xliv. CAME AND oWERMoiGNE. 



WHITCOMBE CHURCH 



or " Widecomb," as the ancient spelling has it. The visitors, 

 especially those who had never seen it before, were delighted at 

 the picturesque ivy-mantled tower and the whole appearance of 

 church and churchyard William Barnes's first charge and 

 confessed that it seemed just the church to have a poet for its 

 cure. Here again Mr. Leslie gave a short address. 



Until the passing of the recent Benefices Act Whitcombe was one of the four 

 donative livings in this diocese. It is said that King Athelstan gave Whitcombe 

 to the Abbey of Milton. At any rate the rectory was from the first appropriated 

 to the monastery of Milton, which served the cure by a stipendiary priest or one 

 of their own monks, for no institutions occur in the Sarum registers. Later on 

 this rectory and chapel belonged to the rectory of Milton. In this way it has 

 passed from hand to hand until the present day. I think that most people who 

 travel this road must be struck by the beautiful proportions of the embattled 

 tower, which is of the loth century. The grilles in the windows are remarkably 

 good. On that of the south side can be read the initials " M.A." (possibly those 

 of the abbey) and the date 1500. The plan of the church, long and narrow, is 

 Norman. The south and north doorways belong to that period, but the latter is 

 built up. Of 13th century work there is the south porch arch and the east 

 window, terribly spoilt from inside by the depressed ceiling and the inartistic 

 reredos, but well worthy of examination from outside, where can be seen the 

 original hood-moulding in good preservation. The other windows are of the 

 loth century. In the head of the north chancel window are two pieces of loth 

 century glass. The font, a very large one of Purbeck marble, is of the 12th 

 century, with the exception of its smaller pillars, which are later. There was 

 formerly a rood beam, probably removed in 1561. In the churchyard is the step 

 with socket and the portion of the shaft of a 13th century cross. Perhaps the 

 head is buried below. The weathering of the 15th century roof, which has gone, 

 can still be seen. The church plate consists of an Elizabethan chalice and lid, 

 with the date 1573 engraved on the lid, and a George II. flagon and dish, " The 

 gift of Mrs. Lora Pitt to the Church of Whitcombe in Dorsetshire, 1739." There 

 are two bells, one inscribed "Hope well, I.W., 1610," and the other " Love God, 

 I.W., 1610." One is missing, probably the teuor. The most noticeable grave in 

 the churchyard is an enormous table stone, on which is the laconic inscription 

 " Spratt." 



The PRESIDENT thanked Mr. Leslie heartily for the excellent 

 accounts which he had given the party of the churches of Came 

 and Whitcombe. The party then made the tour of the little 



