XXviii. FIRST SUMMER MEETING. 



The two stone coffins, which had been discovered amongst the Abbey 

 ruins, and which now lie near to the Church porch, are supposed to be 

 those of abbots of the adjoining monastery; and within the porch, on its 

 eastern side, is the grave slab of another abbot. The defaced stone crucifix, 

 too, which is now above the church door, is thought to have been brought 

 from the abbey. The building is of the late Perpendicular style of 

 architecture, and dates back to the earliest years of the sixteenth century; 

 though remains of earlier work are incorporated. The interior arcading, 

 with arches of uniform size, is continuous to the east end of the chancel : 

 there being no chancel arch, although the roof of the chancel is distinguished 

 from that of the nave by its division into compartments, in some of which 

 as well as on the reredos the heraldic insignia of the Strangeways' family 

 with various impalements are conspicuous. In the south choir aisle is a 

 double piscina. The pre-Reformation glass (St. Catherine) on the south 

 side of the church was brought from the abbey. The Jacobean pulpit 

 shows two holes made by Cromwellian bullets in 1644. On the west face 

 of the tower is carved a curious emblem of the Holy Trinity a seated 

 figure representing God the Father, with the Dove on His right shoulder, 

 and a Crucifix between His knees. 



Outside the church were pointed out various monastic 

 remains, and the base of a Cross, which MR. A. POPE thought, 

 judging by its matrix, must have been an unusually large one. 

 The base is square, but it was octagonal above, and presumably 

 would be 25ft. in height. Mr. Pope conjectured that it was of 

 15th century workmanship, and that it originally stood in the 

 market place and not in the churchyard. 



The pinion end is all that now remains of the old manor 

 house of the Strangeways, which was destroyed in 1644. The 

 building, now used as a workshop, containing three pre- 

 Reformation windows, is variously conjectured to have been, 

 *the chapter house, the infirmary, or the refectory. Some 

 good fragments of the old gatehouse still remain, and the arch- 

 way is interesting. The huge Monastic Barn, of 15th century 

 work, measuring 276ft. by 31ft., was next visited with its 

 interesting porch, its fine range of buttresses, and its hexagonal 

 staircase tower. The decayed state of a portion of its thatched 

 roof is to be regretted; and it is hoped that, now that more 

 labour is available, it will be attended to. 



* D.F.C. Proceedings, Vol. VIII, p. 44, 



