168 STUDLAND CHURCH. 



the imposts of the arches and the other six feet higher, were worked 

 into the tower. 



Although no hammering was allowed the insertion of these bars 

 was a ticklish task, but happily no accident happened. About 

 half-way up the tower, at the N.E. angle, the ashlar had to be 

 removed three feet in height by twenty inches broad. There the 

 core commenced Tunning until no less than eight feet above the 

 hole was entirely emptied out. 



The whole of the plaster on the interior walls was picked off. 

 Then the difficulty had to be met how should the chancel arches be 

 kept up 1 For the cracks had been filled up of old with wooden 

 wedges and plastered over. These having decayed, and the walls 

 being a mass of small flints, chalk, and loamy sand (for there was 

 nothing solid), the core came rattling down like dust directly the 

 plaster was disturbed through the cracks in the groining where the 

 wedges had been fixed. The difficulty of the running core was 

 overcome by removing the loose stones directly the running ceased, 

 washing out the cracks, filling them with Portland cement-grout, 

 and treating the outside face with red sandstone. Underneath 

 the whitewash fresco paintings of figures were found on the lower 

 parts of the groined arches and on the walls round. Traces of these 

 frescoes are now visible. The diagonal ribs were discovered 

 ornamented with red and blue lines. 



A STUDY OF THE STRUCTURE. 



Insertion of Norman into earlier work (Saxon surely) meets the 

 investigator on every hand. To effect this insertion the Norman 

 masons carefully drew out the rubble-work and fitted the new 

 ashlar in the old. 



Outside the eastern wall of the chancel is an illustration of early 

 rubble-work intact from foundation to roof. The original plinth 

 and quoins remain. A Gothic window is inserted into this wall. 

 Of old there does not appear to have been any window, except in 

 the gable a small Norman loophole without decoration, and which 

 had no glass but was closed by a wooden shutter. On the gable- 



