By the Ven. Archdeacon Macdomld. 



145 



whole edifice consists of a nave with two aisles ; a porch on the 

 south side; decorated with the ball flower ornament; a transept 

 with a tower and spire rising from the centre; a chantry attached 

 to the east side of the south transept ; a chancel, which till within 

 these fifty or sixty years was furnished with stalls; and a very 

 ancient building now used as a vestry room, attached to the north- 

 east corner. The church from east to west measures 122 ft. 6 in. ; 

 length of chancel 52 ft.; width of transept 16 ft. 2 in.; length of 

 nave 56 ft. 4 in. ; length of transept, from north to south, 66 ft. 

 6 in. 1 The Chantry chapel on the east side of the south transept 

 was, at the time of the Reformation (5th Elizabeth), made over by 

 the churchwardens to John Ernie, Esq. of Bourton, in this parish, 

 as a burial place for himself and family, according to the tenor of 

 the following deed of gift, dated 6 Nov. 1563: — ■ 



" To all the faithful in Christ to whom this our present writing shall come, 

 Thomas Sloper and John Perse wardens or guardians of the parish church of 

 Bishop's Cannyng, in the county of Wilts, greeting in the Lord everlasting : — 

 Whereas in the parish church of Bishop's Cannyng aforesaid, a certain chapel 

 commonly called our Lady Bower, for the celebration of papistical masses is 

 constructed and built, and such masses repugnant and contrary to divine law 

 by the laws and statutes of this famous kingdom of England are lawfully abolished 

 and prohibited : by pretext whereof the aforesaid chapel now is of no use to 

 the said church or the parishioners thereof, nor can be converted, but the charges 

 of the repair of the same chapel which now begin to be great (and increasing 

 unless a remedy be provided, cannot but be in future days greater and heavier) 

 fall upon the wardens or guardians and parishioners of the parish church of 

 Bishop's Cannyng aforesaid : Know ye therefore that we the aforesaid Thomas 

 Sloper and John Perse the wardens or guardians beforesaid, as well in regard of 

 the premises as for divers other just and lawful causes and considerations us 

 hereunto moving, as well for us and our successors, wardens, or guardians of the 

 said parish church as for all and singular the parishioners of the aforesaid parish 

 church, their consent and assent being also expressly had to these presents ; 

 Do give and grant to our beloved in Christ, John Ernie of Bishop's Cannyng 



ter, borne out by the known history of the Manor, sufficiently denotes that at 

 all events it must have been built under influence connected with Salisbury 

 Cathedral. It is illustrated by Mr. Owen B. Carter in his unfinished folio work 

 of Wiltshire churches. 



1 The chancel being so long, and being separated from the body of the church 

 by the transept and having pillars supporting the steeple, the minister cannot 

 read the Communion service from the proper place : and it is worthy of note 

 that among the muniments of the Chapter there is an order directing the 

 vicar not to read the service in the chancel but in the reading desk of the nave. 



