I 88 ARCHITECTURAL STYLES IN FORTHNGTON CHURCHi 



to form their own opinion. Symbolism is writ large in 

 ecclesiastical architecture. There are Ham Hill stone pinnacles 

 set square at the angles and in the middle of each side, corres- 

 ponding to those of the buttresses. These spring from huge 

 gargoyles at their base. 



The parapet of Ham Hill stone is plainly embattled with the 

 coping moulding continued down the sides of the embrasures, 

 and then again returning horizontally. The roofing down is 

 covered with a lead flat. 



The upper part of the tower is reached by a narrow newel 

 stone staircase, circular inside and partly octagonal in form 

 outside, lit by several slit windows, the parapet to same carried 

 higher to allow the door to open under cover to flat, and the 

 angles of same ornamented with crocketted pinnacles, smaller in 

 scale, but corresponding to the others on the embattlement. 

 This has recently been added to on the top, with an octagonal 

 pinnacled erection of no utility, which finishes with a large 

 crocketted pinnacle as a terminal. This addition has been 

 nicknamed, severely criticised, and called very much in question, 

 as it has altered and interfered with the characteristic form of 

 skyline prevailing with the towers in Wessex. 



The tower contains a belfry, and a splendid peal of six bells, 

 some of which are said to have been stolen from Bindon Abbey. 



The bells have recently been re-hung, and the belfry modernised. 



There are eight windows in the tower beside the two small 

 slits for the belfry pairs of two-light transomed windows at the 

 belfry stage to the south, east, and west fronts, and a three-light 

 one to the north front, of hollow chamfered work, with single 

 cusped pointed heads at both transoms and springings of the 

 arches. The jambs have deep casements or hollows, and the 

 arches are enriched with bold hood-mouldings, continued as 

 strings between the buttresses. The openings proper are filled in 

 with quatrefoiled panelling, with small shields in the middle of 

 each quatrefoil. 



The large west window to the lower stage is four-light, the 

 tracery being in two orders, of a design common to work of this 



