CHURCH OF ST. MARY THE VIRGIN, KINGSTON, 37 



tion has gone, rather an unusual featiire in Perpendicular 

 work, in the posltlon it is placed.) The other caps contain 

 the usual paterte of this style. The two plUars supporting 

 the easternmost arch vary, there being a kind of swell 

 chamfer between the three quarter columns, whereas the 

 lowerpillars contain hoUows between the columns; and on 

 the west side of the first pillar there is a bracket with 

 foliage, which was either placed there to recelve oiFerings, 

 or, it may be, held an Image or a light, but from its con- 

 struction I incline to the former opinion. It is remarkable 

 also, that the caps are not all on the same level.* 



The grand feature of this aisle is a splendid tomb belong- 

 ing to the family of the Warres, of Hestercombe. It is 

 covered with a slab of Purbeck marble, 9 feet 6 inches 

 long, by 4 feet 6 inches wide, moulded on the under edges. 

 The sides of the tomb are composed of Ham-hill stone, 

 divided into six compartments of shields, held between the 

 eusps of flowing tracery. These shields have beeu em- 

 blazoned with the arms of the Warres, and their connec- 

 tions, the tinctures in some places being still visible. The 

 height of the tomb is 3 feet 10 inches. From the style of 

 this tomb I should be disposed to assign a date not later 

 than the middle of the third Edward's reign ; and if this 

 be correct, then it is clear that is more ancient than the 

 aisle in which it Stands. Still the points of the cusps ap- 

 pear more Perpendicular than Decorated in style, and 

 there may be just causes of doubt whether the tomb is as 

 early as its general appearance leads one to suspect. The 



* Since the above was written, the yellow wash has been removed 

 from these pillars and arches, and it is piain that the easternmost arch has 

 been added since the lower ones, which accounts for the Variation ob- 

 servable. A solid wall, no doubt reached as far as the second pillar, the 

 western half of which formed the respond, and it was most probably 

 opened to the chancel to give a view of the great altar from the chapel. 



