I 82 ARCHITECTURAL STYLES IX FORDIXGTOX CHURCH. 



extensive and beautiful chancel \vas built, said by Hutchins 

 " to be larger and longer than the body of the church." He 

 further says that " it had stalls on each side of it after the 

 "manner of cathedrals, of oak very curiously carved, gilt and 

 " painted, a roof of timber in like manner very curiously deviced. 

 The rood loft at that time was highly preserved." 



The old foundations of this chancel were exposed by excava- 

 tion round the existing erection, and are shown by the lines 

 hatched in |||||||| on the plan. 



The old semi-Norman walls and arches between the nave and 

 chancel, and also those of the transepts and south aisle, appear 

 to have been removed and replaced with the existing responds 

 and arches in Ham Hill stone, which consist of plain bases with 

 jambs which die into them. Jambs of two orders, with engaged 

 shafts and a large ogee on each side of them, the shafts finishing 

 with a cap at the impost, and with a bowtell and fillet, continued 

 up round the arches over them. The outer ogees of the jambs 

 also go right up round and with the roll and fillet, forming the 

 section of the arch moulds. 



In the right hand side of one of these responds to the present 

 chancel there is a squint or hagioscope. Its size is ij feet 

 wide by 2 feet high. At present the pulpit blocks it, and it is 

 walled up on the chancel side ; but when the chancel spoken of 

 by Hutchins existed, an oblique line drawn from the Holy Table 

 through the same to the main entrance (as is shown by the 

 oblique dotted line on the plan) enabled a person standing inside 

 to see the altar. 



In the south-east abutment of the respond to the transept arch 

 occur the steps at present leading to the pulpit, but originally to 

 a rood loft. 



In Hutchins it is referred to thus: "In 1863 improvements 

 were effected in the interior of this church, and all that was 

 possible was done to restore the ancient stonework." The 

 upper doorway was lowered (this can be seen) and the 3 upper 

 steps removed to bring it to the level of the pulpit. The pulpit 

 was shifted from the north side to this position at this date. 



