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circular, some octagonal. The capitals varied-some with quite plain mouldings, some with good sculptures of foliage. There is one indeed on the south side of the nave, which is rather a curious architectural problem. Part of the capital is cut with sculptures of leaves in deep relief-another part sculptured with fleurs de lis of a later style, and a third portion left in a rude uncut state. What is the solution? Had the fashion changed whilst the mason was at work?-or is it an unfinished substitution of one style of work for another? It seemed to us that others of the columns had undergone a change from their original shapes, but, the bases being hidden by pews, we could get no light from the lower mouldings. A very interesting discovery has recently been made in this church: in removing the commandment tables and wood work, seemingly of Queen Anne's tasteless period, and some tombs which have been placed against the windows, a richly ornamented reredos, with the piscina, and three sedilia have been

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revealed. The canopy of the piscina is an o G crocketted-those of the sedilia are very mutilated, but we understand they are to undergo restoration. Doubtless the numerous niches about the reredos were once occupied by statuettes. None, nor even portions of any, remain, and the ornamental work of the niches has been ruthlessly hewn and mutilated. Much of the ancient colouring remains, in its original brightness; some portions of the roodscreen are left at the ascent to the chancel, which is by four steps. At the east of the south aisle there remain the piscina and a recessed arch adjoining, serving, perhaps, as the credence shelf, and showing that a chapel has been there: some few patches of ancient glass, just to remind one of what has been, may be detected here and there. The ceiling is of vile plaster, and, as we have noticed, high pews are everywhere. The font belongs to the last century-the monumental tombs are not many, and all of a later time when the sentiment of them had become worldly. There is a large monument to the Ladbrokes ; a stout figure, equipped in what

is meant for Roman costume, sits crowned, holding a book-at each side supported by two allegorical female figures. There is a monument, more interesting, at least as to study for costume, to the memory of Sir Thomas Bludder and his wife, A.D. 1618. Queen Elizabeth's "admirall against the Spanyard's invinsable navy," 1588, Charles Howard, Earl of Effingham is buried in the chancel. Before we leave the church we may notice that it has a parochial library, built at the north side of the church, and founded by one John Skynner, in 1518, for the use of the neighbourhood, but it does not seem to be much used.

Returning back to the town it is just worth while to stroll to the west end of it during the dishing-up of the roast chicken, and to pass round the little market-house, built some hundred and fifty years since, which occupies the site of one of the many chapels dedicated to Thomas à Becket. But the buildings generally in the town are not picturesque or old-less interesting far than those which we meet with lower down the line at Lindfield and Cuckfield. Lindfield especially and its neighbourhood is a place for an artist to spend a week in, for its domestic architecture of a humble sort. Reigate has been too thriving, and flat-faced modern brick and stucco buildings have superseded the picturesque inequalities of old gables and bargeboards. A suitable climax to the day's excursion will be the ascent of the hill at the south side of the town; it is perhaps half a mile distant. The high coach road used to pass at the base, and we continue along this road past the gates leading to Lord Somers's seat, which still is called "The Priory," a small establishment for a few Augustine canons founded by William de Warrenna in 1240. The revenue of the priory being under 2001. per annum, it was among the first which fell a sacrifice to Harry the Eighth's expensive necessities. Soon after passing the priory, a by-road on the west side of the road leads up a steep bank. Follow this along a short grassy valley, and then climb the hill still at the west. On its summit, my Lord Somers, we presume, has thoughtfully placed a welcome bench. This spot, and some half mile of grassy table land adjacent, rich with thyme and ferns, afford certainly one of the very choicest and most extensive panoramas of inland scenery. literally a panorama. At the base of the hill on the north is Lord Somers's house, a most comfortable looking place; beyond it the North

It is

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Downs, with Gatton Park. Towards the west the Downs lead to Dorking and Guildford; at the south-west rise prominently the sand hills, crowned by Leith Hill; bearing to the south comes the Weald of Sussex, with distant peeps in the horizon of the South Downs. Turning eastward, the spire of the new Reigate church, shooting up above the trees, is an agreeable object, with the Weald of Kent in the distance. Some well-formed groups of fir and chestnut in the fore

ground help to mark the distance. It is a place like the sea-side, which provokes soothing contemplation. It is thorough enjoyment to stretch oneself down on the grass in the sunshine, fanned by a breeze always present here, and listen dozingly to the songs of the skylarks. In our dreams the prospect of the world appears very fair.

We hear the distant whistle of the train, and we must return to London. If walking to the station is decided on, do not return to the town, but descend the hill rather south-eastwards until you reach the high road, along which you go as far as the turnpike, then proceed due eastward across St. John's Common, having the line of the railway in sight, and pass by the base of the new church. It looks best at a distance-near to it, it seems but a miserable modern paste-board meanness, and raises regrets that the munificence of Earl Somers, who gave the site and a thousand pounds towards the building, had not the good fortune of having a better architect. Some distance on,

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a footpath ascends from the high road, across a little wood direct to the station, without making the circuit of the road, or passing beneath the bridge.

