Of the erection of the building records fail to give us any information, and we must therefore turn to the structure itself. On entering the church, every one will be struck by its peculiarity of plan, it being almost describable as a double nave rather than a nave with a north aisle. The width of the portion on the north of the arcade is 18 ft. 2 in., while that on the south widens from 19 ft. at the east end to 21 ft. 7in. at the western extremity. Similar instances may bo met with, but there is in no case reason to suppose that such was the original plan; on the contrary, it would appear probable that at a period early in the fourteenth century, when this church was built, it consisted of a nave and south aisle, but that subsequently, for the purpose of an extension of church-room, the aisle was superseded by the present nave and chancel, whereby the former nave became an aisle, and the apace for congregation was nearly doubled. Clearly the earliest part of the existing structure (so far as can at present be ascertained) is the present north aisle; no other part is so old by nearly a couple of centuries. Of course it is possible that the rest may have existed previously, and have been rebuilt; but I think there is sufficient reason for the proposition that the present north aisle was the original nave. The whole of this part, including the row of arches which separate it from the present nave, being all of one date, it is certain that there was some part of the church south of those arches. Supposing that the original nave stood on the south side of that arcade, it is not in the least likely that, if an extension of area were needed, there would have been built a single aisle, and one of a width and mag-
section of pibb.
land taxed at 5L lla. Sd. (pp. 206 and 206 b). Later, in 1347-8, the FrioF of Beigate, upon a Writ of Ad quod I>amniini, obtained license to hold land hew.— 20 Ed. IIL, No. 61. Add. MS. 6,167, fo. 263.
