GC

942.3801

S0545BA,

1919-1923

REYNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION

3 1833 01830 8970

I

SOMERSET ARCHEOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

IQIQ-iq23.

BATH:

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRESS.

Digitized by

the Internet Archive

in 2014

https://archive.org/details/proceedingsofbat1919some

CONTENTS OF PROCEEDINGS, 1919-1923.

Report of Committee . . . . • • 3. 43. 93. i3i» i8i

Annual Meetings . . . . • • 5. 45. 95. 132, 182

Statement of Accounts .. ..39. 90, 127, 171, 223

Lists of Members .. .-35. 85, 121, 172, 21S

Rules . . . . . . . . . . 32

Excursions.

1919.

Syston and Pucklechurch . . . . . . • • 7

Kelston, Bitton and Hanham Court . . . , . . 10

Biddestone, Yatton Keynell and Kington St. Michael . . 15

Regilbnry, Nempnett and Norton Malreward . . . . 18

1920.

Corsham and Lacock. With illustration and notes on a brass

in the Church, Lacock, by Mr. H. Parry . . • • 47

Wells Cathedral .. .. .. .. ..51

Bromham, Potterne and Seend. With illustrations and notes

on brasses in Bromham Church by Mr. H. Parry. . . 54
Glastonbury . . . . . . . . . . • • 57

Acton Turville and Sherston Magna . . . . • . 59

1921.

Westwood Church and Manor House . . . . • . 97

Wraxall, Nailsea, Nailsea Court, Tickenham and Flax Bourton 98
Cirencester Church, Abbey Gate, Hospital of St. John's, Mrs.

Cripp's Museum . . . . . . . . . . 102

LuUington, Orchardleigh, Witham Friary and Beckington . . 10&
Westbury-on-Trym and Henbury . . . . . . 107

Bristol, St. Mary Redchffe, St. Peter's Hospital, Museum and

Art Gallery and Red Lodge .. .. .. iii

1922.

South Wraxall, Great Chalfield and Farleigh Castle . . 134

Yatton, Chelvey, Backwell and Barrow Gurney . . . . 138

Ampney St. Mary, Fairford and Quenington . . . . 140

Sherborne and Trent . . . . . . . . , . 144

Shepton Mallet, Evercreech, Ditcheat and East Pennard . . 147

Keynsham Roman Villa and Bristol . . . . . . 150

1923.

Dyrham and Marshfield . . . . . . . . . . 1 84

Mells, Nunney and Holcombe . . . . . . . . 1 86

Knook, Codford St. Peter, Little Langford and Stonehenge . . 188

Yeovil, Brymton D'Everay and Crewkerne . . . . 191

Tetbury, Beverstone, Chavenage and Malmesbury. . . . 194

Keynsham Roman Villa and Bristol . . . . . . 19S

Lectures .

(all were well illustrated by Lantern Slides) .

Celtic Crosses, Mr. George Norman, F.S.A.I. . . . . 22

Rheims Cathedral, Sir Isambard Owen, Vice-Chancellor,

Bristol University . . . . . . , . 24

Aigues Mortes, Mr. C. H. Bothamley, Hon. Sec. Weston-super-
Mare and Axbridge Branch . . . . . . 26

Discovery of the Loretto Chapel, Glastonbury Abbey, Mr. F.

BUgh Bond, F.R.I.B.A. . . — . . . . 62

From Norman to Perpendicular, Restoration of Somerset

Churches, Rev. Ethelbert Home , . . . . . 65

The Cite of Carcassonne. A Frontier Fortress of Mediaeval

France, Mr. C. H. Bothamley . . . . • • 75

Northumbrian Crosses, Mr. George Norman, F.S.A.I. . . 114

The Craft of the EngUsh Mediaeval Masons, Mr. J. E. Barton,

M.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Farleigh Castle, Mr. G. Lansdown, . . . . • • I57

Manorial Dovecotes and Fishponds, Rev. Ethelbert Horne . . 158
Fortified DwelUng Houses in England in the Middle Ages.

Mr. C. H. Bothamley, M.Sc. . . . . . . 201

The Limestone Caves, Underground Rivers and Gorges of

Mendip, Mr. J. Harry Savory . . . . . . 203

Notes.

Cliftune (plan of Lincumbe), Mr. H. Parry . . • • 79

St. Mary Magdalene, Holloway (deed of grant about 1090),

Mr. Thos. S. Bush . . . . . . . . 81

Notes on Brasses in Churches (illustrated), Beckington, Ciren-
cester and St. Mary, Redchffe, Bristol Mr. H. Parry . . 117
Roman Baths described by Mr. A. J. Taylor, F.S.Arc. . . 154

Plan of the District, Bath Branch S.A. and N.H.S. . . • • 157

Brasses in Churches of St. Mary, Fairford, Mr,.H. Parry . . 166
Discovery of Roman Pottery in Limpley Stoke Mr. A. T. Wicks 069
Roman Coffin in Walcot Parade, Mr. Thos. S. Bush . . 169

A brass (illustrated) in the Church of St. Peter, Dyrham, Mr.

H. Parry . . . . . . . . . . 214

Discovery of a Cofi&n with Skeleton (illustrated), near St.

John's Church, Bath wick, Mr. A. J. Taylor, F.S.Arc. . . 214
Further discoveries at Limpley Stoke, Mr. A. J. Wicks . . 215

SOMERSETSHIRE ARCH^OLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

1919.

BATH :

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRESS.

1624091

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

SOMERSETSHIRE ARCH/EOLOGICAL

HE Committee regret the loss of two original members^

Prebendairy Bothamley, Vice-President for some seven
years, and Colonel Blathwayt, who served on the
Committee for about the same period, both resigned office
owing to ill-health but continued to be members until their
death. Commencing the year with the full complement of
members, 170, early in the season there were 6 resignations
and I death ; later on there were 4 further deaths, one of
these occurring late in the season the vacancy was not filled ;
ID have been elected, leaving the roll at the end of the year^
169. Colonel Cox, who was on the star list and so not included
in the above, passed away en route home from India. There
are 14 candidates waiting admission. The Committee have
decided to withdraw the limit as to the number of members.

The account of the Annual Meeting, Earl Waldegrave in
the Chair, follows this Report.

Char-a-bancs being again available excursions were reverted
to after two years of local rambles. Mr. Gerald Grey took
up the work of arranging the excursions with his usual energy^,
the four carried out proved most successful, being well attended
and evidently much appreciated. They are fully reported
in these Proceedings, with several illustrations, one from a
block kindly lent by Mr. Kemyes-Tynte, showing Regilburjr
House in 1700, and others from photographs taken by Mr.
Gerald Grey.

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

REPORT, 1919.

4

The Committee are indebted for lectures to Mr. George
Norman, on " Celtic Crosses," to Sir Isambard Owen on
" Rheimes Cathedral," and to Mr. C. H. Bothamley on
" Aigues Mortes." These three lectures were well illus-
trated by lantern slides. A brief report of them is given at
the end of these Proceedings.

Thanks are due to Mr. Thos. S. Bush for carrying out the
duties of Hon. Secretary and Treasurer.

The accounts have been kindly audited by Mr. Edward
Segar.

s

ANNUAL MEETING, 1919.

The Annual Meeting was held at the Literary Institution
on Thursday, March 13th, 1919, at 3 o'clock. Present : Earl
Waldegrave (Vice-President), in the Chair, Colonel Kirkwood,
Major-General Bradshaw, Colonel Clayton, Mr. Kemeys-
Tynte, Mr. George Norman, Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, Mr. M. H.
Scott, Rev. C. W. Shickle, Rev. F. C. Bayliss, Colonel Arnoll
Davis, Dr. Fosbery, Mrs. Begg, Mrs. W. Carr, Miss E. M. Wood,
Mr. E. Cay Adams, Mr. C. R. Brendon, Mr. A. J. Taylor, Mr.
H. M. Ingham, Mr. Thomas J. Holmes, Miss Knight, Miss
L. M. Salmon, Miss E. E. Salmon, Miss Rodman, Mrs. Lay ton,
Mrs. Thos. S. Bush, Miss Wood, Mr. Thos. S. Bush, Hon.
Secretary and Treasurer, and Mr. Gerald Grey, Hon. Excur-
sion Secretary.

The following notified they were unable to attend : Captain
C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., Prebendary Boyd, Colonel Leigh, Rev.
F. A. Bromley, Mr. R. C. Bush, and Rev. Ethelbert Horne.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and
confirmed.

The Hon. Secretary read a letter he had received from Lord
Hylton, resigning the office of President for private reasons,
and wishing the Branch every prosperity.

Earl Waldegrave moved that the Hon. Secretary write
to Lord Hylton expressing regret at his resignation and appre-
ciation of his services. This was seconded by Colonel Clayton
and carried unanimously.

The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the Report and
Accounts (taken as read), said the Branch was in a satisfactory
condition ; the membership kept up notwithstanding the
abnormal times we had been passing through, and a further
investment had been made in War Funds. He hoped Mr.
Bush would be able to arrange further excavations, but he
was afraid there would be labour difficulties. During the
last two years there had been local rambles instead of excur-
sions, which appear to have been much appreciated.

Colonel Kirkwood, in seconding, said he was glad the number
of members had kept up and now that they would be able to

6

get about again in excursions the interest should increase.
They were indebted to Mr. Bush for the manner in which the
Proceedings were produced. Having alluded to the sudden
death of Mr. James Anderson, who had audited the accounts,
he suggested that a letter of sympathy be sent to the family.
This was agreed to and the adoption of the Report and
Accounts carried.

Colonel Kirkwood then moved that Earl Waldegrave be
President, saying that he had been Vice-President since the
Branch was formed and had always taken keen interest in its
work.

This was seconded by Mr. George Norman and carried
unanimously.

Earl Waldegrave said he should be very pleased to accept
office, and thanked the members for electing him.

The following resolutions were adopted : —

Major-General Bradshaw proposed and Mr. M. H. Scott
seconded that Lord Strachie and Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P.,
be Vice-Presidents.

Rev. C. W. Shickle proposed and Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn
seconded that the following form the Committee : — Colonel
Kirkwood, Major-General Bradshaw, Colonel Clayton, Mr.
St. David Kemyes-Tynte, Colonel Leigh, Mr. Norman, Rev.
D. Lee Pitcairn and Mr. M. H. Scott.

Rev. F. C. Bayliss proposed and Mr. E. Cay Adams seconded,
the re-election of Mr. Thos. S. Bush as Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer.

Mr. Bush having returned thanks for re-election, read a
letter he had received from Mr. C. Tite, one of the hon. secre-
taries of the Parent Society, congratulating the branch on the
excellent Proceedings just issued.

Mr. Kemeys-Tynte proposed and Mr. Holmes seconded
the re-election of Mr. Gerald Grey as Hon. Excursion Secretary.

Mr. Grey having thanked the members for again electing
him, mentioned that it was proposed to carry out four excur-
sions this season.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Earl Walde-
^ave for presiding, proposed by Colonel Clayton, seconded
by Mr. H. M. Ingham.

7

EXCURSIONS.

SYSTON AND PUCKLECHURCH.
Monday, April 28th, 1919.

The first excursion of the season, after an enforced suspen-
sion of the last two years, was attended by fifty members.
The prospect in the early morning, with snow on the ground,
was not promising, but it proved a delightful afternoon,
being quite warm in the sun. Leaving Queen Square
at 1.30 p.m. by motor char-a-bancs, Syston was reached via
Kelston and Bitton, at 2.15.

Syston is a pleasant village a short distance from the
Mangotsfield-Pucklechurch road, little known to the ordinary
individual. The Manor, in the Hundred of Pucklechurch,
formed part of the forest of Kingswood, and the earliest men-
tion of it, in the Domesday Book, records that Ann held
Sistone, in Pulcrecerce Hundred, in the reign of King Edward
the Confessor.'* The parish appears to have been of con-
siderable importance ecclesiastically in early days, for it is
reported that at one time there were three churches, St. Ann
(still standing), St. Bartholomew, and St. Cuthbert. The
pretty little parish church, which was said to be falling into
decay, was restored nearly 40 years ago, and the Society,
visiting it under the guidance of the Rector (the Rev. J. H.
Robertson), found it to be a well-kept church with much of
interest to see. It is of iith Century date and is built chiefly
in the Early English style, but portions of an earlier Norman
structure still remain.

The most interesting feature of the church is a leaden font
( see illustration). It appears to be of late Norman design and
has figures and scroll work alternately under round-headed
arches, one holds a book on both knees and is thought to repre-
sent Our Lord seated in Glory ; the other holds a book resting
on his left knee. These figures are repeated. Of the eight
Gloucestershire leaden fonts six are from the same mould.
The method employed in making these fonts was probably
to cast them flat, afterwards bend them into the required
circular form and then solder them up. The figures and
adornments are often facsimiles. In these cases it is likely
that a single pattern was first carved in wood, and then im-

8

pressed on the sand mould as often as required. The beautiful
south doorway is a fine example of Norman work. The
tympanum (see illustration) has in the centre a conventional
tree, no doubt the Tree of Spiritual Life and Knowledge.
Round the semi-circular portion a cable band, and above a
series of hollow roundels. On either side a cross with circular
terminations to the limbs. On the lintel are some dentils,
lozenges, leaves, etc. The tympanum is probably earlier
than the arch. The pulpit, of oak, is plain in design, but
neatly carved, a splendid specimen of Jacobean work, and the
old books attached to what are considered the original chains.
Interest was aroused by the remarkably fine embellishment of
the Church by frescoes beautifully painted by Mrs. Rawlins,
of Syston Court.

From the churchyard the members were conducted through
the private grounds to the Court. Here they were received
by Mr. and Mrs. Rawlins and Miss Rawlins. Mr. Rawlins
obtained the Manor of Syston in 1903 by purchase from Major
Fiennes Dickenson (eldest son of Frederick Boughton Newton
Dickenson), and he has taken a great pride in preserving its
many beauties and treasures. It is one of the few mansions
which still retain their primitive character. Its appearance
built round three sides of a grassy court, with its mediaeval
towers, is very striking, and it was interesting to find from an
old painting in one of the corridors, undated and very much
out of perspective, that the fourth side was at one time
enclosed by a wall, the signs of which are still to be detected
on the existing building. The beautiful old house (see
illustration) is said to have been built by one of the Denys
family in the 15th Century, and the present owner, with his
artistic care of the old features and tasteful additions of the
true art-collector, has made the rooms of exceptional interest.
In the hall, which opens upon the court, is a very fine
mantelpiece with the Poyntz crest carved on it, built by
Maurice Denys, who married in 1456 Alice, daughter of
Nicholas Poyntz, of Iron Acton, and inherited the Syston
property about 1840, when he probably commenced
the building of the present house. In the dining-room
is a lovely old oak mantelpiece, Mr. Rawlins having removed
to the corridor the interesting carved bedhead, which
being in a soft wood, probably pear wood, was out of
keeping but looks well in its new place. A magnificent old
carved oak sideboard attracts attention ; it was obtained
at the sale of the furniture of an ItaUan noble and brought
over. On the walls are portraits of Oliver Cromwell, who
is said to have visited there in 1642 and left a pair of boots

HANHAM COURT.

LATE NORMAN LEADEN FONT, SYSTON.

9

behind, and " Anne of Denmark, Queen of James I., who was
at Syston in 1617," say the words painted on it. According
to the detailed notes upon the owners of the property Mr.
RawHns had. Queen Anne of Denmark was entertained at
Syston on the occasion of her visit to Bristol in 1614 by Henry
Billingsley, who had purchased the Manor from the Denys
family in 1605 (not many years before Sir Richard Denys
had sold Dyrham to George Wynter ; his brother Walter
died 1577, was rector of Dyrham). Mr. Rawlins showed the
visitors a particularly interesting picture in one of the drawing-
rooms, an original Van Dyck, signed. It was at one time
thought to be a copy of " The Lady Digby " in Windsor
Castle, but it is now clear that it was probably the original
sketch for that big picture, and it was interesting to note, com-
paring it with a reproduction of the Windsor picture that the
man is in a different posture and the number of child figures
is different. Upstairs in what is now an imposing landing
where there was formerly a room, Mr. Rawlins having removed
a main wall of the house to open it out, there is a fine old
ceiling, which is original, and a chained Bible. The house
was full of interesting objects, not the least being trophies
of the present war, sent home by Mr. Rawlins' son, including
a German and an English shell, which met in the air and were
indissolubly joined by the force of the impact. There are in
Syston Court bedrooms reputed to be haunted.

Before leaving, Mr. St. David Kemeys-Tynte voiced the
thanks of the Society to Mr. and Mrs. Rawhns for their kind-
ness in showing them the treasures of Syston Court. He
hoped they would be spared many years to enjoy such a
beautiful home.

Finally, Pucklechurch was visited, and the church of
St. Thomas of Canterbury inspected by permission of the
Vicar (the Rev. F. W. Young). In the Vicar's unavoidable
absence, the Rev. C. W. Shickle read some particulars. It
had been stated that the name may possibly be derived from
the Latin " pulcher " (beautiful), though it was hardly pro-
bable, a more poetical, but possibly purely imaginative,
suggestion was Puck-fairy, lea-meadow — the church in
the fairy meadow. The village in Saxon times appears
to have been included in the King's Wood, and at
one time had a Royal Palace for the Saxon kings. It
was at Pucklechurch that, in 946, King Edmund^
grandson of Alfred the Great, while feasting with his
Thanes, was killed by an escaped outlaw. The church is
built in the Early English and Decorated style, with some
later additions in the Perpendicular. An interesting feature

lO

is the original deeply splayed Early English single lancet
windows in the north and south walls. The church under-
went a complete restoration in 1887 at a cost of £1,246, and
the tower was restored in 1895. The Vicarage is in the gift
of the Dean and Chapter of Wells, and explaining how this
came about, Mr. Shickle said King Edward from Puckle-
church, was hunting the red deer and nearly fell over Cheddar
cliffs. In gratitude for his escape he recalled the Abbot
of Glastonbury — Dunstan. Pucklechurch thus came to
belong to Glastonbury, and was taken in exchange by the
Bishop of Bath and Wells for the right to elect their own
Abbot.

After tea at the Fleur de Lys, a pleasant run in the grey
torpedo cars brought the members back to Queen Square at
6 o'clock.

KELSTON, BITTON AND HANHAM COURT.

Wednesday, May 2ist, 1919.

The second excursion took place in delightful weather,
and 52 members started from Queen Square by motor char-
a-banc.

At Kelston they were received by the Rector (the Revi
E. W. Poynton), who told them that the church was quite
modern with the exception of the tower. It was supposed to
stand upon the site of an old Saxon church, and built into
the chancel wall was a piece of Saxon work, part, apparently,
of a cross.

This beautiful fragment of a Saxon cross (see illustration)
was found by the late Rector, the Rev. F. J. Poynton,
thrown aside amongst the rubbish of the old church at
the time of its restoration in i860. The stone is an
oblong square, and appears to have been in use at some
former time as a door-jamb. It measures 2ft. 9in. in length,
by ift. 3in. in width. When discovered, two of its sides
were entirely defaced, and a third so injured that only
faint traces of carving were visible at the top. The
fourth side was smoothed to a surface with mortar, and
had then received several coats of whitewash. It was in
this state when Mr. Poynton undertook the removal of this
facing, an operation in which he entirely succeeded and
thus exposed the original carving to view. The sculpture
is divided by a cable-roll into two parts, and a roll of the same

II

pattern borders it, as in the cross at Bedale, in Yorkshire. In
the upper division, which is the larger, is represented two
central steps supporting a square, from which spring two
stems. These stems are sub-divided, and artistically formed
into turning convolutions, each terminal ending in a cordate
leaf. Here and there small ovate bodies are introduced
in the axils of the branches, which may be taken to mean
either buds, or fruit, probably the latter. At no single point
do the branches from the two stems unite. From the resem-
blance of the design to the figure of a tree, it has been con-
jectured that it illustrates a rude attempt to pourtray the Tree
of Life, but the presence of the fruit points rather to the other
tree in the Garden, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and
Evil, since the " Tree of the Fall " is not infrequently met with
in early religious art, and is sometimes seen displayed in mystic
and typical connection with the Cross. Although, in this
instance, the rigid form of the Christian symbol is not apparent,
yet the accessories of the steps forming a Calvary, and a block
for the socket, together with the flexible tracery of the branches
are not a little suggestive of the union of the Cross with the
Tree, particularly as we find in some early examples — as that
on a slab at Bakewell, Derbyshire — that the distinctive
character of the Cross is preserved in the Calvary and stem,
while it is lost in the interleaving knotwork that forms the
head. The introduction of transitional foliage into the
curved lines -of the coil renders this unique fragment one of
high interest. The lower division is filled in with the usual
form of the endless interlacing knot.

In order to preserve it from injury, Mr. Poynton has had
this valuable relic placed inside the Church, fixed in the wall
of the chancel on the north side, just exposing the sculptured
face in projection. Late iith Century.

Mr. Poynton drew attention to some very interesting
possessions, an Elizabethan chalice, still used, the old parish
register, dating back to 1538 — there was a custom in the
parish since the Restoration of each rector recording the
name of his predecessor — a 200 year's old Communion cloth,
some Cavalier stools at the chancel steps, and the old colours
of the Scots Guards, the property of the late Major-General
Inigo Jones, which on the death of his heir, early in the war,
were given to Kelston church by Mrs. Inigo Jones — a rare
instance of famous colours being presented to a little church.
He had in the Rectory the Elizabethan Communion table.
The old east window had crumbled away, and had to be
rebuilt, but not before they secured the picture, which was
preserved in his father's book.

12

The members afterwards went out to see the site of the old
mansion of the first Harrington, of which not a trace remains,
although the premises opposite the rectory were its stables, and
the terrace is still discernible. The visitors were shown its
orchard, and admired the masonry of the orchard wall, built
by the Italian masons (who built the mansion), in the way
that those with experience of modern walls envied. It is
still in perfect condition. There was no print or picture of
the fine old house, and there was no indication of it upon
any plan until just recently, in the late General Hawkins's
papers it was found marked on an old plan of his, which the
squire (the Rev. Ralph Inigo Jones), now had. An interest-
ing 15th Century columbarium (see illustration) and the
tithe barn were also visited.

Bitton was next visited. The Vicar (the Rev. F. H. W.
Taylor) was unable to receive the party at the church of
St. Mary the Virgin owing to an engagement in London, but
Miss Matthie kindly acted as a most efficient guide, and the
Rev. C. W. Shickle gave some interesting details. He observed
that they had entered the parish at Swinford. The origin
of the name he did not know — it might have been the place
where Bladud drove his pigs across the river with well-known
results — but the little stream which marked the boundary
of the parish deserved attention. It was the Boyd, and the
village upon it was Boynton, Bitton, but more than this its
praises had been sung by a poet, now forgotten, though
praised by Sir John Harington for his English when Shakes-
peare's plays were novelties, Daniel, the Somerset poet, the
friend of Edmund Spenser.

