' THE SOUTH-EAST COTSWOLDS.

ALDSWORTH. - St. Bartholomew.

Mediaevally the church at Aldsworth was a peculiar of Bibury. and so came under the dominion of Osney Abbey, passing to the Chapter of Oxford in the year 1543. Dedicated to St. Bartholomew, formerly to St.Peter the church consists of chancel, nave with north and south porches, a north aisle, and a tower at the west end. The latter, a poor Perpendicular structure -is capped by a seventeenth century octagonal spire, but if this portion :: church is not remarkable for its beauty, at least it is remarkable for its bells, containing as it does three mediaeval specimens, each with the Gothic letter.:. ORA PRO NOBIS, preceded by the name of a saint, Mary the Virgin Mary Magdalene, and John the Baptist respectively. These bells are considered to originate from the foundry of Robert Hendly of Gloucester early fifteenth century maker of considerable repute, whose bells are found also at Farmington, Lower Slaughter and Sevenhampton.

That extensive Perpendicular alterations were made to the or>: Norman building is evident from the late and uninteresting features en south side of the nave, while in comparatively modern times the chancel was completely rebuilt, and a vestry added. The point of interest externally is the highly decorative north aisle, erected towards the end of the fiftee century, when the church was still attached to Osney, as indicated by Abbey arms, azure two bends or, which appear on one of the shields. detail is exceedingly rich, especially as regards the number and variety of the gargoyles and bosses, while the north-east buttress contains an elaborate niche, capped by a pinnacle of elaborate design.

The entrance to the porch was rebuilt in 1636, but internally the porch has good Perpendicular groining, though this must be a replacement, for vaulting shafts are early Decorated, with characteristic bell-shaped capit There is a stoup behind the entrance, and in the east wall a niche has a unique projecting ledge pierced with holes, which Mr. Keyser thinks were for insertion of candles, the hot air being carried away by a kind of flue in back of the niche. The doorway to the nave is Transitional Norman, and the door it? retains a pair of mediaeval C-shaped hinges, also a closing ring, a lock pk and a large and handsome key. The interior of the church is without much antiquarian interest.... '