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Broughton Qifford. 



wall, it may perhaps be inferred that a Parvise, or Priest's chamber, 

 once existed over the Porch, but no trace of a window by which it 

 was lighted is now to be seen. In the east wall are several small 

 oblong - apertures (now blocked up) by means of which a view of 

 the Chantry altar was obtained from the interior of the Porch. 

 Two large stones built into the wall over the outer doorway are 

 carved in low relief, and represent, each an angel bearing a blank 

 shield, and placed in a cinquefoil-headed niche with crockets and 

 a curiously formed finial ; from the points of two pinnacles which 

 terminate the shafts of the first canopy, springs a second cinque- 

 foiled arch enclosing the finial of the first and forming a sort of 

 double canopy. (Query, if, on the shafts of one of these, are some 

 shears represented, which would connect a clothier with any altera- 

 tions made in the church at an early date.) On either side of the 

 Porch is a stone seat. 



" The earlier portions of the building appear to have been the 

 Chancel Nave, North Aisle, and Chantry Chapel. The Chancel 

 retains several features of " Early English" date; the arcade divid- 

 ing the Nave from the North Aisle, also of " Early English" date, 

 proves the existence of a North Aisle at an early period. The Tower 

 and Porch appear to have been both erected at the same date : the for- 

 mer is a good specimen of plain Perpendicular work. It may be re- 

 ferred to about the middle of the 15th century. At the same date, 

 perhaps, the Chancel arch was re-built, also the arches connecting the 

 Nave and Chantry Chapel, and the greater portion, if not the whole 

 of the Church, fresh roofed. Possibly some of the walls may also 

 have been repaired, or re-built, and windows of Perpendicular 

 character inserted to correspond with the newly built portions." 



It may be added to Mr. Kite's account, that the present Porch 

 might have been originally the basement floor of a belfry, and that 

 the steps (which are now a puzzle) led to some upper apartment in 

 it ; that long afterwards, when the Tower was built, the belfry was 

 turned into a South Porch, the large entrance made, the floor of 

 the upper apartment removed, but the steps from the basement 

 allowed to remain ; and at the same time the west end of the belfry 

 and the east end of the South Aisle were cased over with ashlar. 



