(SO THE CHURCH SCREENS OF DORSET. 



door. In this chapel are two Jacobean benches with carved 

 backs. Sir Thomas Freke, who died in 1633, was a consider- 

 able benefactor to church fabrics in Dorset. Besides rebuilding 

 the nave of Iwerne Courtney and erecting screens there 

 and at Melcombe Bingham, he also rebuilt the chapel at 

 Melcombe Horsey about a mile from the parish church. This 

 chapel is now desecrated, and used for secular purposes. 



WEvST STAFFORD. 



This church was considerably restored and embellished c. 

 1640, and to this date belongs the fine screen. The wainscot 

 consists of three tiers of panelling the two lower being plain, 

 while the top tier is carved with the interlaced circles so 

 common in woodwork of this period. The upper part consists 

 of round arches of wide span with turned mullions. There 

 are no doors, but the doorway has a wide arch supported on 

 corbels. The south end of the screen is cut short one bay 

 from the wall to accommodate the pulpit. It is doubtful if this 

 arrangement is original. The cornice is well carved on both 

 sides. The muntins on the south side have been removed, and 

 the east side of the top tier of the wainscot on the south is 

 plain, while the north is carved on both sides. 



WIMBORNE MINSTER. 



The remains of the Jacobean stalls and screen\vork are so 

 jumbled together since the vandalism of 1855 that it is 

 difficult to decide exactly what does really belong to the 

 screen. At the present time there is a low screen composed 

 of portions of the wainscot of the stalls. This consists of 

 round-headed arches with keystones supported on turned 

 columns with some excellent carving above. There is how- 

 ever a portion of the old screen worked up into the modern 

 tower screen. This portion consists of part of the wainscot, 

 and is of plain and massive construction. Of the upper part, 

 which consisted of three open arches, there seem to be no 

 remains, at any rate in the church. The mutilated stalls still 

 retain their misericords with well-carved babeuries, and also 

 some excellent elbow rests and desk fronts. 