Bitton, in Domesday Book Bethune, and later Button
was frequently visited by, or a settlement of, the Romans.
Roman remains were found, and the Via Julia ran through
the parish. The earliest church may date back to Saxon,
and the late Canon Ellacombe suggested that the first Christian
Church may have been erected on the site of a Roman pagan
temple. The original abacusses of the semi-circular arch are
to be found in the Norman chancel arch, and remains of Roman
bricks were discovered in the Norman masonry of the west
wall when making the present entrance to the tower. Massive
blocks of Norman ashlar masonry still exist in the porch and
south walls. Ten feet from the west of the chancel arch was
the west end of the old church, which was discovered by taking
up the pavement of the present tower and coming upon the
entrance step six inches below. On the south and north
apparently were transepts. On the south side was a mor-
tuary chapel for the tombs of the Button family. On the

13

south side of the chancel arch was a squint, or hagioscope, and
among the fiUings up were found a fragment of a bishop's
effigy, and the colossal head and arm of the rood (the staircase
to the rood-loft was discovered in the north wall in 1823).
These remains are now in the chantry of St. Catherine, on
the north side, founded by Thomas de Button, Bishop of
Exeter, in memory of his parents, who lie buried there. The
ordinance of this chantry is dated 1299. The entrance, the
side windows, the handsome sedila, with piscina beneath
four canopies are specially worthy of notice. The chantry
was renovated last December, and it is hoped thoroughly to
restore it and clear it by the removal of the organ, in memory
of the men who have fallen in the war. The elegant tower,
considered a masterpiece of masonry, was commenced in
1371. The present chancel was considered by Canon Ella-
combe unique, because of the principles of lateral groining
being produced on a flat surface, and there are some curious
bosses. Canon Ellacombe had the groining and bosses
covered with gold leaf because of their unique character.

A visit was also paid to the wonderful garden of the late
Canon Ellacombe, the most famous vicarage garden in England,
where plants grew that would not grow at Kew, Mrs. Taylor
acting as guide.

The last place visited was Hanham Court and the little
church of St. George, both joined in a curious and picturesque
way. Mr. P. J. de Carteret, who now lives at the Court, one
of the de Carterets of Jersey, made the party very welcome
and told them the history of the manor, the beginning of which
was only vaguely known. Ernulf de Hesding held it in
Domesday Book, and it was then held by a family which
took the name of Hanham. It passed in 1272 to Sabro
Marisco, who sold it in 1329 to William de la frene and John
Boyworth, who in 1330 gave it to the Abbot of Keynsham.
This Abbot built the church in 1450, which might have been
on the site of the old manorial chapel. It was never a monas-
tery but simply the summer residence of the Abbot, having
always been a small house. After the Reformation the monks
were said to have gone up to the farm and cursed anyone
who ever inhabited the manor. The property came into the
hands of the King, and in a few years was sold, one of the
most famous owners being John Lacey, a worthy citizen of
Bristol and London, and from him it passed to Thomas
Colston, a relative of the great philanthropist, Edward Colston.
It was sold in 1638 to Francis and Henry Creswick, who had
a fine house in St. Stephen's street, Bristol. Sir Henry, who
lived at Hanham Court, was Mayor of Bristol in 1660 and

14

knighted by Charles 11. , three years later. He was involved
in a law suit with the Newton family, who had obtained the
manor of de Button and were the overlords of Oldland and
East and West Hanham.

Although he won, this caused a feud between the families
which eventually ended in the ruin of the Creswicks. Sir
Francis, who succeeded, was there when Monmouth's army
came on the other side of the river, where his cattle were.
He was not a traitor, but he was seen talking to one of Mon-
mouth's officers by Sir John Newton's bailiff, who denounced
him, and after the defeat of Monmouth he was imprisoned at
Gloucester for years. However, James H. visited Hanham
Court in 1687, and was said to have dined under the oak. It
was a decadent family, and the last was a man of licentious
habits who was generally in hiding from bailiffs in a cottage
in the wood. He would have been able to retrieve the family
fortunes but for his habits, as his uncle at Queen Charlton
would have made him his heir. It was desired to put on his
tomb, ** Deprived of his lawful inheritance by rascally
lawyers," but Mr. EUacombe refused to allow him to be buried
in the churchyard. Another branch of the family having
gone abroad, had prospered, and a lady from Hanham met
the daughters in Canada, and found their father was one
of the leading barristers in Canada.

The church dates from the 15th Century, and so must have
been built by the monks, but it stands on the site of a much
older building. Very probably a church was erected in the
Norman period for the accommodation of the ancient lords
and their families, and for those employed on their estates.
The church is dedicated to St. George, and is a neat and com-
fortable little edifice, consisting of nave, south aisle, and
chancel? Over the south aisle may still be seen the old
Norman oak roof, which was covered up for centuries until
about sixty years ago, when the church was restored. The
font, also Norman, is square in shape and well preserved.
On the south side of the chancel may be seen a rare example
of a Norman piscina ( see illustration), standing on a fluted
pedestal of elegant design. The piscina and pedestal were
discovered in a garden in the parish some years ago, but
were fortunately saved from destruction. The piscina now
occupies its original position. The gargoyles on the tower
are particularly interesting and well preserved, one of the
subjects being "A Soul entering Hell." Over the inner
doorway of the fine old south porch is an empty niche,
which probably at one time contained a figure. The square
archway is adorned with a foliated design carried up to the

IS

niche above, and is very elegant. The outer arch of the
porch has a good moulding, terminating on one side with a
head, which, however, is missing from the other. Above this
arch is another niche, slso empty. A good ancient oak door
leads into the church, and on each side of the porch may be
seen the old benching. The Court ( see illustration ) proved a
charming residence in the Tudor style and stands on the site
of a former house, which, like the earlier chapel, may be of
Norman date. The most interesting feature is the fine oak
panelled dining-hall. The old kitchens are Norman, and
were still in use when Mr. de Carteret came. Close to the
Court there is a very fine Norman tithe barn.

Colonel Clayton expressed the members' appreciation of
the kindness of Mr. and Mrs. de Carteret.

The return was made via Keynsham, where tea was partaken
of at the Lamb and Lark Hotel, Bath being reached at six
o'clock.

BIDDESTONE, YATTON KEYNELL AND
KINGTON ST. MICHAEL.

Fine weather favoured this excursion on July 15th. There
was a full party, a number of applications having to be refused
because the char-a-bancs were full. After a pleasant run of
an hour, Biddestone was reached, via Corsham.

In the church of St. Michael the members were received by
the Rector (the Rev. H. E. Ketchley). The village of Bidde-
stone, although comprising the rectory of St. Peter with the
vicarage of St. Nicholas, possesses only one church, the older
foundation, that of St. Peter, having been destroyed some
years since so completely that now not one stone stands upon
another, and not one relic of it exists except the turret, which
sHghtly altered, stands in the garden attached to the Manor
House, Castle Combe.

The church of St. Nicholas consists of a nave, chancel,
and south porch, with a bell turret over the chancel arch.
A second chancel was added some years since, which has at
first sight an ancient appearance from being built of old
materials. It is evident that a church was erected here in
the I2th Century. All that remains of it is the inner door-
way of the porch, the font, and the lower part of the bell
turret. The doorway, with its simple square head and
arched tympanum upon which is carved in low relief the

i6

well-known form of the Norman Cross, is unfortunately-
deprived of its shafts. The last example of Norman work,
the font, is equally simple in its character. It is of an inverted
conical form, with a single chevron surrounding the upper
part. The chancel has an " Early English " lancet window
north and south, a two-light '* Decorated " low side window
in the south-west corner, and a blocked-up lancet window
of the same date in the north wall ; the latter has an ogee
trefoiled head, but the cups have unfortunately been cut off.
The manor belonged to Humphrey de Lisle in Norman days,
and there were many monuments on the walls of the Mont joys,
the old family of Biddestone.

A walk through the picturesque old village, which, with
Castle Combe and Lacock is considered one of the three
prettiest villages in Wiltshire, gave opportunity to see some
interesting old houses dating back to the occupation of the
Flemings (the originators of the woollen trade), the two
stones in the village pond, which are the only remains of the
old ducking stool, and the house still called the Barracks,
in which Cromwell is said to have stayed, although more than
one place claims the honour. By kind permission of Captain
Morley, the Manor House was seen, in which much that is
old, noticeably some fine doorways, fireplaces, and a beautiful
example of Jacobean oak-panelled room, has been carefully
retained, though the Manor, which was for 50 years a farm-
house, has been converted by Captain Morley into a very
attractive home with old style and commodious rooms. The
Manor has a long history, going back to Saxon days. In the
grounds of the Manor House, now a potato patch, is the site
of the old Perpendicular church of St. Peter's, now com-
pletely gone — its parish included part of Biddestone and
Hart ham.

Another interesting old church was the parish church of
St. Margaret, Yatton Keynell, which the Rector (the Rev. A.
Bolton) said had been restored by Street. The tower arch
was 13th Century, and the rest of the church was 15th Century.
There was a stone screen (15th Century) which was probably
removed at an unknown date to Stanley i\.bbey, near Chip-
penham, of which nothing now remained. Yatton Keynell
was held in knight fee in the time of Henry VII. by Henry
Decayne, probably to defend the yat, Anglo-Saxon equivalent
of gate or opening, from the Welsh, who were in the habit
of coming down and stealing the deer from the forest all
round Chippenham. Hence the name " yat " and " tun "
enclosure, the enclosure at the opening. Decayne thought
himself of sufficient importance to hold the patronage of the

NORMAN PISCINA, HANHAM COURT CHURCH,

FRAGMENT OF SAXON CROSS, KELSTON CHURCH.

REGILBURY PARK (front view).

17

living, and in 1318 there were two rectors, one nominated
by Decayne and the other by the Abbot of Malmesbury.
There were originally two churches, the present dedicated to
St. Margaret of Antioch, most likely on account of the Crusades,
and the other to St. James, of which no trace was left. The
chancel of the church was rebuilt in 1868 by Street, who
carried out very thoroughly the original idea. There were
remains of the steps to the old rood loft, and these were used
afterwards by the Gospeller, who read from a kind of plat-
form where the lectern now stood. One of the arms on the
screen was damaged, having been defaced by Cromwell's
soldiers, it was said, because it depicted the wounds of Christ.
The tower was noteworthy because it went straight down
to the ground without supports.

Leaving the church the members visited Fowlswick Farm,
in which there is a very large fireplace, the chimney of which
is carried up in a series of pyramids through a large upper
chamber. Tea was then partaken of at the Plough Inn,
Kington Langley.

There was a good deal of interest at Kington St. Michael.
The Vicar (the Rev. G. H. Bode) told the visitors that the
church had suffered badly from restoration. It consisted
of a chancel, a nave, with aisles, south porch, and western tower.
The earliest part remaining was the chancel, which formed
part of a Norman church that consisted, apparently, of a
chancel, nave and western tower. The chancel arch was of
the same date, and of unusual width. Early in the 13th
Century an aisle was added on the north side, with an arcade
of three pointed arches, but was subsequently destroyed.
The chancel was restored in the 17th Century and two tref oiled
headed lancets, with fine rear arches, inserted in the south wall.
Soon after, the south aisle was added. The fine south door
has Norman jambs and hook shafts apparently removed from
the destroyed south wall of the nave. The arch existed in
Aubrey's time, but had been removed. The door was 15th
Century, and had rough traceried panelHng on the outside,
and the porch was of the same date. The tower was 17th
Century, replacing the Norman structure blown down in a
storm, and the north aisle was added at that time. The
church was originally dedicated to St. Mary, but Michael,
Abbot of Glastonbury, who practically rebuilt the church,
changed the name. Kington St. Michael was once a town
of considerable importance, and had a market and a fair.
It was of considerable interest to archaeologists because the
famous antiquarians, Aubrey and Britton, were both born
there.

B

i8

After a glance at the old almshouses the party walked to
see the remains of the old Priory, by permission of the tenant
of the farmhouse (Mr. C. Pike). There were formerly three
monastic foundations, but there are remains only of the Priory.
The nuns were famous for the confections they made, for which
they used the barberries with which the hedges were crowded.
The Priory was founded for 12 or 13 nuns of the Order of
St. Benedict, probably by a member of the family of Wayfer,
of Kington and Brynton. The buildings were arranged round
a court 55ft. square. On the north was the chapel, on the
east the chapterhouse and warming room, and the fireplace
with a wooden lintel still remains. The south side was partly
unoccupied by buildings, but at the western end was the
" f rater " or dining hall. The west side was a one-storied
hall, which still retains its roof.

An enjoyable afternoon concluded with a drive through
the beautiful village of Castle Combe and down Bannerdown
hill, Bath being reached about 8 o'clock.

REGILBURY, NEMPNETT AND NORTON
MALREWARD.

There was a large muster of members for the last excursion
of the season and though rain threatened there was nothing
but a shower.

On reaching Nempnett a visit was first paid to Regilbury
Court by permission of the tenant (Mr. R. W. Harding). The
Court, now a farm, so completely in the country that it is eight
miles from a station and the only way to post a letter is to
hand it to the postmg-n on his delivery round in the morning,
has a long history, but only fragmentary remains exist of the
old house, such as a very fine chimney seat in the sitting
room with a window, and a 15th Century chimney stack in the
old kitchen, made of massive masonry. Traces have been
found showing that the old Court was on a big scale, and of a
tunnel, which tradition says led to Butcombe and Regilbury
Park. King John is said to have used the Court as a hunting
box when in the West.

Regilbury Park ( see illustration), which was next visited,
was of special interest to the society, for the estate was
formerly in the possession of the Tyntes, and one of the
society's members (Mr. St. David M. Kemeys-Tynte) read

19

a paper to them on its history. He pointed out that the
Park was the remains of a once fine mansion known as
Regilbury house, only one of the gables of which has survived.
Regilbury was described as a manor by Collinson, but was
not recorded in Domesday Book. It was more probably a
tithing in the manor of Ridgehill (" Ragid " in Domesday)
in the adjoining parish of Winford. There was no record as
to when or by whom the mansion was erected, but it must
have been at a comparatively early date as the Strachey
MSS. (Sutton Court) states that " Edward Baber, great
grandson of Edward Baber, serjeant-at-law, dwelt here
in great splendour, repaired, rebuilt, enlarged and beautified
the old house, and dying issueless, left it to Florence, his wife,
who, not long surviving, left it and her husband's estate
to Sir Halswell Tynte, her husband's next kinsman." The
repairing and re-edifying of the old house must have
occurred about 1700, and as it was an old house at that date,
it was probably erected by the serjeant-at-law in the time of
Elizabeth. The late Mr. Frederick Wood in his " Collections
for a Parochial History of Chew Magna," assumed that the
first of the names who owned Regilbury was John Baber,
youngest son of John Babyr or Baber, of Chew Stoke, grand-
father of the serjeant-at-law, who was born in 153 1 and died
in 1878. John Baber, the father of the last Edward Baber,
married Barbara, daughter of Colonel John Tynte, of Chelvey
Court.

After the house had passed to the Tynte family of Halswell,
it was lent by their representative to Sir William Wyndham,
who belonged to a Somerset family settled at Orchard Wynd-
ham, in the western part of the county. He became an
eminent politician and statesman, a pronounced Tory and
Jacobite, and the tool of Bolingbroke. In 17 10 he was made
Secretary of War, and in 1713 Chancellor of the Exchequer.
On the accession of George I. he was dismissed from office,
and when the rebellion broke out in Scotland he was sent
to the Tower, but never brought to trial. On his release he
sought a sanctum " far from the madding crowd," and went
to Regilbury. His family, now no longer connected with
Somerset, acquired its possessions of land in the county at
the Dissolution of the monasteries, if they could judge from
the old well-known Somerset distitch : —

Popham, Horner, Wyndham, Thynne,
The monks went out and they came in.

It would appear that after the tenancy of Sir William
Wyndham had expired, the old house lapsed again into decay.

20

was dismantled and partly pulled down, and what remains
of it turned into a farmhouse as it remains at the present day.
Lord Wharton, who is now the representative of the Tynte
family, recently disposed of some of the outlying portions of his
estate including the Regilbury property, which was bought
by the tenant (Mr. W. H. Bathard). Mrs. Bathard courte-
ously showed the party over the house, in which there was
much of interest to see.

Before leaving Nempnett the party motored to the parish
church. The Rector (the Rev. A. S. Wilton) who had taken a
great interest in the visit, was unable to meet them, having
been called away through the death of his sister, and in his place
the Rev. A. R. FaithfuU, of Butcombe, read his notes. He
mentioned that the village boasted a Street, anciently called
the Witling, probably an off-shoot from the old road from
Bream Down to Bath and SaHsbury. In the parish was a
reputed Saxon burial place. In the tumulus, when it was
opened, was found stonework so constructed as to contain
cells, but the stone had now disappeared, having been used
to mend roads. The first form of the church was undoubtedly
Norman, consisting of the old Norman nave with a Norman,
archway, and until the chancel was rebuilt in 1896 there
was a small apse at the east end. The tower dated from the
15th Century. The windows in the nave were Perpendi-
cular. The font was the oldest link with the earliest church
and the cover, pyramidical in design, was said to be 400 years
old. An ancient porch stood on the south side, which at
one time, no doubt, was the main entrance to the building
but was now blocked up. The inner doorway was Norman,
but had been tampered with. The old chancel arch formed
the entrance to the vestry from the chancel and the windows
now in the vestry were originally in the chancel. The church
is beautifully kept and very beautiful, a noteworthy feature
being the carved oak screen, though modern. One of the
carved figures of the archangels is by Pugin, and the others
from his studio, and the figures on the rood are from Ober
Amergau.

The Rev. J. C. L. Malcomson and Mrs. Malcomson made
the party very welcome to Norton Malreward, giving the
Society the use of the Rectory for tea to be served. Showing
the visitors the church the Rector discussed the legendary
origin of the name of the village, that King John gave Sir
John Hautville his lands in the parish after witnessing a
prodigious feat of strength by Sir John, who carried three
of the King's biggest soldiers to the top of the church tower
at once, two under his arm and the other held with his teeth.

21

The King remarked that " it was small reward/' hence " Mai
reward." Mr. Malcomson thought the tale was invented to
account for an inexplicable name.

The small church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, was
practically re-built on the site of a very ancient edifice, and
still retains some exceptionally fine examples of Norman
work. The church, since its early foundation, has undergone
great changes both in style and dimensions. It consists at
the present time of chancel, nave of three bays, with aisle,
south transept, porch, and embattled western towers. The
crowning glory of the entire building, without doubt, is the
fine Norman arch dividing the nave from the chancel. Built
in the later Norman style and beautifully carved in zig-zag
and other devices, it is the more interesting because it forms
one of the few remaining original portions of probably the
first church erected on the present site. The font is Norman,
square in shape, and ornamented by carving. In the porch
is what appears to be the top of a tomb of very ancient date.
Maes Knoll, a well-known hill at the eastern end of Dundry
Hill, is within the parish of Norton Malreward. It is sur-
mounted with ancient earthworks of a most interesting des-
cription. An ancient path in this parish, known as Here
Path, or Warriors' Path, at one time connected with that
earthwork stretching from Old Sarum to Portishead, called
Woden's Dyke or Wansdyke, is still used as a public path.

The journey home was made via Queen Charlton and
Keynsham, Bath being reached at 8 o'clock.

22

LECTURES, 1919.

CELTIC CROSSES.

On Wednesday, February 5th, a very interesting lecture,
illustrated by lantern slides, was given by Mr. George Norman,
F.S.A.I., on " Celtic Crosses," at the Literary and Scientific
Institution. Colonel Kirkwood presided over a large gathering.

Mr. Norman said the earliest Celtic Christian monuments
in the British Isles were rude pillar stones to which they
could give no date, but as similar stones were erected in pagan
times they must evidently start from the transition period
between paganism and Christianity. In later times their place
was taken by a new class of monuments, the date of which
could be fixed by historical evidence, so that they could
reach the conclusion that, roughly speaking, the pillars were
erected during a period lasting from A.D. 410 to A.D. 700.
These rude pillar stones were rough, unhewn monoliths,
standing erect, having the Christian symbol incised on them,
and often an inscription in debased Latin capitals or Oghams.
Their geographical distribution was interesting — there were
121 in Ireland, 107 in Wales, 30 in Devon or Cornwall, but
none in the rest of England, and five in Scotland. The
Christian symbols that occurred on these stones were the
Chi-Rho monogram, the Cross and the Alpha and Omega,
but very few of the first were known — three in Cornwall, one
in North Wales, and four in South-West Scotland, and none
in Ireland. Dr. Norman showed how the early crosses were
developed out of the Chi-Rho monograms, and said one of
the earliest Christian symbols in Ireland was a Maltese cross
within a circle. Some pillar stones had crosses but no inscrip-
tions, such as the one called St. Patrick's chair at Marown,
an ancient ecclesiastical site in the Isle of Man. The next
class of monuments he dealt with was the sepulchral cross-
slabs, over 180 speciemns of which were found at Clonmacnoise,
on the Shannon, founded by St. Kieran in 554. All were
inscribed in Irish lettering, and the cross in different forms
was the sole Christian symbol, the forms gradually developing
in complexity, the interlacing work which formed such a
feature of the High crosses being in evidence. The next

23

stage was a cross in relief on a stone slab, accompanied with
a greater degree of ornamentation. Dr. Norman then dwelt
in detail upon the actual crosses. The best examples of purely
Celtic crosses occurred in Cornwall, Wales, North of England
and Ireland. In England these were largely replaced by the
Saxon crosses of later date and the part played by the Anglo-
Saxons in these later developments had not been fully appre-
ciated. In its highest development the chief pecuharity of
Hiberno-Saxon art was the combination of interlaced work,
spiral and key patterns and zoomorphic designs.

Local Examples.

These zoomorphic designs were to be found in this neigh-
bourhood associated with an important event in early English
Church history, viz., the death of St. Aldhelm, the founder
of the Saxon church at Bradford-on-Avon, and the removal
of his body from Doulting in Somerset, where he died, to
Malmesbury in Wiltshire, where he was buried. William of
Malmesbury told them that the progress was by seven stages,
and that crosses were erected at each place where the body
rested. Bishop Browne, of Bristol, who studied the subject
a good deal,- suggested that the seven places, which were at
distances of about seven miles, were Frome, Westbury,
Bradford, Bath, Colerne, Littleton Drew, arid Malmesbury. It
was an interesting thing that fragments of crosses bearing
this very zoomorphic design were found at Frome, Bradford,
Bath, Colerne, and Littleton Drew. Dr. Norman showed
slides of these remains — the Bath fragment was in the museum,
and he had photographed it for Dr. Browne. In Somerset
there was one further example of a very fine character at
West Camel.

