THE 



WILTSHIRE MAGAZINE. 



"MFLTOBUM MANIBUS GRANDE LEVATUE ONUS." — Ovid. 



JTJNK, 1899. 



jotcs on Cljitwjjes feiteir in 1898. 



By C. E. Ponting, F.S.A. 



The Church of S. Michael, Highworth. 



p§|S§AVINGr regard to the very general practice in mediaeval 

 times of dedicating to S. Michael Churches placed on an 

 eminence, Highworth Church could hardly have had any more 

 appropriate dedication, for it is in the centre of the hill on which 

 the village is "built. The Church is one of considerable size, 

 dignity , and development of plan. It consists of nave of five 

 bays, with north and south transepts projecting from the eastern 

 one, and north and south aisles to the remaining four ; chancel 

 with north and south chapels for its full length and arches opening 

 into the chancel ; a sacristy with room over it eastward of the 

 north chapel ; a south porch with priest's room over it ; and a 

 western tower. 



There is no work in situ earlier than the Early English period, 

 but the tympanum of the sacristy door is a sculptured Norman 

 one representing a man cutting an animal's throat, This, until 

 recent years, formed the head of the fireplace in the room over the 

 porch, where it was probably placed when the latter was erected, 

 displacing a Norman south doorway. 



VOL . XXX . — NO . * XC I . M 



J8 



