By the Rev. A. C. Smith, M.A. 



345 



all the inner mouldings, and ruined it for ever. 1 Towards the end of 

 the fourteenth century the Church again underwent extensive repairs, 

 and then it was that the south aisle was removed, and Perpendicular 

 windows were inserted, and the general fabric left as it now stands ; 

 with the exception however of the chancel, which was re-built from 

 the ground in 1854, to replace a hideous erection, with square win- 

 dows and flat whitewashed ceiling, of the last century. The nave, 

 aisles, and tower are roofed with lead, and the latter contains four 

 good bells, the tenor being — so far as I can ascertain — the largest 

 and heaviest of a peal of four in the county, weighing about 9 cwt. 

 and measuring 38J inches in diameter. 2 They were re-hung in the 

 spring of the present year (1879), and they bear the following in- 

 scriptions : — 



1. Ano Dni 1636. W. F. 



2. (No inscription.) 



3. Ano. dni. 1636. 



4. I. Washbourne, T. Ranger, R. Walter, Churchwardens. 



R. Wells, Aldbourne, fecit 1773. 3 



Within the Church a small doorway may be seen at the extreme 

 south-east end of the nave, opening on a staircase, and above it, 

 but rather more to the east another door of the original rood-loft, to 

 which that staircase conducted : the stairs are also continued on to 

 the roof of the nave. 



When the Church was restored in 1854, it was found necessary 

 to pull down and re-build the chancel arch, which was effected by 

 shoring up the whole of the east end of the nave roof by means of 

 props from below. Though the chancel arch was so small and narrow 

 as to be inconvenient for service, and showed such signs of settle- 



1 This window is mentioned with commendation by Dean Merewether in the 

 Salisbury volume of the Archaeological Institute, page 95. 



2 Magazine, vol. ii., p. 77. On Church Bells, by Rev. W. C. Lukis. 

 3 In the old Churchwardens' Account Book, to be mentioned farther on, these 

 items occur : — 



1773. Feb. 23, Pd. for caring the ould Bell and bringing back the 



new & expences £: 1 : 10 : 0. 



Mar 7. Pd. Mr Wells for a new Bell 34 : 8.0. 



Paid the plummer Bill 20 : 15 . 4. 



