XXXVJii. THE VALLEY OF WINTERBOURNE. 

 WlNTERBOURNE WHITECHURCH. 



Following the valley road the party came next to Winter- 

 bourne Whitechurch, and entered the interesting church of 

 St. Mary, which succeeded the original " white church " of 

 Saxon times. 



The Rev. HERBERT PENTIN mentioned that the Rector (the 

 Rev. H. H. Tilney Bassett) could not be with them, and had 

 asked him to call attention to the principal features of interest 

 in the church. 



The nave was burnt down CO years ago. The arches under the tower, with 

 their capitals carved with faces, some grotesque, other angelic, were late 

 Norman. The wooden pulpit, of about the date 1420, belonged originally 

 to the old parish church of Milton, which was pulled down at the restoration. 

 It was formerly covered with plaster ; but some years ago the Rector dis- 

 covered that there was some beautiful woodwork under the plaster, and on 

 the plaster being removed the carved and painted woodwork was found. 

 The figures of the evangelists in the niches were modern. In the parish 

 register was to be seen the entry of the baptism of John and Charles Wesley's 

 father. It had been photographed, and would soon be obtainable in the 

 popular picture postcard form. The entry read : 



" 1662. Samuel Wesley, the son of John Wesley, was baptised December 

 17th." 



The Rev. C. W. H. DICKER, referring to the tower arches and Norman piers, 

 observed that in many cases pointed arches were found in association with 

 pure Norman work. The pointed arch had been discovered centuries before, 

 and did not necessarily mark any transition, as was popularly supposed. 

 Here at Whitechurch they saw the true contrast between the heavy Norman 

 work and the light Early English. The Gothic feeling was noticeable in the 

 spring upwards, which marked a new departure in structure. Originally 

 that was probably a late Norman church. For some reason the tower dis- 

 appeared, and all that remained of it, the two arches, were left in situ, and 

 thereupon the Thirteenth Ce tury builders started and finished the chancel 

 in the prevailing style of the period. 



On leaving the church the party went round to the north outside wall, to 

 view the small ancient cross embedded in the masonry, a cross which some 

 call Saxon and others British. 



WINTERBOURNE KINGSTON. 



The party did not dismount from their carriages at Winter- 

 bourne Kingston, but they pulled up for a minute to have a 



