more or
less oblong as a whole, there is hardly a right angle or two parallel
walls throughout the church. In most cases these discrepancies are not
apparent, nor do they appear likely to have been intended to produce a
studied effect. Thus a diminution in width towards the east (as at
Manchester) may be expected to add to the apparent length, but here
the south aisles of both nave and chancel expand instead of
contracting. By standing within either transept and looking up at the
roof the want of parallelism of the walls and other irregularities are
plainly seen. The nave has only three bays, the arches being rather
lofty and the arch mouldings of the characteristic shallowness of the
period. The south-west pier had to be rebuilt on account of settlement
and there are signs of it in the south-east arch next the tower. The
name Bablake is said to have been derived from a pond or conduit near
by and the site may have been swampy, thus affecting the foundations.
The district is even now liable to flooding from the Sherborne (or
Shireburn) stream and as late as January 1900 the waters rose over
five feet within the church as a brass plate at the west end
testifies.

The graceful treatment of the windows of the nave and choir
clearstories is shown in the illustration. Comparing these with the
clearstory of Trinity nave (p. 71) questions of priority arise. If not
designed by the same mind the influence of one on the other is easily
seen. On the whole the greater rigidity of treatment and the anxiety
to increase the area of glass in the Trinity windows suggest that the
date is rather later and that the designs did not spring from the same
brain. The roof is very simple, the curved brackets springing from the
shafts which run down to the arches below. The wall is deeply recessed
beneath the windows. The north windows, however, are continued down in
plain panels, but this only makes more apparent the fact that they are
not placed centrally over the arches.

The north aisle has a doorway and two north windows. The windows are
of good Perpendicular design, and the mullions are continued down the
wall below, forming panels. The lowered sill and recess probably
formed a convenient retable to an altar against the wall. The west
window preserves some fragments of glass dated 1532. There is an
obliterated inscription and small etched figures--among them an
acolyte carrying a cross, one of those whose services are mentioned in
the ac