conclusive as to there having been a 

 Norman central tower. The arches of these arcades are pointed, 

 and consist of four orders of chamfers. I do not consider that these 

 are of later date than the piers, except the westernmost one on the 

 north side, which appears to have been re-built with its respond, 

 the rest are probably coeval with the piers (the modern labels over 

 the arches are misleading). Before the restoration in 1867 by Mr. 

 Butterfield these arches were blocked up, and the present chancel 

 aisles were added at that time. 



In the thirteenth century the lower stage of the central tower, 

 the eastern part of the chancel, the two transepts, the arcades, the 

 west end of the nave and the aisles were re-built and the clerestory 

 to the chancel added. The east wall of the chancel is arcaded in two 

 stages divided by a string-course ; the arches of the lower stage 

 return on the responds of the side arcades ; the upper stage consists 

 of three bays of moulded arches free of the wall, with detached 

 shafts of Purbeck marble — the shafts have central bands or annulets; 

 a large lancet window (the inner part of which is modern) occupies 

 the central bay, and the one on each side is solid. In the south 

 return of the lower stage is a coeval piscina of circular form under 

 a square-headed I'ecess — the low position of this shows that there 

 was formerly no step at the east end and that the existing level is a 

 modern " improvement." It may be noticed that the three clerestory 

 windows on each side are placed between the arches (and not over 

 them, as is more usual), as in the case of the early examples of 

 Bishop's Cannings and Battle; in order to carry out this one has 

 been placed over each west respond. The east, north, and south 

 arches of the tower are as re-built in the thirteenth century, but the 



