236 



On Bishopstone Church. 



thoroughly the botanical productions of their own Neighbourhoods, 

 and in the consciousness of that much of the information so 

 acquired, will become (through their contribution to the Society) a 

 permanent addition to the general stock of scientific knowledge, to 

 be transmitted to future generations. 



By the Rev. Peecentoe, Leak. 



Read before the Society at Bishopstone, September 15th, 1865. 



ff^pgHE church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist. It is a 

 $S|J|| cruciform structure, almost a Greek cross, consisting of 

 chancel, transepts, and nave ; with a sacristy at the north-east angle 

 of the chancel, and an external turret, communicating with the 

 chancel roof above, and sacristy below ; and a centre tower. There 

 is a singular, and I believe, almost unique external building, the 

 details of which are very curious, attached to the end of the south 

 transept, which has been variously termed an almonry, lich-ward, 

 and tomb. I shall be glad if some of my archseological friends 

 can throw some light upon its former use. I cannot help thinking 

 myself, from close observation of the various details of this church, 

 that this building had no special uses, but was designed by its 

 architect to add beauty and originality to the south transept of the 

 church, both within and without. The chancel and transepts, the 

 sacristy, and the building mentioned above, are coeval. They are 

 highly decorated, and are of the date of Edward III. The stone 

 used in this building — the same as that of which our Cathedral is 

 built— comes from the Chilmark quarries, about twelve miles from 

 here. This material is very durable, as may be seen by the good 

 preservation of the building and the sharp angles, which have 

 suffered little from the 500 winters to which it has been exposed. 

 The walls of the nave, which are of inferior workmanship, are 

 rubble, in which much flint is used. The different details of the 

 church are very good and interesting, and to some of these I beg 

 to direct your particular attention. First, as regards the outside. 



