THE CHURCH SCREENS OF DORSET. 75 



doorhead rises higher than the level of the transom. The 

 lierne vaulting is intact on the west side only, and displays an 

 unusual feature in the girdle rib which intersects the lierne 

 ribs, and runs round the lierne vaulting half-way up its height. 

 The cornices are very sumptuous and contain three rows of 

 enrichment with a top cresting, all of which retain much 

 colour and gilding. The lowest cresting has been repaired 

 with plaster. The wainscot is ornamented with a sort of 

 foliated canopy design similar to that on the screen of St. 

 Decuman in Somerset. The doors are intact, though the upper 

 part has been repaired. There is now no trace of the rood 

 stairs, since the walls have been much pulled about and 

 modernised. There is no doubt that this is the finest and 

 most perfect screen remaining in Dorset, though, as we pointed 

 out above, Trent was only transferred to this county in 1896, 

 before which it was included in Somerset. This church also 

 retains some fine bench ends and the remains of a rich 15th 

 century pulpit similar to those at Queen Camel and Long 

 Sutton. Part of it has been renewed in deal. This pulpit at 

 present serves as a reading-desk. Both screen and pulpit are 

 evidently copied from those at Queen Camel; but the detail in 

 each case is inferior and rougher in execution. 



WHITCOMBE. 



There is no chancel arch in this church; but, until about 30 

 years ago, there was a plastered tympanum, which was at that 

 time unfortunately removed. The beam which formerly 

 supported this tympanum still remains in situ. It is roughly 

 cut and devoid of all ornamentation. It is probable that the 

 foot of the rood was fastened to this beam, and that the 

 tympanum formed a painted background to the sacred figures. 

 Occasionally the rood was painted on the tympanum, as at 

 Ludham, Norfolk, and this may have been the case here. 



WINTERBOURNE CAME. 



Here is a good, but much restored, early 16th century 

 screen. There is no chancel arch, and no traces of rood 

 stairs. The base beam is modern. The wainscot has linen 



