r period. The bell turret is
situated at the south-east corner of the building, which, as a whole,
gives a singular impression, due to the fact that it is nearly as broad
as it is long. St. John's Church is the most interesting in the city,
containing as it does a fine rood screen, with the rood-loft stairs
still existing in a turret of fifteenth-century date. Other features of
interest are the fourteenth-century Decorated screens that enclose the
chancel on each side, and an arched recess at the east end of the north
wall, containing an altar-tomb with quatrefoil panels supporting shields
on which are the symbols of the Passion. The tomb itself bears neither
inscription nor date.

Here also are a set of carved bench ends, a Perpendicular pulpit, and an
octagonal font.

Unfortunately, most of the other churches of Winchester have been either
rebuilt or so altered as to retain very little of their original
architecture. The Church of St. Maurice, rebuilt in 1841, has saved a
Norman doorway, fragments of a fine Decorated screen which now serve for
altar rails, and an ancient chest.

Like most of our cathedral cities, Winchester is well supplied with
charitable institutions, although the best known of them all, the famous
Hospital of St. Cross, is situated a mile away from the city proper. The
Hospital of St. John, within Winchester, is one of the oldest
foundations of the kind in the country, and a portion of the vaulted
kitchen remaining in the building may not unreasonably be supposed to
have formed part of the almshouse thought to have been founded on the
spot in A.D. 935 by St. Brinstan. The chapel connected with the charity
dates from the time of the third Henry, and contains a piece of
fourteenth-century carving depicting the nimbed head of the Saviour,
which is now built into a wall. Considerable doubt exists as to the
original founder and early re-founders of this hospital, and little is
known concerning it until the time of Edward II, when John Devenish
re-founded it. At that period it seems to have been for the "sole relief
of sick and lame soldiers, poor pilgrims, and necessitated wayfaring
men, to have their lodging and diet there for one night, or longer, as
their inability to travel may require". Many influential citizens left
money or property to this charity. In 1400 Mark le Faire, Mayor of
Winchester, bequeathed to it several houses, including the "great inn
called the George", and the "house under the