Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society . ongs to the fifteenth century. A woolmerchant, named John Fortey, who died in 1458, is said to have raisedthe nave and made it much more lightsome and splendid. He seems tohave entirely rebuilt the nave, which before had a high-pitched roof,as may be seen by the traces left on the tower. There is nothing elseto show what the earlier nave was like. We may suppose that there wasa church at Northleach in 1207, when the abbot of Cirencester cededcertain rights over the market-place to the abbot of Gloucester, butthere are rea
Transactions of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society . ongs to the fifteenth century. A woolmerchant, named John Fortey, who died in 1458, is said to have raisedthe nave and made it much more lightsome and splendid. He seems tohave entirely rebuilt the nave, which before had a high-pitched roof,as may be seen by the traces left on the tower. There is nothing elseto show what the earlier nave was like. We may suppose that there wasa church at Northleach in 1207, when the abbot of Cirencester cededcertain rights over the market-place to the abbot of Gloucester, butthere are reasons for thinking that the original church of the parish wasnot built on the present site. The manor of Lecce is mentioned inDomesday, but the very peculiar divisions of the parish suggest thatwhat is now the hamlet of Eastington was the place where the firstchurch was built. Atkins tells us that there was a ruined chapel there,dedicated to St. Marv Magdalene, and the small plot of ground whereit stood is still called the chapel field, and is part of the vicars Page 8. NORTHLEACH CHURCH. NORTHLEACH. The tower seems to be the earliest part of the church ; probably itwas built soon after 1400. It is one hundred feet high, and very massiveand dignified. The lower stages are quite plain, the top stage isdecorated with elaborate arcading. There seems to have been an in-tention of completing it with a spire and corner pinnacles, but it isdoubtful whether spire or pinnacles were ever added. The west door-way is deeply recessed, and above it is a four-light window with verysolid tracery. The roof is richly vaulted, the bosses represent a choirof angels ; of the corbels at the corners one represents a king (probablyHenry IV.), and another a bishop. The tower contains a ring of eightbells : six date from the beginning of the eighteenth century, from thefoundry of Corrs ; the two were added in 1897. A very beautiful arch opens into the nave. The nave (60 feet longby 26 feet wide,
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