Everything is on the tilt! The pillars on the right hand side are leaning outwards. Looking through, you can see that the window towards the back is leaning out even further. Looking at the archway underneath the tower it seems as if the whole church is listing to the right. For the craftsmen of the time, this must have been a constructional nightmare as the heavy pillars and walls gently settled in what was once marshland.
Here is a stereo pair. To see the effect you have to look cross-eyed at the two photos, so that your left eye is looking at the right photo and the right eye.... As you cross your eyes, you should see two images merging into a single image in the centre so that you see three images in a line where there were only two. If you concentrate on the middle image you should see depth ie, the pews should actually look closer than the archway.
If you have difficulty with this, put a finger half way between your eyes and the photos and focus on it. Notice, in the background (don't shift your focus) that there are two overlapping pictures in the middle. Move your finger slowly back and forward until the images merge. Carefully shift your attention to the merged image. You may find that it's out of focus (another mystery). Gently remove the finger and allow your eyes to resolve the image. You should see depth.
Don't concentrate for too long. This can cause headaches!
The South Aisle and John Deighton's Wall-Plaque
This is a view of the South Aisle. To the right is the Walton Tomb. In the centre is the font. The church is now used for art exhibitions and book sales for charity.
The church congregation had a definite pecking order. The wealthier members had the best places at the front of the North Aisle right below the pulpit and had lockable boxes built into the pews to store their hymn books. The pews were numbered and members of the congregation probably had to sit in the place for every service.
The lower classes sat on the South side of the church and the hagioscope or squint under the plaque was so that they could see communion taking place. In other churches they are provided into a segregated area so that the sick can take part without infecting the rest of the congregation. I believe they were referred to as leper squints.
Above the hagioscope is John Deightons Wall-Plaque. A lady from Michigan emailed me about this plaque as John Deighton is her ancestor. I emailed her these pictures. More recently another lady emailed about this plaque as she is also a descendant. Both agreed to me using these pictures on the website and I've put them in touch with each other!
As far as I can read it the inscription says:
In Memory
of John Deighton of this City Gent
Practitioner in Physick and Chyrurgery
who died Octobr:31:1676.Aged 71.
Here lyes an Honest, Learned pious Man;
A Faithfull Freind and a good Christan,
A loving husband, passionatly kind,
To her that's gone, and her that's left behind
A carefull Father, free from wastefull Vice
And yet not stain'd with sordid Avarice.
A Usefull Neighbour, whose Ingenious Art,
Could rescue Life, and ease impetuous Smart.
Skilfull, and Carefull, of his Labour free,
Nor Practic'd more for gain, then Charity
Such remedies he had for ev'ry Ill,
That only Death could wound beyond his Skill.
Thus while he labour'd others lives to save,
Himselfe he still was fitting for the Grave
Was humble, Sober, Temperate and Just
His Soul on Christ rely'd with constant Trust
His patience was by long Affliction try'd,
In stedfast Faith and Hope he liv'd and dy'd
Rest then in Peace; while thy deserving Name
Shall flourish in the Deathlesse Voice of Fame
I have tried to transcribe the text as faithfully as possible complete with period spellings.
Chyrurgery is the old name for Surgery - so he was a surgeon.
The oval plaque underneath is harder to read:
Also to ye Memory
of Mary the Relict of John
Deighton Gent Dau. of Edmund
Anslys of Brooking house in the P(arish)
of Chasilton in ye County of Oxon
Gent who died November 5"
AD 1684 Aged 63 Years
Non omnis moriar
Now it looks as if I'm missing something because both ladies mention a text which isn't on this plaque and must be on a tombstone:
Here lies interred the bodies of John Deighton of this city, Gent., and Jane his wife, d. of Edward Bassett, Uley, by whom he had issue of three sons and four daughters. He spent all his time in the study of Chirurgery, and attained great knowledge therein. He died 10 May, 1640 and she 23 April, 1631.
Now the interesting thing is that the dates are different! The John Deighton on the plaque died 1 October 1676, and is in fact the son, also engaged in the family chirurgery business. No mention of any other John Deighton tomb in the Tomb Trail below.
There were two John Deightons who were licensed by the Archbishop of Canterbury as physicians and surgeons; senior in 1673 and junior in 1683, so there was another John Deighton. And also a John Deighton who was vicar at St Mary de Lode church just round the corner from 1675 to 1695. (Is this John Deighton junior? Maybe he was vicar and surgeon at the same time.)
Hmmm... all very interesting!
Now for something completely different!
OK lets go up into the Belfry
