being,
from its style, "the oldest piece of grill-work in England. The design
is composed of sprays formed of two rolls of scrolls, welded to a
central stem, like a much-curled ostrich feather, with lesser scrolls in
the interstices and the major scrolls, each terminating in an open-work
trefoil, or quinquefoil. The large scrolls are 5-1/2 in. in diameter and
rather stout, the grill possessing great resisting powers, though it
would not be hard to climb.... There is, unfortunately, no means of
fixing the date, since no other grill resembles it; but, from the
position indicated in the cathedral, it may well have been made as long
ago as the eleventh or twelfth century." It was originally intended to
keep the miscellaneous crowd of pilgrims to the shrine of S. Swithun
from penetrating farther into the church by way of the south transept.
They were obliged to enter and depart by the Norman doorway in the north
transept.

It will not be necessary to record all the monuments and the brasses
which so abundantly cover the walls, but those of the greatest interest
will be alluded to. In the fifth bay of the north aisle are two
memorials of very different dates, those of the "Two Brothers of
Avington" (1662), and of the novelist, Jane Austen, the youngest
daughter of the rector of Steventon in Hampshire. Her monumental brass
is affixed to the wall below the other, which records how the two
brothers were "both of Oxford, both of the Temple, both Officers to
Queen Elizabeth and our noble King James. Both Justices of the Peace,
both agree in arms, the one a Knight, the other a Captain."

In the next bay, opposite the Norman Font, is an inscription relating to
Mrs Montagu, the founder of the "Blue Stocking" Club. It is to this
effect:--"Here lies the body of Elizabeth Montagu, daughter of Matthew
Robinson, Esq., of West Layton, in the County of York, who, possessing
the united advantages of beauty, wit, judgment, reputation, and riches,
and employing her talents most uniformly for the benefit of mankind,
might be justly deemed an ornament to her sex and country. She died on
the 25th August, 1800, aged 81."

The #Norman Font#, which Milner called _crux antiquariorum_, is situated
on the north side of the nave between the fifth and sixth pillars from
the west front. It is one of a group of seven found in England; of which
four are in Hampshire, at East Meon, S. Michael's (Southampton), S. Mary
Bourne, and Winchester; two in Lincoln