38 CHURCHES IN THE RURAL DEANERY OF DORCHESTER. 



The facts on which the subjoined descriptions are based were 

 obtained in every case by personal inspection of the buildings, 

 notes of their features being taken at the time, in which survey I 

 received much kind assistance from Mr. T. Hardy. 



1. DORCHESTER ST. PETER'S. 



A fine example of Perpendicular work. The church presents many 

 features in common with Sherborne Abbey, which leads to the suspi- 

 cion that both churches may have been the work of the same architect. 

 The arches with panels in the soffit are characteristic of the date. 

 Arches similarly decorated are found also in Sherborne Abbey, and 

 in the Perpendicular additions to Charminster Church. 



The DOORWAY is of excellent workmanship, of transition Gorman 

 period ; it consists of two orders, the inner carrying the chevron in 

 an enriched form, the outer a zigzag of peculiar character. The 

 roof is waggon-headed. 



The FONT is modern, and so also is the SEDILIA on the south 

 side of the chancel, as well as the east end of the chancel with the 

 east window. 



The date of the effigies of the Crusaders, which, according to 

 Coker (Survey of Dorset), were brought, at the dissolution of 

 monasteries, from the priory church, judging by their armour 

 would be 1360 to 1390. The reasons for fixing this date are as 

 follows : The gauntlets are detached from the arm pieces, and they 

 were not separated from them till the middle of the 14th century. 

 After 1400 plate armour was used ; these effigies are clad in chain 

 and plate armour. Moreover, the basinett under the head of the 

 knight, the camail of mail attached to the helmet, the horizontal 

 sword belt formed of square plaques and low down on the hips, 

 are distinct evidences of the period to which these effiigies are 

 assigned (see Archaeological Journal, vol. 43, Xo. 171, 1886, page 

 334). As some of the ejected monks were in all probability still 

 living in Dorchester when Coker w r as making notes for his history, 

 what he relates of the priory and of the transfer of these effigies 

 from it may be trusted. 



