Part 3 (2/2)

The fabric of the nave is of the Decorated style, though modern in date, with Perpendicular clerestory, having five three-light windows, on the north and south sides. The arcades are of four bays, with chamfered equilateral arches, springing from shafted piers; the capitals of the two central ones being ornamented with foliage of a decorated character; the others being plain. Each aisle has three three-light windows, of decorated style, in the side wall, and a fourth at the west end; these are modern, the north aisle having been re-built in 1820 and the south aisle in 1821. There are north and south porches.

The chancel arch is modern, the carving of its caps being very delicate.

On the north side the outline of the doorway, formerly leading to the rood loft, is still visible, and below, on the west side of the chancel wall, is a well-carved statue bracket of floriated character, which was transferred from the chancel, and on the south side a still older one, much plainer.

[Picture: St. Mary's Church]

The east window of the chancel is said to be an enlarged copy of the east window of the neighbouring Haltham Church. It has five lights, with flamboyant tracery above, and is filled with rich coloured gla.s.s, by Heaton, Butler & Bayne; the subjects being, on the north side, above ”The Annunciation,” below ”The Nativity;” 2nd light, above ”The Adoration,”

below ”The Flight into Egypt;” central light, above ”The Crucifixion,”

below ”The Entombment;” next light, on south, above ”Women at the Sepulchre;” below ”Feed my Lambs;” southernmost light, above ”The Ascension,” below ”Pentecost.” In the upper tracery are ”Censing Angels”

and ”Instruments of the Pa.s.sion.” This window cost about 280 and is dedicated to the memory of the late Vicar, Prebendary W. H. Milner, who was largely instrumental in the restoration of the church, in 1861, and died Oct. 3, 1868. In that restoration the architect was the late Mr.

Ewan Christian, and the contractors for the work Messrs. Lea & Ashton of Retford. The cost of the restoration of the chancel was defrayed by J.

Banks Stanhope, Esq., as Lord of the Manor and Lay Rector, the rest being done by subscriptions amounting to about 4,000.

The present organ was originally designed by Mr. John Tunstall, and built by Messrs. Gray & Davidson, of London, at a cost of about 400. As re-constructed by Mr. Nicholson, of Lincoln, it contains 3 manuals, a fine pedal organ with 45 stops, and more than 2,500 pipes. It cost more than 2,000, 1,350 of which was contributed by the late Henry James Fielding, Esq., of Handel House, Horncastle. At a later date a trumpet was added, costing 120, the result being probably as fine an instrument as any in the county. For many years the organist was Mr. William Wakelin, whose musical talent was universally acknowledged; on his unfortunate sudden death, on March 1st, 1908, he was succeeded by Mr.

Hughes, recently a.s.sistant Organist of Ely Cathedral.

Beneath the east window is a handsome carved Reredos of Caen stone, somewhat heavy in style, having five panels, two on each side containing figures of the four evangelists, the central subject being ”The Agony in the Garden.” In this the figure of the Saviour is exquisitely designed; below are the three sleeping disciples, while above are two ministering angels, one holding a crown of thorns, the other the ”cup of bitterness.”

The panels have richly crocketed canopies, the central one being surmounted by a floriated cross. They are filled with diaper work, and the supporting pilasters are of various-coloured Irish marbles. The whole was designed by C. E. Giles, Esq., cousin of the late Vicar, Prebendary Robert Giles.

In the jamb, south of the Communion Table, is a Piscina; in the north wall a square aumbrey and a curious iron-barred opening, which was probably a Hagioscope for the Chantry behind. The present Vestry in the north-east corner is modern, built on the site where there was formerly a coalhouse, and, at a later date, a shed for the town fire-engine.

The Chancel has an arcade of three bays on the south side, filled with good 14th century carved oak screen work, separating it from the south-side chapel, said to have been anciently called ”The Corpus Christi Chapel,” and has two bays on the north, the easternmost being occupied by the organ, separating it from St. Catherine's Chantry; {36} the other having similar screen work. In the south wall of the chancel are a Priest's door and three four-light Perpendicular windows, with a fourth in the east wall. Gervase Holles states that he saw in this south-east window figures of St. Ninian, with lock and chain, and of Saints Crispinus and Crispinia.n.u.s with their shoe-making tools. {37a} It is probable, therefore, that the old gla.s.s of the window was supplied by a shoemaker's guild. The window is now filled with good coloured gla.s.s by Heaton, Butler & Bayne, dedicated to the memory of the late Vicar, Rev.

Arthur Scrivenor, who died 27 August, 1882, aged 51 years. It is of peculiar design, the subjects being chosen to represent his life of self-denying labour. There are four lights with eight subjects taken from St. Matthew's Gospel, arranged in two tiers, as follows-(1) ”Come ye blessed of my Father;” (2) ”I was an hungred and ye gave me meat;” (3) ”I was thirsty and ye gave me drink;” (4) ”I was a stranger, and ye took me in;” (5) ”Naked, and ye clothed me;” (6) ”I was sick, and ye visited me;”

(7) ”I was in prison, and ye came unto me;” (8) ”These shall go into life eternal.” There are eight compartments in the upper tracery, containing the emblems of the four evangelists, and two angels, and the Alpha and Omega.