After dealing finally with the High Crosses on which were
sculptured the Crucifixion, the Temptation, Christ in his
Glory, Daniel in the Hon's den, the sacrifice of Isaac, David
and the Hon, and other Bible incidents. Dr. Norman com-
mented upon their actual beauty, and said there was a higher
and spiritual beauty connected with these Crosses of the
Scriptures, for they were epitomes of the Christian religion
— Bibles in stones, as they had been called. In an unlearned
and ignorant age it was around these crosses that the monks
themselves, and afterwards through them the ordinary people
and children, learnt those saving truths which led to Ireland
being called the Isle of Saints and the great missionary centre
for the spread of the Gospel through Europe. From North
Germany to South Italy, from Western France to the Danube,

24

the work of the Irish monks was known and felt owing to the
lessons they had learnt at the foot of the High Crosses. That
was indeed the Golden Age of Ireland.

Mr. Norman was, on the proposition of Colonel Kirkwood;.
accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his lecture.

RHEIMS CATHEDRAL.

Colonel Kirkwood presided over a crowded audience,
assembled at the Literary and Scientific Institution on Friday,
March 28th, when a lecture on " Rheims Cathedral," by
Sir Isambard Owen, Vice-ChanceUor of Bristol University.
The lecture was profusely illustrated by lantern slides, and
proved most interesting. It occupied nearly two hours,
the following is, of course, only the briefest summary.

The lecturer said that Rheims Cathedral was one of a type
of the French churches of the period, built in the 13th
Century — for it was started in 1211, opened for public worship
in 1241, and finished towards the close of the century — it
was a sister-cathedral to those at Paris, Amiens, Bourges
and Chartres, but it was the finest of them all. It was only
surpassed in size by two churches in England, Westminster
Abbey and York Cathedral, and even then it was higher
than the Abbey, attaining 267 feet. Some idea of its height
might be gauged from the fact that if placed in the Avon
Gorge, the tower of Rheims Cathedral would still be 17 feet
above the footwalk on Clifton suspension bridge. As a
matter of fact, the architect, who was responsible for its
design, had intended it to reach 120 feet higher than it now did,
but the lofty spires, which would have made this possible,
were never added to the building. The reason of the size and
importance of Rheims Cathedral were easy to find. They
lay in not a religious but a purely political cause. Clovis
the first Christian ruler of France, was baptised in that little
town in Champagne, and the custom of crowning the kings
of France in the Cathedral of what grew to be an Archbishopric,
only knew two exceptions, when monarchs were crowned
elsewhere. The Lecturer went at length tnto the archi-
tectural features of the building, in which it is so rich, and
explained in what way it conformed with the French type
of ecclesiastical architecture, and in what respects it differed
from the form more commonly found in England. The con-
nection of ornament in the west front, the great rose window.

25

and the twin towers by which it is flanked, are as character-
istic of the French school of church building as is the disposi-
tion of the interior, with its sanctuary near the meeting
point of nave and apex, and the semi-circular ambulatory
at its rear, giving access to many little chapels. The 5,000
odd figures carved on the exterior of the edifice, and the
identity of each, with its historical and reHgious significance,
as well as minor points of interest, such as the famous 15th
Century tapestries and 12th Century chalices, were all minutely
explained by the speaker.

At the close Sir Isambard was heartily thanked for his
most interesting lecture.

The following appeared in the Daily Telegraph, 15th April,,

RHEIMS CATHEDRAL.

Extent of the Damage.

In view of the conflicting reports which have from time to
time been pubHshed with regard to the damage done to Rheims
Cathedral by the German bombardment, the following state-
ment, which has been received from an authoritative source,
is interesting.: —

" Rheims Cathedral was built on the spot which tradition
assigned to the baptism of Clovis — an event which gave to
the Kings of France their titles of Roi Tres Chretien and
Premier Fils de I'Eglise. It early became the coronation
church of the Capetian dynasty, and to it Charles VI. was
brought by Joan of Arc to receive his crown and to save
his country. It was considered to be one of the most noble
and most beautiful examples of mediaeval architecture in
Europe. It was thus associated with the history, the patriot-
ism, and the art of France in an exceptional degree, and
perhaps appealed more to the French nation than did even
Notre Dame or St. Denis. Probably for these reasons the
Germans took special pains to reduce it to its present lament-
able condition, a memorable mark of their handiwork.

" The western facade and portal are severely battered,
the greater number of the pinnacles of the southern front
have been shot away, the roof has several gaping holes in
it, the high altar is a formless mass of debris, and the choir
as such has ceased to exist. The glass has entirely dis-
appeared— some, indeed, has been preserved, but most has
been totally destroyed. All that really remains is the core

26

of the fabric probably considerably shaken and weakened—
and the remarkable series of statues within the west wall.
Nothing in the way of restoration has yet been begun, and
the public are shown the church by a guardian who tells them
that it will take a generation to repair it. It is hard to con-
ceive any better reminder of the German than the pathetic
site of this monument of Gothic art, which the vandals of the
twentieth century have left a shattered shell."

AIGUES MORTES: THE 13TH CENTURY
STRONGHOLD OF ST. LOUIS.

A large gathering assembled at the Literary and Scientific
Institution on Wednesday afternoon, November 26th, to
hear a lecture by C. H. Bothamley, Esq., Hon. Secretary
Weston-super-Mare and Axbridge Branch Somerset Archaeo-
logical Society on " Aigues Mortes : the stronghold of
St. Louis, the most perfect 13th Century walled town in
Europe. The lecture was well illustrated by lantern slides.

Mr. Bothamley said the walled town of Aigues Mortes
stands amongst the lagoons at the mouth of the Little
Rhone, some twenty miles from Nimes in one direction and
Aries in another, and about three miles from the northern
shore of the Gulf of Lyons. It is the most perfect 13th Century
walled town in Western Europe ; it has never become delapi-
dated, and therefore has escaped " restoration " though
necessary repairs and replacements have been carried out to
towers and walls.

The town owes its origin to the desire of King Louis IX.
(afterwards St. Louis) to construct a port to serve as a start-
ing point for his crusades. The French borders of the Medi-
terranean were not then part of the kingdom of France, but
the king obtained possession of the little port of Aigues
Mortes from the Abbot and convent of Psalmodi close by,
and gave them in exchange some land at Sommieres. He
then gave directions for the making of a port with necessary
defences, and in particular the formation of a navigable canal
from the town through the lagoons to the sea. The defences
first erected may have been strong, but they must have con-
sisted of banks and ditches, with palisades, and not of walls
It seems clear also that the king arranged for the building
of the great tower, which was completed before 1266.

27

From Aigues Mortes on August 28th, 1248, the king with
a. vast company set sail on his ill-fated expedition to the
Holy Land.

The little port prospered and rapidly increased in size and
importance, and the original defences became insufficient.
In 1272 Philippe le Hardi, who had succeeded his father
King Louis, made an arrangement with one William
Boccanegra, a Genoese of wealth and position, who had entered
the king's service, fqr the financing of works for the improve-
ment of the port and the provision of town walls. Boccanegra
was to provide in instalments a sum of 5,000 livres Turnois,
equal to about £18,000 of modern money, and in return
he and his heirs were to become part owners of the town
with the king and his heirs. Many writers have described
the existing walls as having been " built by Boccanegra for
Philippe le Hardi," but Boccanegra died a year and a half
after the agreement was made and the King subsequently
bought out the widow and heirs. It is true that a substantial
sum was expended before Boccanegra died, but it was probably
mainly on the improvement of the port. He may have put
in the foundations of the walls, but he certainly did not
finish them because they were far from complete towards
the close of the century. In 1289 the Seneschal of Beaucaire,
Adam de Montceliard, by order of the king, PhiHppe-le-Bel,
grandson of Saint Louis, made a report to the king on the con-
dition of the port and walls and it is quite clear that even at
that time a large part of the walls and towers as we now see
them had still to be erected. Fresh arrangements for the work
were made and the walls were probably completed by 1307,
when Aigues Mortes was one of the strong places in which the
Knights Templars were imprisoned by the King.

During the wars of religion in the i6th and 17th Century
Aigues Mortes was one of the strong places assigned to the
Huguenots. Later it was taken out of their possession and
the Great Tower was used as a prison for women and children,
some of whom, because only of their religious beliefs, were
incarcerated for long periods. Probably other towers were
used for the same purpose.

The plan of the town is approximately a rectangle, with one
corner truncated, and outside this corner, which is convex
towards the town, stands the great tower, the finest of its
kind now that the great keep of Coucy-le-Chateau has been
reduced to a heap of stones by German explosives. Before
the south front lie the lagoons, and along the west front is
the river (now canalised), whilst on the east and north is
dry land intersected by canals and ditches and oftentimes

28

under water in winter. The landward approach from Nimes
is by a raised road across the marshes and about 2\ miles from
the town a strong 13th Century tower (La Tour Carbonniere)
stands across the road as a formidable outpost.

The great tower outside the N.W. angle is now connected
with the town by a stone bridge of the i6th or early 17th Cen-
tury; its parapets are looped for firearms. The original
bridge was no doubt, wholly or partly built of wood. The
tower had its own surrounding ditches and banks and palisades,
but they have disappeared and the ditch was filled up in
comparatively recent times. The tower is about 70ft. ia
diameter, and about looft. high, the walls being 21ft. thick.
At the top is a lighthouse in the form of a turret some 30ft.
high, surmounted by an iron cage which contained a basket
for fuel ; its use as a beacon was already well known at the
end of the 13th Century.

The tower consists of three stages, all vaulted. The base-
ment is a store, lighted by long slit loops ; it contains a well
and communicates with the floor above by a circular opening
in the centre of the vault. The first and second floors are
magnificent vaulted circular chambers lighted by very long
slits or loops in splayed recesses with pointed rear arches. The
first floor has a large fireplace with a hood above and an oven
at the back ; a doorway giving access to the well tube; and
lockers in the wall, with stone shelves. The main entrance
from the bridge is on this floor, and is very strongly defended
by two doors and a portcullis. In the vault of the passage
are two large openings from a chamber above for throwing
missies on the heads of an enemy. In that chamber these
openings have parapet walls which protected the defenders
and supported the portcullis gear. From that chamber
there is a passage in the thickness of the wall running all
round the tower and opening into the upper part of the first
floor chamber by a series of pointed arches. In this passage
access could be obtained to the well tube and also to a gar-
derobe. Opposite the main entrance is a postern, the door
of which was many feet above ground ; it was defended by
a portcullis and in the vault of the passage is a large opening
from a chamber similar to but smaller than that over the main
entrance. In the vault of the main chamber is a circular
opening directly above the opening from the basement and
directly under a similar opening in the vault of the chamber
above so that communication was possible through these
openings from the basement to the top of the tower.

The second floor is reached from the first by a great newel
stair which continues to the roof. Off this stair there is a

29

lobby at the end of which on the left is a small oratory with
a beautiful 13th Century vault springing from foliated capitals,
whilst on the right is the door into the chamber. This second
floor is similar to the first except that the fireplace is much
smaller. There is no access to the well tube and there is a
fairly large chamber in the thickness of the wall with an
oblong window with stone window seats at the end. One of
the loop recesses still has remains of a wood floor and of stone
walling with a doorway, which shows that it was used as a
prison cell, and probably the others were used in a similar way.

The roof of the tower is paved with flag stones. The
battlements were altered in the i6th Century for the use of
cannon before it was realised that from this height cannon
fire was of little value.

The great tower is the only part of the existing fortifications
erected in the time of St. Louis ; its architectural details are
those of the middle of the 13th Century.

The town walls are 8 to 9 feet thick and 30 to 32 feet high,
with a crenellated parapet with long arrow|loops in the merlons.
Throughout the whole range there is provision by means of
square holes at the base of the parapet for the erection of the
projecting wooden galleries known as hourds, intended to
facilitate the defence of the base of the walls. At the N.W.
angle and notably in the curved section opposite the great
tower the parapet has been altered for the use of firearms.
The walls are pierced in the lower part with long arrow loops
at the back of deep recesses with stone side seats. On the
east and south-east there recesses are lofty and somewhat
close together, with pointed arches and supports for an inter-
mediate platform ; in the rest of the walls the recesses are
double the distance apart, are higher in the wall and have
round arches. The latter are the later form and mark a dis-
tinct period in the building operations. The earlier form or
recess was probably given up because it weakened the wall
too much and was also expensive to build.

The walls are strengthened by towers at each angle, (except
at the N.W., where the great tower stands) and also, on the
north front, by two wall towers. All these towers are round to
the field and fiat towards the town. They have two vaulted
stories, are roofed with flat stone slabs, and have a crenellated
parapet. They are entered both at ground level and from the
ramparts and have a newel stair from ground to roof. The
upper chambers have large fireplaces with stone hoods and each
tower is provided with at least one garderobe. There are also
arrow slits [or in some cases windows] towards the field, and
windows in recesses with stone side-seats towards the town.

30

There are five great gates, two on the north, one on the east^
and two on the south ; and there are five lesser gates or
posterns, one on the east, three on the south, and one on
the west.

The great gatehouses are of the same general design, with
differences of detail. Each of them has two round towers
towards the field, with the portal between them ; towards
the town the face of the gatehouse is flat and the rampart
walk is carried behind the gatehouse and does not pass through
the towers. The construction of the round towers is like that
of the angle towers ; between them on the ground floor is
the portal and on the first floor the portcullis chamber. Only
the west gate on the north front shows any signs of a draw-
bridge and there it was clearly an insertion imperfectly
carried out.

Each portal was strongly defended. At the top there was
a machicoulis projecting from the ramparts ; in front of the
portcullis was a large opening between the arches, reached
from the portcullis chamber, for the projection of missiles
on the heads of assailants ; then came a portcullis behind
which was a strong double-leaved door with a thick bar.
In the crown of the vault is a large opening from the floor
of the portcullis chamber, also for the projection of missiles.
There was probably a second door and certainly a second
portcullis. The entrances to the first floor chambers from the
ramparts walk were likewise protected by machicoulis from
the ramparts of the towers. Each gatehouse was, in fact,
designed to be capable of independent defence.

The two gatehouses on the south front are peculiar in that
the ground floor chambers in the towers have midway
floors, and the portcullis chambers are in two stories, the
front portcullis being worked from the upper story and the
rear portcullis from the lower chamber.

The posterns are oblong in plan and have little projection ;
their portals have defences similar to those of the greater
gates but simpler, because there is only one portcullis and one
door, and, of course, no room for an opening in the crown of
the portal. The upper part of these posterns, reached only
from the rampart walk, consists of an oblong chamber which
served as a portcullis chamber, and through which the rampart
walk passes. In most cases there are steps down from the
walk into the chamber at each end, and the doorways were
protected by machicoulis at the top of the tower. There is
a newel stair in a turret from the chamber to the top of the
tower ; the roof is covered with flag stones, and has a crenel-
lated parapet.

31

The rampart walk was reached, not only from the towers
by means of their newel stairs, but also direct from the ground
by long flights of stone steps, magnificently built, rising against
the inner faces of the great gatehouses and the angle towers ;.
there are two flights of such steps to each great gatehouse
and each angle tower, one rising from each side, and there
is a similar independent flight against the west curtain.

One striking feature about the walls and towers of Aignes
Mortes is the wealth of architectural ornament. Not only
is the masonry as a whole of a very high class, but the rampart
walks have finely moulded cornices, the vaulting ribs of the
towers are finely moulded and the carving of the vaulting
bosses and of many of the corbels is of a high degree of
excellence. Some of the bosses and corbels in the great
gatehouses on the east and south are as fine as anything to
be found in ecclesiastical buildings of the same date.

Colonel Kirkwood, who was in the Chair, in proposing a
hearty vote of thanks to Mr. Bothamley for his interesting
lecture, stated that the slides were prepared by the lecturer
from his own photographs. The proposal was received with
applause.

3»

BffTH S DISTRICT BRSnCH

Somersetsliire Archaeological and Natural History Society.

RULES.

1. — This Branch shall be called " THE BATH AND DISTRICT
BRANCH."

2. — The District of the Branch shall be within the area from
Brislington south to Chewton Mendip, thence east to Beckington, from
there following the County Boundary round the north of Bath and back
to Brislington.

3. — The Branch shall be managed by a Committee consisting of a
President, one or more Vice-Presidents, eight Ordinary Members and
two Secretaries, one of whom shall also be Treasurer. The whole shall
go out of office annually, but may be re-elected. Three shall form a
quorum.

Note. — Members of the Council of the Parent Society who are
Members of the Branch are ex-officio Members of the Committee.

4. — The Committee shall be chosen at a General Meeting, which
shall be held in the month of jMarch in each year, on a day to be fixed by
the Committee. Casual vacancies may be filled up by the Committee,
who may appoint sub-Committees for any general or special purposes.

5. — Special General Meetings may be called by the Committee or on
the requisition of five Members. Seven clear days' notice of such
meeting and its object shall be sent to every Member.

6. — The Committee shall arrange for visits to be made to objects
of antiquarian, etc., interest within the District or within easy access
therefrom, of which notice shall be sent to Members. Except in special
cases, Members shall make their own arrangements for attending, and
pay their own travelling or other expenses. Fees to attendants at
Churches, etc., shall be paid out of funds of the Branch. Meetings at
different places in the district for papers and discussions may be arranged
by the Committee.

7. — The Subscription to the Branch shall be 5s. per annum for
Ladies or Gentlemen, and become payable in advance in January. Any

33

Member in arrear shall not be allowed to join any of the excursions or
take part in any of the proceedings of the Branch. Members may
introduce a friend to any of the excursions, or when a paper is read. No
person residing within the District shall be introduced oftener than once
in the season. Members of the Parent Society are entitled to become
Members of the Branch, on pajTnent of their Subscription, without
baUot.

8. — ^Members shall be elected by the Committee by ballot. Three
fourths of those voting shall decide.

9. — The Rules of the Parent Society shall be considered as governing
the Branch as to all matters not herein provided for, in the same manner
as if such Rules were here repeated.

C

34

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSETSH ) RE ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

1919.

PRESIDENT :

THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL WALDEGRAVE.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :

Captain CHARLES T. FOXCROFT, M.P.
LORD STRACHIE.

COMMITTEE :

Colonel HENDLEY P. KIRKWOOD (Chairman).
Major-General BRADSHAW, C.B.
Colonel E. CLAYTON.
ST. DAVID M. KEMEYS-TYNTE, Esq.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. P. LEIGH, CLE.
GEORGE NORMAN, Esq., F.S.A.I.
(Hon. Local Secretary Somersetshire Archaeological Society).
Rev. D. LEE PITCAIRN. M.A.
M. H. SCOTT, Esq. (late I.CS.),

Ex-Officio Member of the Committee :

CHARLES TITE, Esq..
Hon. Secretary Somersetshire Archaeological Society.

HON. EXCURSION SECRETARY ;

GERALD J. GREY, Esq.

HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER :

THOS. S. BUSH, Esq.

LIST OF MEMBERS, 1919.

(* Are also Members of the Parent Society.)

1 91 4 AcLAND Mrs. B. D., Island View, Barton-onSea, New Milton,
Hants.

191 1 * Adams E. Cay, Esq., Brentwood, Combe Down

1914 AiREY Miss, I, Royal Crescent.

1908 Bayliss Rev. F. C, RocklifE Hotel. *

1 9 10 Beavan Miss, Roslyn Road, Newbridge Hill.
1 91 9 Begg Mrs., 7, The Circus.

1913 Bigg Rev. G. Howard, i, Belgrave Road, Grosvenor.
1903 *Blathwayt Lieutenant-Colonel Linley, F.L.S., F. Ent.S., Eagle
House, Batheaston. (Deceased).

1903 Blathwayt Miss, Eagle House, Batheaston.

1904 *Blathwayt Rev. W. E., M.A., Dyrham Rectory, Chippenham.
1903 *BoTHAMLEY Rev. Prebendary, Richmond Lodge. (Deceased).

1903 *BoYD Rev. Prebendary, M.A., B.C.L., The Rectory, Camden

Crescent.

1911 Brabazon Miss, 18, Lansdown Crescent.

1912 Bradshaw Major-General, C.B., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.

1 91 2 Bradshaw Mrs., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.
1916 Brendon C. R., Esq., 12, Burlington Street
1916 Brendon Mrs., 12, Burlington Street

1904 *Breton Miss Adela C, 15, Camden Crescent.

1 91 5 Bromley Rev. F. A., M.A., Weston Vicarage.

1910 Brookfield Mrs., Stratton-on-the-Fosse.

1913 Browne Miss Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.

1 91 3 Browne Miss — Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1919 Brymer Walter S., Esq., 13, Marlborough Buildings.
191 9 Brymer Mrs., 13, Marlborough Buildings.
1903 *BusH Robert C, Esq., i, Winifred's Dale.
1903 ♦Bush Thos. S., Esq., 20, Camden Crescent.
1903 Bush Mrs. Thos. S., 20, Camden Crescent.
1918 Butler Rev. R. M. Peile, Priston Rectory.
1 91 8 Butler Mrs., Priston Rectory.

1 91 6 Carr Mrs., Manor House, Weston.
1916 Carr Miss, Manor House, Weston.

1915 *Carr J., Esq., Wood House, Twerton.

1 91 6 Carr Miss, Wood House, Twerton.
1916 Carr Miss J. F., Wood House, Twerton.

1905 Cave Mrs., 16, Circus.

1912 Chope Mrs., 10, Mount Beacon.

1903 Clayton Colonel Emilius, Charlcombe Manor.

1903 Clayton Mrs., Charlcombe Manor.

191 1 CoLOMB Mrs., 17, Darlington Place.

1904 Cooke Miss M. A. H., Lonsdale, Combe Down.

1912 Courtenay Miss E. F., 30, Rivers Street

1913 Cox Lieut-Colonel, Fonthill, Lansdown (Deceased).
1904 Curd Charles, Esq., 6, Gay Street.

1904 Curd Mrs., 6, Gay Street.

36

1 91 7 Daunt Miss Mary, The Shack, Lansdown Road.

1903 Davis Rev. J. Roland, M.A., Broughton Gifford Rectory.
1903 Davis Colonel T. Arnoll, Weston Park House.
1 91 9 Dickson Mrs., 46, Combe Park.

191 2 FosBERY Dr., I, Oxford Row.

1911 FoxcROFT Captain Charles T., M.P., Hinton Charterhouse.

1918 Freestun Mrs. May, Cleeve House, Midford.
1 91 8 Freestun Miss, Cleeve House, Midford.

1 91 6 Gabriel Miss, Fleetlands, Weston.

