82 Kington St. Michael [The Church. 



window was of temp. Hen. VI., and formerly (in Aubrey's time) 

 contained three figures in stained glass, bearing the names of 

 Thomas Nye^ (" in the habit of a lawyer like Judge Littleton at 

 Worcester ") : his wife Margaret, and Christine Nye. The latter 

 was Prioress of Kington and probably gave the window. The one 

 next to it, on the south side, contained the figure of another 

 Prioress, Lady Cicely Bodenham. The Nave arches are Early 

 English ; and some aisle windows once had slender marble shafts 

 of that date. In the south aisle, where the east window is Decorated, 

 are the usual signs of a private altar .^ The north aisle was cheaply 

 rebuilt in 1755, when an old Norman door was destroyed. Against 

 the angle of the Chancel outside is the projection commonly called 

 a " Lychnoscope." The original Porch, long since destroyed, had 

 a head over the doorway, called by tradition King Ethelred's : 

 whose figure, with that of his Queen, was once on a window of the 

 south aisle. Of these Aubrey has preserved drawings. The present 

 inner door has Norman shafts, surmounted by a flat-headed arch 

 of the 15th century. The tower, formerly Norman and supporting 

 a spire, was in great peril of falling when Aubrey made his sketch 

 showing large cracks in the walls. Referring to the previous case 

 of Calne steeple in 1645, he predicted a similar catastrophe here. 

 " Such will be the fate of our's at Kington : one cannot persuade 

 the Parishioners to go out of their own way."^ And so it came to 

 pass. The parishioners went on in their own way, the gaping 

 walls in theirs ; till the great storm of 1703 put an end to the 

 discussion by blowing the whole down. The tower was rebuilt, but 

 in meagre style and without spire, in 1725. 



On one of the original bells had been the legend " -j-. Sancfe 

 Michael ora pro nobis." Another ("a daintie little one") was stolen 

 in 1649. The present peal of six was cast by Abraham Pudhall 

 in 1726. The first rings out "Prosperity to the Parish"; the 



1 A Herman Nye was Rector of Crudwell in N. "Wilts, 1445. 

 2 On the cieling of the South Aisle, formerly painted and gilt in panels, were 

 remaining c. 1670, on shields ; 1. A saltirc cross, 2. The Pope's arms, 2 keys in 

 saltire and a cross in pale. 3. Azure, a stag at gaze or. 4. A Portcullis or. 

 Q. A Marshal's bolt, or fetterlock. 



3 Nat. Hist, of Wilts, p. 99. 



