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Archaeologia Cantiana -  Vol. 14  1882  page 98

The Church of Stone in Oxney by the Rev E. M. Muriel

THIS Church, dedicated to St. Mary, consists of nave, north and south aisles, chancel, north and south chapels, and a square embattled tower of three stages with a beacon turret at the west end, from the top of which a fine view of the surrounding country is obtained. The entire church is Perpendicular. The best feature internally is the colonnade on each side of the nave, consisting of three good arches, supported on pillars, which are graceful and lofty. The Tudor arch between each chapel and the chancel is very flat; under that on the north side, are the remains of a late Perpendicular screen; and in the windows of the same chapel we may observe specimens of canopy-work in the painted glass, rather spoilt by the insertion of some pieces of modern glass. The south chapel is the oldest part of the church; in the south-west corner of it are the stone steps, now blocked up, which led to the rood-loft. There are some

remains of painted glass in the east window of this chapel, one diaper is left, and other portions which probably were on the outside of a figure with flowing robes. In this chapel's south wall, under a niche, is a projecting bowl like a plain piscina, but some doubt whether it had any orifice for a drain. The chancel itself and the pillars supporting it are very massive; and above the arch are two large niches, which I at first thought had contained statues in connection with the rood-loft; but when the chancel roof was raised, under the direction of Mr. Christian, at the expense of the Dean and Chapter of Canterbury, it was found that they were only plain windows. The font is octagonal and quite plain. Under the tower arch is a screen of balustraded work, with the following initials and date carved on the front:
                   WP    IS    CWS    1705.

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