affirms, were standing within memory when he wrote, which was in 1575 ; namely, St. Leonard's, St. Ǽgidius' , or Gyles', and St. Thomas' . Part of the church of St. Thomas is still standing, and occupies the centre square of the town. From its remains, some idea may be formed of the beauty and extent of the building when entire. The chancel is the part now used by the parishioners as their place of worship. Nearly the whole of the building is covered with ivy, some of which has found an entry into the church, and running over the altar, has a very pleasing effect.
Curiosity having led some persons to scrape the white-wash, which has been accumulating for ages, from the carved work, it was discovered to be of marble most beautifully executed, and in a high state of preservation. The expense of taking the whole of the wash off, the funds of the parish will not admit, so that at present the antiquary is deprived of the sight of much of its beauty, though not of its regular and lofty aisles. The effect of the church in the centre of the town, partly in ruins and covered with ivy, is truly picturesque.
The south aisle contains two monuments of Knights Templars, one of which appears, by the arms upon it, to have been of the family of Oxenbridge, formerly of great note in this part of the country. Their residence was at Brede ; considerable remains of it are still standing, though now converted into a farmhouse. The entrance to the under-ground apartments, which are nearly entire, has been closed up for some time. There is also a very ancient monument to a member of the same family in Brede church.
When Winchelsea was in its greatest prosperity it contained fifteen chapels, which belonged to as many religious houses. The gable ends of many of them -
