ON AN INTERIOR WINDOW OF CHESTERFIELD CHURCH. l6l 



with the north aisle of the chancel. The chancel side of the 

 window is walled up and plastered over, a mural monument being 

 fixed in the plaster close to the back of the window. The first 

 name upon this monument is that of Henry, son of the Rev. 

 John Bourne, of Spital, who died in 1777 ; and the last name is 

 Anna Catherina, second wife of the said John Bourne, and 

 daughter of the Rev. Samuel Pegge, of Whittington, LL.D., who 

 died in 1816. Another monument, about five feet to the east of 

 this, is of the year 1782 ; and another close by on the west side 

 is of the year 1771. We take it, therefore, that this opening was 

 walled up somewhat over a century ago, in order to give space 

 for further mural monuments. 



The size of the window is just about five feet square, the base 

 being four feet from the floor of the chapel. The stonework is 

 covered with several coats of whitewash, a further proof of its 

 comparatively modern concealment. Iron stanchions are let into 

 the sides of the muilions, two to each light ; but of these the two 

 belonging to the west, light, and one belonging to the adjoining 

 one, are now absent. The muilions have no glass grooves, a fact 

 that is sufficient in itself, independently of its position, to show 

 that this opening could never have been of the nature of an 

 exterior window. 



There seems to be no doubt that we have here a squint, or 

 hagioscope, of most unusually large size. Through this opening 

 the majority of worshippers in the chapel would be able to plainly 

 see the high altar, and to watch the Mass, looking across the 

 north choir aisle. 



Large squints of several lights are found, but very occasionally. 

 There is one, as Mr. Micklethwaite, the well-known architect, 

 tells us, of this character from a "closet" in the chapel at 

 Sudley Castle. There is also another in the church of Burford, 

 Oxfordshire, which gives the clue to the true interpretation of the 

 Chesterfield example. The squint at Burford is a long window 

 in the east wall of the south transept, where the mayor and 

 corporation have for a considerable period sat. It gives a full view 

 of the high altar, through a chapel which forms the south aisle of 

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