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springing of the spire are of the same construction; and the plain, low, pyramid-like outline of the spire itself, stamps it as one of the earliest specimens of that ultimately tapering and graceful completion to our ecclesiastical edifices. The windows in the upper story of the tower are in unison with the original character of the work; but that in the lower division-apparently too wide to consist with the permanence of the fabric-seems, as does the entrance-way beneath, to have been inserted at a much later time. The removal of a coat of plaister from the exterior of the tower, has recently disclosed an ancient bas-relief embedded in the masonry, which we presume must have originally been employed to ornament a much earlier structure. The subject of its rude delineation is the crucifixion of the Saviour, with the usually attendant figures of the Virgin Mary and Saint John, as here delineated. A similarly

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sculptured stone-apparently once the head of a cross-was dug up within the area of the cloisters, about twelve years ago, but differing in the border or outer moulding. The latter is at present in the possession of Edward Rudge, esq.

The northern aisle of the church till recently presented an ap pearance widely differing from that to which it is now restored.

This restoration, continued throughout the building, was begun in 1836 and completed in 1837, under the direction of Mr. Harvey Eginton, at a cost of £2514 3s. 2d. Of this sum £1457 0s. 9d. was realized by voluntary contributions and interest thereon; £200 was cleared by sales effected in a public bazaar; £650 was granted by the Church-building Society; and £200 from the Diocesan Churchbuilding Fund. The additional cost of an organ was £283 6s.; and this also was defrayed by voluntary contributions. The building was, upon re-completion, opened on the 16th November, 1837, by Dr. Carr, the diocesan, who preached on the occasion from Haggai i. v. 2. The architectural objections to the general restoration apply, we conceive, to the addition of a parapet along the lateral aisles, by which the original outline of the pines is much impaired as also to the stunted figure of the two lesser eastern windows, which might readily have been obviated by copying the much more airy proportions of the two at the western termination of the aisles, one of which forms part of the original building. Internally, the expense that would have been avoided by omitting the parapet and pinnacles referred to, would have enabled the architect to have coved and ribbed the ceilings of the aisles, instead of merely plaistering them horizontally like a common room.

The exterior of the chancel projects a little beyond the lateral aisles. This portion is evidently one of the latest additions to the original fabric, and is elaborately ornamented in the early Tudor style. Not that we regard it as completed according to the original intent; otherwise its richly sculptured buttresses would scarcely terminate without a pinnacle, nor would they thus have flanked so unadorned and tame a pediment, devoid of either battlements or decorated parapet, as that which now surmounts the work. The great east window here, is filled with tracery, in what has been distinguished as the perpendicular style; and the buttresses that flank it, and to which allusion has been made, are most delicately carved; the lower division of each being adorned with tracery cut in panel and finished in an embattled line; upon this are seated four tiny pinnacles issuing from the salient busts of as many angels, from each of which is thrown a miniature fly-buttress, intended to give an appearance of support to the upper and concluding gradation. A range of trefoil niches with a line of quaterfoils beneath, ex

tending below the window and round the buttresses, completes the present decoration of the chancel end. This portion of the church retains its weather-worn and mellowed aspect, it having been judiciously excepted from the pointing-tool.

The walls and windows of the southern aisle are of a plain and ancient character, in unison with the tower and spire. From hence the chantry of St. Clement-for as such we venture to distinguish it, for the reason given below 390-projects, in the usual position of a transept or cross aisle. It is guarded at the angles by panelled buttresses, and is surmounted with a lofty and delicately-wrought embattled parapet finishing with pinnacles, a counterpart to that employed upon the summit of the abbey bell-tower, but not originally continued along the adjoining aisles.

Entering the fabric at the west, the visitor may embrace the whole interior at a view. This is chiefly attainable by the appropriate form and judicious arrangement of the pews. The central aisle is separated from that on either side by seven slender and simply-clustered columns sustaining obtusely-pointed arches with rounded haunches, having panelling in the spandrels and bounded by a string-course above. Upon this stands the clerestory with its numerous windows; the whole being of light and graceful design. The panelled ceiling was constructed by the restoring architect, in the absence of any vestige of the original covering as his guide. Had it been embowed in a line exactly corresponding with the arch of the east window, the harmony would have been entire.

