ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 293 



support the roof, are undoubtedly old, being of that low, squat, thick 

 order, usually called Saxon. These, I should imagine, upheld the 

 roof of a former church, which, falling into decay, was rebuilt on 

 those massy props, because their strength had preserved them from 

 the injuries of time.* Upon these rest blunt Gothic arches, such as 

 prevailed in the reign above-mentioned, and by which, as a cri- 

 terion, we would prove the date of the building. 



At the bottom of the south aisle, between the west and south doors, 

 stands the font, which is deep and capacious, and consists of three 

 massy round stones, piled one on another, without the least orna- 

 ment or sculpture : the cavity at the top is lined with lead, and 

 has a pipe at the bottom to convey off the water after the sacred 

 ceremony is performed. 



The east end of the south aisle is called the South Chancel, and, 

 till within these thirty years, was divided off by old carved Gothic 

 framework of timber, having been a private chantry. In this 

 opinion we are more confirmed by observing two Gothic niches 

 within the space, the one in the east wall and the other in the 

 south, near which there probably stood 'images and altars. 



In the middle aisle there is nothing remarkable ; but I remember 

 when its beams were hung with garlands in honour of young women 

 of the parish, reputed to have died virgins ; and recollect to have 

 seen the clerk's wife cutting, in white paper, the resemblances of 

 gloves, and ribbons to be twisted in knots and roses, to decorate 

 these memorials of chastity. In the church of Faringdon, which is 

 the next parish, many garlands of this sort still remain. 



The north aisle is narrow and low, with a sloping ceiling, reaching 

 within eight or nine feet of the floor. It had originally a flat roof, 

 covered with lead, till within a century past, a churchwarden stripping 

 oft" the lead, in order, as he said, to have it mended, sold it to a 

 plumber, and ran away with the money. This aisle has no door, 

 for an obvious reason ; because the north side of the churchyard, 

 being surrounded by the vicarage-garden, affords no path to that 

 side of the church. Nothing can be more irregular than the pews 

 of this church, which are of all dimensions and heights, being 

 patched up according to the fancy of the owners ; but whoever 

 nicely examines them will find that the middle aisle had, on each 

 side, a regular row of benches of solid oak, all alike, with a low 



* In the same manner, to compare great things with small, did Wykeham, when he new- 

 built the cathedral at Winchester, from the tower westward, apply to his purpose the old 

 piers or pillars of Bishop Walkelin's church, by blending Saxon and Gothic architecture 

 together. See LOWTH'S Life of Wykeham. 