1908 *Gervis Henry, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., 15, Royal Crescent.

1908 Gervis Miss Dora L., 15, Royal Crescent.

1906 GoLDiE Robert F., Esq., South Lawn, College Road.

1914 Graham Miss, 26, Combe Park.

1910 Gregory Mrs., Mount Beacon House.
1903 *Gregory George, Esq., 5, Argyle Street

1903 *Grey Gerald J., Esq., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1904 Grey Mrs., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1915 Grierson Miss, 40, Grosvenor Place.

1903 ♦Hallett Mrs., Claverton Lodge, Bathwick.

1 91 8 Hardy Mrs., York Villa, Kensington.
1915 Head H. E., Esq., 14, Dunsford Place.

1904 Heathcote J. Cuthbert, Esq., Brent Knoll Manor, Somerset.
191 5 *Hignett Geoffrey, Esq., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1915 *Hignett Mrs., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1913 Holmes Thomas J., Esq., Eastern House, Beechen Cliff.

1914 Holt Miss F. V., 13B, Henrietta Street.
1903 *HoRNE Rev. Ethelbert, Downside Abbey.

1915 HoRNE Miss E. M., The Grange, Keynsham.

1917 Hughes Mrs. Tatham, 12, Somerset Place.

1903 *Hylton Right Hon. Lord, Ammerdown Park, Radstock.

1918 Inchbald Rev. W. E., Charlcombe Rectory.

1 916 Ingham H. M., Esq., 4, Raby Place.
1913 Irwin Mrs. A., Fonthill, Lansdown.

1903 *Kemeys-Tynte St. David M., Esq., The Beeches, Bathwick Hill.

1919 King C. A., Esq., Brookfield, Weston Road.

1919 King Mrs. C. A., Brookfield, Weston Road.

1903 *KiRKWooD Colonel Hendley P., Newbridge House.

1903 Knight Miss J. F., Bath and County Ladies' Club.

1 91 7 Lascells E. H., Esq., Parkside, Park Lane.
191 7 Lawrence Emily Lady, Langridge House.
191 7 Lawrence Miss. Langridge House.

1905 *Lawrence F. W., Esq., M.R.A.S., F.R.G.S., Hillcote, Lansdown.

1915 Layton, Mrs., 14, Elm Place, Bloomfield Road.
1908 Leigh Colonel P. P., CLE., Grosvenor House.

1 916 Leigh Mrs., Grosvenor House.
L919 Lindsay Miss, 7, Johnston Street.

1913 Linley-Howlden H., Esq., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1916 Linley-Howlden Mrs., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1910 Longworth-Dames Miss C, 2, Winifred's Dale.

3t

1917 Main WARING Colonel, Cleveland House.

1916 Martyn Mrs. King, 8, Gay Street.

191 3 Massy Miss, 2, Duke Street.

191 3 Maule Major-General, 2, Penn Lea, Newbridge Hill.

1919 Meredith Miss, 7, Tennyson Read.

1907 Miller Mrs., St. Albans, Weston Park.

1913 MiLSOM A. C, Esq., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1 91 3 MiLSOM Mrs., De Montalt, Combe Down.

191 6 MiLSOM F. H., Esq., Audley Lodge.

1916 MiLSOM Mrs. F. H., Audley Lodge.

19 1 7 Molesworth Brigadier-General, C.B., Elstree House, Lambridge

1909 Mules Rev. F. H., 17, Pulteney Road.

1910 Nash Lieut. -Colonel, 7, Laura Place. (Deceased).

1910 Nash Mrs., 7, Laura Place.

191 2 Newham Miss, II, Raby Place, Bathwick.

1903 *Norman George, Esq., F.S.A.I., 12, Brock Street.
1907 Norman Mrs., 12, Brock Street.

19 1 3 Norman Miss, Oakfield, Weston Park.
191 9 Nowell Mrs., i, Catherine Place.

1917 O'Sullivan Dr., Glencairn, Bathwick.

1 91 8 O'Sullivan Miss, Glencairn, Bathwick.

1 91 2 Parry Hubert, Esq., i, Belcombe, Bradford-on-Avon.

1913 Perkes Rev. R. M., Court Essington, Midford.
1913 Phillimore J. E., Esq., Sedgley, Sion Road.

1904 PiTCAiRN Rev. D. Lee, M.A., i, Laura Place.
1904 PiTCAiRN Mrs., I, Laura Place.

1 91 8 Pitt Walter, Esq., Southstoke House.

191 1 Pitt Mrs., Southstoke House.

1913 Powell Rev. W. H., D.D., 15, Lansdown Crescent.
1911 Powell Mrs. W. H., 15, Lansdown Crescent.

1 91 5 Powell Mrs., 12, Rivers Street.

1907 Pryce Ernest, Esq., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1906 Pryce Mrs., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1909 Rodman Miss, 17, The Tyning.

1903 RoLLESTON Colonel v., Saltford House, Bristol,

1903 RoLLESTON S. v., Esq., B.C.L., M.A., Saltford House, Bristol.

1914 Rose Mrs. H. Fullwood, 93, Sydney Place.

1904 Salmon Miss E. E., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1904 Salmon Miss L. M., 30, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1903 *ScoTT M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West.

191 7 ScoTT- White Rev. A. H., Claverton Rectory.

1919 *Scratton Arthur Esq., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1915 Segar Edward, Esq., Bella Vista, Lansdown.

1918 Shickle Rev. C. W., F.S.A., 9, Cavendish Crescent.

1907 Shun F. E., Esq., 6, Bathwick Hill.

1903 *Sibbald J. G. E., Esq., Mount Pleasant, Norton St. Philip.

1903 Spender Miss, 8, Forester Road.

1903 *Strachie Lord, Sutton Court, Pensford, Bristol.

191 1 Straghan Mrs., 26, Crescent Gardens.

1912 Strangways Miss R. C, 6, Brunswick Place.

191 8 Taite Miss, 27, Paragon.

1915 Tanner J. H., Esq., 12, Beaufort East.

38

1915 Tanner Mrs., 12, Beaufort East.

1904 Taylor A. J., Esq., 18, New Bond Street.
1903 ♦Thatcher A. A., Esq., Midsomer Norton.
1903 *Thomas C. E., Esq., Percy Place.

1903 *TiTE Charles, Esq., Stoneleigh, Taunton.

191 8 Tweed Miss Rachael, The Shack, Lansdown.

1904 Tyte W., Esq., 7, Bloomfield Crescent.

1914 Wage Henry, Esq., St. Winifreds.
1 91 4 Wage Miss, St. Winifreds.

1903 *Waldegrave Right Hon. the Earl, Chewton Priory.

1913 Walker Robert, Esq., F.R.G.S.

1916 Walker W. A., Esq., 6, Percy Place.

1 91 4 Ward Mrs. Langfield, Weston Lawn, Weston. (Deceased).
1910 *Wardle F. D., Esq., Guildhall.

1905 Watson Mrs. Dominic, 21, Royal Crescent.

1904 Way Miss H. S., 23, Newbridge Road.

1903 ♦Whittuck E. a., Esq., 77, Audley Street, W. i.

1919 Wilkinson Lady, Deepdene, Bathampton.

1 91 7 Wilkinson Miss, The Priory, Southstoke.

1904 Williams D. Prout, Esq., 7, Belvedere.

191 3 Wills J. H., Esq., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-
Avon.

1913 Wills Mrs., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.
1913 Wills Stanley, Esq., 14, Royal Crescent.

1913 Wills Mrs., 14, Royal Crescent.

1903 *WiNwooD Rev. H. H., F.G.S., 11, Cavendish Crescent.
1908 Wood Miss Ellen, 38, Combe Park.

1914 Wood Miss Margaret, 59, Combe Park.

1 91 3 Woods John C, Esq., Bank House, Trowbridge.

191 1 Young B. W., Esq., i, Stanley Villas, Camden Road.

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SOMERSET ARCH^OLOGICAL

AND

i NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

IQ20.

BATH :

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRESS.

55

was found many years ago in excavating by a workman,
whose conscience some time afterwards pricked him and he
gave it to his Vicar, Canon Thynne, at Seend, and Canon
Thynne eventually restored it to Bromha.m. The Society of
Antiquaries had examined it and said it was undoubtedly
I2th Century and very interesting. Bromham churchyard
has the grave of Thomas Moore, who spent his last days in
a little cottage at Sloperton, in the civil, but not ecclesiastical
parish of Bromham. He wrote of Bromham bells. Although
a Roman Catholic, Tom Moore was buried by the Church of
England in the churchyard, probably because his wife was
buried there. The Celtic cross over his grave on the north
side was seen.

Notes by Mr. H. Parry on the Illustrations.

In the Beauchamp Chapel are three brasses, only two of
which are illustrated. The figure of John Baynton lies
upon the floor, surrounded by a narrow marginal inscription,
within the corners of which are four escutcheons with the
arms of Baynton and allied families. These are omitted from
the illustration in order that the principal figure may not be
too greatly reduced. The whole brass measures 5ft. 5in.
by ift. loin. The figure of John Baynton is 3ft. high and is a
typical example of early i6th Century armour, before stuffed
breeches came into fashion.
The inscription says : —

" Pray for the soul of John Baynton armiger, son and
heir of Robert Baynton, knight, cousin and heir of Richard
Beauchamp, Lord of Saint Amand, who died on the last
day of the month of October, 1516. On whose soul may
the Lord have mercy."
Another brass on the south wall of the chapel shows his
descendant, Sir Edward Baynton, his two wives, and two
of the three members of the family who survived, as recorded
in the quaint verses underneath. One of the daughters is
unfortunately missing. The change in armour between 15 16
and 1578 is well shown, and the figures give a good idea of the
dress of the period.

The third brass (not illustrated) is on the north wall of the
chapel, and represents a lady in a kneeling position, clothed
in a crimson mantle, and is principally remarkable for the
fact that quite a considerable amount of the colouring matter ,
remains, a consequence no doubt of its position on the wall.

After luncheon at the George and Dragon Hotel, Potterne,
a visit was paid to the Church of St. Mary's. The Vicar

56

(the Rev. W. H. Kewley), who received the members at the
church, told them that Potterne was an ancient parish of such
importance that it gave its name to the rural deanery and the
hundred. The present church was built during the first half
of the 13th Century and took the place of an older chapel
attached to the manor house of the Bishop. The site of the
latter was indicated by the " old churchyard " in the village,
in which, during digging lately for foundations, the remains
of five people, perfect specimens of skeletons they were, were
disturbed and had been re-interred in the new churchyard.
The font of the old Saxon church, a great plain, round, tub-
shaped bowl, was found buried under the present church
during the restoration by Mr. Christian in 1872, and was now
preserved in the church. The church is a cruciform structure,
consisting of nave without aisles, chancel, central tower, and
short transepts. The nave has a north porch of the same date,
and a south porch added in the 15th Century. The great
feature of the place is its extreme simplicity and regularity,
wrote Mr. C. W. Purday. who was associated with Mr. Christian
in carrying out the restoration, and the same characteristics
mark the architecture, sculpture being entirely absent, and
mouldings being only used in a very sparing manner, but the
want of elaboration is amply compensated by good proportion
and refinement of detail. Externally the church has the same
simplicity of detail. The north door is the original door of
the church, almost a unique specimen of early 13th Century
woodwork. It had disappeared, but at the restoration was
recovered from the village, and found to fit the north doorway
perfectly.

There are few more delightful buildings than the old Porch
house, which was inspected by the kind permission of the
owner, Mr. C. H. St. John Hornby, the Vicar again acting as
guide. The outside is famihar to tourists, but the charm
of the interior is even greater. It is a magnificent specimen
of a half-timbered house, 300 or 400 years old, to-day in much
the same state as when it was erected. It is variously thought
to have first been a rich Flemish merchant's house, or a
" Church House, " and it has undergone many vicissitudes, being
successively a post house (the Pack Horse), a bakehouse, a
barrack, and as tenements, which latter caused considerable
damage to its beauties. Happily it fell into the hands of the
late George Richmond, R. A., in 1872, and by him was carefully
restored. It has a lofty dining hall with an oriel, and some
wonderful old upper chambers, and it is to be seen to-day
at its best, for Mr. Hornby has furnished it with a wonderful
collection of antique furniture. The restoration was admirably

Photo enlarged froin i^roiip taken on Lansdoivn by I\lr. Gerald Grey,

REV. H. H. WINWOOD, M.A., F.G.S.

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

REPORT. 1920.

THE Committee having withdrawn the limit, 170, to the
number of members which had been in force for several
years, the result was a very considerable addition to the
list, as will be seen by the following figures. Commencing the
year with 169, there was one death early in the season, fdur
resignations, and three defaulters, later on there were four
further deaths, a loss of twelv^, fifty-eight have been elected,
thus closing the year with 215.

A Special Meeting of the Committee was held on
March nth, when the following resolution was adopted :—
*' The Committee deeply regret the death of Colonel Hendley
P. Kirkwood; He always took an active interest in the
Branch from its formation in 1903 and was a. member of the
Provisional Committee. In 1904 he was elected on the
Committee and had each year been re-appointed, three
years ago he was elected Chairman on the retirement of the
Rev. H. H. Winwood."

This was ordered to be sent to Mr. W. G. Kirkwood, his
brother and executor.

At a Special Meeting of the Committee, held on 30th
December, the following- resolution was carried unanimously :

" The Committee deeply regret the death of the Rev.
H. H. Winwood, M.A., F.G.S. During the formation of this
Branch in 1903, he rendered hearty assistance and con-
tinued to do so until his health broke down in 1916. This
caused him to resign the office of Chairman of the Committee
which he had held from its inception. He provided papers
on Antiquities and on his special subject Geology, these have
been published in the Proceedings. He also took an active
interest in the explorations that were carried out on Lansdown,
Englishcombe and Hampton Down."

44

The Honorary Secretary was instructed to forward the
above to Colonel Winwood.

An account of the Annual Meeting, Earl Waldegrave,
President, in the Chair, will follow this report.

The thanks of the Committee are due to the following : — -
Mr. Gerald Grey for so well arranging the five excursions ;
all proved of interest and were well attended by an average
of 50. Mr. F. Bligh Bond, F.R.I.B.A., for a lecture on " Glas-
tonbury Abbey " ; the Rev. Ethelbert Horne, on " From
Norman to Perpendicular : a description of the Restoration
of Somerset Churches in the 15th Century " ; and Mr. C. H.
Bothamley on " Carcassonne " ; Mr. H. Parry for notes on
Cliftune in 970, with plan and for rubbings of brasses in
the churches of Bromham and Lacock ; and Mr. Thos. S.
Bush on St. Mary Magdalene, Hollo way, with deed and trans-
lation ; also to Mr. Thos. S. Bush for carr3dng out the duties
of Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. The accounts, which have
been audited by Mr. Segar, will, no doubt, be considered
satisfactory.

45

ANNUAL MEETING, 1920.

The Annual Meeting was held at the Literary Institution on
Thursday, March 4th, at 3 o'clock. Present : Earl Walde-
grave, President (in the Chair), Mr. E. Cay Adams, Miss
Airey, Mrs. Bird, Major-General Bradshaw, Mr. Brendon,
Mr. R. C. Bush, Mrs. Thos. S. Bush, Colonel Arnoll Davis,
Miss Grierson, Mr. Holmes, Mr. Ingham, Mrs. Layton, Miss
Lindsay, Colonel Mainwaring, Miss Meredith, Miss Newham,
Dr. and Miss K. O'SuUivan, Rev. R. M. Perkes. Rev. D. Lee
Pitcairn, Mr. and Mrs. E. Pryce, Mr. John Quint on. Colonel
RoUeston, Miss Rodman, Miss Salmon, Mr. M. H. Scott, Mr.
Tanner, Mr. Wace, Miss E. M. Wood, Miss M. A. Wood, Mr.
Thos. S. Bush (hon. secretary and treasurer), Mr. Grey (hon.
excursion secretary). Letters of regret for non-attendance
were received from Colonel Leigh, the Rev. Ethelbert Horne,
Mr. Kemeys-Tynte and Mr. Norman.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were read and con-
firmed.

The Chairman, moving the adoption of the Report and
Accounts, remarked that the Society was in a satisfactory
condition, despite the still abnormal times. An important
alteration had been made by the Committee. Previously the
Branch was limited to 170 members, but the Committee had
decided to remove the limit, so large were the number of
applications to join, and already 22 new members had been
elected. He believed Mr. Grey had been able to arrange some
interesting excursions this year. He did not know about the
question of resuming the excavations which he and Mr. Bush
and Mr. Grey were so interested in. The cost of labour was
so great, but it might be possible to secure the assistance of
some ex-soldiers, who had been accustomed to dig trenches
in France, who would like the work. Mr. C. R. Brendon
seconded, and it was carried unanimously.

On the motion of Major-General Bradshaw, seconded by
Mr. R. C. Bush, Earl Waldegrave was re-elected President,
appreciation being expressed of his Lordship's interest and
help.

Lord Strachie and Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., were
re-elected Vice-Presidents, on the motion of Mr. T. J. Holmes,
seconded by Major-General Bradshaw.

46

The following resolutions were adopted : —

Mr. Cay Adams proposed, and Mr. H. Wace seconded :
That the following form the Committee : Colonel Kirkwood,
Major-General Bradshaw, Colonel Clayton, Mr. St. D. Kemeys-
Tynte, Lieut. -Colonel Leigh, Mr. G. Norman, Rev. D. Lee
Pitcairn, and Mr. M. H. Scott."

Dr. O'Sullivan proposed and Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn seconded
the re-election of Mr. Thos. S. Bush as Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer.

Mr. Bush having returned thanks, said the present member-
ship was about i8i. The President mentioned that
twenty-two have been elected this year ; on the other side
there were a few resignations. Having expressed his indebt-
edness to Mr. E. Segar for auditing the accounts, Mr. Bush
referred to the question of excavations. There is a field he is
very anxious to explore, and had about £8 in hand for the
purpose, but, of course, this would not go far with the present
high rate of wages ; he was too old to undertake supervision
of the work, so would be glad to hear of a volunteer.

Colonel Mainwaring proposed and Mr. Thos. S. Bush
seconded the election of Mr. Gerald Grey as Hon. Excursion
Secretary.

Mr. Grey said he had great difficulty . last year in getting
charabancs to meet requirements. This year he was promised
three which would meet their needs. The following excur-
.sions had been tentatively arranged : April 27th, Corsham
and Lacock ;■ May 21st, Wells ; June iBth, Seend, Pottern
and Bromham ; July^ i6th,. Mells, Elm, Whatley and Nunney ;
September 14th, Grittleton.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Earl Walde-
grave for presiding, proposed by Dr. O'Sullivan, seconded by
Colonel Rolleston.

CHURCH OF ST. CYRIAC. LACOCK.

Memorial of Robert Baynard (ob. 1501) and bis wife, Elizabeth (Ludlow)
and their family of eighteen children.

47

EXCURSIONS.

CORSHAM AND LACOCK,
Monday, April 26th, 1920.

Under delightful conditions the first excursion of the season
took place on Monday afternoon, April 26th, to Corsham and
Lacock, forty-six members attended. The Branch was much
indebted to Mr. Harold Brakspear, F.S.A., who kindly acted as
guide at both places.

The Church of St. Bartholomew, Corsham, was first visited
by permission of the Rev. A. J. Winnington Ingram. Mr.
Brakspear reminded his hearers that they had come to a very
old place. Corsham was one of the dower manors of the
Queens of England from Early Saxon days, and they had
documentary evidence that there was a church there at
Domesday. It belonged to the Abbey of St. Stephen, Caen,
in Normandy. The church, although only a parish church,
was endowed with lands which were still known as the Rectory
Manor, and it was one of the few endowments of that early
period still separate in that way. The earliest church was
Saxon, as the narrow nave alone would have told them. The
Saxon church had an aisleless church, a central tower, and
some sort of chancel, and on either side of the tower were

paddle-box " transeptral chapels of the late Saxon times.
Early in the 12th Century the place apparently grew, and the
church was not large enough, so they set about adding to
it in the usual way, by adding aisles to the nave. The
mediaeval way of enlarging the church was not to clear the
ground and closing the church, but build straight away. The
church was always in use, and, therefore, any additions or
alteration to an existing church had to be done piecemeal,
so as not to disturb the services. So the outer walls of the
aisles were built and the roof, then holes were cut in the
nave walls to put in the columns, and finally, the blocking
work of the original walls removed. Thus the nave walls
above the arcading were much later than the arcading itself.
Before the north aisle was finished it was enlarged by a bay
at the western end, and then they added the south aisle to
match the north. Later the chancel was rebuilt, and new

48

transepts added, and there was scarcely anything left
of what was there before the 12th Century restoration. The
next building was the big north aisle, dating from 1232,
which was virtually the same as at Malmesbury. In the
15th Century the chapel on the north of the chancel was built.
The Vicar of Corsham at one time had a right to draft wills,
and the little place now used as a vestry was a consistory
court. It was always reputed to be so, but some time ago
he found in one of the old registers a list of the seats which
mentioned " seats next the consistory." Then came the
disastrous times when people wanted to restore churches, and
everybody must regret what had happened there. There
had been a central tower, the original Saxon tower with
13th Century arches inserted in it, and that had gone. The
new tower was built " in the character " of the old one, but
was not a bit like it, but they must be thankful that more
damage was not done. There were suggestions that the
proper place for the tower was the site of the old porch.

The members then walked down the avenue and visited
the 17th Century almshouses, inspecting the fine old school-
room. Mr. Brakspear related that the land was bought by
Lady Margaret Hungerford in 1664, the building was com-
pleted in 1668. The educational part of the charity was no
longer existent ; the trustees gave £20 a year to the county
education authority, which was expended upon prizes for
the children of the parish. The founders did not stipulate
whether the almshouses were for old men or women (it
was now only for old women), but she did stipulate that there
should be no children, because " wherever there were children
there was discontent and strife between the owners of the
children." Some of the foundation rules were funny reading
at the present time, because the old people had to have an
income of not more than £5, and out of that had to expend
no less than £1 in the autumn upon wood and coal, so that
they should not " thieve in the copses and hedges for firing."
How they lived he did not know, because out of the rest of
this £5 they had to keep their windows, chimneys and doors
in order. In the schoolroom was a very beautiful old master's
desk, and the pews in which the old people had to come for
the opening and closing of the school, and a most charming
screen of oak that had never been painted.

