GODALMING HUNDRED 



GODALMING 



buttresses accompanying the rebuilding. In this 

 period the first timber spire probably gave place to 

 the much loftier one of oak covered with lead, which 

 remains substantially as then reconstructed, save for 

 the later addition of broaches at the angles when the 

 parapet wall was removed. 



To the ninth period the ijth century belong 

 the extension westward of one bay of the nave and 

 aisles, a window in the north wall of the north tran- 

 sept, a corresponding one in the south transept, and 

 others which have been destroyed or shifted within 

 recent times. 



In the end of the I5th or beginning of the 1 6th 

 century the roof of the nave was ceiled with panel- 

 ling, the south chapel roof reconstructed, and a large 

 doorway, having a four-centred arch within a square 

 frame, was inserted in the west end of the church. 

 This in 1840 was removed to its present position 

 beneath the tracery window in the east wall of the 

 south chapel. During the iyth and i8th centuries a 

 western gallery and other galleries were erected ; the 

 south aisle walls were raised to provide the necessary 

 height, and re-roofed with a span roof. Wooden 

 frame windows were inserted in several places, and 

 dormers made to light the north aisle. 



In 1840, after the church had passed through the 

 usual stages of neglect, disfigurement, and mutilation 

 that characterized the 1 7th, 1 8th, and early igth 

 centuries, a severe ' restoration ' swept away not only 

 abuses, but many valuable ancient features. Most of 

 the work of 1 879 was of the nature of a true archaeo- 

 logical restoration, in which much of the bad work 



of 1840 was undone and many valuable ancient 

 features were brought to light. 



The windows and doors of the nave and aisles and 

 north chantry belong for the most part to 1840 and 

 1879, including that in the east wall of the north 

 chantry, but the east window dates from 1859. The 

 stair turret on the north side is also modern. 



Some points of detail in the interior of the church 

 have now to be considered. 



On the window sills of the south chapel are carved 

 fragments, in a very hard shelly limestone, of pre-Con- 

 quest date. Two seem to have formed the rims of 

 a circular basin or basins, but they are hardly large 

 enough to have served for a font, as has been suggested, 

 nor does the shape at all suggest such a use. The 

 total diameter of the two halves is only I ft. yjin. 

 by 6J in. in height and 3$ in. thickness. The 

 upright face is ornamented with four horses' heads, 

 separating alternate designs of interlaced work and a 

 running scroll, such as are found in the pre-Conquest 

 arch at Britford Church, near Salisbury. A third 

 fragment, with a basket-work pattern, may have been 

 part of the block on which this basin stood ; and two 

 others with a scroll-pattern and figures, much defaced, 

 suggest the stem of a churchyard cross. Some of 

 these were found built into the walls, notably in the 

 west arch of the tower, i.e. the chancel arch of the 

 pre-Conquest church, suggesting that they had formed 

 part of some building of even older date. 



Next in interest and date to these are the remains 

 of the priest's door and six windows of c. noo in 

 the chancel walls. The windows have splays running 



g C fo 



'Prc-Concjuesir' f 



P.tf, Johnston 



