Visited by the Society in August, 1888. 



163 



The earliest part of the existing building' is the north transept, 

 erected; probably, early in the fourteenth century, and no other 

 work of this date remains. (The south transept has been re-built.) 

 Next in date comes tbe north aisle, which appears either to have 

 been vaulted in stone and this abolished when the nave was re-built, 

 or the springers to have been prepared for it and the idea never 

 carried out — however this may be, the springers, wall-ribs, and 

 shafts exist on the south wall, whilst the face of the arcade forming 

 the other side of the aisle is panelled in the spandrils where the 

 vaulting would have come. The nave, north aisle, and tower were 

 apparently erected before the middle of the fifteenth century— 

 though the tower windows have been altered, the tower raised, and 

 spire added at a later date, and the unusual feature of a western 

 porch erected in front of it. This is richly groined, and the keystone 

 of the arch supports a corbel. The nave has its original roof 

 of barrel-vault form, with tie-beams, very similar to that at 

 Calstone. 



As is the case at Bromham, the gem of this Church is the chapel, 

 which is here erected on the north side of the chancel. This ap- 

 parently dates from early in the reign of Henry VII., and is very 

 elaborate in treatment. The richly moulded and carved arches and 

 the pendant groining with its peculiar ribs, carved as festoons of 

 foliage, in the easternmost bay ; the niches supporting the springers 

 and bearing traces of the original colouring, and the remnants of 

 painted glass, are all objects of great interest, and seem to tell us 

 that nothing was spared to render these chantry chapels as beautiful 

 as it was possible to make them. Both of the side windows of this 

 chapel are blocked up by monuments — very elaborate in themselves 

 —one to Sir William Sharington, who died in 1566 (this has 1 

 graceful Italian foliage and arabesque ornament), and the other 

 to John Talbot, who died in 1713. 



It is clear that the east gable of the nave was re-built at the 

 same time with the chapel, also the window inserted over the chancel 

 roof — (part of the earlier arch and tie-beam having been cut away to 

 admit of its being better seen), for the gable on the outside has the 

 same profusion of late carved decoration as the parapet of the chapel, 



VOL. XXIV.— NO. LXXI. M 



