224 THE WILD-FLOWERS OF SELBORNE 



purchased by the succeeding churchwardens." Hence- 

 forth we may hope that not only the hedgehogs but 

 also the small birds were free from such short-sighted 

 and ignorant persecution. 



In these days of ecclesiastical decency and order, 

 when every corner of God's house is reverently 

 cared for, it is difficult to realise the condition of 

 some of the country churches in the olden times. 

 When Queen Anne came to the throne our old Norman 

 fabric was in such a deplorable and dilapidated con- 

 dition, that she issued a Treasury Warrant for its 

 restoration, and ^^400 seems to have been raised for 

 the purpose by the sale of timber in Windsor Forest. 

 An account of this expenditure is to be found in the 

 ancient chest, from which it appears that the re- 

 opening of the church was celebrated amid much 

 rejoicing. The preacher received £2 for his " exelent 

 sermon " ; the Queen's own organist composed the 

 " misick," and received, together with " eleven 

 musitians, vocal and instrumental," the handsome 

 sum of ;^20 ; while the villagers had a " hogshead 

 of strong beer in which to drink the Queen's health," 

 at the cost of ;^3, lOs. In the early part of the last 

 century, the Vestry Book often reveals the current 

 ideas as to church decoration and improvement. In 

 181 2, at a special meeting of the parishioners, it was 

 ordered that " the churchwardens do immediately cause 

 the church walls to be cleaned and whitewashed " ; 

 and the rich Norman mouldings on the arches and 

 capitals were accordingly buried beneath a thick coat- 

 ing of lime ! Shortly afterwards a gallery was erected 

 at the west end of the church, when portions of the 

 splendid Norman arch were chipped away by the 

 workmen! This gallery was to consist of "thirteen 



