Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 3.djvu/234

206 turret erected partly on corbels projecting from the wall of the gable, and partly on the wall itself, has been ably illustrated by Mr. Petit in a previous number of this Journal, but there are several other classes, which cannot with propriety be called turrets, and to some of these it is rather difficult to affix an appropriate name, but generally that of bell-cots seems to apply tolerably well, and it has the advantage of being commonly understood and frequently used of late; they are sometimes called bell-gables, but as the cot often stands up above the gable, and frequently over the chancel-arch, this name does not seem so generally applicable.

The earliest instance of the hanging of bells without a tower, which has been observed in England, occurs in the supposed Saxon church of Corhampton, (1) in Hampshire. Here there are two bells, and they are hung in oblong square-headed openings left in the wall of the gable, in the part corresponding to the tympanum of a pediment in classical architecture; these openings have "long and short work" in the jambs, and have every appearance of being contemporary with the building.

The next example that we have observed in point of date is in the early Norman church of Littleton, (2) in Hampshire. These are in nearly the same situation as at Corhampton, but more in the upper part of the gable, and the openings are round-headed, they are now plastered up, and a wooden bell-cot erected on the gable.

The next in order of this class is Ashley,(3) also in Hampshire,