Btj the Rev, Thomas Miles. 



193 



one on the north side. The lower part of the tower is probably of 

 the same date as the piers and arches in the nave ; it is very plain 

 and uninteresting, and is in a bad state of repair. It contains four 

 bells, one of them cracked. Some of the bells were re-cast in 

 1661, and 1684, but one ancient one remains, on which is the 

 following inscription : — 



" Ave gratia plen." 



The south aisle is plain decorated. The east end of .the chancel 

 is a tolerable specimen of Early English, and over the east window 

 are the arms of the Rector, Mr. St. Barbe, who re-built the east 

 end in 1840. Excepting the tower and porch, the exterior of the 

 fabrick has been restored and put into decent repair within a few 

 years. The chancel had been put into perfect repair in 1840. 



The churchyard contains about half-an-acre of ground, of which 

 a narrow piece next the fence on the north side is said to be uncon- 

 secrated, it having been the road to the old Rectory House, which 

 stood in the garden adjoining the east side of the churchyard. 

 Several skeletons have however been found laid east and west, on 

 the other side of the north fence, so that probably the churchyard 

 has been encroached upon on the north side. The wall which 

 fences it against the road on the west side, was built at the joint 

 expense of the Rector and parishioners in 1781 ; and the agreement 

 as to the repair of this fence, is inscribed in the old churchwarden's 

 book. There is now only one tree remaining in the churchyard, an 

 ancient yew tree, which was injured, it was supposed by lightning, 

 on the south side several years ago. There were formerly several 

 large elms on the north side, which perhaps once grew in the fence 

 against the road to the Rectory. In 1842 the surface of the 

 Churchyard, which was very uneven, and much above the level of 

 the floor of the church, was lowered considerably, to give it a slope 

 from the church walls. In doing this care was taken not to 

 disturb any of the graves. The effect of this great improvement, 

 besides draining the church, is to raise the apparent height of the 

 building two or three feet at least. There are not many memorials 

 of the dead in Stockton churchyard. The following is an account 

 of those remaining in 1845. 



