AKCUITECTUUE OF NEIGHBOUUHOOl) OF YEOVIL. 11 



In the chancel. We must also reraark the cinquefoiled 

 piscinas, which are placed in an unusual, though not quite 

 unique, way across the angle both of the chancel and 

 transept. Of complete Decorated work we have the large 

 vaulted porch, with an unusually large window in its 

 parvise, and whose vault cuts thi-ough the original Norman 

 doorway. There are some other insertions of windows of 

 this date, two of which on the south side, including the 

 south window of the transept, are designed in evident 

 adaptation to the Early English ones in their imraediate 

 neighbourhood. In the porch, as was just mentioned, and 

 at the west end, the architect did not consider himself thus 

 bound by precedent, and employed the large traceried 

 window, in this case of the Reticulated variety, more usual 

 in his time. The Perpendicular age did little beyond 

 lowering the roofs of the nave and south transept, and 

 embattling the walls of the former. A few windows were 

 ineerted, including a large one in the south wall of the nave, 

 which involved the destruction of the original entrance on 

 that side, in lieu of which apparently a doorway was now 

 inserted in the west fi'ont. I know of few churches, great 

 or small, more interesting than this of Stoke Hambdon. In 

 this one little building we find specimens of all the principal 

 asras of our national architecture, of which the two earlier 

 dates supply thoroughly good and typical examples. The 

 Norman chancel arch, the tower, the ranges of lancets, are 

 equal to anything of their respective classes with which I 

 am acquainted, and the Decorated and Perpendicular 

 insertions though not of equal merit, are by no means con- 

 temptible. Nor are the architectural attractions of the 

 place confined to the church; there are the remains of a 

 considerable mansion, to which however, I shall make but 

 a sorry guide, as I have by me, nothing better than a 

 geueral picturcsquc view of its exterior. 



