xlv. 



CHARMINSTER CHURCH. Mr. ALBERT BANKES exhibited three photo- 

 graphs of the Church, and read some notes on the subject, of which 

 the following is an epitome : 



" The Golden Prebend of Bere and Charminster,' as it was anciently 

 called, included the Manor of Charminster, the rectories of Charminster 

 and Bere Kegis, and tithes on several parts of the parish of Charminster. 

 Owing no doubt to the great value of the living in those days, 

 Charminster Church must have been served by a very superior class of 

 rector, as we note in Hutchins that between 1375 and 1448 no less than 

 three rectors of Charminster were raised to the episcopal bench ; but 

 in the 21st year of Elizabeth the tithes of Charminster, Stratton, 

 Grimstone, Poleston, and Forston were granted to Sir Christopher 

 Hatton. Thus, to quote Hutchins, ' This rich prebend was dissipated, 

 and the Church robbed of a noble preferment by the rapacity of 

 courtiers and the avarice of private persons.' In 1650 Sir Thomas 

 Trenchard, Kt., had bought the tithes, and the magnificent stipend of 

 9 4s. 8d. was paid by the Trenchards to a curate for reading the 

 Common Prayer in the two churches of Charminster and Stratton, 

 nearly two miles apart. Whether the unfortunate curate had to preach 

 a sermon in addition to reading the Common Prayer AVC are not told. 

 About the time of the civil wars the chancel, 28ft. in length, was 

 demolished, the arch walled up, and an east window placed in it." 



In the restoration carried on it was decided to divide the work into 

 three divisions in order that no debt might be incurred : (1) The Nave and 

 South Aisle ; (2) The North Aisle ; (3) The Chancel. A considerable 

 sum was collected, chiefly in Charminster, and the work of removing 

 the gallery over the western arch, and underpinning the walls, 

 proceeded with. In stripping the cement off the exterior of the walls 

 four Norman windows, blocked up and forgotten for at least 350 years- 

 resembling those in Studland Church, near Corfe Castle were 

 discovered in the original clerestory. These windows are only 5^111 . 

 wide on the outside, but open out considerably on the inside. On the 

 removal of the upper layer of plaster on the inside of the church a 

 number of black-letter texts of the Information period appeared, arranged 

 in various devices. In the S.E. angle of the south aisle an Early 

 English piscina in good preservation has been found. Now that the 

 tower arch has been opened out, and the ground excavated so as to show 

 the full height of the Norman columns, the true proportions of the 

 church are beginning to be seen, and there is every promise of its 

 turning out a dignified and really fine structure. But it will be a great 

 pity if the funds will not allow of the tower and north aisle being also 