At Lacock the Parish Church of St. Cyriach was visited, by
permission of the Vicar (the Rev. W. H. Ramsbottom). It
was a very fine building for a village church, said Mr. Brak-
spear. The earliest building that they knew existed was a
church of Norman date which had columns indicating that it

49

had one aisle at least. The first alteration they had know-
ledge of was the building of the chancel and the very
large transepts, in the 14th Century — the south transept
had been rebuilt at a more recent period again, but
the north transept remained pretty much as the 14th
Century builders left it. Unfortunately, in the last
century the transept walls had been raised and the whole
proportion of the original work destroyed. It was hoped to
put it back again, but he was afraid that was now impossible
•on account of the cost. The very beautiful Lady Chapel on
the north side of the chancel was an extraordinary piece of
good work and still retained its original gilding on the western
arch — the rest was re-coloured in the 17th Century. The
arms of the bishop of the period dated it as between 1427
and 1435, which was much earlier than one would have
supposed. Later the aisle on the north side of the nave was
re-built, and the original design followed very much that of
the chapel. It was intended to be vaulted and was in three
bays. The present roof was the original one, but unfor-
tunately it was boarded over about 60 years ago. Mr. Brak-
spear drew attention to the extraordinary east window over
the chancel arch. The old 14th Century chancel arch
remained until quite recently, when the rebuilding of the
chancel was taken in hand and the present arch inserted. The
chancel was rebuilt in 1903 in memory of the father of the
late Mr. Talbot-, who was one of the inventors of photography.

Notes by Mr. H. Parry on the Illustrations.

In the floor at the and of the south transept is a fine heraldic
brass, showing the figures of Robert Baynard and his wife,
Elizabeth Ludlow (about 2ft. 3in. high), clad respectively in
tabard and heraldic mantle. Originally, of course, the tabard
and mantle were shown in the proper heraldic colours, the
colouring matter being usually glazed earthenware of a rather
hard kind, let into the brass, those parts alone, which repre-
sented or or argent being left at the general level, and gilt
or silvered as necessary.

The arms displayed on the front and sleeves of the gentle-
man's tabard are : —

Quarterly : i and 4, a two-headed eagle displayed. Gules,
membered, azure (Bluett) ; 2 and 3, a fess between
two chevrons or (Baynard).
The lady's mantle has : —

Quarterly : i and 4, Baynard, as above ; 2 and 3, Argent,
a chevron between three martens' heads erased sable
(Ludlow).

50

The authorities differ as to whether these animals are
martens, dogs or foxes.

Upwards of 400 years of trampling has naturally removed
all trace of colour. Underneath is shown the family. The first
of the thirteen boys, presumably the heir, has a large purse
attached to his girdle, and the second is a priest, tonsured.
All the daughters have long hair indicating that they were
unmarried at the date of the brass. The inscription states : —
" Here lies Robert Baynard armiger, a noble man,
skilled in the law, strong in warlike arms, principal dapif er,
the most dihgent preserver of peace among the highest,
having a most devoted wife Elizabeth with as many sons
and daughters as appear underneath, who died 26th
August, 1 50 1. On whose souls may the Lord have
mercy."

Finally the members visited Lacock Abbey, where Mr.
Brakspear related the founding of the Abbey by Ela Countess
of Salisbury in her own right in 1232. It was for nuns or
canonesses of the Order of St. Augustine, and she herself
took the veil. The nunneries of the Augustines, of which
there were only a few, were very much on the same plan.
All had great aisleless churches and a cloister upon which
were grouped the buildings necessary for the Hfe of the
nunnery. None of the church remained at Lacock except
the north wall, which ran from the buttress (as it looked now,
though it was how the west wall was shaped when the church
was pulled down at the Dissolution of the Greater Monasteries)
to the tower. The church was a long aisleless parallelogram
and vaulted from end to end. It was entered at the west
end and also by doors into the cloisters towards the west
end and also towards the east end. In 1315 the owner of
Lackham (Blewitt) had a license to build a large Ladj^ Chapel
on the church for the burial of himself and family, and to
endow it, and fortunately they had preserved the agreement
between the Abbess and convent and John Blewitt. It was
an interesting document showing the size of the Lady
Chapel was to be three bays of the original church, but
the chapel was to have only two bays. On the east side
of the cloister, above, was the dorter or sleeping room, and
below the chapter house and warming room. Opposite was
the great dining hall or frater, and on the south the guest
house with the Abbess's hall above, and at the end the great
kitchen. The Abbey was converted into a magnificent
dwelling by Sir William Sherington, himself an amateur
architect, who added the fine range of i8th Century buildings
round the courtyard.

51

Before leaving Colonel Clayton voiced the thanks of the
members to Mr. Harold Brakspear for his kindness in acting
as guide at Corsham and Lacock. Tea was partaken of at
the Red Lion, Bath being reached at 6.30.

WELLS.
Friday, May 2ist, 1920.

The second excursion took place in beautiful weather,
and forty-six members started at 10.30 a.m. from Queen
Square. The drive over the Mendips was much enjoyed.

The Dean (the Very Rev. J. Armitage Robinson) had
intended himself to act as guide to the cathedral, but was
unavoidably away, attending a meeting at Lambeth Palace,
and in his place the Bishop of Taunton (Dr. de Salis) received
the members, accompanied them round the cathedral, and
went to a good deal of trouble to secure a good guide, the
Rev. G. W. Saunders, Vicar of Martock, who kindly came
over specially for the purpose. Mr. Saunders has a consider-
able knowledge of the subject, and in a most interesting manner
told the chief points of the history of the cathedral and its
building, as well as pointing out the leading architectural
features. The North porch, he said, was, perhaps, the earliest
part of the cathedral, and contained the only trace of Norman
work in the whole building, which was the first in the country
when the pointed arch had taken supreme rule. Inside the
porch was the purest specimen of French Gothic arcading in
the country. The first bishop or builder of whom they knew
much was Bishop Guiso, 106 1. His cathedral, which had
fallen into disrepair, was repaired and partly rebuilt by
Bishop Robert, 1136 — 1166, and consecrated in 1148. The
present building was commenced by Bishop Reginald de
Bohum (1174 — 1 191). The question as to whether any of
Robert's cathedral remained had been almost settled by Sir
William St. John Hope, who suggested that the streets of
Wells almost proved that the site of Robert's cathedral was not
on the present site, but just to the south. That would explain
why there was scarcely any Norman work — the Normian
cathedral remained standing and in use while Bishop Reginald's
was being built. Mr. vSaunders observed that Reginald's cathe-
dral was smaller than the present building, extending from the
North porch to three bays of the choir, and pointed out the
many differences in the architecture of his building and the

52

later work—the masonry used in the earher work was smaller,
the heads over the triforia were smaller, and the circles above
were sunk in the old work and flush with the wall in the
western work. In the early capitals figures were carried ;
in the later there was a wonderful collection of foliage but no
figures. Bishop Joceline built the West front and added it
to the cathedral by these later western arches. Mr. Saunders
also pointed out the difference between Bishop Reginald's
choir bays and the more detailed work of the 13th Century
additions to the east of it. The cap of the third original
pillar was a little rounded, while the others were angular,
showing that an attempt had been made to make them match
the new pillars, and then the attempt was abandoned. A visit
was also paid to the Under-croft, the Cathedrars treasury in
the days before banks, and the glorious Chapter House.

The Bishop of Taunton pointed out the new Rood in the
inverted nave arch of the tower, given by the lady who pre-
sented the figures in the niches above the high altar, and
observed that they added dignity to the cathedral and filled
what had always seemed a gap.

The afternoon opened with a visit to the Palace grounds,
but the members had an unexpected pleasure, the Bishop of
Bath and Wells welcoming them to the Palace itself and
showing them the old hall, the crypt, which is on the ground
floor level, and the Bishop's private chapel. The house, he
explained, was built by Bishop Joceline in 1240, and that house
and the famous front was really the result of the signing of
Magna Charta. John did not like signing Magna Charta, and
the bishop who had been working hardest to make him sign
it was banished till the King died. While he was abroad
Joceline had been studying the French Gothic architecture,
which had become familiar to them in the war, at Amiens and
Rouen. They would have noticed the likeness between the
west front of Wells Cathedral and the church at Rouen. He
came back determined to pull down the old front of the
cathedral and the bishop's house, which was Norman, and
build in French Gothic, The chapel dated from 1290, and
though the large bosses on which the pillars were made to
start had all been restored and strengthened, with that
exception all the carving in the ceiling was done in 1290 and
was exquisitely beautiful in every way. Dr. Kennion pointed
out the beauty of the proportions and tracery of the windows,
other than the more modern west window (which replaced the
older one blown down in a storm), and drew attention to one
of the oldest pieces of woodwork in the country, the original
Glastonbury chair from which all the Glastonbury chairs in

53

the world had been copied. It had a new seat and legs, but
it was the original chair brought from Glastonbury soon after
the dissolution of the monastery.

Next a visit was paid to the Museum, where Mr. H. E.
Balch, F.S.A., showed the paleolethic remains, and told a
fascinating story of the life of the tribe which from 300 B.C.
lived in Wookey Hole. He showed evidence of their wonderful
skill at weaving, iron work, and pottery. A silver Roman
coin, 120 B.C. confirmed them in their date. Their weaving
implements were very fine, and showed that they worked
fabrics and were no skin-clothed savages. Some beautiful
specimens of turning were found and some specimens of iron
work which happily had been preserved and were not rusty.
They were the people who brought the use of iron to Somerset.
A billhook of the same type as a modern one was found and a
saw, but with the teeth set in the opposite direction to the
present saw. Iron was rare and was used by them for brooches
and there was an iron currency bar, of a rare size, a quarter
unit. The state of the bones found proved that at one period
the tribe were cannibals. Human remains unburied showed
that the last occupant of the cave died alone, and there
existed an old tale in the district that a witch lived and died
in the cave.

The Cathedral Library and its chain Bibles were then
inspected under the guidance of Sir Edward Maunder
Thompson, and finally a visit was paid to St. Cuthbert's Church
(by permission of the Rev. H. E. Wake, where Mr. S.
Goodall gave an interesting account of what can be described
as the civic church of Wells. It is one of the largest parish
churches in the diocese, being 200ft. long and occupying an
area of over 12,000 square feet. The first church was Early
English (and with the exception of the chapels it to-day
followed the same plan) ; in the 14th century the walls and
columns were raised, and later the roof was added, the height
being again raised. When the tower was built it was built
12ft. away from the church and added to the church by
another bay. The church originally had an early English
tower, with low arches. The Corporation had done a great
deal for the church, and the Early English building on the
north side, now used as a vestry, was known as the Exchequer,
where the Corporation used to keep their documents. The
Corporation still appointed one of the wardens. The Cor-
poration were originally called a Guild, the Guild of the Holy
Trinity, and had their own chapel. They annually paid
£7 6s. 8d. to the curate through the Vicar. The old oak
stalls which formed the Corporation seats were some of the

54

earliest carvings in the country, having been removed there
from Glastonbury Abbey. They bore Abbot Beavis's rebus. 1
Mr. Goodall mentioned in regard to the Jesse Altar that the I
contract still existed which the Corporation made for the
rebuilding of the altar, the subject of which was the descent
of Our Lord from King David, and the work was carried out
for £40. Afterwards the visitors inspected the very valuable
and interesting plate, the oldest of which was a very fine ,
Elizabethan cup, 1573. ;.

Luncheon and tea were partaken of at Wickenden's
Restaurant. After a very enjoyable day Bath was reached ;|
about 7 o'clock. |l

BROMHAM, POTTERNE AND SEEND.
Friday, June i8th, 1920.

Fine weather again favoured this excursion, forty-eight
members attended. Starting from Fountain Buildings at
10.30 a.m., Bromham was first visited, and the members were
received at the Church of St. Nicholas by the Rector, the Rev.
J. L. Thorold. Attention was at once rivetted by the beautiful
south chancel aisle, the Bayntun Chapel, built by Richard
Beauchamp in the 15th Century. Its handsome exterior has
an embattled parapet with pinnacles, and there are some
exceptionally fine gargoyles. The Rector, in pointing out
the features of the interior, remarked that it was a proprietary
chapel, and Captain Spicer, of Spye Park, as lord of the manor,
was responsible for the upkeep. He took a great interest in
it, and some years ago, with the assistance of Mr. Brakspear,
he had it put in order at considerable expense. Some of the
old tombs and brasses still remained, but up to the beginning
of last century it was debased by being used as a school, and
that explained why the altar tomb of Purbeck marble, and
other memorials, were covered with dates and initials cut by
the children. The church is Perpendicular, but the nave was
Norman, and Norman windows, the oldest part of the church,
remains on the outside on the north side. There is also an
interesting Norman doorway leading into the vestry, which was
evidently original, for it was formerly the only way up into
the pulpit. Mr. Thorold, who with his wife has discreetly
and considerably beautified the east end, showed the society
an interesting rehc, the Hd of a 12th Century incense boat,
still bearing traces of the colours of the old enamelhng. It

BROMHAM CHURCH.
Memorial of Sir Edward Baynton and his two wives, Agnes Ryce
Atihc Pakyngton, and his family, 1 578,

BROMHAM CHURCH.

Memorial of John Baynton, Esq., ob. 1516.

Mars,inul Inscription.

©rate pro an.ma Jojjannia Bagnwn atmiseri. filii tx Oerrtia ffiobuti -Bajntcn
m.ue» conaansuinei ct KicatW 1Bea.,tI,amp Domini Jr eanero amanr.;

«u> obiu ,.lt,mo me mmma ©ctobrie anno Domini, millceimo qnin«nt«imo
OMimo BWto, ciiaiis animaf propicittiir Dtiis,

I

57

carried out and the desecrating alterations and additions
have been carefully eliminated.

The Church of the Holy Cross, Seend, was visited under
the guidance of the Vicar, the Rev. H. C. Bush, who was
accompanied by Mr. Edward Kite (a great authority on the
church, and Mr. Schomberg). The Vicar said that Seend
was formerly a chapel annexed to Melksham, and pro-
bably dated back like the North Church, to a Norman
church of nave and chancel. Later a western tower was
added and a small lady chapel, which now formed the eastern
portion of the south aisle. In the latter half of the
15th Century, the present nave with its arcades, clerestory,
and fine timbered roof of Spanish chestnut, was rebuilt in the
Perpendicular style. The present chancel was rebuilt in
1876 on the old foundation. The lower part of the chancel
walls and two lower strata of the tower appeared to be the
most ancient part of the present fabric. The north aisle was
a memorial of the cloth trade in Potterne, being added at
the cost of John Stokes, a Seend clothier, whose brass, with
effigies of himself and wife, is still preserved within. The
church had contained a great deal of painted glass, beaten
down by William Summer, 1648, and a few fragments remained
in the clerestory windows. As to the origin of the dedication,
Mr. Bush pointed out that cloth workers settled at Seend from
Bruges in Belgium, and the Holy Cross was a very special
day with them. They probably dedicated the church to
Holy Cross in memory of their old home in Bruges. Outside,
on the western end of the north aisle, was the Crucifixion, a
most unusual feature.

Tea was partaken of at the King's Arms Hotel. Melksham.
After an hour's drive Bath was reached at 6.30.

GLASTONBURY.
Friday, July i6th, 1920.

Sixty-three members visited Glastonbury ; the weather
being propitious the party spent a very enjoyable day.
Unfortunately Mr. F. Bligh Bond had been called to London
and could not act as guide during the visit to the Abbey,
nor could Captain Bartlett, his assistant, attend, while the
Vicar of St. John's (the Rev. C. V. P. Day) was also away.
But throughout the day the members had the kind services
of the Rev. T. Williams, Vicar of St. Benedict.

B

58

On arrival at the Church of St. John's, the Rev. T. WilHams
received the members. In a short description he said it was
difficult to say which is the more ancient of the two churches
in Glastonbury, this one or St. Benedict. The present
church of St. John's is probably a little later, but St. John's
is much finer and more handsome. Some consider it one of
the finest in Somerset. Both churches were built under the
supervision of the Abbey authorities as secular churches for
the inhabitants of the town. St. John's has been enlarged
several times, and in modern times a great, many things
were added. Much admired is the roof, most of which is
late 15th Century work. The side chapel was added some
ten years ago, a very fine screen having been designed by Mr.
Bligh Bond. The chapel has a reproduction of an old English
altar. A most interesting relic is an old cope, of date about
1500, formerly worn by the celebrant in pre-Reformation times,
which had been pieced together and used as a pall. There
' is an old north door which at baptisms was left open in order
' that the evil spirit when exercised might go out. Besides a
" marble tomb there is a parish chest excellently preserved,
with its three locks for the Vicar and churchwardens, who
could thus only open it in company. Over the porch on
■ the south side is the priest's chamber — his only " vicarage "
in pre-Reformation times, where he lived and could always be
found.

After luncheon the members inspected the Abbey ruins
' and recent excavations. (I^or full account of the Abbey Explora-
tions see Mr. Bligh Bond's lecture),

The Church of St. Benedict was next visited. Mr. Williams
pointed out that a gargoyle on the tower represented from one
point of view the head of Abbot Beere and at another point a
grotesque animal. On the tower was marked the height of
the water when the sea came up from Burnham in the early
i8th Century and washed round the church. Over the porch
is seen the Abbot's mitre and stole, the letters " R.B.", and
on the church itself are initials and "sign manual" — two
earthen beer jugs. It is difficult to say whether the church
was dedicated to Benedict or Benigmis, who came with
St. Patrick and was buried on the spot. The first description
calls the church that of St. Ben. An earlier church doubtless
stood there. The south aisle was added in 1886, and every-
thing has been done to preserve the original character of the
place.

The Museum was next inspected, and afterwards tea was
partaken of at " Ye Old Pilgfimmes" Inn ; Bath being reached
at 7 o'clock.

59

ACTON TURVILLE AND SHERSTON MAGNA.
Tuesday, September 14TH, 1920.

For the last excursion of the season fifty-four members
started from Fountain Buildings at 1.30 p.m . Rain threatened
once or twice, but except for a few spots the members
were favoured, as usual, with good weather.

At the picturesque Church of St. Mary, Acton Turville,
the party were received by the Vicar (the Rev. J. R. Foster).
In a short address he told the members that the church was
very interesting and very old, dating back to the time of
Edward the Confessor, which fact had been commemorated
in the stained glass inserted in the ancient narrow window in
the chancel. The oldest and most interesting thing in the
church was the old font (late Saxon or Early Norman), which
had been found used as a cattle drinking trough in a farmyard.
About ten years ago it was rescued and placed outside the
church. When the church was thoroughly renovated and
restored under Mr. W. D. Caroe in 1912, the font was placed
in its original position, replacing the more modern one then
in use, and a new base made of stone quarried in the parish,
which was found to be of the same material as the ancient
bowl itself, which was probably quarried from the same
quarry. Mr. Caroe had the base rough-hewn to match the
work of the font. The early church was very small, only
consisting of a nave and chancel, with a porch on the south
side, but restoration had completely changed its appearance,
and the windows were Early Enghsh. In 1257 the North
aisle was added. The North transept was then thrown out,
and practically the only original thing left beyond the font
was the main chancel archway. The bell turret, which was
the feature of the exterior, was very ancient (another authority
says it is probably Early English, and was probably taken
from the old sanctuary in the centre of the village and erected
in place of the old low tower). Mr. Foster drew attention
to the handsome new oak pulpit and stalls, the stained glass
windows, the fine pewter jug given by the Duchess of Beaufort
for use at the font, and the quaint mixing of styles in the
porch, the Norman archway having two niches with canopies
over, of much later date.

The Rev. A. Leslie (Rector) acted as guide at Sherston
Magna. In an account of the very beautiful church he said
that outside the porch was still preserved a very ancient
figure attributed by very ancient local tradition to a local
hero, John Rattlebone, who is said to have performed pro-
digies of valour at the Battle of Sherston, 1016, between

6o

Canute and Edmund Ironside, which was an indecisive action.
The tradition is that the right hand, which is lost, brandished
a sword, and the left hand is applying a tile stone to a wound
— he is supposed to have picked up a tile stone to staunch a
wound, and gone on fighting. The figure is certainly very
ancient, and probably stood originally in a niche over a Saxon
or Norman doorway. It has been pronounced by great
authorities as certainly earlier than iioo, but there can be
little doubt that the figure is that of an ecclesiastic, the right
hand being raised in an act of benediction, and the left hand
holding a book of the Gospels. The church was originally
built in the form of a cross (it is dedicated to St. Cross),
and the Rev. C. S. Taylor suggests in the " Transactions
of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society,"
" As the Christian soldiers of St. Olaf in Norway called
themselves ' Cross-men, ' and the battle-cry of the English
at Hastings was ' Holy Cross,' and moreover, as William
of Malmesbury tells us that Canute built churches in all
places where he had fought, it is quite possible that the
church is one of Canute's battle churches. ' ' Except the figure,
nothing remains of the Saxon church, but it existed in the
time of Edward the Confessor, and is mentioned in Domesday
Book. Between 1160 and 1170 it was replaced by a Norman
church, its plan being doubtless influenced by the form of the
earlier church. The nave had four bays, and retains its fine
Norman arcading on the north side. The font is Norman.
Between 1230 and 1240 the central tower, chancel and north
transept were added, and the old Norman north aisle replaced.
The original Norman eaves corbel table still remains on the
south wall, and runs right through the par vise. The fine
arches under the tower, of the purest style of Early English,
remain, and the rest of the Early English work also remains,
except that some of the windows were replaced by Perpen-
dicular. The south aisle was probably three chapels, with
a Norman arch in the nave. Early English at the transept
crossing and late Perpendicular in the chancel. Late in the
15th Century ah unusual processional passage was opened
from the chancel to the Lady chapel (north transept). One
of the Early Enghsh lancet windows remains, and the stairway
which led from the nave to the Rood loft (carried right across
the north aisle) is still in situ. Other interesting features
pointed out were the old candle sconces, still in use on the
choir stalls, and corbel heads of the tower arches, five of
which are ancient, include Henry III., Queen Eleanor of
Provence, Richard, Earl of Cornwall (the King's brother), a
fourth, said to be Simon de Montfort, who was High Steward

6r

with care of the Royal Manors, of which Sherston was one,
and a widow which it is suggested may be Ela, Countess of
Salisbury, whose benediction as prioress of her own foundation,
Lacock Abbey, is recorded in Sarum Charters as taking place
in Sherston Church in 1239. ^.t the very period of the re-
building of this chancel.

Afterwards the members went to see the ruins of the old
parsonage house, the entrenchments, the base of the village
cross (now in the Rectory garden), and the old sculptured
stones built into the Rectory wall.

Tea was served in the Rifle Range Barn, the Rector having
made all the arrangements, and Colonel H. P. P. Leigh, on
behalf of the Society, warmly thanked Mr. and Mrs. LesUe
for their kindness and all the trouble they had taken.

After an enjoyable return drive via Dyrham, Bath was
reached at 7 o'clock.

