By C. E Pontivg, F.S.A. 



21 



been much more costly. In this case, although the state of the 

 earlier foundations mnst have been discovered in strengthening the 

 buttresses (which are carried deeper), they were let alone, and the 

 following works were done : — a large piece of the south-west angle 

 was re-built (advantage being taken of this to insert a two-light 

 window in the west wall south of the central buttress), the two 

 adjacent buttresses were taken down and a diagonal one erected ; 

 the middle buttress on the north side was extended in projection 

 and carried higher — (the difference between the earlier and later 

 parts of this buttress is clearly seen, and it is interesting to see that 

 oyster shells are used in the mortar joints of the latter, but not in 

 the former ;) the easternmost buttresses on the north and south sides 

 were similarly treated, but not carried so high. The fifteenth 

 century upper stage of the tower has a two-light window in each 

 face, and a plain parapet, within which the spire rises ; the latter is 

 divided in height by three stone bands, or collars, formed of plain 

 projecting semi-roll mouldings. 



There is a sundial cut on the south-west buttress of the south 

 chapel, and the half of another on the quoin suggests that the latter 

 (at least) is older than the chapel — the dial stone having been cut 

 and re-used. 



In 1857 the interior of the Church underwent restoration and 

 re-seating, but the fabric remains unaltered. In carrying out the 

 work then done the floor of the chancel was raised. It is evident 

 from the level of the piscina, and from the fact that the bases of 

 both of the later arches in the north aisle chapel (opening into nave 

 and chancel respectively, the base of the latter being now hidden) 

 are on the same level, that the level of the nave floor was carried 

 through, without any step, to the east end of the chancel, with 

 perhaps one step on which the altar was placed — although this could 

 not have been carried across to the south wall. This arrangement, 

 originally made in the fourteenth century, was not found incon- 

 venient at the end of the fifteenth, when the piscina was inserted, 

 and it seems a pity that our nineteenth century use could not have 

 been so adapted to it as to avoid so radical an alteration of the 

 building. 



