ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE 



Coming to the smaller structural features of churches, there are 

 aumbries of the twelfth century at West Clandon and Compton, and 

 double aumbries of thirteenth century date at Nutfield, Tatsfield, 

 Fetcham, Godalming and St. Mary Overie. Piscinae remain in 

 about fifty churches. The earliest are to be found in West Clandon, 

 Compton and Thames Ditton — the last a ' pillar ' piscina {c. 1 140-60). 

 Another, in the nave of West Clandon, dates from c. 1180 ; while 

 to the thirteenth century belong those in the following churches : — 



Ash, Blechingley, Carshalton, Chaldon (three), Charlwood (aisle), Chelsham (chancel), 

 Chiddingfold, Chipstead, Cobham (north chapel), Coulsdon, Cranley, Dunsfold (four), Fetcham, 

 Gatton, Godalming (four), St. Mary's Guildford, Limpsfield (three), Merstham (two, one 

 double), Ockham (double — in chancel), Oxted (two), Warlingham (three), Witley (north chapel), 

 and Wotton. 



There is an interesting series of sedilia, beginning with plain 

 single-arched recesses of the thirteenth century at Warlingham (nave 

 and chancel), Limpsfield, Oxted and West Clandon, and going on to the 

 beautiful triple-arched ranges of seats found at Coulsdon, Thames Ditton, 

 Fetcham, Blechingley, Godalming, Cranley, Dunsfold, Thorpe, Leather- 

 head (restored), Beddington, Farnham and St. Giles's, Camberwell. 

 Recesses in the east wall, probably used for reservation, remain at West 

 Clandon, Limpsfield and Tatsfield. A wooden balance lever, perhaps 

 used for the suspension of the pyx containing the Host, still remains 

 attached to the wall plate on the north side of the chancel at Pirford. 

 What have been variously explained as niches for lamps or ovens for 

 baking the sacramental wafers are to be seen in one or two churches — 

 Nutfield, Dunsfold (north wall of chancel), and Limpsfield. 



Easter sepulchres are neither numerous nor easy of identification, 

 for the reason that they were usually movable wooden structures, and 

 also because in the century before the Reformation it was fashionable 

 for wall-tombs to be constructed for the double purpose of a monu- 

 ment and for a place of deposit for the wooden 'sepulchre' contain- 

 ing the Host and crucifix. Tombs so used remain in several churches, 

 e.g. Compton, Carshalton, Kingston, Peperharrow and Witley ; while 

 recesses which may have served as Easter sepulchres occur at Alfold, 

 Blechingley, Burstow, Cranley, Nutfield, Oxted, and, perhaps, Thames 

 Ditton. 



Image niches and brackets are not very common, but good 

 examples of the former occur at Blechingley, Burstow, Caterham, 

 Charlwood, Dunsfold, St. Mary's Guildford, Leigh, Merstham, Oxted, 

 and Reigate ; while wall and pillar brackets are found at Caterham, 

 Compton, Limpsfield, Pirford and Thursley. Where stone brackets or 

 corbels occur over an altar — or, what is the same thing (as at Chels- 

 ham church), small shafts with capital and base — the presumption 

 is that they carried the altar-beam, but in some cases they may have 

 been image brackets. 



Besides the great altar-screen at St. Mary Overie, stone reredoses 

 of elaborate tabernacle-work have been found at Reigate and Limps- 



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