62

LECTURES, 1920.

The first lecture of the year, attended by a crowded audience,
was given at the Literary and Scientific Institution on Satur-
day, March 6th, at 3 o'clock, by Mr. F. BHgh Bond, F.R.I.B.A.,
on the discovery of the Loretto Chapel, Glastonbury Abbey.

The Chair was to have been taken by Colonel Hendley
Kirkwood, and Colonel E. Clayton, who presided, made
fitting reference to the sad demise of Colonel Kirkwood, whose
death was, he said, a very great loss, not only to the Somerset
Archaeological Society, but to Bath in all directions, and
also to the county of Somerset. His loss was very sad
to him personally, because they were very old friends, and
were quartered together m Dover just before each of them
retired from the Army. It was with very much regret that
he had to make that announcement.

Prefacing his address, Mr. Bligh Bond said he much regretted
that there were no slides to illustrate those portions of Glas-
tonbury Abbey with which his remarks would deal. The
subject, however, did not at present lend itself to the making
of lantern slides, because the Chapel of the Loretto had only
recently been excavated and no complete photographs had
yet been possible. They would have to wait until the next
season's digging Vv^as over. He desired to interest his hearers
in the Abbey building generally, in order to give them a better
idea of what it was for which search had been made and how
much had been found. They could not fail to be interested
in some of the salient features. The Abbey was on one of the
most ancient sacred sites in the country. In early years it
had great repute to antiquity and for its sacred nature, and
wa^ spoken of at that time as the English Jerusalem. In one
of the early church councils the claim was put forward that
Joseph of Arimathea had come there as the first Christian
missionary. There was, the lecturer observed, no reason why
they should not believe that Joseph of Aramathea had come
over to England in the manner described, as there was then
a great deal of trade between the Mediterranean and these
islands. They now knew that the old Druidical teaching
was a grafting of some sort from an Eastern religion.

The original church, a rude and primitive structure, stood
on the spot where St. Joseph's Chapel now stands, in the

63

west of the Abbey. This chapel is in reality " St. Mary's,"
being dedicated to the Virgin Mary, but is popularly known as
St. Joseph's as it represents his foundation. In the time of
St. Dunstan the great order of Benedictines estabhshed their
House at Glastonbury. There had previously been many
monks and hermits at Glastonbury who had built several
small churches or oratories. When the Benedictines came
everything was reformed, and it was supposed that a great
. church had been built on the spot. Certainly v/e have the
record of one built by King Ina, and Dunstan may have
used this. Probably a large amount of damage was done
by the Danes, and subsequently a Norman abbot was given
charge of Glastonbury in the time of the Conqueror. He
did not get on well with his monks, and was sent back to
Normandy. In 1184 a great fire occurred, in which the old
wooden church was destroyed, with the exception of a
few minor buildings. The monks, having reconstructed the
Romanesque chapel, went on to build their own church
some little distance to the west of St. Joseph's Chapel. In
the 14th Century there was some dim record of a lady chapel
having been built at the extreme east end of their church.
The Abbot Monnington, a great builder, extended the choir
in the 14th Century, and he built a new retro-choir. The
lecturer described the reasons for the building of a GaHlee
porch between the end of the great church and St. Mary's
Chapel, in the time of King Henry III. That porch became
unnecessary, and was converted into a choir to the chapel
at the west, the two buildings being thus, as it were, united
in length, their joint total being about 500 feet from end to
end.

Since 1908 excavations had been miade which had revealed
the plan of the cloisters, the chapter-house, and the ref rectory,
shemng these to be in accordance with the regular Benedictine
system. of building. The church was restored somewhat in
the times of Edward VI. and Queen Mary, when a company
of Flemish weavers were allowed the use of the church, but
in the time of Queen Ehzabeth the whole of the glorious
building went to pieces. The lead, it is said, was taken from
the roof for the purpose of hning the roofs of the castle in
Jersey Harbour. The church was not only allowed to fall
into decay, but large portions of the stone were taken also for
local building purposes. For 200 years the building was
simply a stone quarry for the whole neighbourhood. That
,went on to the beginning of the 19th Century, and it was a
matter for surprise that anything of the Abbey was now
remaining.

64

Coming now to the question of the actual site of the Loretta
Chapel, the lecturer said that somewhat indefinite indications
were found in old manuscripts as to the existence of such a
chapel,* and in 1904 excavations were made by Sir William
Hope, under the Archaeological Institute, but were unsuccessful.
In 1908 the lecturer had an opportunity of digging and came
upon the Edgar Chapel, which Sir William Hope had failed to
discover. In his search for the Loretto Chapel the lecturer
said he had come upon a platform of masonry 12ft. 6in. wide,
in the corner between the north transept and the north wall,
on the outside of the building. At the time he could find no
explanation of it, and the quest for the Loretto Chapel was
given up in 191 1, but five years later a constructive explana-
tion suggested itself, and he thought the great piece of masonry
had been placed to support a flying buttress to strengthen the
central tower. In August last he was able to make further
research, and on the first day of digging the corner of a wall
had been found in an adjoining bank. In two days they had
worked out the whole of one corner of the building, which was
later found to measure 20ft. in total width. To make the
discovery, the method he had adopted was to work from a
cultivation of the intuitive powers as well as intuition from
logical reasoning, but he felt that in work of that kind unless
the intuitive faculty was used in conjunction with the reason,
the best results could not be obtained. (Applause).

Asked to enlarge upon the actual inspiration which led
to the discovery of the Loretto Chapel, the lecturer said the
working of the mind was a thing he had always studied very
earnestly. One sometimes came to conclusions which did not
always emerge in evidence. At times they did, however, and
it was then that a flash of intuition came. After thinking
out some problem and then letting it go out of the mind, in
order to get complete rest, then, quite unbidden, the idea
would come of its own accord. It had been found that the
mind might be a much larger thing than one had knowledge
of. That larger mind was always actively engaged in balanc-
ing facts and trying to force them into ordinary consciousness.
If they were able to turn their minds and put all intellectual
pride aside, feeUng themselves to be a channel of thought
rather than a reservoir, then hidden truths were apt to make
themselves known. In that particular case he (the lecturer)
had adopted a method which a good many people thought
eccentric. He had told his hearers the story plainly, and

* See report by F. Bligh Bond in the Vol. of Proceedings (LXV.) of
the Som. Arch. Soc. for 1919.

65

they would be able to judge how successful he had been. If
they judged the results to be more than actual previous
knowledge would warrant, they would be justified in thinking
that there was something more than the logical power of the
mind could give.

Replying to still further inquiry, the lecturer said the
results had come through what was known as automatic
writing, and he did not think they would have been obtained
had not both his friend and he studied the question closely.
The intuitive impressions had emerged in a form of which they
had been themselves unconscious, and they only emerged
after long and close intellectual study. There had not been
a trace of inference to be found in any known record as to the
actual site of the Loretto Chapel, which was only described
by Leland as joining to the north side of the body of the church,
but when they came to excavate for the Loretto Chapel
they found it within six inches of the place where they had
been led to believe it was. He thought the method was one
worth attention, and he desired that brother antiquaries
should give it their consideration and say whether some such
method was not worth following. He did not ask them to do
automatic writing, but in his own case it had served the pur-
pose. There was, he thought, a Race Memory common to
all. Their ancestors lived in them, and they inherited char-
acteristics from those ancestors. That being the case why
should there riot be a Race Memory ?

The Chairman expressed the thanks of the meeting to the
lecturer at the conclusion.

"FROM NORMAN TO PERPENDICULAR.''

The following lecture, illustrated by numerous excellent
slides, by the Rev. Ethelbert Horne, entitled " From Norman
to Perpendicular : A Description of the Restoration of
Somerset Churches in the 15th Century," was given at the
Literary and Scientific Institution on Thursday, April 15th,
at 3 o'clock. Colonel Clayton in the Chair.

The Lecturer said : —

I find it difficult to know quite where to begin. My object
is to describe to you the manner in which our forefathers set
about restoring our ordinary parish churches in this county
at any time from 1350 until church building came to an end
at the Reformation. But during the time I mention there
will have been churches of several styles that will have needed
mending, and I am confining myself to those of one style only.
Let me put it in this way : The earliest kind of church style

66

that we know of in this country, is the Saxon. We have not
far from us, at Bradford-on-Avon, one of the most perfect
examples that exists, and we may be more or less familiar with
its appearance. When tlie Norman Conquest took place,
this kind of building came to an end, In its place we have
that most beautiful of styles — the Norman. The building
churches in this style lasted, roughly, about loo years, and
after that it went on with variations. This is what is called a
"transitional period," during which time the genius of the
English master-mason gradually produced that wonderful
style — the Early English.

This is Norman, with all what I may call the ponderousness
taken out of it, and a severe, simple, graceful building is the
result. Then we find that variations set in on this, till at
last we get to the Decorated period, and this after a run of
150 years or so, brings us up to what some consider the crown-
ing glory of English architecture — the Perpendicular. Our
native genius then, between the time that the Normans
brought their style with them, and the ceasing of all styles
in the great destruction of the i6th Century, produced two
distinct forms in church building — the Early English and the
Perpendicular.

Churches vv^ear out, as do other things, and in the life of a
building, must come a day, when it v/on't go on any longer
unless it is mended. Then a problem will present itself to
the minds of those who take the mending in hand. Shall
we pull the old building down to its foundations and start
fresh in a style which is more up-to-date, or shall we merely
re-model the old building on modern lines ? Lovers of the
past will, of course, wish that as much of the old as possible
shall be preserved and the minimum of destruction be accom-
plished. I am not sure, when I look back at the Somerset
churches, whose restoration we are going to consider, that
1 see any trace of this latter spirit, but I do think w^e can see
plenty of instances of the restorer (if that is his right name)
going straight for the poor old place and treating it with
reckless cruelty. Of course, I might, if we extended this
enquiry beyond the villages of Somerset, prove this charge very
fully, by reference to some of our cathedrals — Winchester,
for instance — but I am confining this enquiry strictly to our
country parish churches, where things would be done on a
small and homely scale.

I vs^ould like to say a word here about church restorations
in general. I have wandered all through this great county
and I have visited every pre-Reformation church in it. I
would put the number, very roughly, at about 450. I have

67

seen churches that have not been restored at all and that
badly needed mending ; I have seen some that have been so
beautifully mended that you cannot see the patch or the darn,
. and every detail of the old work is most carefully preserved
and every object of interest is left intact and guarded from
further decay ; and I have gone into buildings that have been
so-called "restored" by being stripped naked, evdry thing
that told of the past being ruthlessly pulled out, every vestige
of antiquity destroyed. The walls are plastered fiat and
coloured dingy yellow, the windows glazed with common
glass, letting in a vulgar glare of light. Varnished rows of
pitch-pine benches shine up each side of the aisle and look
like teeth in a steel trap, and the floor has been lowered as
a means of raising the chancel, and the bones of the long-
sleeping dead that were disturbed in the process were shovelled
altogether into a hole in the churchyard outside. This is not
restoration, it is destruction, — it is desecration.

The restorers of the 14th and 15th Centuries often destroyed,
as we shall see, but I think there is plenty of evidence that
they were careful not to desecrate. Everything in the church
that had had any close relation to religion as such, they
carefully preserved — anything that was merely architectural
they treated as they liked.

Before we begin to speak in detail of the decay of a building,
it might be as well to say something of the original builder.
Mr. Hamilton Thompson in his " Historical Growth of the
English Parish Church," which is one of that excellent series
of "Cambridge Manuals of Science and Literature," says
(p. 15) : — " the builders were generally, it may be assumed,

local masons The splendid development of many

twelfth century parish churches, is no argument against
their local origin. Architectural enthusiasm in the Middle
Ages was a possession of the people generally : and was not
confined to a limited and privileged body. The large mon-
astery or cathedral churches in every neighbourhood were
sources of inspiration to the builders of the parish churches :
.... Here and there, perhaps, a mason who had taken part
in the building of one of the greater churches, would be called
into consultation for the design of a parish church
It should be noted that in the Middle Ages the builder was not
a mere instrument to carry out the designs of an architect.
He himself, the master mason of the work, was the architect.
His training lay, not in the draughtsmanship of an architect's
office, but in practical working with mallet and chisel. Thus,
during at any rate, the earlier part of the Middle Ages, design
was in so small degree a, matter of instinct. Architecture was

68

a popular, democratic art, in which the instinctive faculties
became trained to a high pitch. The individual mason was
allowed free play for his talent, and the result was that con-
stant variety of design and detail, that continual movement
and progress .... which are the eternal attraction of
mediaeval architecture."

This seems to me a very true description of the builders
of our parish churches in the Middle Ages, and what is true
of the builder, is probably true of the restorer. I should not
suppose that when one of the old parish churches was getting
worn out, that an architect was called in, that he drew plans
to show the best way to manage the contemplated restoration,
and overlooked the work while it was being carried out. No,
the local masons and their assistants took the job in hand,
and carried it through, just as did the original builder without
the help, of what to-day we should call, professional advice.

I think it is time now that we began to look at some pictures,
and that we may have quite a clear idea of what we mean by
Norman architecture ; let us see one or two examples. These
will not be from Somerset churches but from our Enghsh
cathedrals.

This is the south aisle of Hereford Cathedral, Here you
see the great round heavy Norman pillars, and the semi-
circular arches between them. Of course, the groining of
the aisle has been put in some centuries later. We might
notice the font as it comes in the picture. I spoke just now
of the care our forefathers took never to desecrate when they
restored, or even when they destroyed. As a rule, the fonts
are the oldest things in our parish churches. On account of
its sacred use, the font was always held in extreme veneration,
and as each succeeding change took place in the building as
the centuries passed along, the font was either let alone, or
its outside cut and trimmed as far as it would allow, to be
in keeping with the new style of the restored church. The
font here shown is a very early Norman one, or it may even
have been of Saxon origin. The carving on its outside is a
later addition in all probability. Even fonts which seem to
be of the Decorated period, or the Perpendicular, are fre-
quently the old tub-shaped Saxon or Norman fonts cut into
hexagons and carved. I am not going to discourse on
fonts now, but there is plenty of evidence, in the shape of
half-finished fonts, to show how their conversion was managed
throughout the ages.

This picture is from the nave of Durham and it exhibits
the same round heavy pillars, and the same semi-circular
arches, but with this difference, — an attempt has been made

69

to decorate the pillars by cutting designs on their surface,
and it is one of the early methods of softening Norman
severity. Later again we get Norman at the height of its
style, and we may see an example of it in the wonderful little
Norman church at Kilpeck, in Herefordshire. Here is the
chief entrance on the south side. It has no porch, but it is a
mass of decoration. This is a view of the inside. We come
now to that change in building, which, if not the greatest in
itself which has taken place in the history of architecture,
certainly proved, in the long run, the fruitful cause of the
beautiful styles which followed. I refer to the change from the
round arch, like those we have been looking at, to the pointed, or
what we may call the Gothic arch as distinguished from the
Norman. It was nothing short of a revolution in building. It
must be difficult for us to put ourselves back in mind to the days
when every arch was a semi-circle, and then try to under-
stand how we should have entertained the idea of an arch
that rose to a point at the top. I can quite believe that there
must have been some, perhaps even many, persons, who did
not know too much about the secrets of building, who did
not believe that such an arch would stand up and be safe 1
And what a bold experiment it must have been when the first
pointed arch — probably to a window — was put up, and with
what curiosity it would be looked at ! Now what brought
the pointed arch about ? I can remember being told, and I
believe that the theory, at one time, was seriously held by
many, that the discovery of the pointed arch was brought
about by one of the methods of decorating plain wall surfaces,
that the Norman builder used, in the later forms of his archi-
tecture. He put rows of small semi-circular arches over-
lapping one another, and the result is that you get pointed
arches in between. Here is an example from the walls of
Christ church Priory, in Hampshire. It is easy to see the
effect produced by these interlacing round arches. But I
believe that there is little or no truth in this theory as to the
origin of the pointed arch — ^it was something much more
practical that forced its use on the later Norman builders.
We must remember that stone roofs — what we call groined
roofs — were very rare, if they existed at all in the earliest
Norman work. Most of the roofs were open timber — ^massive
and heavy. When later, these builders began to use stone
inside, they naturally made their roof semi-circular — that
is, they tried to. If you turn two half-round arches across
the nave of a church, not straight across, but diagonally, it
is true you get two half-circles cutting each other in the
middle, but the four quarters that you have made by doing

70

this, are not semi-circuiar. Now I know that this is difficult
to follow, so look at this picture. It represents the stone
roof of the south aisle of Peterborough Cathedral and is late
Norman work. You can see that all these groin ribs are real
half-circles, but the space enclosed by them at the sides, will
be pointed where it runs out to and meets the side wall.
Hence the builder found that he had a series of wall spaces,
between each bay of his half-round groining, that ran up into
points. If he put a round-topped window into each of these
spaces, it would fit it very badly, and so he made his window
to agree with the space it had to fill, and hence he made it
pointed. I dare say the beauty of these tapering, pointed
windows, high up, under the roof, struck the imagination of
the builders of the day as something more elegant than the
round Norman arch, and they soon began to reproduce it
elsewhere, for doorways, or for the arches between the nave
and aisles. Anyway, the pointed arch came to stay and it soon
produced a revolution in church building.

As we all know, it was the Early English style which suc-
ceeded immediately to the Norman, and we are not concerned
with this to-day. Then came the Decorated, and finally the
Perpendicular, — each style growing gradually out of the last
as the master masons made their fresh discoveries.

Between the date when buildings in the Norman style were
the fashion and this last EngHsh style, the Perpendicular,
was invented, a period of about 200 years — I put it very
roughly, and only in " round numbers " — had elapsed.
During those 200 years, the smaller parish churches which had
been built in the former style, must have become, in many
cases, badly in need of restoration. Of course many of
them had been mended, or indeed, altogether rebuilt, both
during the Early English and Decorated periods, but I have
confined this paper simply to those churches in this county,
which seem to have lived safely through these two epochs,
and were not taken in hand until the Perpendicular style
was a well-established method. Then they went for them,
and provided the building would not fall down if they pulled
out nearly every trace of Norman work, out it went, and the
new style had it all its own way.

We will begin by looking at some of the simpler things that
the restorers of the 15th Century did, when they restored.

The little church of Stratton-on-the-Fosse, was originally
Norman. I am not sure that the curious bend on the outside
wall of the chancel, on the north side, may not even be the
curve of the old Norman apse, that was generally only just
large enough to hold the altar, and the old font is there — so old

71

and so simple and massive, that it might well be pre-Norman, —
and much of the base of the tower is Norman work,
with its deeply splayed window on the ground floor.
But I want you to notice this arch. The square wall and
heavy plain abacus, shows it is fairly early Norman work,
and the first two " springers " of the arch, on either side, are
part of the old Norman arch too, and would have made a
complete half-circle, as they were originally fixed. But notice
what has happened. " We must have a pointed arch here,
■ this old-fashioned round arch must be changed " said the
master mason. So he proceeded to take down all the arch,
but these two springers — they were fairly harmless for his
design. Then he cut the stones he had taken out, to a slightly
different level, so that when they were replaced the arch
would no more be semi-circular but would run up to a graceful
point ! The first two stones being set to make a half-circle,
do not accommodate themselves very happily to the theory,
and we get an ugly break. Then I am not sure that the old
Norman tower did not protest against this needless restora-
tion, and settled down a bit, and squashed the new design
as near back into the old shape as he could get it. Anyhow
the new arch was not a success, and the added keystone, to
make up for the pieces sliced off the other stones to give them
the new rising angle, is a poor clumsy thing, all out of the
centre. I am half inclined to think that the " restorer " in
the case of this particular church, had learned his lesson, for
there is another beautiful Norman arch that he left alone !
Inside the porch we have here the rather uncommon example
of a late Perpendicular oak door, accommodating itself to
a round Norman arch. When the new door was added, the
archway was nearly always changed to fit it — not the door
to fit the arch. So here we see a beginning of what may be
called the tinkering with the old work. I don't really want
to blame these restorers, for we have a good sound building
there to-day, which we should not have had if the " Perpen-
diculars " had not come along to its rescue in the 15th Century.
, Next, let us look at a much finer church — among the finest
in the county. We cannot go inside until we have looked
at the tower, which is a grand specimen, even in Somerset,
where grand towers abound. A will, dated in 1541 leaves
a legacy to the tower, which at that time was said to be " in
building." It was probably built up half-way at some time
considerably earlier than this, and then finished later. The
lower part is better built than the upper.

As we enter, we notice the fine piece of ironwork — probably
local work — in the form of the closing ring, for pulling the

72

heavy door together. Inside the church the first thing that
strikes you is that it is very lopsided. This is the result of
a most extraordinary piece of Perpendicular tinkering !
Exactly what took place at the chancel arch was this : The
church was the usual Norman shape, without aisles — sinply
a straight nave, and at the end of it, three Norman arches,
a large one in the middle and two small ones on either side.
One of these remains, at the back of the pulpit, the other
was pulled out, together with the large central arch, and then
in place this weak and sprawling arch was thrown across.
The old wall was shaved back at a slant to give room to make
the arch" as wide as possible. I said earlier that however
much the restorers of the time we are talking about destroyed,
they seemed careful never ro desecrate, and I think here we
have an example of what I mean. ■ It seems to me, from the
large numbef of cases that I have seen, that our forefathers
attached a special importance to, and had a reverence for,
what we call the chancel arch. It may be that it was the
" gate of the sanctuary, "—that which led up to the altar where
the great Christian Sacrifice was offered. Whatever the cause
for.it, I have come across numbers of cases where this arch
has been most carefully preserved when all else that was
Norman {except "the font) has been broken "up or destroyed.
Come round to the north side of the church, outside. There
you have this arch, now used as a doorway,— what is it ?
It is, I feel sure, the old chancel arch, for if you measure off
a corresponding small arch to match with the one behind the.
pulpit, you have a space left between the two that this large
large arch will exactly fill. The height, too, of the little
arch, is ii feet from the base of the cap of the pillar at the side,
to the crown of the arch, and this is also exactly the height
of the large arch when measured the same way. Here is a
sketch of the three arches as they would have looked when
in their old position. Gf course, the middle arch seems
to give us only a ver}^ small view of the altar, but the people
of fhat age were used to this, and it would not. have seemed
stranged to them. . When we were looking at the inside of
Kilpeck Church, you will remember that the arches were
ver}^ narrow. I am not going into all the other changes that
took place in Chewton Mendip church— they are many and
interesting. You may still see, for instance, part of the
round, deeply-splayed Norman windows adapted to pointed
arches — -after a fashion — along the north wall, and there are
many more conversions of the old to the new, but none so
violent as that of the chancel arch.

