[2] The tower of the old church was furnished with a set of
eight very excellent bells: there was also a bell of a smaller
size suspended in one of the turrets, which was rung every
morning at a quarter before seven o'clock. On the walls of the
belfry were some records of exploits in ringing, which had been
performed there on different occasions.
The body of the church is of fine brick, finished with stone, and of
octagon form, about 50 feet diameter. The interior has eight recesses;
one of these being occupied by the altar with a large pointed window
above, and three others by the organ and galleries for the children of
the parish schools: the remaining four recesses are unoccupied by
galleries; against their walls are placed the sepulchral monuments from
the old church. The octagon form was often adopted in the lady-chapels
at the east end of our most ancient cathedrals, where the recesses were
devoted to tombs and private chapels. The upper or clere story is
supported on arches, with an enriched gothic window in each compartment.
The roof springs from clustered columns, branching into an enriched
groined ceiling, with a very large and embellished pendent key-stone in
the centre, from which will be suspended the chandelier to light the
whole of the interior. The ornaments of this key-stone are of a very
elegant character: its foliated tracery, as well as the richness of the
bosses, corbels, and other embellishments throughout the interior, are
extremely beautiful.
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