103 



TILE PAVEMENT IN THE CHURCH. 



^E now present to our readers an engraving of the Church 

 of St. Mary at Great Bedwyn, a description of which ap- 

 peared in our last number. The author, having omitted in the 

 body of his work, to mention the remains of a tile pavement, which, 

 once adorned this ancient Church, desires to say a very few words 

 on the subject. There were extant in 1845, about forty patterns 

 of tiles, scattered about the floors of the Church and Chancel, 

 without any order or arrangement, except in this one instance : — 

 Repeated many times round the Chancel as border tiles set against 

 the wall, were two long tiles, 9 inches by 6|, representing on each 

 an equestrian figure in armour, meeting at full speed in deadly 

 strife. On one tile, was a Knight bearing on his shield the well 

 known templar's cross, and wielding in his right hand an upraised 

 sword, which would not have disgraced a Longespee ; on the other, 

 a Saracen holding with one hand a curved shield fitting close to 

 the chest, and in the other a long lance poised for action in a 

 horizontal position. This pair of tiles is engraved in the Gentle- 

 man's Magazine for July 1845 : and by the kindness of Mr. J. G, 

 Nichols is now presented before our readers. 



There were several separated tiles, inserted in difierent parts of 

 the Chancel floor, which when brought together and placed in 



