Excerpt from The Ecclesiologist, 1864, Vol. 25: New Series Volume XXII

There is a church stile of singular construction. Consisting of an ascending and a descending set of stone steps, with iron bars and grating at the top for scraping the feet upon. Doubtless the faithful of Willington, Tudhoe and Brandon, and the other outlying places. Have found it very useful after their long walks to church, in soft weather. From the character of the stonework, it seems to be very old; the mouldings about it are similar to those of the parapet of the church. Built into it is an early grave-slab. Bearing a plain cross patée, with knob on centre. A similar one was found when the foun dations of the church were recently improved. And with a number of thirteenth and fourteenth century gravestones is now in the castle chapel.

Having now completed our survey of this interesting structure, we would fain express the hope that the intended restoration may not involve so much destruction as restorations too often do. The chancel is so beautiful an example of the transition from Decorated to Perpendicular, (about a.o. That every moulding and every window should be preserved. Any destruction Of the fine window tracery would be a barbarism far worse than any perpetrated by good John Cosin. If we do not produce anything equal to the works of the medieval architects. At least let us not destroy them. If we must adopt foreign Gothic in our new churches, so as to get the greatest possible effectiveness at the lowest possible price. Do let us preserve as much of our national architecture as possible. If we have some windows left that have not had their tracery knocked out, with a view to the introduction of transparent pictures, or sash windows, or plate glass, or heathenish monuments, by all means let us bequeath them to posterity, carefully repairing them, if necessary, but not demolishing them.

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