CHURCHES IN THE RURAL DEANERY OF DORCHESTER. 47 



Iii that font also, though there is no continuous interlaced pattern 

 above the figures, the designs are distinctly of Saxon character, and 

 the figures are habited, so far as one can judge, in the garb with 

 which one is familiar from illuminations in Saxon MSS. (plate 2). 



Beneath the east window is a fragment of sculpture, possibly of 

 14th or 15th century, the subject of which is St. Mary Magdalene 

 wiping the Saviour's feet with her hair. There are also two corbel 

 heads of no special interest. 



7. CHARMINSTER. 



NAVE, arcades : Transition Norman. 



CLERESTORY : 14th century, or early 15th. 



ROOF : 15th century, corbels ditto, good. 



There may be under the plaster ceiling a good oak roof panelled, 

 or similar to that covering the porch. 



The string on the east wall of the nave shows the pitch of the 

 original roof. 



CHANCEL ARCH : An interesting specimen of transition Norman 

 There may be hagioscopes on either side of it. 



TOWER AND TOWER AISLES : Fine, late 15th century work of the 

 date of St. Peter's Church, Dorchester. 



CHURCH DOOR : 14th century. 



PORCH, mixed : The gurgo^le at the east corner is especially good. 



FURNITURE. PULPIT, Jacobean, dated 1635 a good speci- 

 men of this period. 



FONT : Might be Norman ; only the bowl, much cut about and 

 without lead lining, and the base remain. 



MONUMENTS : There are two interesting monuments in Purbeck 

 marble on the south side. The brasses are gone, but otherwise 

 they are in good condition. They were probably erected to 

 members of the Trenchard family, circa Henry VII. 



There are remains of a hagioscope which opened from the south 

 aisle into the chancel. 



HISTORY OF THE CHURCH AS RECORDED IN ITS STONES : The 

 original church was of the Norman transition period (plate 4). Of 