At the commencement of the original choir the observer will remark the situation of the ancient rood-loft, or gallery formerly appropriated in our churches to the reception of the holy rood. The latter was a cross bearing the image of Jesus of the size of life, and was generally flanked by images of the Virgin and of St. John. Beneath the rood-loft was usually a carved screen of open-work, that

390 Mention is made in the endowment of Stourbridge Grammar School, of a chantry dedicated to St. Clement in the church of St. Lawrence, Evesham; and that referred to above is usually denominated Clement Lichfield's Chapel. The passage is this:-"Ac etiam omnia messuagia, terras, tenementa, et hæreditates cum pertin. in villa et campis de Evesham in occupat. undecim person. ib'm nominat nuper cantariis SS. Trinitatis, B. M. et Sti Clementis infra parochiam S. Laurentii ib'm spectant." -Nash's Worcestershire, vol. ii. page 215.

admitted to the chancel. The situation is clearly indicated here by the absence of panelling upon the adjacent piers; and in that at the south, the arched opening remains that formerly admitted to the gallery itself by a newel staircase, part of which was removed during the recent alterations. The pier at the north, having then to be rebuilt, was at the same time finished to correspond with the opposite and original portion. Both these spaces are now partly screened by pulpits; an expedient to which the architect resorted, apparently to relieve the flat, occasioned by the removal long ago of the ancient carved chancel-screen and superincumbent rood-loft. Referring to such removals of church furniture-universal in his day-Harrison, during the reign of Elizabeth, thus remarks: “Finallie, whereas there was woont to be a great partition between the quire and the bodie of the church; now it is either very small or none at all and to saie the truth altogither needlesse, sith the minister saith his service commonlie in the bodie of the church with his face toward the people, in a little tabernacle of wainscot provided for the purpose. 391

The side aisles are inappropriately finished with modern cielings, as we have noticed; and the chantry originally situate on the northern side though at first included in the intended restoration, has not-we believe from economical considerations-been rebuilt. At the east end of the southern aisle was, till recently, a curious subterranean chapel, with a vaulted ceiling in the early pointed style, and having recesses in its southern wall, as usually prepared for altar-worship. It was descended from the aisle by a flight of steps, and was lighted from a window next the church-yard. During the late alterations, the vaulted ceiling of this chapel was broken up because, forsooth, a step would otherwise have occurred in the upper pavement! The stairs connecting it with the aisle were next destroyed and the entrance closed; and now, covered with a brickwork arch, and opening to the churchyard, when requisite, through what was once the window, it is appropriated as a private vault,— though previously occupied as a public charnel-house.

Near this spot, that gem of architecture, occasionally termed the chapel of abbot Lichfield—a bijou which the whole county cannot

391 Harrison's Description of England, prefixed to Holinshed, ed. 4to. page 233.

equal-opens toward the church by a lofty pointed archway with panelled soffits, in which were lately vestiges of the low screen of open stonework-since supplied-that formerly enclosed it from the aisle. This interesting enclosure, erected and endowed that mass might daily be performed therein for its founder's postmortuary repose-exhibits the richest, yet chastest, decorations of the Tudor style. Its form is square, lighted at the east and south by distended windows under low pointed architraves, characteristic of the era. From slender columns in the angles swell four beautifully formed and richly ornamented fans, which surrounding an exquisitely carved pendant in the centre, complete a ceiling as luxuriant as that of any chantry in the land. The situation of its altar beneath the eastern window, is distinctly marked, and on either side there yet remains a richly carved recess, of beautiful design, retaining the slender pedestal that sustained the saintly effigy long since removed, and terminated by an elaborate spire-wrought canopy. These graceful but now mutilated relics have been minutely painted in distemper, together with the walls of the chantry and its vault; and then the pavement also being covered with armorial tiles, and the light dispensed through windows glowing with the richest colours, the effect must have been almost more than we can at present realize. The southern wall is panelled, in unison with the spacious window it includes; but that on the west is wholly blank, nor are there at present any indications of a doorway having opened here toward the monastery, for the entrance of the officiating priest; though externally the masonry has evidently been interfered with at some later time, as if to close effectually any such an aperture. This we remark, because Abingdon in his notes relating to the abbey-at which we have already glanced-perpetuates a tradition, current in his day, that the monastery once communicated with this church by "a very great and curious walk" to pass hither at certain times to mass. The ancient font-whose style of ornament appropriated its construction to the period when the columniation. of the nave was first rebuilt has been removed from this chantry, where it till lately stood; and an indifferent substitute purporting to be modelled from the former now supplies its place.

392 See page 60, ante.

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