

By E. Towry Whyte, M.A., F.S.A. 603 



' over it in the gable is a small trefoil-headed window with a square- 

 headed hood mould terminating in a head on the south and the 

 remains of an animal, perhaps a lion, on the opposite side. It is 

 just possible that this was not originally a window but may have 

 had a statue standing on tbe body of the bird, possibly that of St. 

 John the Baptist, to whom the Church is dedicated. The gable 



. is surmounted by a cross fleuvy. The south side is in all respects 

 like the north, except that there is no door, but now one bay at 

 the west is occupied by a modern organ chamber, with a vestry to 

 the south of it. The whole chancel is of well squared ashlar 

 stone, probably local. The roof is of red tiles, and is not ancient. 

 The South Transept. Externally there is now very little of this 

 transept to be seen, the lower part is entirely hidden by the vestry ; 

 it has an angle buttress to the south-east, a projecting stair turret 



..in the centre — which will be mentioned in the description of the 

 interior — and a square buttress at its western corner. Above the 

 roof of the turret and lead flat of the vestry is a three-light win- 

 dow without a hood, with a curiously-built relieving arch over. 

 This window was inserted by Mr. Ewan Christian when the vestries 

 were built, and takes the place of a very base design, perhaps of 

 the date of the p'resent bell stage. The jambs of the window seem 

 to be ancient. Above this window is a sun dial; the coping and 

 cross are modern, as is also the roof of red tiles. 



The Central Tower. The tower consists of two stages externally, 

 formerly it had only a single stage for the bells, and terminated in 

 a stone spire 65ft. high from the top of the tower. This spire was 

 struck by lightning on January 6th, 1762, and in its fall destroyed 

 the north transept roof and a great part of the north aisle roof. 

 No doubt this spire was very like the one at Chilmark Church. 

 The lower stage of the tower is "Transitional Norman," almost 

 "Early English," and dates from about 1180 — 1200. The upper 

 stage is a sort of classic, and was built after the destruction of the 

 spire to hold the bells. At the south-east corner of the tower is 

 a staircase turret, now finished with a sloping tile roof a little 

 above the parapet of the chancel, but j use above the termination 

 of the tiles against the tower are the remains of the original stone 



