THE CHURCH SCREENS OF DORSET. 77 



YETMINSTER. 



As recently as 1890 the base of the rood screen remained in 

 situ. Since that date all traces of it have disappeared. It is 

 probable that it was swept away during the restoration of the 

 chancel in the nineties. It was apparently a good piece of 

 Perpendicular work, and its destruction is greatly to be 

 deplored. Two corbels for the rood beam remain on either 

 side of the chancel arch, but that on the north is a restoration. 

 There are some good early 16th century bench ends in the 

 nave; and both nave and aisles have excellent painted timber 

 roofs. 



(2) Post-Reformation. 



FOLKE. 



This church was, with the exception of the tower, completely 

 rebuilt in 1628, and it still retains most of the excellent wood- 

 work erected at that time. The screen is of three bays with 

 pointed arches, each having a pendant at the apex. The 

 wainscot, which is in two unequal tiers, seems to be modern. 

 The doors only reach the level of the wainscot, and have each 

 a round arch in the panels fitted with iron stanchions. The 

 standards and front of the arches are well carved with 

 Jacobean designs, including roundels. The entablature is 

 plain, and surmounted by large ornaments and scroll work 

 in the centre. The east side of the screen is somewhat 

 plainer. In the central arch of the north arcade of the nave 

 is a wooden arch closely resembling the screen. It is probable 

 that it formed part of a manorial pew. 



FORDE ABBEY. 



The ancient Chapter House of this Cistercian Abbey was 

 fitted up as a private chapel by Edmund Prideaux, Cromwell's 

 Attorney General, in 1649, and still retains the magnificent 

 screen erected at that time. It consists of three bays, of 

 which the central is occupied by the doors. Each of the side 

 bays is sub-divided into two with plain round arches, which 



