REIGATE HUNDRED
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��octagonal. In the capitals the sections of the abaci and the character of the foliage are of the same early type, but not so experimental in design as on the south side. No other work of this interesting early period remains in the church, except a voussoir of one of the entrance doors with quirked hollow and bold bowtell mouldings, now preserved in the chamber over the vestry. The original aisles were compara- tively narrow, and the outer walls of the north aisle, with a lean-to form of roof, probably stand on the old foundations ; but the south has been rebuilt on a much higher and wider plan, with a span roof of low pitch. The west window of the north aisle is an insertion of about 1280, as is evidenced by its internal hood-moulding and corbel heads.
Work of the succeeding period (c. 1 3 20) is found in the north and south chapels, which are earlier than the main chancel and the arcades which divide them from it, and must therefore have been coexis- tent with the early transepts, central tower, and chancel. In the north chapel is the only window in the church retaining its original net tracery, of about 1330, in the soft Reigate stone. It is of two lights, wide and lofty, the central ogee-shaped figure of the head being octo-foiled and the ogee heads of the lights having similar foliations. The tracery of the two two-light windows in the opposite south chapel wall, with ogee heads and an ogee quatrefoil over, is modern, but apparently a restoration, although the mouldings and their stops inside are old, and the character of the work suggests a slightly earlier date, c. i 320, which is borne out by that of the niche, or sedile, and piscina in its south wall. Both side chapels probably had sculptured stone reredoses, and remains of that in the north chapel, together with niches right and left of the window and beautiful fragments now in the room over the vestry, date from this period. The buttress at the end of the south wall of the south chapel is an old one restored, but that on the east face is modern ; and the east window of this chapel, which in Cracklow's view is shown as with wooden bars in place of tracery, is now fitted with tracery of early 14th-century character.
Late in the 1 4th century and at subsequent dates in the 1 5th century, extensive alterations and extensions took place. The central tower was removed, the present fine and lofty western one taking its place, the south aisle re-built on an enlarged scale, with a new porch, and the north transformed by the insertion of five two-light windows ; the chancel was extended eastwards or perhaps only rebuilt, and the arches from it opening into the side chapels were made to take the place of earlier arches. At about the same date the extension of the nave and aisles eastward, which as above mentioned involved the destruction of the early central tower and transepts, was carried out, and this probably caused the chancel to be pushed out a bay further to the east. It also necessitated the building of the present lofty chancel arch and of new arches opening from the nave aisles to the north and south chancels. A striking feature is the series of three steps stretching across the church from wall to wall at the entrance to the chancel and chapels. The south wall of the south aisle contains four handsome three- light windows with arched heads and super-tracery, re- newed in Bath stone, and there is another in the west wall. The buttresses are also of this period, with one
��exception, which is modern. This south wall was heightened early in the igth century. The second bay from the west is occupied by a small but well- proportioned porch which has an outer doorway, with pointed arch, beneath a square label, with traceried spandrels, above which is an image niche.
The north wall of the north aisle is lower, and the windows, of two lights with segmental heads, are plainer than those in the opposite wall. All these works, which externally at least entirely changed the appearance of the church, were probably spread over the period c. 1 380 to c. 1480, but the bulk appears to have been done before the end of the I4th century, the extension of the chancel showing many points of resemblance to the contemporary work in Arundel parish church and the Fitzalan chancel, especially in the handsome range of sedilia and piscina, with their ogee-crocketed canopies, pinnacles, and miniature vaulting. These are elaborately coloured and gilt, in attempted reproduction of the original decoration. Adjoining, on the east wall, is a beautiful stone reredos, brought to light in 1845, previously to which it had been concealed by a later altar-piece and a coating of plaster. It is about 8 ft. in height and is in two stages, the lower plain stone panelling consisting of a series of shallow-arched compartments, with a blank space in the centre for the altar ; and the upper of ogee-crocketed niches, with finials and slender pin- nacles, six narrow ones on either side of a wide central niche, with pedestals in their sills, no doubt originally containing images of the twelve apostles, now repre- sented by modern figures painted on the backs of the niches, and our Lord, or the Blessed Virgin and Child, in the centre. Above is an enriched cornice, with carved paterae and a cresting of the Tudor flower ornament. This reredos is flanked by large and lofty canopied niches, originally containing figures of the patron and another saint ; and over them, right and left of the east window, are others which also had images. The whole of this stone tabernacle work, which was most elaborately decorated in gold, silver, and colours, was somewhat harshly restored in 1846, and the original colouring scraped off, while at the same time the great east window, of six handsome lights under a pointed head of 15th-century date, was replaced by one of five lights in an incongruous late- 1 3th-century design, the east windows of the north and south chancels being similarly treated. 121 The result is most unhappy and historically misleading. The north and south windows of the sacrarium, of three transomed lights and dating from about 1400, were fortunately spared and give some idea of the character of the destroyed work. The piers of the quire arches and of those between the nave and aisles and the chancels are of the quatrefoil plan, with hollow mouldings between the shafts, commonly met with in the work of this period, the arches being moulded with the double ogee bands and deep hollows and having grotesque heads of monkeys and other animals as terminations to the hood-mouldings. Be- sides the three steps at the entrance to the chancel there is another in the middle of the quire, and a fifth at the sacrarium, while the altar is elevated on a pace, and these appear to be the ancient levels.
The tall, handsome western tower, perhaps the best of its period in Surrey, was built before the end of the 1 4th century. It has lost interest through having
��m The Internal jambs and arch of the great east window, however, appear to be those of the former opening.
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