WHITECHURCH CANONICORUM. 59 



the lower, of a i3th century base brought from some other place, 

 and rebuilt in its present position to bear the upper part, which 

 is of older date. The three oval openings beneath the tomb are 

 a common feature of such monuments. In these openings, 

 handkerchiefs and other small articles were placed, in the belief 

 that they would become possessed of healing virtues, and could 

 then be carried to recover the sick. This coffin was opened by 

 the Rev. Sir William Palmer, and was said to contain a small 

 stone box in which were a few bones, but no documentary 

 evidence remains of his act, nor any record of what he found 

 there. On the top stands a small stone cross much decayed, 

 which formed the finial of the east gable of the chancel. It was 

 placed here for its preservation by the Rev. J. R. W. Stafford, 

 a former vicar, in 1890. A second opportunity for examining 

 the contents of the tomb presented itself, for in March, 1900, an 

 ominous fissure appeared in the north wall, and it was necessary 

 to underpin the walls, which was done by the then Vicar, the 

 Rev. Charles Druitt. The movement of the soil and consequent 

 settlement dislocated the old shrine, re-opening an ancient 

 fracture in the stone coffin to such an extent that it became 

 necessary to reset the broken end. It was during the execution 

 of this work that the re-discovery of the relics was made.*' The 

 broken end of the coffin having been withdrawn, there was seen 

 within the end of a leaden casket eight inches square ; and on 

 it, cast in raised letters on the lead, was found the following 

 inscription : 



This proved to be the square end of an oblong, ancient, leaden 

 reliquary of 2ft. sins. It was badly damaged, having been 

 ripped open from end to end. The incrustation of oxide on the 



* Vide the Eev. Charles Druitt's paper, " Discovery of the Relics of S. Wita," 

 in the Salisbury Diocesan Gazette for Sept., 1900. 



