north-west one was thrown down by a stroke of lightening; which considerably injured other parts of the Church, particularly the west window of the south Aisle. The repair of the spire cost 747. On the last day of December, 1833, a high wind blew down a portion of the north-east pinnacle. The fragments considerably damaged the parapet of the Nave. On the 7th of January, 1839, a violent gale blew down the top of the southeast pinnacle, and the south battlements of the Tower were greatly injured. The north-east one was also considerably displaced. Lastly, in the summer of 1843, one of the north pinnacles suffered during a violent thunder-storm. The two upon this side have since been rebuilt or completely repaired. The terminations of the buttresses at the north-west corner have been renewed, but the crockets and finials omitted. The pinnacles are now surmounted by weather-fanes.

The interior of the Tower, forming the entrance into the Church, has once been very fine. It was lighted by three very large windows, with four-centred depressed heads, one between the Tower and the Nave, another on the west, and the third on the south side. All were similar in design, but now the last only remains, the other two having been bricked up. The deformity, however, has been somewhat concealed by the application of cement, and whitewash. The window which still exists, is remarkably shallow within. Externally the jambs and architrave, instead of being moulded, are ornamented with large pannels. The mullions are debased; and the principal lights divided into two. About midway, the three mullions curve round and intersect each other. The same disposition again takes place at the spring of the arch. The head is divided

by two mullions conjoined below, and curved outwards, from the middle on the outer side of which two others pass in a reversed direction downwards, thus forming five subordinate lights. The dripstone terminates in corbel-heads. Immediately below the window, the first moulded string-course runs completely round the Tower. Internally, there is a corresponding string-course carried along the four principal sides.

A simple-pointed doorway forms the immediate entrance from the Tower into the Church. The mouldings of the jambs and architrave, on the east side, are obliterated. On the west, they consist of three engaged slender shafts, between the second and third of which is a cavetto, where, in the architrave, a four-leaved flower is inserted at intervals. The first shaft, at the

spring, separates into two branches; the outer continues in a perpendicular direction to the string-course, thus forming a square head. The spandrills are filled with a circle, in which the quatrefoil is introduced, and two trefoils: these are mere mouldings, perhaps entirely modern.

The western entrance is panelled within, and is included under a square head, like the other doorway, to which it bears great resemblance. But the pannels have been greatly concealed by plaster. Externally the cavetto, instead of passing along the architrave, continues, with the attached shafts, straight to the string-course, thus assisting in forming the square head. The span

drils are occupied by a circle, in which is a quatrefoil; and these are cut very deeply into the wall. The doorway is cemented.

There was once a very fine, elliptical, groined, ceiling, formed of stone. Three small rounded groining-ribs

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diverged longitudinally, diagonally, and transversely, from slender shafts, which rose from the ground in each corner. But, some time in the sixteenth century, it was destroyed, in order to form a room for the greater convenience of the ringers, below that anciently used by them. The floor of this new room intersects the three windows of the Tower; and two of them were, therefore, built up. The modern ceiling is still elliptical, but is formed of wood and plaster. The removal of this stone ceiling must greatly have impaired the firmness of the Tower. This, indeed, is painfully evident, in the long cracks which have since appeared in its sides.

Although the loftiness entrance of the Tower has thus been diminished, it is still considerable. The whole internally has been plastered and whitewashed. The floor is flagged.

The staircase in the south-west angle, forming the ascent to the Tower, is a very peculiar structure, and forms one of the greatest curiosities of which the town can now boast. Staircases of this construction are said to be exceedingly rare, even upon the continent. It consists of two spiral flights of steps, winding, one above the other, round the same central pillar or newel, so that the floor of one forms the roof of the other. The whole is enclosed within a cylinder six feet in diameter, and is lighted from without by long apertures or loop-holes. The reader will gain a clearer idea of this piece of architecture than could be conveyed in a lengthened description, from the engraving which is given of it. It will be evident that two persons might ascend or descend, at the same time, and not see each other, provided they took different stairs. One