Notes and Queries, Number 71, March 8, 1851 | Page 3

AND QUERIES," Vol. ii.,
p. 397.) The pulpit against the north, and the reading-desk, with clerk's
seat attached, against the south side of the chancel-arch, are both of the
same height, and exactly similar in every respect; both have

sounding-boards. The font is placed at the west end of the nave, and,
together with its cover, is part of George Herbert's work; it stands on a
single step, and a drain carries off the water, as in ancient examples.
The shallowness of the basin surprised me. A vestry, corresponding in
style to the seats, is formed by a wooden inclosure in the south transept,
which contains "a strong and decent chest." Until the erection of the
gallery, the tower was open to the nave.
The chancel, which is raised one step above the nave, is now partly
filled with high pews, but, as arranged by the pious prebendary, it is
believed to have contained only one low bench on either side. The
communion table, which is elevated by three steps above the level of
the chancel, is modern, as are also the rails. There is a double Early
English piscina in the south wall, and an ambry in the north. A plain
cross of the seventeenth century crowns the eastern gable of the chancel
externally.
No doubt there were originally "fit and proper {179} texts of scripture
everywhere painted;" but, if this were so, they are now concealed by
the whitewash. Such are not uncommon in neighbouring churches. No
"poor man's box conveniently seated" remains, but there are indications
of its having been fixed to the back of the bench nearest to the south
door.
The roof is open to the tiles, being, like the seats, Gothic in design and
of seventeenth century execution. The same may be said of the tower,
which is battlemented, and finished off with pinnacles surmounted by
balls, and has a somewhat heavy appearance. But it is solid and
substantial, and it is evident that no expense was spared to make it--so
far as the skill of the time could make it--worthy of its purpose and of
the donor. There are five bells. No. 1. has the inscription:
"IHS NAZARENVS REX IVDEORVM FILI DEI MISERERE MEI :
GEORGE WOOLF VICAR : I : MICHELL : C : W : W : N. 1720."
Nos. 2. 4. and 5. contain the alphabet in Lombardic capitals; but the
inscription and date on each of them,--

"THOMAS NOBBIS MADE ME 1641"--
show that they are not of the antiquity which generally renders the few
specimens we have of alphabet bells so peculiarly interesting, but
probably they were copied from the bells in the more ancient tower. No.
3. has in Lombardic capitals the fragment--
"ESME: CCATHERINA,"
and is consequently of ante-Reformation date.
The porches are both of the Early English period, and form therefore a
very noticeable feature.
On the external walls are several highly ornamented spouts, upon some
of which crosses are figured, and upon one with the date "1632" I
discovered three crests; but as I could not accurately distinguish what
they were intended to represent, I will not run the risk of describing
them wrongly. The wivern, the crest of the Herberts, did not appear;
nor, so far as I could learn, does the fabric itself afford any clue to him
who was the principal author of its restoration.
The view from the tower is extensive, and, from the number of spires
that are visible, very pleasing: fifteen or sixteen village churches are to
be seen with the naked eye; and I believe that Ely Cathedral, nearly
thirty miles distant, may be discovered with the aid of a telescope.
ARUN.
* * * * *
FOLK LORE.
Sacramental Wine.--In a remote hamlet of Surrey I recently heard the
following superstition. In a very sickly family, of which the children
were troubled with bad fits, and the poor mother herself is almost
half-witted, an infant newly born seemed to be in a very weakly and
unnatural state. One of the gossips from the neighbouring cottages

coming in, with a mysterious look said, "Sure, the babby wanted
something,--a drop of the sacrament wine would do it good." On
surprise being expressed at such a notion, she added "Oh! they often
gives it." I do not find any allusion in Brand's Antiquities to such
popular credence. He mentions the superstition in Berkshire, that a ring
made from a piece of silver collected at the communion (especially that
on Easter Sunday) is a cure for convulsions and fits.
ALBERT WAY.
"Snail, Snail, come out of your Hole" (Vol. iii., p. 132.).--Your
correspondent S. W. SINGER has brought to my recollection a verse,
which I heard some children singing near Exeter, in July last, and noted
down, but afterwards forgot to send to