266 



Notes on the Churches 



fitted with a shutter which could be opened to give exit to the 

 sound of a hand-hell at the proper time in the service of the mass, 

 the bell being rung by an attendant placed in such a position as 

 would enable him to see the celebrant. Where there was a sanctus 

 bell in a separate bell-cot, or in the tower, the low-side window was 

 not needed, and is not found of coeval or subsequent date. This is 

 a good instance where such other provision is made. In the wall 

 between the tower and the chapel is a squint divided into two lights 

 by a mullion placed on each face of the wall — this gives a view of 

 the chapel altar : then there is a splayed single opening through the 

 east jamb of the chapel archway in a direct line with the position of 

 the celebrant in front of the high altar, so that the same squint 

 serves for use at either altar. The attendant would stand in the 

 porch and ring the sanctus bell placed in the tower. 



This squint also fixes in a very definite manner the position of the 

 celebrant directly in front of the centre of the altar, as the two 

 points of sight through the two squints are so far apart that any 

 deviation from this position would place the celebrant out of sight 

 of the person ringing the bell. 



S. Matthew's. Rushall. 



There is not a great deal of old work here, but the quality of it 

 makes up to a great extent for the deficiency in quantity. 



There was probably a Church here in Norman times, for the 

 bowl of the font is set upon an inverted capital of the latter half 

 of the twelfth century, which serves as a base, and the bowl — a 

 plain octagonal one — is perhaps of the same date. 



The present nave is of the date of about 1360; it has two two- 

 light windows in the south wall with two good buttresses standing 

 square with the face of the wall, whilst the one at the south-west 

 angle is a diagonal one, but very massive and of good proportions. 

 The chancel arch is coeval, and consists of two orders of chamfers— 

 the outer chamfer being carried down whilst the inner one stops 

 against the face of the jambs. 



The west tower was added at about the same time as the chapel 

 and tower at Charlton, and the arches are of the same panelled type. 



