TARBANT RUSHTON CHURCH. 69 



Reformation. Whatever may have been its original use, it 

 has some interesting points which have exercised the ingenuity of 

 antiquaries. It is now placed against the wall in the vestry. 

 In removing the plaster, the capital of the old Norman piscina 

 was found under the existing piscina, forming a basin to it. This 

 is at present on one of the window sills in the chancel. On the 

 opposite sill is a piece of Purbeck marble with a portion of a cross 

 in relief in good condition. The slab of which it formed part 

 evidently belonged to a tomb, and was probably broken in pieces 

 for building purposes. It was found imbedded in the wall under the 

 west window, and I am inclined to think that there may be other 

 portions in different parts of the west end. On the outside there 

 are two stones marked for sun-dials one under the south transept 

 window, the other forming a part of the south door jamb. There is 

 a small coffin cover under the south window of the bell chamber, 

 and to the right, a little below, a rude cross built into the wall. 



So much for the description of the church. There are some 

 points in it which demand more than a passing notice. 



I spoke of the two earthenware vessels in the eastern face of the 

 chancel arch wall as acoustic vases. It is well known to archaeolo- 

 gists that there has been many a battle fought over this subject. 

 When they were first exposed to view my first thought was that 

 they might contain relics or a portion of the remains of some dis- 

 tinguished persons, but having read all on the subject on which I 

 could lay my hands I have long since abandoned the idea. One 

 thing is certain that in various parts of Europe, certainly in 

 France, Italy, Sweden, Denmark, Ireland, and especially England, 

 earthen jars, oaany of them of a domestic character, are found 

 imbedded in the walls or placed under the floor of churches. 



At Fountain's Abbey, in 1854, they were found at the base of 

 the choir screen. At St. Peter's, Mancroft, Norwich, in 1850, 

 under the part occupied by the choir stalls were found two rows of 

 red earthen jars, 26 in number, opening towards one another into 

 the space between them. Ten years later a similar discovery was 

 made at St. Peter's, Mountergate. At St. Peter's, Upton, in the 



