PETERBOROUGH SOKE 



WITTERING 



The chancel arch has a torus on the soffit, between 

 canted hollow-chamfered angles flanked by a second 

 torus. On the west side there is also a square-edged 

 rib framing the arch, the sections of arch and jambs 

 being the same.' The imposts are heavy roughly- 

 shaped blocks, built in two courses and tapering 

 downwards. On the line of the outer rib they are 

 set out to form separate capitals for this member, and 

 the rib and torus are splayed outwards below the 

 impost and at the base. There is no sort of base to 

 the jambs except this, and they stand on large rect- 

 angular blocks left in the rough like the imposts. 



The north arcade of the nave is of two bays with 

 round arches of two orders, the inner order having a 

 plain roll, and the outer a band of zigzag towards the 

 nave, and a plain square section towards the north 

 aisle. The labels in like manner have lozenge and 

 sunk star ornament on the nave side in both arches, 

 whilst towards the aisle the east label has the billet 

 moulding, and the west a plain chamfer. The 

 capitals arc scalloped, and the central pillar of the 

 arcade is round, while the responds have a half-round, 

 with a detached nook-shaft towards the nave. There 

 is an embattled 15th-century bracket on the east 

 respond of the arcade, on the nave side, and in the 

 wall above is the rood-loft door. The nave is lighted 

 on the south by a single two-light window, the jambs 

 of which are probably of the 13 th century, but the 

 four-centred head and the tracery belong to the 15th. 

 In the east jamb of this window is a moulded bracket 

 like that in the chancel. The south doorway is of 

 the 13 th century, with a moulded arch and engaged 

 jamb-shafts with moulded capitals. It is now covered 

 by a modern porch. The north aisle has a modern 

 two-light north window, and in the west wall a 

 single trefoiled light of the 14th century. The 

 blocked north doorway is of the date of the aisle, 

 c. 1450, with a four-centred head. A short length of 

 a 12th-century string remains in the wall at the 

 south-east of the aisle. 



1 The contmuations of the second torus in the jambs are 

 modern, but doubtless represent the old arrangement. 



The tower is of four stages, with diagonal buttresses 

 at the western angles, the wall face setting back above 

 the first stage, and again above the third.' The 

 tower arch of two chamfered orders is corbelled out 

 at the springing, with moulded corbels ending in 

 heads. In each of the first three stages of the tower 

 is a trefoiled lancet in the west wall, and in the third 

 stage there are also quatrefoiled circles in the north and 

 south walls. In the belfry stage are windows of two 

 trefoiled lights in all four faces, with quatrefoiled circles 

 over,and labels with masks. The octagonal stone spire is 

 contemporary with the tower, and has rolls at the 

 angles, and low-pitched broaches at the base, with a 

 cornice enriched with masks alternating with ball 

 flowers. There are two tiers of trefoiled spire lights, 

 the lower tier having trefoils over them. All have 

 gabled heads with plain gable crosses. The spire was 

 struck by lightning fifty years ago, and shortened in 

 rebuilding. 



There is no old woodwork in the church except a 

 few benches at the west end, with simply-moulded 

 tops and ends, which may be of the later part of the 

 1 7th century. They have served as a model for the 

 modern seating. 



The font stands under the tower, and has a round 

 bowl on a round stem. The bowl only is ancient, 

 but there is little to fix its date. 



The plate consists of a silver-plated cup, a pewter 

 paten, and a pewter bread-holder, dated 1843. 



There are three bells, hung in a modern iron 

 frame, the treble and tenor by Tobie Norris of 

 Stamford, 168 1, and the second inscribed Lau! tibi 

 Domine, of mediaeval date but uncertain origin. 



The first book of registers contains baptisms and 

 burials from 1743 to 1783, imperfect from 1750 to 

 1 76 1. The second contains marriages from 1757 to 

 1779, the third baptisms from 1785 to 1800, burials 

 from 1783 to 1801, and marriages from 1784 to 

 18 1 1, the fourth marriages from l8ll to 18 12, the 

 fifth baptisms and burials from 1 80 1 to 18 12. 



' On the south-east buttress of the tower is a small 

 sun-dial. 



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