CHKHRCIH!

r.^'h Jf.-'lhor'

PENTON MEUSEY CHURCH, HANTS.

The church of Penton Meusey, a village about three miles to the westward of An-
dover, first attracted my attention in the spring of 1843. The belfry was at that
time covered with a boarded and tiled ei*ection, which entirely concealed its best
features. Upon close examination, I found it so worthy of restoration as to mention
the subject to the Rev. Dodson, (the present incumbent,) by whom it was in-
troduced to the Hon. Pierrepoint, and the result has been its perfect restoration,

by direction of the latter gentleman.

There are no records relating to the history of Penton, or the erection of its
church ; but from the style of its architecture, it may be safely referred to the middle
of the fourteenth century, or perhaps a little later. The structure is of stone and
flint, roughly headed, the flint ^vork a very good example of its kind. Its most
interesting feature is the belfry j but of this and the other portions of the building, a
perfect idea may be formed from the plates.

The windows and doorways to the nave are good examples, the former displaying
some peculiar tracery, particularly those giving light to the chancel. The font is
also worthy of attention, presenting considerable elegance and originality of contour ;
a small piscina with credence shelf in the south window of the nave is also a good
feature.

The church has been lately repaired with deal, and adds another to the many un-
happy attempts of a similar description so common at the present day. The ancient
north window had been destroyed, and a communication formed with a monstrous
erection in the shape of a gallery " Puc," furnished with carpets, chairs, curtains
and open fire-place, with all its noisy appurtenances. This abomination has been
lately removed, and in its place a sort of transept has been formed, and furnished
with seats as above mentioned.

I may observe that, in bringing the belfry under the notice of your readers, it

PART IV. — ARCH. VII.

Q PENTON MEUSEY CHURCH.

crives me much pleasure to add so valuable an example to those already familiar to
the public, most of which are entirely dissimilar to the one under consideration.

Plate 1. Perspective view of the bell turret This Plate has been introduced

for the purpose of giving a better idea of this eflfective composition than could have
een conveyed by the geometrical drawings.

Plate 2. A ground plan and south elevation of the church. — In the ground plan
the transept and an unsightly porch arc omitted, as is also the latter in the elevation.
The bases of the two crosses upon the eastern ends of the nave and chancel, are
now placed in an adjoining garden.

Plate 3. The west elevation — shews this end of the church, with its well-
proportioned window and turret. The masonry is shewn precisely as it exists in the
original.

Plate 4. Elevations, with horizontal and vertical sections of the bell turret, and
an elevation of the font.

Plate 5. One half the transverse section, shewing the chancel arch, together
with other details, as the corbel or knee to the gables, the piscina and credence
shelf, with half elevations of the exterior of three windows, and of the exterior and
interior of the south door — the hinges a useful example. The arched head of the
priest's door to the chancel appears to have been formed from some fragments of the
north window, which was probably destroyed at the time of the erection of the
monstrous " Pue " before mentioned.

The chancel walls present some appeai^ance of having been taken down and
rebuilt, but this can scarcely have been the case. The windows in this portion of
the building are much nearer the floor than is general. The eastern wall is of com-
paratively modern flint work, and the east window has been lately embellished ? with
some wretched attempts at stained glass.

OWEN B. CARTER.

Winchester, June, 1 844.

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