362 Colerne Church. 
eastern respond (shown in plate 2) is remarkably rich in light and 
shade, and shows that even at this period the form of the cushion 
shape was not lost sight of. The arches are of two orders, cham- 
fered with returned hoodmolds on either side. The arch which 
led into the north aisle is blocked up in the upper part by a wooden 
partition supported by an old stone screen, the former being a 
portion of a private gallery. The scoinson arches of the windows 
of the chapel are segmental pointed, chamfered, and finished with 
good bold hoodmolds. The terminations to the north window are 
the heads of a queen and ecclesiastic, and those to the east represent 
the heads of some religious ladies; the one to the south having 
the chin-cloth, and other appurtenances of the dress, of a professed 
nun. In the north wall, below the window, is a recess nearly the 
whole thickness of the wall; the arch, which is segmental pointed, 
springs from within a few inches of the floor, and is molded with a 
series of quarter rounds and fillets ; at the back of this recess is the 
oldest monumental record in the church. It is a small rough stone, 
built in the wall, upon which is cut in Roman letters “ ARTER COSLET 
WAS HERE BYRED IN THE YERE 1625.” The font, which is octagonal, is 
a very poor example of the 15th century—the lead lining and drain 
remains. The roofs of the chancel and chapel are new, that on the 
nave is concealed by a plaster ceiling, the removal of which, together 
with the obstructions in the tower arch, the reparation of the west 
window, the opening of the chapel arches, and the annihilation of the 
gallery in the north aisle, are objects greatly to be desired. This 
latter encroachment hides the upper part of one of the aisle windows, 
having remnants of stained glass, amongst which the head of a 
young queen (with long light auburn hair, and a richly foliated 
crown) is still preserved. 
In the absence of all documentary evidence relative to the history 
of this church, we are obliged to refer to the character of the archi- 
tecture for the dates of the several portions. As has already been 
intimated, the three easternmost arches and piers on the south side 
of the nave, as well as the foundations of the south and east walls 
of the south aisle, belong to the first church, and must have been 
erected about the year 1190. The chancel was built in the 13th 
