CHURCHES IN THE RURAL DEANERY OF DORCHESTER, 49 



tions of the original chancel ; the walls, however, had been rebuilt, 

 possibly when the 18th century window which it contained was 

 put in. Incorporated into the wall were three stones, which 

 appeared to be sills of an Early English triplet window. The 

 chancel arch, which was very plain, was of diminutive proportions, 

 being only about 5ft. in span with a height of 7ft. Gin. There was 

 a plain hagioscope on the south side of it. The transept, now 

 rebuilt in the Early English style, was a 14th century addition to 

 the church ; the piscina is of that date. Before the rebuilding, 

 about 1838, the nave had been enlarged. The north wall was 

 taken down and rebuilt farther back, so as to take in the whole of 

 the area now covered by the nave and aisle. On the rebuilding of 

 the church in 1863 the nave was restored to its former dimensions 

 by the addition of the arcade by which the new area enclosed in 

 1838 was converted into an aisle. 



The chief interest of the building now centres in the tower, of 

 13th century date, of which happily the most interesting part, the 

 basement, has escaped the rebuilder's hand. Churches of this 

 early period were frequently constructed so as to afford a refuge to 

 the parishioners in any sudden emergency. The parish church was 

 the parish castle ; and in the event of a sudden attack the villagers 

 could fly to it and there defend themselves. The towers were the 

 keeps of these ecclesiastical castles. Previous to the rebuilding of 

 the church in 1863 the tower was a low but solidly built structure, 

 about 23ft. in height, surmounted by a pyramidical roof, which was 

 covered with tiles. The only external openings were two slits, one 

 above the other, in the west face of the tower, of which the lower 

 one remains unaltered. The communication between the church 

 and tower was, and still is, by means of a small 13th century 

 archway. When closely pressed the garrison could retire to the 

 tower and barricade this entrance. The narrow slit or loophole 

 which still serves as a window is widely splayed into a shouldered 

 arch in the inside, and could be used by archers and cross-bowmen. 

 A similar loophole constructed for use in this way, with an inner 

 shouldered arch, may be seen in the ancient walls of York. The 



