418 JOUKNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
dicular. Adjoining the tower on the south side is an ancient 
building, which for centuries has been used as a vestry, but the 
original purpose of which had been a matter of considerable doubt. 
It would appear, however, that the tower must have been the 
central feature of a cruciform Norman church, and this building 
(now the vestry) on the south side have formed one of the transepts. 
It would further seem probable that the Norman church possessed 
a south aisle, and a little chapel on that side also, as both in the 
west and east walls of this building there are remains of semi- 
circular arches. At the south end also is a plain Norman doorway 
(with a niche inside, probably a stoup), and adjoining may be traced 
the outline of a round-headed window. The Norman work here 
is exceedingly simple, only the small windows in the third stage 
of the tower possessing any peculiarity. The plain wall masonry 
is formed of pebbles and slate, and the dressings, arches, string 
courses, and other wrought portions are of a green stone, worked 
to very fine joints. 
I am not familiar with any example of Norman masonry in this 
part of the country in which tooled granite is seen. The Normans 
were not only most skilful masons, but they appear to have appre- 
ciated colour to a greater extent than their successors. At Brent, 
at Plympton Priory, at St. Germans, at Lidford (on the font), they 
used red sandstone or green slatestone, whether obtainable close at 
hand, or from a distance. " That is best which liest nearest" was 
not therefore their invariable rule. 
