86 



subsequent to the addition of the buttress which occupies the 

 central position. On the south side the S.W. buttress probably 

 dates from the Sixteenth Century. There is a small round-headed 

 window east of the central buttress, and in the Seventeenth 

 Century a larger window with a brick arch was inserted, but is 

 now covered with cement. The early windows had no glass, 

 but were closed with wooden shutters. 



The roof was of good English oak, covered with lead 3-1 6th 

 inch thick. The earliest date scored on it is 1381. 



The interior presents many features of interest and some 

 curious problems. The floor of the nave runs down about four 

 inches towards the chancel. Ten inches beneath the floor are 

 three or four feet of human remains and sand. Between the 

 choir and the chancel is a broad step raised some six inches above 

 the level of the nave, and from this we again descend on going 

 forward into the chancel. Both choir and chancel have four 

 columns, one in each corner, which bear two groined arches, semi- 

 circular stilted, and support stone vaultings. These arches are 

 of Purbeck "Burr," a stone now obtainable only from rocks which 

 appear at low tide thirty yards east of Swanage Quay. No other 

 arches of this stone are known in the neighbourhood. The rough 

 rubble work reaches a height of about four feet. The capital of 

 the N.E. column bears the Consecration Cross. 



In the choir the Norman arch has suffered much from settle- 

 ment. It is believed to have been bu : lt inside a Saxon square- 

 faced stilted arch. The earliest capitals are decorated with carved 

 ferns and harebells. Two corbels seem to have supported a rood 

 beam ; three holes to fix the rood to the ashlar work are to be 

 seen in the wall above. Over these are the remains of a fresco ; 

 there is a standing figure with one kneeling on e'ther side. The 

 nave arch is Norman, slightlv stilted, with hatchet and basket 

 mouldings on the capitals. The end beam of a side gallery was 

 once inserted in the north capital. 



The font stands at the west end of the Church. It is axed 

 out of Purbeck " Burr," and may date from the Twelfth Century. 

 It stands on a stone which was once a window head and was 

 evidently taken from the N.E. nave window. 



On the north side of the chancel there stands an altar tomb, 

 and Jhe suggestion is made in The Architectural and Topographical 

 Record for June, 1908, that this was the origmal high altar of the 

 Church, and that it stood on the step which now separates the 

 chancel from the choir, so that the choir was originally the chancel 

 and the present chancel was built to the east of it as a Lady 

 Chapel. This would account for the step which is otherwise 

 difficult to explain. It might also account for a hagioscope which 

 has been cut so as to afford a view of a reliquary at the back of 

 an altar placed on the step, but which could not possibly have been 

 directed on the Host with anv position of the altar. It is. however, 

 difficult to believe that a Lady Chapel can have been built as early 



