By C. E. Pouting, F.S.A. 17 



The Chuech of S. Mary, Winterbourne Gunner. 



Chancel, nave, with S. porch, and western tower. 



This charmingly-situated little Church, which arrests the eye of 

 the traveller by the South Western main line, is of the simple 

 type which exactly suits its position. 



The modern history of the parish has not been uneventful, for 

 the story goes that well within living memory the chancel roof 

 fell in, and that the Church was closed in consequence for fourteen 

 years ! The present flat-ceiled roof cannot be said to be an 

 extravagant way of getting out of the difficulty. 



The chief peculiarity in the building is that a south aisle once 

 existed and has been pulled down, leaving intact the arcade of 

 Transitional Norman work of two bays of pointed arches of one 

 chamfered order, with simple impost moulding on the responds and 

 octagonal central pillar with curious square capital. The new 

 south wall of the nave with its two-light window was built outside 

 of this, and a new roof put on over the old ; the latter is of the 

 collared and braced-rafter type of the fourteenth century. The 

 south door is an old one built into the modern wall. The chancel 

 arch is of the same type as the south arcade. 



What remains of the old walls of the chancel (the north wall 

 was " Eebuilt 1810,") appears to be fourteenth century work, and 

 a single-light trefoil-headed window exists on the south of the 

 sanctuary — a similar one existed farther west, but has been en- 

 larged. 



The east window is modern. Traces of an early fresco (a hand) 

 can be seen north of the chancel arch, and over it some decoration 

 in black. A good deal of black letter exists over the arch and on 

 the south wall. 



Built into the outside of the north wall of the nave is the head 

 of a very early Norman window, which points to a Church here at 

 that period ; this wall is a piece of modern rebuilding with a new 

 window and buttress; an old buttress remains at the north-east 

 VOL. XXXVI. — NO. CXI. C 



