6 PAPERS, ETC. 
archivolt was probably plain and square; but from 
the opening having in after times been built up, 
with the exception of the small door-way, by which 
the porch is now entered, I cannot speak confidently 
on this point. The bases, if ever any existed, are 
either destroyed, or so buried as to be quite invisi- 
ble. At the height of about six feet from the present 
level ofthe ground, a plain string course of very 
early Norman character, which forms a cornice to 
the interior of the porch, passing through the later 
masonry forms a sort of capital to the inner face 
of the door-jambs; and it is probable that before 
the giving way of the side walls the arch above 
was highly stilted, and terminated in a small seg- 
ment of a large circle. 
The vault is plain barrel, the construction of 
which, owing to the roof being gone, may clearly 
be seen. It seemsto be composed of solid masonry, 
like that of a bridge, the great lateral pressure of 
which undoubtedly was the cause of the outward 
sinking of the side walls, and the consequent de- 
pression of the arch. In front of this the gable, 
forming the pitch of the roof, must have been 
raised, and the roof itself, which has now entirely 
disappeared, constructed above. The interior door- 
way is Norman, of the plainest and rudest character, 
the tympanum of the arch filled up to all appear- 
ance with one stone, and the door itself square 
headed. The whole porch, with the exception of 
the external quarter round, and the plain cornice 
