184 The Thirty-eighth General Meeting. 
able to give much interesting information as to the condition of 
the Church before its restoration. Altogether, now with its wide 
eentral aisle and seats formed of Jacobean oak work with slender 
balustrades, and its new and beautiful east window by Mr. Kempe, 
the interior (in spite of the blue-washed ceiling) is as pleasing as it 
is unusual. The little Church, too, stands singularly picturesquely 
on an eminence as you approach it from the river—and though the 
exterior of the nave is unpromising enough, yet it contains in its 
font, piscina, woodwork, stone altar-slab, and curious low window, 
more objects of interest than many more pretentious buildings can 
boast of. 
The next halt was at Bishopstone, where the party assembled on 
the rectory lawn to enjoy the singular beauty of the garden and of 
the view of the east end of the Church, AnrcnprEacon Lear, the 
Rector, very kindly pointed out the chief objects of interest in the 
Church, and gave a sketch of its history—Mr. Pontine following 
with a few remarks on the remarkable architecture, in which he found 
great resemblance to Bishop Edington’s work at Edington and 
Winchester, whilst Mr. Swayne gave details of the history of 
Falston and Flamston Chapels, formerly existing in the parish. 
The stay here was somewhat prolonged, for it is seldom indeed 
that such a Church as Bishopstone falls to the lot of the Society to 
linger over. The nave is bald and comparatively poor, but the 
chancel and transepts of late Decorated work with the beautiful 
tracery of the windows, the rich founder’s tomb and sedilia inside, 
and the very curious external aunexe to the south transept, together 
with the fine specimens of Spanish and French carved woodwork in 
stalls, pulpit, and reading-desk, make up a whole which delights 
the architectural student by its interest as much as it charms all 
who see it by its beauty. 
The last Church on the programme—for the tiny little Chapel of 
Fyfield would hardly repay a visit, even if time had allowed—was 
Broad Chalke—which, even after Bishopstone, presents a beautiful 
picture as you approach it from the road, the grey Chilmark stone 
of its walls contrasting admirably with the green ivy with which 
they are partly draped. 
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