194 EVOLUTION OF THE COUNTRY CHURCHES. 



The windows are nearly all as originally built, and the 

 East Window of the South Aisle still retains its original tracery 

 although the mullions are modern restorations. 



There is a niche over the North door to take the figure of 

 a saint probably, and the character of this doorway resembles 

 those of the Vale Church in having a hood supported on corbels. 



The " corbie " steps of the West End are well known. 



The interior, as may be expected from a church with its 

 history, has several interesting features. There are two piscime, 

 one on the east wall of the centre aisle, the other on the south 

 wall of the south aisle. Both are much mutilated. 



There are two Easter Sepulchres in the usual position on 

 the north wall of the north aisle, and in the N.E. corner of this 

 aisle is a stone shelf, of the shape of a corbel table, the use of 

 which is not clear. 



The excrescence now used as a Vestry was put up in Post 

 Reformation times to serve as the meeting place of the Consis- 

 toire. 



THE VALE CHURCH. 



In this Church we have the only traces of monastic work in 

 Guernsey, in a definite piece of architecture, except in the small 

 priory of Lihou, which is however in such a ruinous state, that 

 every trace of the original building has well nigh disappeared. 

 The handiwork of the monks took the form of a Chancel of 

 what should be called Romanesque — though usually termed 

 Norman — architecture, simple in design, with just enough of the 

 necessary details of mouldings, capitals and features to be able 

 to judge of the period in which it was built. The monastic 

 influence also left its mark on this Church in another form, 

 viz., the want of regularity in the laying out of the Church. No 

 angles are square, no walls are parallel with any other, and the 

 result is a very irregular building in which the main axis of the 

 Chancel differs from the main axis of the Nave, and this part of 

 the south aisle differs by many degrees from that of the north 

 aisle. This deviation is well known and understood in England, 

 being attributed to a desire to recall the tortured agonized figure 

 on the Cross, and whether this is so or not, the fact remains that 

 the monks, for some reason of their own, either purposely or 

 accidentally introduced this deviation in many cases. 



The general view is that the Romanesque Chancel is the 

 oldest part of the Church. I am sure this is not so, as on the 

 south wall of the south aisle, near the present Chancel Arch is a 

 piscina. Such would be out of place in the case of the present 

 chancel being built before the nave, but there is no doubt that 

 this piscina marks the east end of the original part of this Church 

 and the present Chancel is a later addition. Further, the date of 



