Page:Notes on the churches in the counties of Kent, Sussex, and Surrey.djvu/231

Rh windows of the northern side of the church are some small portions of coloured glass, a figure in the end window of the north transept being labelled S. Alpheg. The aspect of this fine structure, though susceptible of farther improvement, has materially benefitted by the removal of the plaster and whitewash from the piers, capitals, and borders of the windows, the totally unassisted work of the parish schoolmaster, and highly creditable to his taste and zeal. In the village street stands the shaft of an ancient stone cross, which, according to Horsfield, was some years ago partially demolished for the sake of the stone; this was taken probably from the base, as the cross is now elevated upon a mass of brickwork.—The Star Inn here is a remarkable edifice, but inspection will perhaps disappoint those, who may read the following description. The house contains a fireplace, with a somewhat singularly-moulded ledge above it. "A bishop in his robes is carved on one of the timbers in front of the building, holding in his right hand a globe; his left hand is placed upon his breast; and at his feet is a stag couchant. At the top of one of the pillars of the doorway is a fret carved (note. Doubtless the arms of the De Echyngham family, &c.); the other is crowned by a monk in a square cap. Near the sign-post was formerly a dog, and a grotesque figure holding a bottle and flask. Above the door are two snakes, their tails entwined, with a niche or tabernacle over them. A grotesque representation of St. Michael fighting the dragon is in a line with this. . . . .  On the bracket of the main beam of the parlour is a shield, inscribed J H S," &c. (Horsfield's Sussex, I, 330, 331.)—For a more detailed description of this handsome church refer to Archæol. Journal, (V, 144, 145.) The writer of that article however, the Rev. J. L. Petit, considers this building to "belong more decidedly to the Dec. style," than I do. His opinion certainly is the most likely to be correct, but I would repeat my suggestion with regard to the piscina and sedilia, that they may have been retained from a former church. The concave faces of the piers also seem to me an evidence of late date. The instances of such ornamentation noticed in Kent were generally, if not invariably, in Perp. work; and St. Mary's church, Oxford, contains Perp. clustered pillars, much smaller than the piers at Alfriston, of which the faces of the capitals are concave. Adjoining the churchyard to the south stands the ancient parsonage, now occupied as cottages. It is a building of timber and plaster, a description very common in many parts of the county. It