It was almost certainly situated in the south transept, on the upper level over the vaulted passage. The position of Lodynton's chantry (1393) is not known; Allesley's, founded in the reign of Edward I, was sung at St. Thomas's altar. Richard Marler stipulates in his will that his priest is to have the "stypend or wagis of nyne marks by yere so long as he shall be of good and prestly conversacyon and demeanor, wt' a p'vyso that yf the seyde prest be ffounde otherwyse, after monyc'on and reasonable warnyng to hym geven, he to be removed." Much of the later history of the church relates to the destruction of its fittings and furniture or to restorations almost as grievous. In 1560 _2s. 6d._ was paid for taking down the carving about the high altar, while the Mayor bought the panelling of the altar for _33s. 4d._, the vail for _5s._, the "thing that the sacrament was in over the altar _1s._," the "peyre [pair of candlesticks?] that was upon the altar _5d._" Perhaps he thought that all these things would be wanted again ere long. In 1547 a quantity of costly vestments and banners had been sold and we find in the accounts a number of such items as these: "Sold the 6 day of Jennery 5 copps of red teyssew to Mr. Roghers, now mayre (and 4 other persons) pryce of the sayd copps, _10l._ To Bawden Desseld one cope of red velvet, _5l._ Mr. Schewyll a grene velvet cope, _30s._" But before Mary's death we have a lengthy inventory of copes, vestments, albs, banners and the like, some of which may have come back to the church from the buyers at the sale eleven years before. The church must have looked like a builder's yard in 1643 when the Committee and Council of War pulled down divers houses outside Bishop's and Spon Gates and stacked the materials here, while the changes of government are indicated by the payment in 1647 of _3s. 6d._ "to Hopes for defacing the King's Arms" and in 1660 of _6s._ to "Hope for the King's Arms." Five years after this the spire, which had caused much anxiety and expense for many years, was blown down in a gale, falling across the chancel and causing much destruction. All was restored and the spire rebuilt in three years. Reference has been made to the existence of a vaulted passage through the south transept. This was made necessary by the position of an ancient building known as Jesus Hall which adjoined the transept and thus blocked the way from "the Butchery" in this direction. The Hall had probably been long used as the residence of the priests attached to the church but nothing is known of its origin. It was destroyed in 1742. Only in 1834, when the exterior of the church was recased was the passage blocked and the floor of the upper chapel removed. The Register records the marriage of Sarah Kemble with William Siddons on 25th November, 1773. CHAPTER II THE EXTERIOR OF THE CHURCH