30 Notes on the Churches 



the founder. The arms of the Longs (the lion rampant) figure on 

 a brass in the north jamb of this arch. 



The font is of very unusual form, consisting of a large octagonal 

 bowl and base with a central shaft and eight small shafts around it, 

 all of Purbeck. It looks like the work of the twelfth century. 



An Elizabethan tablet, bearing the Royal arms and the inscription 

 " E. R. 1574 — God save the Queen " is well preserved in the south 

 aisle. 



The Church of S. Mary. Old Dilton. 



This very picturesque little Church is a happy termination to our 

 two days' excursion, and it will fully repay close investigation, for 

 there are many points of extreme interest in it which are not ap- 

 parent at first sight. 



The Church was built, late in the fifteenth century, with a nave, 

 north aisle, chancel, and south porch, and there is no trace of earlier 

 work. (I do not know whether the list of rectors goes back farther 

 than this, or whether there is any other evidence of a Church having 

 stood here before the present one.) 



There was never any tower, but instead of it a charming bell-cot 

 was erected upon the west gable ; this is octagonal in plan — the 

 west cardinal face is supported on a buttress carried up the centre 

 of the wall outside, and the east face is corbelled over inside ; the 

 sides are filled by perforated stone panels. The bell-cot is sur- 

 mounted by a stone spire, and instead of a parapet the blocking 

 course above the moulded cornice is crenellated. 



There were probably no windows in the west end, but the original 

 windows in the Church which still exist are : — One of three lights 

 in the south wall of the nave, three of three lights in the north wall of 

 the nave, and one of two lights in the south wall of the cbancel. The 

 rest, for some reason not apparent, were removed, and two new ones 

 inserted in the west wall when the vestry and gallery were erected 

 on the south of the chancel in the debased Gothic of the seventeenth 

 century. 



The porch itself remains almost untouched, and there is the usual 

 door opposite in the north wall. The inner door of the porch has 



