in its appearance, the arches being of noble dimensions and there being much of ancient wood carving in seats and screens. The nave is divided from each aisle by three arches, all which are very tall and wide, and there is no clerestory. The piers octagonal and deriving much effect from being disencumbered by pews, &c., of which there are but few, but principally open benches. The tower arch resembles the others, and within it is part of the rood-loft screen. At the east end of the north aisle is a very rich wood screen enclosing a chantry chapel, having pierced panelling, mitres, &c., and an inscription partly obliterated. This chantry is also curious from being formed into a family pew for the Scropes by the insertion of another wood screen within the original one about the time of James I. and a top added to cover it in. The whole of this later wood-work is gorgeous of the sort, with Italian forms, and the whole of this screen-work bedizened with white paint and gilding and blazoned shields, and the wood-cover or ceiling has pendants. The two styles of screen work do not at all harmonize, and the whole may be regarded as a curious and early instance of the erection of a pew. The original inscription on the earlier screen is intercepted by the later erection. The chancel is large, and its interior presents a very elegant and interesting appearance. The east window appears to be of incipient Decorated character, of five trefoiled lights within a large general arch and trefoils above the heads of the two extreme lights.15 On the south side of the chancel are three wide lancets with fine mouldings and shafts, the bands of toothed moulding being carried down amidst the shafts. The window next the west end is brought down low as a lychnoscope and divided by a transom. On the south side near the altar are three equal Early English sedilia with toothed mouldings on circular shafts. The altar is raised upon several steps. On the north side of the chancel is a vestry of plain Perpendicular work, with a room over it approached by a ladder. The chancel contains a quantity of the original wood stalls and desks, the woodwork of which is very beautiful and well preserved. Some of the ends have heads as finials, or else animals sedant, and there is a good deal of niche panelling bearing shields with arms

15 There is a string course rising and falling under the south chancel windows

externally. Beneath the east window externally is a stone seat.

(Nevill, Scrope and Keppel), also the following inscription upon shields in front of the stalls: So li Deo ho nor et glo ri a Hen ri cus Rich (ardson, Rector) M° CCCCC XX, VIII.

On a slab just before the altar is a fine brass figure of an ecclesiastic in sacerdotal robes, 16 below which: Oswaldus Dyke jaceo hic, rector huius ecclesiæ XX annos, reddidi animam 5 Decemb' 1607. Non moriar sed vivam et narrabo opera domini. There is a little stained glass and an alms

box of Perpendicular woodwork.

ST. MARY, MASHAM (N. R.).

This church has a Norman west tower, crowned by a lofty stone spire rising on an octagon of later date, a nave with aisles and south porch, and chancel and north aisle. The tower has very thick walls and divided into three stages by string courses. On the west side is a good doorway with deep arch mouldings and shafts with well-worked capitals in excellent preservation, and apparently of later date than the rude construction of the tower. In the lower stages are plain rude openings for windows, the lowest of all very small, but gradually getting larger. Those of the belfry have a double arch within a general one, divided by a shaft. The tower has no buttresses, always an early feature, and tapers towards the top. At each angle is a small pinnacle and beneath the parapet is a corbel table. The octagon and the spire are Perpendicular, and the whole composition forms a very elegant steeple in spite of the difference of style. The octagon is embattled, and on its alternate faces are two light windows with depressed arches; at the alternate angles are buttresses corresponding with the angles of the square tower. The spire is lofty, and ribbed at the angles. The south porch is Perpendicular with pinnacles, and the door within it has a depressed arch. The exterior of the nave is chiefly Perpendicular, and has large graduated buttresses. The clerestory is embattled and has pinnacles, some of which are broken. At its eastern gable are pinnacles and a cross. The north aisle has a moulded parapet. The windows are

16 This is one of the finest specimens remaining of a Flemish brass, and has been engraved in several works.

It represents a priest in sacerdotal vestments, the chalice on his breast; it was origi nally placed in memory of Simon de

Wenslagh, Rector circa 1390. The inscription below, which has been appended to it and at first sight seems to belong to it, it need hardly be said is of much later date, and is subsequent to the Reformation.

mostly Perpendicular and square-headed, cf two and three lights, those of the clerestory of three lights with depressed arch; there is however one on the south side which appears to be Decorated, with a curious straight-sided arch. The tower arch is very plain, upon imposts. The nave is very wide, but the interior is frightfully glaring with whitewash. The nave is divided from each aisle by five pointed arches springing from octagonal pillars. The chancel arch is a wide pointed one, and the chancel is divided from its north aisle by two pointed arches upon an octagonal pillar. There is on the north side of the chancel arch an arched hagioscope. The chancel has externally a plain parapet, and on the south side an Early English corbel table. The windows of the chancel are chiefly square-headed and late, without labels, the east window an ugly modern one.17 The space within the altar rails is neatly carpeted, the ceilings are plastered and very ugly. The font modern. The font modern. There is a large pew belonging to the Danbys of Swinton, and a large modern monument to the late W. Danby, Esq., and others to the Countess Harcourt and Mr. Lockhart. One of 1727 with a bust to one of the Danbys. In the north aisle is a large monument to some of the Wyvill family; the figures of a man and woman are painted and gilt. She has a flowered band down the dress. At the west end is a brass plate with a verse inscription, 1690. Jn a west gallery is a good organ. In the churchyard is part of an ancient cross sculptured with Norman arches and various figures, among which baptism may be deciphered. [This church underwent certain restorations in 1860-5.-ED.