Now publishing, and to be had at all the Stations on the Line,

RAILWAY TRAVELLING CHARTS;

Or, Iron Road-Books,

FOR PERUSAL ON THE JOURNEY:

IN WHICH ARE NOTED

The Towns, Villages, Churches, Mansions, Parks, Stations, Bridges, Viaducts, Tunnels, Cuttings, Gradients, &c., the Scenery and its Natural History, the Antiquities and their Historical Associations, &c., passed by the line of Railway.

WITH HUNDREDS OF ILLUSTRATIONS,

CONSTITUTING NOVEL AND COMPLETE COMPANIONS FOR THE RAILWAY CARRIAGE.

Charts on the Brighton and South-Eastern Lines:

LONDON TO CROYDON, price 1d.

LONDON TO REIGATE, price 3d.

LONDON TO BRIGHTON, in a Wrapper, price 6d.

LONDON: PUBLISHED AT THE RAILWAY CHRONICLE OFFICE,
14, Wellington-street North, Strand.-Price 1d.

PLEASURE EXCURSIONS.

SHOREHAM,

ON THE BRIGHTON AND CHICHESTER RAILWAYS.

[From the Railway Chronicle.]

[This Excursion, if made with all brevity from Brighton, will not require more than three hours. It may be pleasantly and profitably extended to a much longer time.]

All harbours, with their boats, ships, quays, cranes, docks, &c., have a picturesque want of order, and that of Shoreham is not at all deficient in this kind of interest to an artist; but it must be admitted that the chief attraction of the old port consists in its two churches, which certainly are entitled to rank foremost among Sussex churches as worthy of a visit.

No one staying at Brighton, who knows the difference between a romanesque or semicircular from a pointed arch, will neglect availing himself of the abundant facilities presented throughout the day, of reaching Shoreham and inspecting its two old Norman churches. If he have a genuine taste for ecclesiastical structures, he will make a whole day of it, and pay visits to Sompting and Broadwater churches in addition to those of Shoreham. The four are each, one and all, abundantly attractive in various ways-Sompting for its quaint tower, still retaining remnants of supposed Saxon mouldings, and Broadwater for its rich Norman work, and the possession of a magnificent monumental brass effigy. For the present, however, we shall limit our paper to the Shoreham churches, reserving Sompting and Broadwater for another occasion.

Alighting at the station, we recommend the visiter to proceed at once to the Old Shoreham church, about half a mile westward; he will not pass through the town, but take the road on the north of it, traversing, however, the churchyard of New Shoreham, which he will leave for examination on his return.

For

The church of Old Shoreham is an early cruciform Norman church, very small, but consisting of a chancel, nave and two short transepts, with a square tower over the intersection of the cross. years it had been in a ruinous state, but has recently been restored, very substantially and with excellent feeling, by Mr. Ferrey. The completion of the chancel yet awaits sufficient subscriptions from pious

goes to Old Shoreham on the strength of our advice, to add his mite to the good work. The arches of the chancel, nave and transepts have extremely rich mouldings, so rich that we have preferred lines, rather than words to describe their beauty.

We know of no other four Norman arches belonging to any country church more beautiful than these, and we say, having no fear of contradiction, that they alone, either to a professional or non-professional observer, are well worth a journey of fifty-six miles to examine-of course we mean fifty-six miles on a railway, for with all our admiration of them we could not conscientiously advise any amateur to spend a day and a half in or on a stage coach for the purpose of visiting them. Pews have been abolished, and oaken benches substituted in the recent restorations. As to the superior picturesqueness, not to say modest christian humility, of open benches over pews, we would, in the present instance, abide even by the judgment of Goldsmith's Madame Blaze herself. The pulpit, the font, indeed all the recent works, have been done with characteristic taste.

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Nave and Chancel Arches in Old Shoreham Church.

Architectural forms more modern than the Norman by two centuries prevail in the chancel. The old screen, probably a remnant of the rood loft, is of the 13th century; the window at the east, with its flowing or flamboyant tracery in the head of the arch, is somewhat later. There is a recessed arch on the south, and there is likewise

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the piscina.

The tourist will not fail to walk round the outside of the church, and to observe on the south transept the little oblong window, with its peculiar zigzag bordering, of which we do not call to mind another example employed under such circumstances. The adventurous will ascend the belfry on the north of the tower. The old sexton who keeps the keys of the church is usually hovering about the immediate neighbourhood; his whereabouts may be learnt at the little inn near the church looking towards the sea.

If the tide is flowing and the water high, it will be worth while walking to the foot of the old wooden bridge across the Adur for the view. The wooded height in the distance, with a rising tower, are the base and remaining fragment of Bramber Castle, of which we shall have something to say on a future occasion.

The return to the New Shoreham Church should be through the town, passing by the suspension bridge, to Worthing, not many years ago built by the Duke of Norfolk, but now rendered comparatively useless by the railway. The town with its shipping is not destitute of picturesque groupings, but it has no houses which have the appearance of any

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