their silk-weaving, and it was
also reserved as a place of worship for French Protestants.

CHAPTER XIII.

HOW TO DESCRIBE AN OLD CHURCH.

Having carefully read the foregoing chapters, it should be possible for
anyone interested in the subject to be able to write a fairly accurate
description of any old church. The record should, if possible, be
amplified with sketches or photographs.

In course of time, decay, neglect and restoration will deprive our
ancient buildings of every visible stone of original work which they
possess, and careful records of this kind, written, photographed and
sketched, may be of the highest possible value to future generations of
historians and architects, long after the objects themselves have ceased
to exist. The work in itself is of absorbing interest, and the more one
studies these works of past ages the stronger becomes the conviction
that our old buildings, whether cathedral, castle or simple village
church, are the landmarks of the nation's history, and a priceless
inheritance of beauty and art the conservation of which is the duty of
all generations.

The principal points to be noted are--1. The name of the church. 2. Its
situation. 3. Its dedication. 4. General plan. 5. The style of
architecture to which each portion belongs. 6. Any peculiarity of the
architecture, blocked up windows, etc. 7. Any ancient furniture,
screens, bench-ends, glass. 8. Any monuments, tablets, or mural
paintings. 9. Church plate, bells, registers. 10. Any local traditions.
The record should be made somewhat in the following manner.

The church of ---- is prettily situated on rising ground some quarter of
a mile north of the village, and on the main road to ---- . It is
approached by a picturesque timber lych-gate, and consists of nave,
aisles and chancel, having a side chapel to the north and a single
transept to the south. At the west end is a Decorated tower and spire.
There are two porches, one on the north side and the other on the west,
which last has a niche for a figure over the doorway and seats on either
side. The nave is Perpendicular, as is the greater part of the rest of
the fabric. Above the nave rises a lofty and noble clerestory, divided
from the aisles by five rather obtusely-pointed arches supported by
richly moulded piers with small moulded capitals. Each bay of the
clerestory contains two three-light windows of late Perpendicular date.
The roof is flat pitched and is of oak