By C. K Pontiwj, F.S.A. 447 



There are also some ancient banners and helmets and some 

 coloured glass in the windows. 



The south porch is large and embattled. 



The font has an octagonal bowl, on stem of like shape.] 



WiNTERBOURNE Bassett. S. Katiiarine (modern dedication 



S. Peter.) 



Plan — Chancel ; nave, with arcade of three bays in the north 

 wall, the easternmost of which is occupied by a north transept, and 

 the other two by a north aisle; western tower, and south porch. 



The walls of this Church (except the tower) as of all others 

 along this valley, are built of sarsen stones roughly broken. There 

 is no evidence that the masons of the middle ages attempted to 

 work this hard material to a face and even the breaking of the 

 boulders into manageable fragments was done after the middle of 

 last century, by means of fire, followed by sudden cooling with 

 cold water. 



In this Ciiurch we have some of the most beautiful features 

 existing in the county of the somewhat rare "Decorated" period, 

 which may be roughly put as contemporary with the three Edwards 

 and, altliough the font indicates the previous existence of a jSTorman 

 Church, no structural work remains earlier than the fourteenth 

 century. The Decorated work is of the time when the manor was 

 held l)y the Despencers (Hugli Despencer, the elder), to wliom it 

 came through the l^issets, and it was commenced by the erection 

 of the nortli transept, north aisle, and tlie nave arcade. The 

 transept was Uu^ chapi;! oi" llio family and was approacluMl b\- a 

 doorway in the north aisle, whicli latter is very narrow and .seems 

 to have been designed as an adjunct to the chapel, and hatl no 

 window until over a centur}- later. 



Till' transept is ^-abled on llio north side, and in this wall i> a 

 throe-li-lit wiiidnw of ox(|uisito dcsi-ii ; t lio janil)s and arcli are 

 moulded on tlio outside, and tlio ninllioiis and trai-ei'V insi(K» and 

 out, with I wo orders of mouldings, in an unusual decree of licimesa 

 and ri'liiuMuent . The t racerv is of t he rol iculated foim; on the 