ST. GREGORY, BEDALE (N. R.)

This is a large and fine church, consisting of a strongly built west tower, a nave with side aisles, and a chancel also with aisles. There are portions of excellent work of all the three later styles, especially Early English and Decorated, The tower is very curious, and of very large dimensions— remarkable also for its peculiar construction, which seems to have been adapted for purposes of defence. It is partly Decorated, partly Perpendicular. Attached to its south side

17 The north chapel of the chancel is loftier than the north aisle of the nave.

There is a bay or projection in the north aisle of the nave.

is a porch unusually placed, having very strong stone ribs and plain arch mouldings to the outer door on octagonal brackets, the whole surmounted by an acute pediment, and the dripstone is on corbels formed of grotesque heads. There is also a plain western door in the tower, and over it a Decorated window of three lights. There are three tiers of Decorated windows on the south side, all of two lights and unglazed, with dripstones and corbels, but there are not string courses between each of them. There is a projecting stair turret on the south side lighted by loopholes; the upper or belfry story looks like an addition to the rest and is Perpendicular, with a battlement and eight small crocketed pinnacles. There are on each side two square-headed windows of two lights with labels. Between these windows are small buttresses, set upon a sloping plinth. The lower parts of the tower have bold projecting buttresses, but not set at the angles. The ringing floor of the tower is spacious, and in it is a fire-place and other appendages, which make it probable that it was once inhabited. The whole of the church is built of excellent stone. The body and chancel are all embattled. The tower has a good stone groined ceiling of eight ribs, and is open to the nave by a pointed arch with good mouldings on halfoctagonal shafts. The windows of the side aisles are mostly Decorated, some early of two lights with aisles; at the west of the south aisle is one of three lights which is rather mutilated. Some others are Perpendicular insertions with square heads, and the clerestory of the nave is wholly of this last character, with windows of four lights. The nave has on the south side three very narrow acute arches of Early English character on light octagonal columns; on the north four, also narrow and acute, on extremely light piers, the piers short and the arches springing very low, the hood mouldings are hatched, the inner mouldings of each have one course of the ball flowers. The three piers are dissimilar. The western one is octagonal, the capital having acanthus foliage and abacus; the second is clustered of four shafts, the capitals of rude and stiff foliage with the abacus; the third is octagonal with octagonal capitals like the last, and Perpendicular courses of ball-flowers carried down the alternate and chamfered faces. The first is on an octagonal base, the others have square bases. Unfortunately these curious and

elegant arches and pillars are frightfully clogged with whitewash. The mixture of Early English and Decorated work is singular. The eastern pier on each side of the nave has an aperture in the wall. The chancel arch is pointed and moulded on octagonal brackets. The roof of the nave is plain, the brackets have figures in the nave. The pitch of the original roof is seen against the wall of the tower. There is no arch of separation between the south aisle of the nave and that of the chancel. The chancel has a lower leaded roof than the nave, but the original pitch is seen against the east end of the clerestory externally. The east window of the chancel south aisle is Decorated, of five lights, with circles in the tracery, the centre one cinquefoiled. This window is wide and short, the side windows of this aisle are square-headed and Perpendicular, and there is a small door. The east window of the north aisle is also Decorated, but unlike the other of four lights, and the tracery of the upper part resembling a star, and very uncommon in its character. The chancel extends beyond the aisles a little way; its east window is of five lights with tracery of early Perpendicular character, but not very good. On the north and south of the altar are two square-headed windows of two lights, apparently of the same age. The altar is considerably elevated, and being approached by an ascent of six steps has a fine effect. Beneath it there appears to be a crypt lighted from without by a square-headed window on the east side. On the south side of the altar are three beautiful sedilia which have been cleared of whitewash. They have crocketed ogee canopies with trefoil feathering and delicate mouldings. The piers have shafts with fine moulded capitals. There is also a trefoil niche with drain partly hidden by wainscoting. The chancel has no clerestory, and is divided from the south aisle by two lofty pointed arches with very light octagonal pillar having an overhanging capital, and from the north aisle by two pointed arches of dissimilar form with a larger octagonal column. Over the altar there is a boarded ceiling, and over the east window internally is some toothed moulding. The square aperture on the north of the chancel arch, opening into the aisle, has something of the appearance of a locker. The church is too full of pews and most glaring with whitewash. There is also a west gallery and a good organ. Within the altar rails are two