229 



fat %(|« of f wstott w& Wanbrattgl : 



By C E. Pontine, Esq. (Diocesan Surveyor and Architect). 



( These two Churches were visited by the Society on their Annual Excursion, in August, 1886 ) 



JgSffflB is commonly supposed that there are only three Parish 

 ||j | Churches in this country which have a central spire and 

 a later western tower, these being Purton and Wanborough in 

 Wiltshire, and Ormskirk in Lancashire. 



Whether the number is thus limited or not, it is certain that 

 such a combination of features is exceedingly rare : it was, therefore, 

 a happy circumstance that the two county specimens were selected 

 for inspection by Wiltshire Arch geologists on two successive days of 

 the Annual Meeting in August last, as it enabled a comparison to be 

 formed which could not fail to be interesting and instructive. The 

 object of this paper and the plates which illustrate it, is- whilst 

 describing the points of interest in the Churches generally— to 

 assist such a comparison by drawing attention to the more important 

 features in each case. 



The Church of S. Mary, Purton. 

 As will be seen on reference to the block plan in the corner of 

 Plate I., this Church is very symmetrical in form, and consists of 

 nave with north and south aisles, central tower with north and 

 south transepts, chancel with north sacristy and south chapel, and 

 a western tower. There were formerly north and south doorways 

 in the central bays of the aisles, but the former has been built up : 

 the south door has a porch with priest's room over. 



I will take the various parts of the Church in the order of their 

 apparent dates. 



Twelfth century. The earliest feature in the Church is the Tran- 

 sitional-Norman impost of the east respond of the south nave arcade, 

 and this suggests the idea of there having been a central tower of 

 that date, although this impost, like that on the north side, was 



VOL. XXIII.— NO. LXIX. E 



