Frederick Charles Plumptre

“ Several examples indeed of interesting fragments thus built into the walls of churches have been already noticed at different times in the Archæological Journal, and other publications.
These ancient grave-stones are interesting to us on several accounts: they seem to furnish decisive evidence that such memorials of the dead were in more general use at an early period, in some parts of the country at least, than is commonly supposed. ”

“ Some of the original clerestory windows still remain, inserted over the centre of the piers, and now opening into the side aisles, the walls and roof of which were raised about the middle or end of the thirteenth century. These windows are narrow lights externally, resting upon a weather-table, still perfect, with a very wide splay towards the nave, of rude workmanship, and without any relief of mouldings, or string-course. Above is another range of clerestory windows, square-headed, in the early Perpendicular style, added probably early in the fifteenth century. ”

“ A few others of less importance are to be seen in the pavement of the church; thus making altogether upwards of seventy examples. It is believed to be by far the largest and most varied collection existing in any church in England; indeed, not a third part of this number can probably be seen elsewhere; some of them being probably unique examples, and very few moreover duplicates of the same design. But large as this number is, I was assured by the workmen that at least four times as many had been used again in building the new walls. ”

“ The present side shafts, which have been faithfully copied from the old, have a singularly unpleasing effect, from the cause above stated, being like three-quarter shafts set against a flat wall without any relief. The east wall of this transept had been originally pierced with Early English arches, leading into side chapels; for there is no doubt the Vernon chapel was constructed on what were the original walls up to the window sill, as the same base-mouldings and string-course are continued along both the transept and chapel. ”

“ The expanding the extremities of the arms till they nearly meet, as in the Maltese cross, producing a figure, supposed by some, intended to represent the nimbus, or glory, such as we see in old paintings round the head of our Lord. ”

“ The only other record of importance in the history of this church which has been preserved, is the founding of a chantry in 1365, by Sir Godfrey Foljambe, and Avena his wife, whose monument, two upright half length figures under a canopy, is inserted into one of the piers on the south side of the nave. ”

“ Bateman's possession; they are rudely cut, and appear to be of very early date. No. 4 is an ancient form of the cross, of which probably the device upon No. 16 of the flat grave-stones may be considered to be a modification, and of which many examples, both with and without circular bands, and with a great variety in the detail of their ornaments, may be observed in Norman carved work; as in St. Peter's church at Northampton, before alluded to, the nave of Rochester cathedral, and some other of the older churches. ”

“ The larger, and more interesting, portion are the grave-stones or coffin-lids, with crosses of different devices cut upon them. They had evidently been used indiscriminately with other materials for the outer facing, as well as for the internal filling up, of the walls, and especially in the foundations of the tower-piers, and north transept. One had been cut to suit the outline of a half pillar, and mouldings of windows had been worked on the reverse side of others. ”

“ There can be little doubt that many of these stones had been placed over graves in the church-yard. We now most frequently find them only in the pavement in the interior of our older churches: those in the open ground having perished, through exposure. ”

“ No. 12 an early example:—another of the same kind has the spaces between the arms of the cross slightly sunk, and a knob below the head. No. 13 of later date, in low relief, the balls flattened. There is the head of another of the same kind, but with the balls larger, and mouldings cut on the reverse. No. 14 a very rich example, of perhaps late Norman design: it is represented about a foot longer than the original, in order to shew more fully the device. ”

“ Those which are represented as entire are mostly in very
good preservation; all, except some of those in the first page, have been drawn to a uniform scale. Nos. 6, 7, 9, are in Mr. Bateman's possession. Nos. 1, 2, are very rudely cut; probably they had been placed over the graves of peasants:—an example with three lines, on bars, intersecting the head of the cross, has lately been found at Brougham in Westmoreland. Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, are very early examples, rudely incised:—No. ”

“ A work containing much valuable local information, which it is to be regretted is not yet completed. ↑ The new work is in most respects a faithful copy of the building taken down, with a few judicious alterations. ”