300 NOTES AND QUERIES. 



stone. In this church the N. Arcade is granite, the S. polyphant ; 

 and while the former only shews a few cracks here and there in the 

 moulding of one or two of the pillars, and is so comparatively 

 uninjured, that nearly the whole arcade will remain as before, the 

 latter must be wholly renewed. Indeed the greater portion of each 

 polyphant pillar and arch is so eaten away, that all moulding has 

 vanished, and only the central core of each pillar — like the heart of 

 old oak posts, whose outside layers have perished — remains good. 

 It is suggested that the heat resisting properties of polyphant-stone 

 depend largely upon the blocks being laid with their strata horizontal, 

 while in this case they were laid perpendicularly : into which, not 

 being a petrologist, I am unqualified to enter. 



It is observable that the joists of the 15th century floors were 

 laid on carefully-built dwarf walls, with ample air-spaces between 

 the walls and beneath the floors : a very proper method of laying 

 flooring — rather more rare than desirable, however, in churches of 

 this period. 



No. 6. 

 Pillared Piscince. 



What examples of these ancient drains are there in Cornwall, 

 beside the following ? — Blight figures one at Bodmin ; and there 

 are sketches of others at Altarnon church, (? brought from St. 

 Luke's chapel, near Palmer's Bridge) ; and at Egloskerry; with 

 the latter of which may be compared one at the Mumbles. These 

 shafted Piscinae are considered uncommon : it would be interesting 

 to know what other examples Cornwall possesses. 



No. 7. 

 Norman Tympana. 

 At Egloskerry, also, there are the tympanum, arch, and jambs 

 of a Norman door in the north wall of nave. The dragon — the 

 emblem of evil — being displayed on the outside of a church against 

 the north door is supposed to be symbolic of evil spirits and all evil 

 passing out through the north door, while good spirits and all good 

 enter by the south door : the latter is therefore often embellished 

 with the Agnus Dei. 



A. H. MALAN. 