In the north chancel wall are a Priest's door, two five-light windows, and one of three lights, with, at the east end, a two-light window, all modern. Here, externally, the parapet of St. Catherine's Chantry is embattled and enriched with panel work, and rises above the level of the rest of the wall. The clerestory of the chancel has six three-light windows on the south side, and five on the north. The easternmost on the north was inserted and made larger than the others in 1861, and, at a later date, was filled with good coloured gla.s.s by Heaton, Butler & Bayne, as a public memorial ”To the glory of G.o.d, and in memory of Barnard James Boulton, M.D., who died March 15 1875.” He was an active member of the restoration committee in 1861. The subjects are, in the western light, ”The cleansing of the leper” in the centre, ”Letting down the paralytic through the roof,” in the eastern light, ”The healing of blind Bartimaeus.”

In the nave the second window from the west end of the south clerestory is a memorial of the late Mr. W Rayson, builder, filled with good coloured gla.s.s. In the south aisle of the nave, the easternmost window is a good specimen of coloured gla.s.s by Heaton, Butler & Bayne, erected by public subscription in January, 1901, ”To the glory of G.o.d, and in grateful commemoration of the 18 years' ministry of Canon E. F.

Quarrington,” who resigned the Vicarage in 1900. The cost of this window was about 80, the subject is ”The Sermon on the Mount.” The Saviour is represented as addressing the people, grouped around Him, of all cla.s.ses, soldiers, Pharisees, disciples, travellers, young men, women, and children, with the city in the background. In the tracery above are angels, with rich ruby wings, in att.i.tudes of adoration.

The window next to this is filled with coloured gla.s.s, by Clayton & Bell, to the memory of Mrs. Salome Fox. In the upper tracery are the Alpha and Omega, with the date of erection ”Anno Dm'ni MDCCCXCVII.” In the central light below is the risen Saviour, seated on a throne, holding the emblem of sovereignty, with the inscription over His shoulders ”Because I live ye shall live also.” In each side light are three angels in adoration.

An inscription runs across the three lights, ”I am he that liveth and was dead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore.” Beneath are three square compartments, representing (1) three women, (2) three soldiers, (3) the apostles SS. John and Peter at the sepulchre, with the inscription ”Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?” and again, below all, ”To the glory of G.o.d, and in loving memory of Salome Fox, who died June 26, 1883, aged 65.” This cost about 85.

The window at the west end of this aisle, by Heaton, Butler & Bayne, was filled with coloured gla.s.s, by the late Mr. Henry Boulton, in memory of his first wife, being partly paid for by a surplus of 40 remaining from what was collected for the chancel east window, and the rest (about 40 more) by Mr. Boulton himself. The subject is the Saviour's baptism in the Jordan.

In the north aisle of the nave, the easternmost window was erected in 1902, at a cost of 98, from a bequest of the late Mr. Charles Dee, as a memorial of his friend the late Mr. Robert c.l.i.therow. The subject is ”The good Samaritan,” who, in the central light, is relieving the wounded wayfarer; while, in the side lights, the Priest and Levite are represented as pa.s.sing him by. In the two upper quatrefoils are angels holding scrolls, with the inscriptions (1) ”Let your light so s.h.i.+ne before men,” (2) ”That they may see your good works.” An inscription runs across the three lights, ”Blessed is he that provideth for the sick and needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble;” and, below all, ”To the glory of G.o.d, and in memory of Robert c.l.i.therow, a truly Christian gentleman, by his faithful servant.” {38} The artists were Messrs. Clayton & Bell.

The next window to this, also by Messrs. Clayton & Bell, is considered the best specimen of coloured gla.s.s in the church. It was erected by public subscription, largely through the exertions of the late Mrs.

Terrot, then of Wispington Vicarage, near Horncastle, her husband, the Rev. Charles Pratt Terrot, a clever artist and learned antiquary, supplying the design. It is inscribed ”To the glory of G.o.d, and in memory of Frederick Harwood, formerly churchwarden, who died March 12, 1874, aged 51 years.” Mr. Harwood was an indefatigable church worker, and died suddenly, after attending a Lent service, when he occupied his usual seat, near this window. It is of three lights, the subjects being six, (1) the centre light ill.u.s.trates ”Charity;” a female figure above, holding one child in her arms and leading others; while below is ”Joseph in Egypt, receiving his father, Jacob.” (2) The west light ill.u.s.trates ”Faith,” a female above, holding a cross and bible, and below ”Abraham offering his son Isaac.” (3) The east light ill.u.s.trates ”Hope,” a female above, leaning upon an anchor, and below ”Daniel in the den of lions.”

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