Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/280

 260 ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE. described at Beckley, again occurs along with the Oifering of the Magi, and the Resurrection, some of the figures being very well executed." We are indebted to the Rev. Arthur Hussey, of Rottingdean, near Brighton, for the accompanying notice of an interesting architectural relic. " The little village of West Dean"^, in the county of Sussex, in a seques- tered valley among the hills of the South Downs, contains a relic of antiquity well deserving attention. Adjoining the church-yard stands what is said to be, and probably is, the old parsonage house, the erection of which must, I conceive, be referred to the "Decorated" period of architecture. The original entrance and the main chimney-shaft have been destroyed, but the shell of the building is still perfect in its general outline (which is very iiTegular), though the walls were broken through in places when the house was converted into two cottages. The walls are constructed of flint with stone dressings, the stone being principally of that inferior kind which is found under the chalk near East Bourne, and sometimes, I believe, called " clunch." The window-frames are of stone, several of them being very small, though three or four are of two lights, each light being trefoiled in the head. There are now no intervening rauUions, but whether they have been removed, or never existed, I am unable to say. The stone frames are rebated internally for shutters, which remain to one window, and their hooks may be observed elsewhere. The intel'ior contains some ancient doors, with their iron- work complete. The entry is into a room on the ground floor, having on the right the cellar stairs, and opposite, to the left, a pantry or store room. Farther within is a short newel staircase leading to an upper chamber, which appears to have been the chief apartment of the house. Here the large stone fireplace is entire, except that each jamb has lost its foot. There is no hood projecting outwards, but the upper part, after descending in a straight line, is curved inwards to form the sides. I regret that circumstances did not permit me to devote so much time and care to the examination of this interesting object, as it richly merits, and likewise that I am incapable of presenting views of portions belonging to it; but perhaps sufficient has been said to direct other more competent enquirers to the spot. Though the building is small, it cannot fail to gratify the student of ancient architecture, the more especially because the actual condition of the house is such, that it might without difficulty be re- stored very nearly, if not absolutely, to its original state. For the first intimation of the existence of this curiosity I must acknowledge myself in- debted to Horsfield's History of Sussex, without which I might never have heai'd of it." The following account of several ancient incised grave-stones in the churchyard at Lympley Stoke, in the county of Wilts, has been con- tributed by James Tunstall, Esq., M.D., of Bath. " The chapelry of Stoke, situated on the confines of Wiltshire, four miles ^ Sussex possesses an East and a West alluded to belongs to the former, and lies Dean in both the eastern and the western about three miles, north-east, from the town divisions of the county. The parish now of Seafoid.