ST. MARY'S TOWEK, TAUNTON. 133 



Umnrks nit tjje Ütrittate, %&.&&., 



fflimi nit §t JßanfB Corner, 

 Ämmton. 



BY W. FEANCK ELLIOT. 



THE valuable papers which have been read at the 

 yearly meetings of tliis Society, and published in 

 its reports, on, and including notices of, the Church 

 Towers of the county, render it necessary that I should 

 assign a reason for meddling on the present occasion with 

 St. Mary 's, Taunton. During the demolition of the tower, 

 when the shields bearing the initials B. B. A. S., with the 

 accompanying angels, had glided from their elevated posi- 

 tion on the belfry window to the dust below, 1 was so much 

 Struck by the significant action of the winged Symbols 

 supporting the four shields on which are sculptured the 

 above letters as to induce me (scantüy provided as I am 

 with archasological lore) to attempt an interpretation of 

 their meaning. 



It will be observed six angels are introduced, two of 

 which support the shields with each hand, and four Sup- 

 port the same with one, while with the other they evidently 



VOL. VIII., 1858, PAKT II. S 



