By the Rev. H. K. Anketell, Vicar. 



85 



that were recorded as existent, and so coming 1 under the cognisance 

 of the commissioners. 



Tradition points to an earlier structure at Upper Seagry, built on 

 the site of the ancient British burial ground mentioned above. 



The Church of S. Mary the Virgin, Seagry, appears to have been 

 founded on the feast of the Assumption, 1172. It originally con- 

 sisted of nave, chancel, and south transept, and one bell. The 

 inscription rudely and indistinctly written around the upperpart of the 

 old bell in letters of the fifteenth century, was " Sancta Anna ora pro 

 nobis" This bell was re-cast at the restoration of the Church in 

 1849, and is now the bell of the Church. The architecture of the 

 old Church was, generally, Early English, with bold Perpendicular 

 windows on the north side of the nave, but all these features were 

 destroyed at the restoration, together with an ancient stained glass 

 window of a kneeling esquire with a silver collar round his neck, 

 of the sixteenth century, and a shield of arms, dexter perished, 

 sinister three horses' heads bridled. Horsey. In a spandril of a 

 window of the nave were the letters T. D., for "Thomas Drew." 

 The arms of Godwyn and Mompesson also disappeared at this time. 

 The only remnants of the old Church are the font (which is early Nor- 

 man), two effigies, and the monuments to the Adyes, Richmonds, 

 Strattons, BaylifFes and Longs, and the ancient screen. The old 

 Church had been restored twice — once by Isabella Mompesson, 

 daughter of Thomas Drew, of Seagry, the lady whose effigy is 

 now in the chancel, and something was done to the fabric during 

 the incumbency of William Pulsford. A complete restoration 

 (on the old foundation) took place in IS 49, during the incumbency 

 of the Rev. John Hemsted, who built the school, enlarged 

 the vicarage, and added the north transept to the Church. The 

 Church was at this time disfigured by a gallery where the choir 

 sat, a very old pulpit, clerk's desk, and high pews. The royal 

 arms were over the chancel arch, the first were placed there in 

 1662, and these were removed in L 700, and replaced by others 

 which were taken down at the restoration. The clerk's desk was 

 carved with the initials of the parish clerks since 1709: — R. C. 

 (Richard Cary), 1709; T. M. (Thomas Mills), 1747; T. H. 



