Steeple Ashton, Semington, and Whaddon Churches. 207 



Leland, who visited the parish in 1540, speaks of the " very fayre 

 churche " having been buylded in the mynd of men now ly vynge," 

 and mentions the same persons "Eobert Longe Clothyar" and 

 " Walter Leucas Clothyar " as the builders of the north and south 

 aisles respectively. 



Notwithstanding the comprehensive terms of the inscription it 

 is obvious that there are parts of the Church which must have been 

 standing long before the period stated. 



The Church, as it now stands, consists of clerestoried nave with 

 north and south aisles of four bays, and north and south porches, 

 chancel with north and south chapels for about two-thirds of its 

 length, western tower with the aisles continued past its north and 

 south sides. 



The tower is the earliest part of the Church, and can hardly be 

 later than 1400 — 1420. It is of four stages in height, the lower stage 

 communicating with the nave and tower aisles by means of arches 

 with the soffits and jambs panelled; it has also a four-light transomed 

 west window with doorway below. The string-course dividing this 

 stage from the next is carried over the window in gable form. 

 The second stage has five niches forming a noble feature on its west 

 front ; these have high pedestals and bases of rectangular form, 

 with slightly tapered sides, and the canopies, which are groined 

 and have panelled pinnacles, take the same form. The figures 

 which occupied the niches are lost. On the north and south of 

 this stage are three-light windows without labels, and similar 

 windows occupy the four sides of the third stage. The belfry 

 stage has somewhat similar windows, but with transomes. The 

 tower is surmounted by an embattled parapet with crocketted 

 pinnacles at the angles, and good gargoyles in the cornice. The 

 buttresses are placed about a foot away from the angles and stand 

 square up to the belfry stage, where they assume the form of 

 diagonal pinnacles. The stair turret is at the east end of the north 

 side, projecting into the north tower aisle, and is carried up above 

 the parapet, which is 97ft. from the ground. 



The whole character of this work is Transitional, rather than 

 fully-developed Perpendicular. 



