A HISTORY OF DURHAM 



original high-pitched roof. They were originally 

 only 6 in. wide, but splayed inside, and have semi- 

 circular heads cut trom one stone. A little higher 

 up are indications of a second floor, above which the 

 tower is of 15th-century date. The grooves of the 

 old roof lines, which are of exceedingly steep pitch, 

 are filled on all four faces with small square stones 

 flush with the face of the wall."- The tower may 

 originally have risen no higher than the ridge of the 

 four abutting roofs, and the first floor 

 was entered through a doorway high up 

 in the south wall near the south-west 

 angle above the arch, reached by a 

 ladder or stairway from the south 

 transept. The floor, which was im- 

 mediately above the crown of the arches, 

 has been removed, but the doorway still 

 remains. The later belfry story has a 

 square-headed window of two trefoilcd 

 lights on each side and finishes with a 

 plain embattled parapet, the whole being 

 of rubble masonry different in character 

 from that below. 



The north transept, known later as 

 the Blakiston porch, has a modern 

 north window of three lights, but is 

 otherwise little altered e.xcept as regards 

 the roof, which, like those of the 

 chancel and south transept, is a leaded 

 one of very fliit pitch. The north 

 'gable,' which follows the line of the 

 roof, has a modern apex cross, but the 

 roof overhangs the side walls. On the 

 west side the line of the 1823 aisle 

 roof, higher than the present one, 

 shows against the wall. The transept 

 is built of rubble masonry with large 

 and massive angle quoins, some of which 

 measure z ft. 6 in. to 3 ft. in length 

 and 16 in. to 24 in. in height, but no 

 original openings or any architectural 

 features remain. Internally there is a 

 mutilated piscina at the south end of the 

 east wall with a roughly-shaped pointed 

 head, the bowl of which is cut away. It 

 may be a i 3th-century insertion. The 

 arch between the transept and the aisle 

 is modern. 



The south transept, which is known 

 as the Pity Porch," probably from its 

 having contained a chantry dedicated to Our Lady of 

 Pity, is very much modernized externally, the whole of 

 the south wall being new. The walls terminate in an 

 embattled parapet continuous with that of the chancel, 

 and the south window is of four cinquefoiled lights with 

 perpendicular tracery. There is a doorway below^ the 

 window in the south-west corner, and the angles have 

 modern double buttresses. In the east wall is an 

 original lancet window with head in one stone, an 

 insertion probably when the chancel was rebuilt, but 

 there are no other ancient features. The roofs of 

 both transepts are bo.irded internally, and the walls, 

 like those of the rest of the building, are of bare stone. 

 The pointed arch between the transept and the south 

 aisle is of the same date as the nave arcade, and 



consists of a single chamfered order springing from 

 imposts. 



The nave is of three bays, the arcades consisting 

 of pointed arches of two moulded orders similar to 

 those of the east and west tower arches, but with the 

 hood mould on the nave side only, springing at a 

 height of 9 ft. 6 in. from circular piers with moulded 

 capitals and bases. The responds are of similar type, 

 except that at the east end on the south side, which 



Norton Church Tower 



is keel-shaped. The piers arc 25 in. in diameter, 

 and the capitals have circular necks and octagonal 

 abaci. Those on the north side are quite plain, but 

 on the south the capital of the easternmost pier has 

 an indented moulding along the underside of the 

 abacus, and that of the adjoining pier has the neck 

 carved with early leaf ornament. The capitals of the 

 responds are carved with the early volute. A torus 

 string runs the whole length of the wall on each side 

 immediately above the crown of the arches, stopping 

 against the east and west walls. The clearstory wall? 

 are of wrought masonry in courses, and are divided 

 externally into three bays by flat pilaster buttresses. 

 There are three original transitional round-headed 

 windows on the north side, and the same disposition 



" RtUg. (New Ser.), viii, ii. the seats in the church. The servants 



" In 1635 an allotment was made of who could not read were to sit in the 



312 



south porch called * Petty Porch' (Sur- 

 tees, op. cit. iii, i 59). 



