338 



Notes on Corsham Church. 



timbers of the roof, which has a very low pitch 1 internally, are of 

 the fifteenth century. The mullions of a window, on the south 

 side, now blocked, are carried down, to form sedilia. Whether this 

 was an original arrangement or not, I am not certain. This and 

 the east window (both three-light) appear to be of the same date, 

 in the fifteenth century, but a smaller three-light window, in the 

 north wall, differing somewhat in character may differ also in date. 



On the south side of the chancel is a very fine chapel of the 

 fifteenth century, but apparently rather later than the south window 

 of the chancel, as the masonry of the chapel is skewed, to give light 

 to the latter. It communicates with the chancel by two panelled 

 arches. Such arches generally indicate that they have been cut I 

 through an earlier wall. In this case, instead of the panelling 

 being carried down the jambs as usual, the centre pier is turned into 

 an octagonal shaft. The chapel has very fine four-light windows. 

 At first sight the east window and the easternmost window on the 

 south side appear to have been blocked up, in the lower part, with 

 ashlar, but they were so built, there being an ancient vestry 2 inside, 



1 Externally, the roof is a high one, and was so before the " restoration," but 

 not, I believe, originally. The wall, over the east window, appears to have been 

 then re-built, and my impression is that, before such re-building, there was 

 evidence externally that the original pitch of the roof was a low one. My notes, 

 made at the time, if I could find them, would probably show, but I could not 

 ascertain that anyone remembered. It should be noticed that the recent 

 alterations of the Church were not simultaneous. The chancel was, at first, let 

 alone, but shortly afterwards taken in hand, under the superintendence, I believe, 

 of a different architect. The annexe, also, added to the north aisle, followed ill 

 after the first work to the Church. 



2 It must be understood that this room only rises to a slight height, and that j 

 there is a loft over it, open to the rest of the chapel and reached by a contempo- j 

 rary stair. This loft was, before the restoration, used as the vestry, and there ■ 

 is, I believe, no evidence that the room itself was used for any other purpose than j 

 keeping the records. I have seen some old chests in it, which are now, I under- pj 

 stand, at Corsham Court, there being apparently no proper place for keeping j 

 them in the Church. Canon Jackson says {Aubrey, p. 80, note 1) : — "The Yicar i| 

 has an old claim of Episcopal privileges within the parish. There is a volume h 

 of wills in the Register chest, and a seal with 3 trees and a Hebrew inscription." 

 The volume in question is, I believe, now at Somerset House, having "been, at | 

 one time, in the possession of a well-known antiquarian bookseller, now deceased, f 

 Canon Jackson told me the whole story of its vicissitudes. I have seen formerly j 

 some old books which had been, at one time, chained in the Church. They are, | 

 I understand, now at the Court. 



