the Virgin, Bishops Cannings. ll 



stopped, the height of the slab being about 3ft. 3in. from the floor- 

 | level. This insertion, together with the failure of one jamb, had 

 caused the settlement of the gable and a leaning forward of the 

 urchwsy itself to an extent which rendered it necessary to replace it. 

 This was done by forcing the latter back with screws, and re- 

 building the shattered gable over. In doing this oyster shells were 

 found in the joints, and as the work had every appearance of being 

 I of the twelfth century (the original pitch being retained) my oyster 

 Shell theory seemed to be in danger of falling to the ground. 

 Later on, however, the discovery of thirteenth century mouldings 

 on the back of some of the stones set the matter at rest. I was 

 then fully convinced that the gable was re-built in the fifteenth 

 century. This probably accounts for the one-sided position of the 

 window in the gable, as shewn in the view. It was also made clear 

 that the archway was subsequently inserted, and not built in at that 

 period, by the fact that it was bedded in mortar of an entirely 

 different kind to that used in the surrounding work. 



The question arises, when and from what part of the Church was 

 this altar tomb removed ? There is no wall-space in the chancel, 

 unoccupied by features of an earlier date, of sufficient width to 

 receive it; and I can only conclude that it was taken from the 

 chapel of "S. Mary of the Bovver," at, or shortly after, the time 

 of its conveyance to John Ernie, of Bourton, which was made by- 

 deed, dated 6th November, 1563. 



The only means of access to the room over the porch formerly 

 appeared through the window in the outside gable, but in the course 

 of the restoration a doorway into the aisle over the south entrance 

 doorway was opened out ; it had two steps in the thickness of the- 

 wall, and the jambs are rebated and retain the original hooks for 

 idoor hinges. The inner twelfth century doorway of this porch has 

 a corbel of fifteenth century character, inserted in the label over the- 

 centre of its arch, evidently for the support of a figure, and the rib 

 of the early vaulting has been cut away to give additional height 

 ifor it. The remains of a fifteenth century stoup exist on the right 

 .side of this doorway. Stoups also exist by the fifteenth century 

 doorway of north aisle, and the thirteenth century one of north 



