Chapter I: Front Matter

Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
file which includes the original illustrations.
See 19511-h.htm or 19511-h.zip:
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/5/1/19511/19511-h/19511-h.htm)
or
(https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/9/5/1/19511/19511-h.zip)

Transcriber's note:

Lower case o-with-tilde accent is indicated by [~o].

Superscripted abbreviations are indicated by a preceeding caret.

Bold characters are enclosed between # marks.

WIMBORNE MINSTER AND CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY

A Short History of Their Foundation and Description of Their Buildings

by

THE REV. THOMAS PERKINS M.A., F.R.A.S. Rector of Turnworth, Dorset

With Illustrations from Photographs by the Author

London George Bell & Sons 1902 First Edition 1899 Second Edition, Revised, 1902

AUTHOR'S PREFACE

When writing the chapters of the present volume which treat of Wimborne Minster, the author consulted the last edition of Hutchins' "History of Dorset," which contains a considerable amount of somewhat ill-arranged information on the subject, verifying all the descriptions by actual examination of the building; similarly, when preparing the part of this volume dealing with Christchurch Priory, he made some use of "The Memorials of Christchurch Twynham," written originally by the Rev. Mackenzie Walcott, F.S.A., and revised after his death in 1880 by Mr B. Edmund Ferrey, F.S.A. He also consulted papers on the subject that have appeared from time to time in various periodicals and MSS. that were kindly placed at his disposal by the Secretary of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings.

He desires to express his thanks to the Vicars of the two churches for permission to thoroughly examine every part of the buildings, and to photograph them without let or hindrance; he also wishes to bear testimony to the readiness shown by the clerks and vergers in imparting local information and in facilitating his photographic work.

T. P.

_October_ 1899.

CONTENTS

WIMBORNE MINSTER

PAGE

CHAPTER I.--History of the Building 3
Date of Foundation 5
The Norman Church 8, 9
Alterations in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries 10, 11
Alterations in the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuries 11, 12
Modern Restorations 14

CHAPTER II.--The Exterior 16
The Central Tower 16
The North Porch 22
The East Window 24
The Sundial 25
The South Porch 25
The Western Tower 26

CHAPTER III.--The Interior 29
The North Porch 29
The Aisles 29, 38
The Clerestory 33
The Central Tower 34
The Transepts 38
The East End, Choir and Presbytery 42
Sedilia and Piscina 44
The Beaufort and Courtenay Tombs and Brass of Aethelred 42, 47
The South Choir Aisle and Etricke Tomb 48
The North Choir Aisle and Uvedale Monument 50, 51
The Crypt, Vestry, and Library 52
Deans of Wimborne 59

CHAPTER IV.--St Margaret's Hospital 60
Dimensions of Wimborne Minster 64

CHRISTCHURCH PRIORY

CHAPTER I.--History of the Building 67
Foundation 68
The Norman Church 70
Alterations in the Thirteenth-Fifteenth Centuries 71
Modern Alterations 72

CHAPTER II.--The Exterior 76
The Western Tower 76
The North Porch 80
The North Aisle 80
The North Transept 82
The Choir, Presbytery, and Lady Chapel 84
The South Transept 88
The Nave 88
The Porter's Lodge, and Sites of the Domestic Buildings 89

CHAPTER III.--The Interior 92
The Nave 92-98
The Aisles 98
The Transepts 100
The Rood Screen 105
The Choir 106
The Choir Stalls 108-110
The Reredos 112
The Salisbury Chantry 116
The Draper Chantry 118
The Lady Chapel, and the "Miraculous Beam" 120
St Michael's Loft 126
The Shelley Monument 126