140 The New Forest : its History and its Scenery. 



the traceried windows of the choir, with their flying buttresses ; 

 and beyond them again stands the Lady Chapel, surmounted by 

 St. Michael's loft, ugly and vile. 



Entering, and standing at the extreme south-west end, we 

 shall see the massive Norman piers rise in long lines, lightened 

 by their columns, and relieved by their capitals, the spaces 

 above each arch moulded with the tooth ornament. Above 

 springs the triforium with its double arches, some of their pillars 

 wTeathed with foliage, the central shafts chequered in places 

 with network, and woven over with tracery. Above that again 

 runs the clerestory, now spoilt, whilst an open oak roof, hid by a 

 ceiling, but once rich with bosses and carved work, encloses all. 



To go into details. The porch and north aisle are Early- 

 English, whilst a Norman arcade runs the whole length of the 

 south aisle. The tower, and choir, and Lady Chapel, are Per- 

 pendicular, and the nave, as far as the clerestory windows, 

 Norman. 



Passing through the rich rood-screen, which, however, sadly 

 blocks up the way, we reach the choir, with its four traceried 

 windows on either side, and clustered columns, from which 

 springs its groined roof with bosses of foliage and pendants 

 bright with gold, whilst the capitals of the shafts and the 

 quatrefoils of the archivolts are rich with colour. The stalls 

 are carved with grotesque heads and figures, like those in the 

 Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity, at Stratford-upon-Avon. 

 Before us now stands the lovely reredos, illustrating the words 

 of Isaiah, — " There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of 

 Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots." Jesse sleeps 

 at the bottom, his hand supporting his head, whilst David, with 

 his fingers on his harp-strings, and Solomon, sit on each side, 

 the vine spreading upwards, bearing its leaf and full fruit in 



