242 The Churches of Purton and Wanborough. 



But this window is coeval with the rest of the work of the chancel, 

 and the date (1490) which I have before assigned to it, taken to- 

 gether with this inscription, points to the probability that it was 

 entirely re-constructed in I486, and I think supports the idea that 

 St. Katharine's chapel, which fell into disuse three years before, 

 was pulled down to make way for it. 



The only obstacle which presents itself to the acceptance of this 

 theory is the question of how the liability to repair this part of the 

 Church became separated from the lands held by Magdalen College, 

 but this does not appear to be a serious one. 



The following memorandum from Bishop Chandler's Register of 

 Sarum (1417-1426) i might refer to one of the other chapels I have 

 alluded to Wanborough Capella non est dedicata : altare tamen 

 pnneipale consecratum est in honorem gloriosai Virginis." 



A restoration of the Church was made by the late Sir Gilbert 

 Scott in 1843, when the stonework of the nave arcades was given 

 its present new appearance. At this time the stone effigies now in 

 the south porch were discovered lying on their faces, the backs of 

 the stones forming part of the pavement near the south door. 

 Canon Jackson observes that they are illustrated in the Journal of 

 the ArchaBological Institute, April, 1851, where they are described 

 as representing Lady Emmeline Longespee (obit. 1331) and her 

 husband Fitzmaurice (obit. 1291). But on the margin are plainly 

 the words "Eitz-william et sa femme," and there was a family of 

 this name here in 1341, in 1378, and temp. Henry IV. 



The Church appears to have owed a great deal to the Polton 

 family : a brass plate set in a stone in the north wall of the tower 

 bears a Latin inscription, which may be read thus « Pray for 

 Thomas Polton and Edith his wife, deceased; for Master Philip 

 Archdeacon of Gloucester, Agnes, and fourteen other of their sons 

 and daughters; for Sir Robert Everard, Vicar, and all his parish- 

 ioners, who began this tower Anno Domini 1435." 



In the pavement of the chapel at the east end of the south aisle 



1 Jackson's Aubrey, p. 198. 



Ill 



