By the Rev. Thomas Miles. 



113 



215 persons. The stonework of the piers and arches and the 

 window frames, excepting the three windows on the south side of the 

 clerestory, has been cleared of whitewash, and in doing this, much 

 of the painting with which the walls were once decorated, was 

 exposed. Nothing that could be called a picture, or figure, was 

 discovered. The best specimen was found behind the pulpit, where 

 a part of it may be seen under the seat. The pillar by the reading 

 desk and wall above it, were coloured with red ochre, on which 

 was a pattern in black or chocolate, of entwined branches and 

 leaves. On the west front of the pillar, was a large circle enclos- 

 ing a shield, in which, on a greyish ground, was the monogram 

 I.H.S. in red letters, the upper part of the H formed into a cross. 



On the wall over the entrance to the chancel, the painting was 

 in a different style, and better executed. The ground here was 

 grey, the pattern shades of grey and black, with a few touches of 

 red : the design was a grove of palm trees. All the painting was 

 in distemper, probably on the original plaster, the surface being 

 extremely rough. On several of the coats of whitewash which 

 covered the painting, were found texts of scripture in old English 

 character, the letters black and red. The east wall of the nave 

 seemed to have been once nearly covered with inscriptions, in- 

 cluding the Commandments and texts of Scripture, as was also 

 the wall above the arches on the north side of the nave. Only 

 two of the texts were legible ; namely, one on the east wall above 

 the pulpit ; " Give the King thy judgments, 0 God, and thy 

 righteousness unto the King's son." And on the north wall, "It 

 is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help 

 meet for him." The texts were generally enclosed in borders, 

 some of them of good design. As the painting was done in water 

 colour, the greater part of it came off with the white-wash, and 

 only a small specimen on the east wall could be left exposed. 

 There was formerly some painted glass in the centre light of the 

 window at the east end of the north aisle, the fragments of which 

 are preserved. They are the remains of the coat of arms of the 

 Topps, the same as those over the almshouse gateway ; there had 

 been an escutcheon of pretence in the middle. Among the frag- 