I want to follow up these removed and preserved chancel

{Photo, Re7>d. Ethelbert Home.
WEST AISLE, COMPTON MARTIN CHURCH.

73

arches, in one or two other cases. Here is the stranded little
church at Holcombe, a place where all the village has gone
away and is rebuilt elsewhere with a new church — ^the reason
for which we must not go into now. The next picture shows you
the arch at the entrance of the porch. The porch, as far as it
has any features, is of the Perpendicular age, but this arch,
built into it, is of workmanship at least 200 years earlier, and
so it must have been brought from somewhere when the porch
was built. You can see on the outside of the nave wall, at
the east end, that there was once another chancel there,
s'maller but higher, than the present one. I think there is
little doubt that this beautiful arch was once the chancel
arch of the old Norman chancel, for it is about the right size.

If you go into the porch of Kewstoke church, the inner
doorway is like this. You notice above it, part of a thicker
wall than the one in which it is now set, and the stones project
in an unfinished and untidy manner. That archway was not
m.ade for the door, but only adapted to it, and it came from
somev/here else. Of course I cannot say for certain that it
was once the chancel arch, but I think it very probable.

At Queen Charlton, by the road side, is an archway, not
made for a gateway for there is nowhere for the gate to fit.
It is said to have been brought from Keynsham and to have
been " original^ the gateway of the Abbey court-house,"
and it has always seemed to me that there must have been
some good reason for its removal to such a distance, for it
is not a great piece of workm.anship, although it is quite a
nice example of simple Norman work. On the north side
of Lullington church, is this very beautiful arch, made to do
duty as a doorv^^ay. The church has a central tower, cutting
the nave off from the chancel. The archway at the end of the
nave leading under the tower, is a beautiful specimen of
decorated Norman — half round, of course. The corres-
ponding arch, leading into the chancel, is a pointed one, so
you have one of each. I think in this case we may be certain
that the so-called doorway, outside the church, was once
this second, or chancel arch, and the point above it is where
it fitted into the groining under the old Norman tower. The
figure of our Lord in Glory would have faced the people, and
such a device is common over sanctuary arches.

We cannot leave this wonderful little church without looking
at its Norman font — a font so beautiful that the " Perpendi-
culars " spared it, and did not trim it into a hexagon and cut
tracery on the sides.

I come noWjto the last church I am going to deal with —
Compton Martin — a church which shows us better than any
c

74

other I have seen, the methods of the 15th Century restorers.
This is a picture of the outside.

I want you to notice that the roof over this south aisle,
and this wall are part of the 15th Century addition. The
church originally was late Norman in style and consisted of
a nave and two side aisles — a rather uncommon shape in a
small church. These side aisles had a low roof, as you can see
in this view taken on the other side. Above the roof of the
aisle, is a row of clerestory windows — again an unusual thing in a
church of this kind. The chancel had a stone groined roof,
which is more unusual still, and it would have had a chancel
arch of some kind, which in this case seems to have dis-
appeared altogether. The tower, as you saw, was at the west
end and was originally of Norman design.

The first part of the building which the restorers attacked —
for we can trace the order of their work fairly well — was the
arch at the end of the nave, entering into the tower. This
they pulled out entirely and built a high pointed arch, as high
almost as the roof of the church. They decorated the sides
of this arch with panel work of the usual Perpendicular
pattern, and a very handsome arch they have made of it. I
have no doubt that the tower was added to and changed at the
same time. So far their restoration was a success, and then
they evidently thought that they would go a step farther. I
think the round Norman chancel arch was next removed
and an attempt made to replace it with a low pointed arch, or
at least to raise it as much as the groining at the back would
allow. Whether the arch was made with both curves the
same on the two sides, or whether it got squashed out of
shape by the accident I am just going to speak of, it is difficult
to tell, but you see the shape it is now. The next step was a
bold one. The pillars and arches down each side of the nave
were good simple Norman, but as this was sadly out of fashion
it was decided that these arches should be pointed. But
there was no room beneath the clerestory window, in which to
carry up the point, so they resorted to the extraordinary
devise of carrying the point right up into the little window
overhead. Well they did it with the first arch on the right,
and then the building began to topple over ! This heavy
Norman pillar, which they had shaved down into a hexagon
was not strong enough to take the thrust of the new chancel
arch, and the new pointed arch, and it lent over dangerously.
It was this pillar going over that spoilt the chancel arch's
shape, and it showed at once that the church was not built
in a manner that was strong enough to have so much of its
vital parts cut out and live. And so they threw up the whole

75

thing and left the church half-restored and telling its own
tale to-day. You go into the south aisle and look up at the
roof and there you see the row of Norman clerestory windows
inside the church, all perfect, except the one nearest the
chancel, which has the point of the nave arch sticking into
the middle of it. The restorers never even finished this off,
and made good the little ruined window, but it is all left in
the rough, just as they pulled the stones out. Even the holes
in the wall, where the rafters of the old aisle roof had entered,
are left as they were the day the timbers were taken out of
them. It almost looks as if there had been a row ! The
parishioners had employed a master mason to restore their
old church, he got on well with it up to a certain point, then
he tried to do too much, and rather than the old place should
fall down all together, they drove him off, or paid him off,
and there stands his work to-day, half done !

I am afraid much of what I have said has been very tech-
nical and perhaps not of much general interest, but as societies
like yours so frequently visit our old parish churches it may
not be without its use to dw^ell a little on the ways by which
they came into their present shape, so that we may read the
story from the walls for ourselves, as we examine these old
buildings.

Colonel Clayton proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the
Rev. Ethelbert Horne for his interesting lecture. This was
received with acclamation.

CoMPTON Martin Church.

The view of the interior of the Church is reproduced from
a photograph by Mr. J. Reginald H. Weaver. It shows the
chancel arch and pillar, as affected by faulty restoration.

The block of the above has been kindly lent us by the
Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society.

The view of the south aisle is from a photograph by the
Revd. Ethelbert Horne. Clerestory windows inside. Rafter
holes of old roof showing.

THE CITE OF CARCASSONNE.

An overflowing and appreciative audience attended at the
Literary and Scientific Institution on Saturday, December 4th,
Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., Vice-President of the Branch, in
the Chair, to hear a lecture by Mr. C. H. Bothamley on " The
Cite of Carcassonne," a frontier fortress of mediaeval France,
which was illustrated by a large number of excellent slides.

Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., introducing the speaker, said

76

he was sure that if they looked on Mr. Bothamley as one of
the soulless representatives of the Board of Education they
would receive a pleasant surprise. He was a man who loves
beauty, and had a great veneration for living history. His
work not only fitted people for labour but for the right employ-
ment of their leisure moments and for the duties of citizenship.

Mr. Bothamley commenced by saying that Carcassonne
was of exceptional interest, because it had been a fortress from
primitive times, and showed traces of each succeeding age
during which it was manned, while it had played a con-
siderable part in the history of France. Much of the fortress
was in remarkably good preservation and much had been
restored by Viollet-le-duc. Standing near the Pyrenees on
the spot where the river Ande turns almost to right angles,
it dominates the surrounding country in a way unequalled by
any similar place. Carcassonne also commanded the main
highway from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic and stood
sentinel over it. More than half the area on which it stood
had a very steep slope to the river, while on the other side
the ground on which it stood was cut off from the main prom-
ontory by a small natural valley, beyond which the land
again slopes upward. Its history was briefly as follows : —
Almost certainly there had been a Gaulish fortress on this
spot, and in the time of the early Roman occupation it was
a city, though later it became a mere camp. In the middle
of the 5th Century the surrounding country was overrun by
the Visigoths, who held the fortress from 435 to 725. Much
of their work remains, built in the later Roman manner.
Eventually it became part of the estate of the first Simon de
Montfort, and was finally ceded to the kingdom of France,
being for many years the great frontier fortress against Spain.

A lantern slide plan of Carcassonne was now shown, which
the lecturer explained to the audience. He pointed out the
inner and outer walls, which made a double line of defence,
much of the latter being work of the middle 13th Century,
under Louis IX. Of the inner wall, a great deal was Visigoth,
while part was constructed by Louis' son, Philip the Bold,
in the late 13th Century. Many of the Visigoth towers were
built on Roman foundations and were very narrow consider-
ing their height. The walls were not simply walls, for the
ground level inside was much higher than outside ; they were
really a reinforcement of the ground. These walls were, in
places, considerably battered, partly by successive sieges and
partly owing to the fact that until protected, they had for
many years been used as a quarry by the neighbouring
peasants. A feature of the whole circuit was the way the

77

towers on the inner wall commanded and supported the outer,
in case of an attack. An important part of the fortress was
the great tower, built on the south side, at the weakest spot
of all, for here the ground was of much the same level inside
and out, and the enemy might be able to bring their artillery
into position. This tower compared with all but the largest
of the round towers built in mediaeval times. When the cite
fell into disrepair, the space between the two walls was con-
verted into a street, with houses built upon the walls, but
in recent years they had been taken down. At the foot of
one of the towers there was a small door which led to an under-
ground chamber, where a small body of men could be collected
to make a sortie against the attacking force. The south-east
angle tower referred to above was built to stand a separate
siege ; it could be cut off from the remainder of the fortress,
and was so constructed that it could carry on a separate
existence. In it loopholes were cut for shooting arrows and
there were later openings for the discharge of small cannon.

In one place a stratum of the inner wall was composed of an
older wall, now lying on its side, In some early siege, possibly
against the Arabs, it had fallen, but being too hard to remove,
had had the new wall built above it. There was considerable
difficulty to an attacking force trying to enter the towers,
whose entrances Vv^ere constructed mainly to prevent the
enemy's penetration. Some were only accessible by a wooden
bridge, which could in cases of necessity be removed, thus
isolating each one. Those of the 13th Century differed from
the Visigothic, in that they were nowhere solid, but had
chambers right down to the ground where men could be
brought together for an attack. In the most vulnerable
part of the tower, that is the most forward point of the curve,
a kind of projecting beak was built, keeping the enemy back,
and exposing them to the fire of the defenders. Many towers
had in them openings, protected by swinging iron shutters,
so that the bowmen could lean forward, fire an arrow, and
retreat under cover. That known as " The Bishop's Tower,"
though the name was probably a misnomer, was com.mon to
both lines of defence, since at that point the walls were very
close together. There was only one main entrance, " The
Narbonne Gate." This was defended by a movable bridge
and some sort of building in front, which had first to be cap-
tured before the bridge could be reached. The passages were
all built with a bend in them., forcing the attackers to expose
their undefended side to the bowmen. A sheaf of arrows
stood ever handy by the gate, and huge blocks of stone and
parts of trees were kept in special rooms built over the gateway,

78

for which an opening 6ft. square was left, that they might
be dropped on the enemy should he reach the entrance. A
strong portcullis was suspended, and a short way within the
fortress was a second door, so that should men ever penetrate
beyond the first they might be trapped between the two. The
only fortress entrances more complex defences were those
of some of the Welsh castles built by Edward I.

In Carcassonne stood a great well, loo feet deep and lo
feet wide, with iron pulleys for drawing water. The Cathedral
within the second wall was begun at the end if the iith Century,
but was mainly 12th Century work. Part of the church was
also part of the fortifications. In the choir could be seen
some of the finest Gothic work in existence, and there was
also some beautiful 13th Century glass. Standing along the
West front of the fortress was the castle, the last means of
defence. Near the top of the towers and walls could be seen
square openings. These were for placing beams through, on
which were put projecting galleries, the better to attack
men at the foot of the tower, as missiles could be dropped
on to them. Originally built of wood, these galleries were
in later buildings, made of stone. So strong was Carcassonne
when completed that it was never afterwards captured by
assault. The Black Prince ravaged nmch of the countryside,
but did not attempt to attack the fortress itself. One of the
most picturesque places, Carcassonne was a great treasure
both to the student of history and especially to those inter-
ested in military architecture. It was a great thing that it
should now be under the good protection of the French
Government.

Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., said he found it extremely
difficult to say all he would wish in praise of such a fine lecture
and such fine slides. They had had a history of France,
written in beautiful stone. The lecture was of especial interest
to Bath, because it was a contemporary town. One point
which interested him very much, and which he was sure
interested all those who served in the war, was to see that the
French had always been great fortress builders, even though
the missiles used then were rather different from the 19-inch
guns and 75m.m's at Verdun.

Mr. C. H. Bothamley, returning thanks, added that Car-
cassonne was associated with Edward I., who went to join a
crusade with Louis IX., the last in which Louis IX. took
part, and after the death of the latter Edward took his place
as the first man in Western Europe.

Throughout the lecture was illustrated with magnificent
lantern slides.

79

NOTES.

LYNCOMBE, A.D. 970,
By H. Parry.

Among the Bath Abbey Charters is one of considerable
topographical importance, which so far seems to have escaped
the notice of those who are interested in such matters. The
charter* is headed " De Cumtona," and purports to be a grant
by King Edgar to Bath Abbey of lands at " Cliftune " in
exchange for lands at " Cumtune," and the boundaries of the
land so granted are given in Anglo-Saxon. The date is
A.D. 970.

The Editor's note on " Cliftune " merely says " apparently
Clifton, near Bristol." The boundaries, however, completely
negative this suggestion, as the very first sentence says that
the River Avon bounds it on the north, which cannot possibly
apply to that place.

A further examination of the boundaries shows that the
land comprises in the grant, described as 10 cassates in the
body of the deed and 10 hides in the boundaries, is in reality
the manor of Lyncome desciibed in the Doomsday Book as
belonging to the Church of Bath, where it is said to be
assessed at 10 hides and to contain two mills.

The original charter is not in existence and the Cartularlie in
which it appears is a 14th Century compilation, so the question
arises whether the word Cliftune is an error of the copyist,
or whether the estate was at that time really called Cliftune.
The first supposition is unlikely as the word occurs twice,
once in the body of the charter and once in the boundaries.
The second supposition is more probable, as within the lands
granted, the cliff now called Beechen Cliff must have been
then as now, a prominent feature in the landscape, and most
likely there was a hamlet underneath it where the church of
St. Mary Magdalen now stands. A church was in existence
there about 100 years after the date of this grant and pre-
sumably a settlement, for which Cliftune would have been a
very appropriate name, was there at an even earlier date.

* Two Bath Cartutaries, p. 29, S.R.S.

8o

The boundaries (divided into paragraphs for convenience)
are as follows : —

, I. — This synt thara x hida land i. — These are the boundaries of
gemaere to Cliftune. the ten hides at Clifton.

2. — Aerest afene stream healt 2. — First the River Avon bounds

thone north ende. Of afene it on the north end. From

upp. the Avon up.

3. — on smalancumbes broc. 3. — to Smallacombe brook.

4. — Thon on aethelburge weg. 4. — Then to the aethelburge way.

5. — Thon up on holan weg. Thon 5. — Then up on the sunken way.

of holan weg. Then from the sunken v/ay.'

6. — suth on ecge. 6. — south to the edge (ridge).

7. — on Higelaces get. 7.— to higelaces gate.

8. — Thon on tunnes treow. 8.- — then to the town's tree

■ 9.— Thon on aerning-hyrste. (? gallows).

10. — on tha hege raewe. 9 — then to the aerning wood.

11. — on horsecumbes broc, and lo-— "to the hedge row.

lang broces. 11. — to the Horsecombe brook,

12. — upp in horsecumbes heafod. and along the brook.

13. — Thon suth rihte on wodnes 12.— up to the head of the horse-

dic. of wodnes die. combe valley.

14. — on fosse streat. 13.— then south straight to the

15. -and,lang aren (-afene) Wansdyke from the Wans-
^ -f ■. ^ clyke.

■ 16.— upp eit on smalancumbes ^ -r^ ^

I^^Q^ •' 14. — to the Fosse Street

15. — and along the Avon.

16. — up (stream) back to Smala-

cumbe brook.

The first step is easy, the River Avon on the north is a cer-
tainty^ but what is the Smallacombe brook ? There is not at
present anything in the nature of a brook running down
Smallcombe Vale, whatever there may have been 950 years
ago. Possiblj^ it is the stream that runs down by Prior Park
Road, and at one time turned Upper Widcombe Mill (now
disused), and possibly another lower down. From No. 4
to No. 10 the marks are all obscure^ and some are unintelligible,
but Horsecombe Brook, the Wansdyke, and the Fosse are
well known, and it is clear that the land granted is an area
such as is shown in the accompanying map, of which the
northern, western and southern boundaries are certain, and
tiie eastern boundary doubtful. Possibly the obscurities
may be cleared up by someone possessing considerable local
knowledge, but enough is clear to make it beyond doubt that
this grant of Clifton is the means by which the Abbey became
possessed of its Lyncombe property, and that Clifton was
the earlier name of it.

8i

ST. MARY MAGDALENE, HOLLOWAY, BATH.

By Thos. S. Bush.

The document on the opposite page is a reproduction
(sHghtly reduced in size to suit the page) of a deed in possession
of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. It is a 15th Century
copy of the original. There is no date, but the grant must
have been made about a.d. 1090. William IL (1087-1100),
-John (de Villula) Bishop of Somerset ( 1088), of Bath (1090).
With the kind consent of the College Librarian, Sir Geoffrey
Butler, I had it rotographed (simpler than a photograph).
For the following translation I have to thank Mr. W. K. Boyd,
who has many times helped me in similar matters.

Translation.

Be it known to all the faithful of the Catholic Church as well
present as future that I Walter Hussey, touched with the
fear of God, do give and grant for ever, for the salvation of
my soul and of William King of the English and of all my
ancestors and successors to the Church of the Blessed Peter
of Bath and to John, Bishop of the same Monastery, and to
the Monks as well present as future, the Chapel of the Blessed
Mary Magdalen of Holeweye outside Bath and all that my
capital messuage situate and lying in Holeweye aforesaid. I
annex the abovesaid Chapel with all its appurtenances in
wood, in plain, in meadows and feedings, in ways, in paths
and in all things to the same capital miessuage belonging or
appertaining free and quit from all secular service. And all
these things I do grant to the abovesaid Church of Bath
with the consent of my wife Beatrice that the Bishop and
Monks of the same church may raise and exalt the Chapel of
the Blessed Mary Magdalen. And of this benefaction the
witnesses are on the one part Durand the Steward, Warin
Gero, Richard de Langham, Wymund son of Richard, William
the clerk, and many others. These are witnesses on the part
of the Bishop, to wit, Dunstan and Turaid, Archdeacons, and
Herbert de Kent the Priest, and Girebert the Priest, and
many others. These are the beasts which are given with the
capital messuage aforesaid — 6 oxen, 4 cows, 60 milch sheep and
30 ramxS.

Translation. The Abbot of Bath has one manor which is
called Lincoma. This was assessed at 10 hides at the time of
King Edward {the Confessor) .... of these Walter Hosat
now holds one hide of the Abbot and the remainder belongs
to the Abbey. (Bath Abbey Charters, C.C.C.C., No. 73,
Som.t. R.S.).

82

Here we have an Abbot, in a few years Priors, and so con-
tinued until the Dissolution in 1535. The change came when
Bishop John de Villula obtained a grant of the Monastery
in 1088, confirmed in 1090, and removed the See from Wells
to Bath. (C.C.C.C., No. 37).

Hugh, Bishop of Lincoln, in his will, 121 2, gave the lepers'
house without Bath, 3 marks and appoints Jocelin, Bishop of
Bath, and Helias de Derham his executors. (Wells Chapter
M.S., Vol. I., p. 431-2).

This Hugh, son of Edward de Wells and brother of Jocelin,
Bishop of Bath, was Archdeacon of Wells and Bishop of
Loncoln 1209-1235.

At Ivelcestre in a month of Easter (1263) between Brothers
Nicholas, Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen of
Holewey outside Bath, querent and Peter de Norton and

Isolda his wife, deforciants The Master received Peter

and Isolda and the heirs of Isolda into all future benefits and
orisons in his house and in his church. (Somt. Fines, p. 197,
Somt. R.S.).

Abbey Charters. L.I. M.S., 345. Grant by John Wyssy
to the Master of the Hospital of St. Mary Magdalen of Hol-
lowia without the City of Bath, and to the brothers and sisters
there serving God, of all his land of Berewyk, etc., for the souls
of said John of Geoffrey his father Matilda his mother and
Margaret his wife, etc., etc. (No date, probably end of 13th
Century).

373. Opposite the Tavern which was of John Wyssy.

377. Messuage in Stalls Street near the dwelling house of
Thomas Sweyn which was formerly of John Wyssy. Note
to above 345 says John Wyssy, i.e., Hesse.

Ordinance by John (Drokensford) Bishop of Bath and Wells,
dated February, 1322, settling a dispute between the Convent
and John Dudemerton, Vicar of St. Mary de Stall, Bath (too
long to quote in full). The Vicar shall reside in Bath and
find a chaplain to celebrate divine service in the chapel of
Widecombe, and there to dwell. . . . The Convent to have the
tithes of lambe at Lyncombe with that of wool which they used
to take yearly of the sheep of the brethren of St. Mary Mag-
dalen. (Wells Chapter M.S., Vol. i, p. 386).

No record can be found of the building of the Chapel or the
founding of the hospital. The above deed, about 1090. tells
us that the former was then in existence, and a capital mes-
suage is mentioned. Was this the hospital. Mr. Parry in
his notes on Cliftun (see above), suggests that the " Town "
might be at the top of Holloway, near the chapel. The
question arises was there a chapel on the site in those early

83

days, A.D. 970, if so it might be of wattle and later on built of
stone. Prior Cantlow (1489-99) rebuilt the chapel, as re-
corded on a tablet in the porch (Collinson's History of Somer-
set). It is now held with St. Mark's, Lyncombe. The
hospital was formerly for lepers, but for many years it has
been devoted to the maintenance of imbecile children, and
is so carried on, but other charities having been amalgamated
with it the home has been moved to Combe Down.

A much fuller description of the Chapel and Hospital of
St. Mary Magdalene, is given in a paper read by the Rev. W.
Stokes Shaw in 1869 before the Bath Field Club and published
in the Proceedings, Vol. H., pp. 99-110.

84

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

1920.

PRESIDENT :

THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL WALDEGRAVE.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :

Captain CHARLES T. FOXCROFT, M.P.
LORD STRACHIE.

COMMITTEE:

Colonel E. CLAYTON (Chairman).
Major-General BRADSHAW, C.B.
ST. DAVID M. KEMEYS-TYNTE, Esq.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. P. LEIGH, CLE.
GEORGE NORMAN, Esq., F.S.A.I.
(Hon. Local Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society).
Rev. D. lee PITCAIRN, M.A.
M. H. SCOTT, Esq. (late I.C.S.),
EDWARD SEGAR, Esq.

Ex-Officio Member of the Committee :

CHARLES TITE, Esq..
Hon. Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society.

HON. EXCURSION SECRETARY:

GERALD J. GREY, Esq.

HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER:
THOS. S. BUSH, Esq.

85

LIST OF MEMBERS, 1920.

(* Are also Members of the Parent Society.)

1904 AcLAND Mrs. B. D., Island View, Barton-on-Sea, New Milton,
Hants.

191 1 *Adams E. Cay, Esq., Brentwood, Combe Down

1920 Adams C. Mercer, Esq., 26, Royal Crescent.

1904 AiREY Miss, I, Royal Crescent.

1920 Bache Mrs., 16, Grosvenor.

1908 Bayliss Rev. F. C, Francis Hotel, Bennett Street.

1 919 Begg Mrs., 7, The Circus.

1 91 3 Bigg Rev. G. Howard, i, Belgrave Road, Grosvenor.

1920 Bird Mrs. Charles, 153, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Blackett Dr., Hamsterley, Bloomfield Park.

1903 Blathwayt Miss, Eagle Flouse, Batheaston.

1904 *Blathwayt Rev. W. E., M.A., Dyrham Rectory, Chippenham.

1903 *BoYD Rev. Prebendary, M.A., B.C.L., The Rectory, Camden

Crescent.

1 911 Brabazon Miss, 18, Lansdown Crescent.

191 2 Bradshaw Major-General, C.B., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.

1912 Bradshaw Mrs., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.
1916 Brendon C. R., Esq., 12, Burlington Street
1916 Brendon Mrs., 12, Burlington Street

1904 *Breton Miss Adela C, 15, Camden Crescent.
1920 Bridgeman Miss, Brow Hill, Batheaston.

1915 Bromley Rev, F. A., M.A., Weston Vicarage.
1910 Brookfield Mrs., Stratton-on-the-Fosse.

1913 Browne Miss Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1913 Browne Miss — Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Bruce Miss M. C, 7, Portland Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Henry, Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Mrs., 14, Raby Place.

1919 Brymer Walter S., Esq., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1919 Brymer Mrs., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1920 Bulleid G, Lawrence, Esq., Leura, Lansdown Road.
1920 Bullock R. C, Esq., Northfield, Bathford.

1903 *BusH Robert C, Esq., i, Winifred's Dale.

1903 *BusH Thos. S., Esq., 20, Camden Crescent.

1903 Bush Mrs. Thos. S., 20, Camden Crescent.

1920 Calder James, Esq., 10, Lansdown Crescent.
1920 Calder Mrs., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1920 Capes P. E., Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1 91 6 Carr Mrs., Manor House, Weston.
1 91 6 Carr Miss, Manor House, Weston.

1 91 5 *Carr J., Esq., Wood House, Twerton.

1916 Carr Miss, Wood House, Twerton.
1916 Carr Miss J. F., Wood House, Twerton.

1905 Cave Mrs., 16, Circus.

191 2 Chope Mrs., 10, Mount Beacon.

86

1903 Clayton Colonel Emilius, Charlcombe Manor.

1903 Clayton Mrs., Charlcombe Manor.

191 1 CoLOMB Mrs., 17, Darlington Place.

1904 Cooke Miss M. A. H., Lonsdale, Combe Down.
1920 CoRBETT Mrs. R. C, 3, Cavendish Place.

191 2 CouRTENAY Miss E. P., 30, Rivcrs Street

1920 Crouch H. M., Esq., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1920 Crouch Mrs., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1904 Curd Charles, Esq., 6, Gay Street.

1904 Curd Mrs., 6, Gay Street.

1917 Daunt Miss Mary, The Shack, Lansdown Road.

1903 Davis Rev. J. Roland, M.A., Broughton GifFord Rectory.

1903 Davis Colonel T. Arnoll, Weston Park House.

1920 Dettmar Miss, Amoril House, Batheaston.

1919 Dickson Mrs., 46, Combe Park.

1920 Dowding Mrs., 22, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Duncan G. W., Esq., Cavendish Lodge.

1912 FosBERY Dr., I, Oxford Row.

191 1 FoxcROFT Captain Charles T., M.P., Hinton Charterhouse.

1916 Gabriel Miss, Fleetlands, Weston.

1920 Gandy Miss Violet, 9, Kensington.

1908 *Gervis Henry, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., 15, Royal Crescent.

1908 Gervis Miss Dora L., 15, Royal Crescent.

1906 Goldie Robert F., Esq., South Lawn, College Road.

1920 Gouldsmith E., Esq., 10, Newbridge Hill.

1914 Graham Miss, 26, Combe Park.
1920 Green Miss, 12, Lansdown Crescent.
1910 Gregory Mrs., Mount Beacon House.
1903 * Gregory George, Esq., 5, Argyle Street

1903 *Grey Gerald J., Esq., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1904 Grey Mrs., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1920 Grey Miss Evelyn, 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1915 Grierson Miss, 40, Grosvenor Place.
1920 Grindrod Mrs., Chevin, Lansdown.

1903 *Hallett Mrs., Claverton Lodge, Bathwick.

1 91 8 Hardy Mrs., York Villa, Kensington.
1915 Head H. E., Esq., 14, Dunsford Place.

1904 Heathcote J. CuTHBERT, Esq., Brent Knoll Manor, Somerset.
1915 *Hignett Geoffrey, Esq., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1915 *HiGNETT Mrs., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1 91 3 Holmes Thomas J., Esq., Eastern House, Beechen Cliff.
1903 *HoRNE Rev. Ethelbert, Downside Abbey.

1915 HoRNE Miss E. M., The Grange, Keynsham.

1903 *Hylton Right Hon. Lord, Ammerdown Park, Radstock.

191 8 Inchbald Rev. W. E., Charlcombe Rectory.
1920 Inchbald Mrs., Charlcombe Rectory.

1916 Ingham H. M., Esq., 4, Raby Place.
1913 Irwin Mrs. A., 33, Sion Hill.

1903 *Kemeys-Tynte St. David M., Esq., The Beeches, Bathwick Hill.

1920 Ketchley Rev. H. E., Biddestone Rectory, Chippenham.

1919 King C. A., Esq., Brookfield, Weston Road.

87

1 91 9 King Mrs. C. A., Brookfield, Weston Road.

1903 *KiRKWOOD Colonel Hendley P., Newbridge House (Deceased).

1903 Knight Miss J. F., 17, Catharine Place.

1917 Lascells E. H., Esq., 3, Park Lane.

191 7 Lawrence Emily Lady, Langridge House.

191 7 Lawrence Miss, Langridge House.

1905 *Lawrence F. W., Esq., M.R.A.S., F.R.G.S., Hillcote (Deceased).

1915 Layton, Mrs., 14, Elm Place, Bloomfield Road.

1908 Leigh Colonel P. P., CLE., Grosvenor House.

19 1 6 Leigh Mrs., Grosvenor House.

1 919 Lindsay Miss, 7, Johnston Street.

1913 LiNLEY-HowLDEN H., Esq., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1916 LiNLEY-HowLDEN Mrs., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1 910 Longworth-Dames Miss C, 2, Winifred's Dale.

1920 Macnab Miss, 13, Lansdown Place, East.

191 7 Mainwaring Colonel, Cleveland House.
1916 Martyn Mrs. King, 8, Gay Street.

191 3 Maule Major-General, 2, Penn Lea, Newbridge Hill (Deceased).

1919 Meredith Miss, 7, Tennyson Road.
1907 Miller Mrs., St. Albans, Weston Park.

1920 Miller Miss, St. Albans, Weston Park.

1913 MiLSOM A. C, Esq., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1 91 3 MiLSOM Mrs., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1 91 6 MiLSOM F. H., Esq., Audley Lodge,

1 916 MiLSOM Mrs. F. H., Audley Lodge.

1917 Molesworth Brigadier-General, C.B., Elstree House, Lambridge.
1920 Molesworth Miss, Elstree House, Lambridge.

1920 Moncrieff Mrs. Cunningham, 63, Combe Park.

1920 MoLONY Alfred, Esq., Edgar Hotel, Laura Place.

1909 Mules Rev. F H., 17, Pulteney Road.

1910 Nash Mrs., 7, Laura Place.

1912 Newham Miss, II, Raby Place, Bathwick.

1903 *Norman George, Esq., F.S.A.I., 12, Brock Street.
1907 Norman Mrs., 12, Brock Street.

19 1 3 Norman Miss, Oakfield, Weston Park.

1 91 9 NowELL Mrs., I, Catharine Place.

1917 O'SuLLiVAN Dr., Glencairn, Bathwick.

1 91 8 O'SuLLiVAN Miss, Glencairn, Bathwick.

1912 Parry Hubert, Esq., 28, Newbridge Hill

1920 Parry Mrs. H., 28, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Peirse Lady, Fiesole, Bathwick Hill.

1 91 3 Perkes Rev. R. M., 39, Combe Park.

1913 Phillimore J. E., Esq., Sedgley, Sion Road.

1904 Pitcairn Rev. D. Lee, M.A., i, Laura Place.
1904 Pitcairn Mrs., i, Laura Place.

1 91 8 Pitt Walter, Esq., Southstoke House.

1 911 Pitt Mrs., Southstoke House.

1913 Powell Rev. W. H., D.D., 15, Lansdown Crescent.

1 911 Powell Mrs. W. H., 15, Lansdown Crescent.
1915 Powell Mrs., 12, Rivers Street.

1920 Pritchard Miss E., Combe Royal, Bathwick.

1907 Pryce Ernest, Esq., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1906 Pryce Mrs., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

88

I920 QuiNTON John, Esq., Elder House, Tyning Road, Combe Down.

1909 Rodman Miss, 17, The Tyning.

1903 RoLLESTON Colonel v., Saltford House, Bristol,

1903 RoLLESTON S. v., Esq., B.C.L., M.A., Saltford House, Bristol.

1914 Rose Mrs. H. Fullwood, 93, Sydney Place.
1920 RowE Colonel Octavius, 4, Royal Crescent.
1920 RowE Mrs., 4, Royal Crescent.

1904 Salmon Miss E. E., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1904 Salmon Miss L. M., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1920 Sartoris Miss, 31, St. James's Square.

1903 *ScoTT M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West.

19 1 7 Scott- White Rev. A. EL, Claverton Rectory.

1919 *ScRATTON Arthur Esq., W^oodleigh, Bradf ord-on-Avon .

1920 ScRATTON Mrs., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1915 Segar Edward, Esq., Bella Vista, Lansdown.
1920 Severs Miss E., 17, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Severs Miss A., 17, Marlborough Buildings.

1918 *Shickle Rev. C. W., F.S.A., 9, Cavendish Cr.escent.
1907 Shum F. E., Esq., 24, Sydney Buildings.

1903 *SiBBALD J. G. E., Esq., Mount Pleasant, Norton St. Philip.
1920 Singers-Bigger Miss Gladys, 12, Marlborough Buildings.,
1920 Sonnenschein E. a., Esq., 5, Sion Hill Place.
1920 Sonnenschein Mrs., 5, Sion Hill Place.
1903 Spender Miss, 8, Forester Road.
1920 Start Miss, 21, Rivers Street.

1903 *Strachie Lord, Sutton Court, Pensford, Bristol.

1911 Straghan Mrs., 26, Crescent Gardens.

191 2 Strangways Miss R. C, 6, Brunswick Place.
1920 Street A. E., Esq., 12, Somerset Place.
1920 Street Mrs., 12, Somerset Place.

1 91 8 Taite Miss, 30, Paragon.

1915 Tanner J. H., Esq., 12, Beaufort East.

1915 Tanner Mrs., 12, Beaufort East.

1904 Taylor A. J., Esq., 18, New Bond Street.
1903 *Thatcher a. a., Esq., Midsomer Norton.
1903 *Thomas C. E., Esq., 4, Percy Place.

1920 Thomas Miss H. T., Derwent House, Weston.

1920 Thomas Miss T., Derwent House, Weston.

1920 Thring Mrs. C. B., Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1920 Thring Miss Marjory, Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1903 *Tite Charles, Esq., Stoneleigh, Taunton.
191 8 Tweed Miss Rachael, The Shack, Lansdown.

1904 Tyte W., Esq., 7, Bloomfield Crescent.

1920 Vibert Lionel, Esq., Marline, Lansdown.

1920 Vibert Mrs., Marline, Lansdown.

1 91 4 Wage Henry, Esq., St. Winifreds.

1914 Wage Miss, St. Winifreds.

1903 *Waldegrave Right Hon. the Earl, Chewton Priory.

1913 Walker Robert, Esq., F.R.G.S.

1916 Walker W. A., Esq., 6, Percy Place.

1910 *Wardle F. D., Esq., 5, Vane Street

.1905 Watson Mrs. Dominic, 21, Royal Crescent.

89

I920 Watson Miss A. E., Swainswick Cottage.

1904 Way Miss H. S., i, Rosslyn Road, Newbridge Hill.

1920 Wayne Miss, 12, Bladud Buildings.

1920 Webb Mrs. Gillum, ii, Lansdown Place, East.

1903 *Whittuck E. a., Esq., 77, Audley Street, W. i.
1917 Wilkinson Lady, Deepdene, Bathampton.
191 7 Wilkinson Miss, Deepdene, Bathampton.

1904 Williams D. Prout, Esq., 7, Belvedere.

1913 Wills J. H., Esq., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on
Avon.

1 91 3 Wills Mrs., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on- Avon.
191 3 Wills Stanley, Esq., 14, Royal Crescent.

1913 Wills Mrs., 14, Royal Crescent.
1920 Wilson Miss, Woodville, Lansdown.

1920 Wilson Mrs. Spencer, Woodville, Lansdown.

1903 *WiNwooD Rev. H. H., F.G.S., 1 1 , Cavendish Crescent (Deceased)

1908 Wood Miss Ellen, 38, Combe Park,

1914 Wood Miss Margaret, 59, Combe Park.

1913 Woods John C, Esq., Bank House, Trowbridge.

191 1 Young B. W.> Esq., i, Stanley Villas, Camden Road.

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SOMERSET ARCH^OLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

IQ2I.

BATH :

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRBSS.

BATH AND DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCHAEOLOGICAL

'HE Committee are pleased to announce a further increase

in the number of members. Commencing the year
with 215, there were two deaths, eleven resignations
and four defaulters early in the year, later on three members
who had paid their subscriptions, passed away. Total loss
20 ; 34 were elected, so closing the year with 229.

At a Special Meeting of the Committee, held on June 29th,
the following resolution was unanimously adopted : —

" The Committee deeply regret the death of Colonel
Clayton. He took an active interest in this Branch
Society from its inception in 1904, was elected one of the
Hon. Secretaries that year, but on resigning in 1907, was
placed on the Committee and has annually been re-elected.
On the death of Colonel Kirkwood he was appointed
Chairman of the Committee."

The Hon. Secretary was instructed to forward the above
to Mrs. Clayton with the Committee's sympathy with her and
her family at their sad loss.

An account of the Annual Meeting, Earl Waldegrave,
President, in the chair, will follow this Report.

The Committee have to thank Mr. Gerald Grey for arranging
the six excursions, and congratulated him on their success.
They are described in these Proceedings. Their thanks are
also given to Mr. George Norman for his lecture on " North-
umbrian Crosses," and to Mr. J. E. Barton, M.A., for his
lecture on " The Craft of the English Mediaeval Masons " ;
both were illustrated by lantern slides. A report of them is
given in these Proceedings.

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

REPORT, 1921.

94

Last year Mr. H. Parry gave us the privilege of repro-
ducing, of course much reduced in size (they vary in length
from about 7ft. downwards) a few of the many rubbings of
brasses he has taken in several churches ; this year six have
been reproduced, with some notes prepared by Mr. Parry
explaining them. Other illustrations are from photographs
supplied by our members, Miss Newham, Miss Rodman, and
Mr. Gerald Grey. The Committee have also to thank the
following for photographs : Of Westwood Manor, from Mr.
Egdar Lister ; Nailsea Court, from Commander Evans ; the
Red Lodge, Bristol, from Mr. Eberie ; and St. Peter's Hos-
pital (2) Bristol, from Mr. Simmons.

The Committee have to thank Mr. Thos. S. Bush for carry-
ing out the duties of Hon. Secretary and Treasurer. The
accounts will, no doubt, be considered satisfactory. They
have been audited by Mr. Segar and are printed with
these Proceedings.

95

ANNUAL MEETING.

The Annual Meeting was held at the Literary and Scientific
Institution on Monday, April nth, 1921, at 3 o'clock.
Among those present were Earl Waldegrave, President, in the
Chair, Col. Clayton, the Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, Mr. G. Norman,
Mr. M. H. Scott, Mr. Edward Segar, Mr. Thos. S. Bush (hon.
secretary and treasurer), Mr. Gerald J. Grey (hon. excursion
secretary), Mr. C. Mercer-Adam, Mrs. Bache, the Rev. F. C.
Bayliss, Mr. C. R. Brendon, Miss Ethel Bridgman, Miss May
Bridgman (R.M.S.), Mr. and Mrs. Brydges-Barrett, Miss
Bruce, Mrs. Thos. S. Bush, Mr. James Calder, Miss Campbell,
Mrs. Clayton, Mrs. Dickson, Mr. G. W. Duncan, the Rev.
L. H. Evans, Mr. T. J. Holmes, Mr. H. M. Ingham, Miss G.
Ja}^ Miss Knight, Miss Eva Lethbridge, Col. Mainwaring,
Miss Meredith, Miss Newham, Dr. O'Sullivan, Miss K.
O'Sullivan, the Rev. R. M. Perkes, Miss Rodman, Misses E. E.
and L. M. Salmon, Miss Sartoris, and Brigadier-General
Thackwell. Major-General Bradshaw, Colonel Leigh and
Mr. Kemeys-Tynte regretted not being able to attend.

The minutes of the previous meeting were read and
confirmed.

The President proposed the adoption of the report and
accounts, which he considered very satisfactory. The balance
in hand showed a slight increase on the previous year. They
had lost two very valuable members, the Rev. H. H. Vv'inwood
and Col. Kirkv/ood. Both of them had done a great deal of
good work for the society and this Branch in particular. The
membership to-day stood at about 225, and they had decided
not to admit any more new members for the present. He
was glad to see Mr. Bush and Mr. Grey in their old places,
which he hoped they would fill for many years.

Mr. Duncan seconded, and this was carried.

Col. E. Clayton proposed the re-election of Earl Waldegrave
as President. They all knew how much interest he had always
taken in the Society, and what an excellent President he made.
(Applause) .

Mr. E. Segar seconded, and this was carried unanimously.

Lord Strachie and Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., were
re-elected Vice-Presidents, on the motion of the President,
seconded by Mr. Brendon.

96

On the proposition of Col. Mainwaring, seconded by Brig. -
General Thackwell, the following were appointed to form a
committee ? — Major-Gen. L. J. E. Bradshaw, Col. E. Clayton,
Mr. St. D. M. Kemeys-Tynte, Col. H. P. P. Leigh, Mr. George
Norman, the Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, Mr. M. H. Scott, and
Mr, E. Segar.

Dr. O'Sullivan moved the re-election of Mr. Thomas S.
Bush as hon. secretary and treasurer. — Mr. Holmes seconded,
and this was carried with acclamation. The President
remarked that they could not get a better one.

Mr. Bush having thanked the members for re-electing him,
referred to the work of the society, and said that he had
received several letters of appreciation of the " Proceedings."
They were very well got up, of course costing a good deal,
and he hoped they would do their best to keep them going.

The Rev. F. C. Bayliss moved the re-election of the Hon.
Excursion Secretary. Everybody appreciated the thorough-
ness and care with which he carried on the work. (Applause).

The Rev. L. H. Evans seconded, and this was carried
unanimously.

Mr. Grey thanked the society very much for re-electing him.
He had occupied the position 13 years, and had so covered the
ground that he did not know where to take the members now.
After this year they would have to go to the same places
again. He then gave a list of proposed excursions.

The meeting closed with a vote of thanks to Earl Walde-
grave for presiding.

97

EXCURSIONS.

WESTWOOD.
Monday, April i8th, 1921.

Seventy-one members attended the first afternoon excur-
sion of the season, the weather being fine. The members
first inspected the parish church of St. Mary, under the
guidance of the Vicar {the Rev. G. H. Kirkham) (see former
visit of the Bath Branch in the Proceedings, 1906, pp. 141-2).

The chief interest was the Manor house, where the members
were welcomed by the owner, Mr. Edgar Lister, who, in an
interesting paper sketched the history of the Manor House.
It was built at the end of the 15th Century by Thomas Horton,
who belonged to a younger branch of the Hortons of Catton,
in Derbyshire. They came to Wiltshire, attracted by the
fame of its woollen manufacture. He died in 1530, and was
buried in the " He of our Lady " in Bradford-on-Avon Church.
The Horton family remained in the house till 1609, when Toby
Horton, who had married Barbara Farewell, of Holbrooke, in
Somerset, sold the manor to his brother-in-law, John Farewell
— descendants of the family have been resident in Bath. John
Farewell made extensive alterations, and to him is ascribed
much of the present aspect and interior arrangement of the
house. He converted the great hall into a hall with a great
parlour over it, placing the present screen in the same position
as the 15th Century screen which he removed, and inserting
the present windows for those of the 15th Century. He also
inserted plaster ceilings and a good deal of the panelling,
which are in a wonderful state of preservation. About 1620,
perhaps when he married Meliora, daughter of John Bamp-
fylde, of Poltimore, he built a circular turret in the angle of
the two wings, within which winds a subsidiary staircase,
which absorbed two of the eight lights of the muUioned
windows of the great parlour, with the result that the prin-
cipal mullion is not in the middle of the window. Farewell
also built the present porch inside which the original 15th
Century door still remains. Various Farewells occupied the
house, which from 1697 to 1704 was the residence of Sir John
and Lady Hanham (ancestors of Lady Caillard), after which

98

date little is known of the occupiers until it became a farm-
house in the early part of the 19th Century. It was rescued
by Mr. Edgar Lister, who attempted with complete success
to put it back as it was in the 17th century, restoring the old
atmosphere inside and out.

About half the glass of the windows had been removed
and replaced by plate glass, but fortunately there was enough
left of the original glass to make a faithful reproduction
possible. Only old glass was used, and the original glazing
was copied minutely in every particular.

The members then inspected the interior. On entering a
low ante-room leads into a quaint apartment known as " the
King's room." The wall is covered with panelling, and the
top tier of the panels is filled with portraits of English monarchs
from the Conqueror to Charles L (removed from Keevil
Manor). The plaster work dates from 1610, and among the
furniture are three chairs of yew. The dining-room is
15th Century, with the exception of the plaster work, one
window, and the panelling. In the great parlour Mr. Lister
mentioned he found the panelling papered over, the room
was divided into two by a papered wooden partition, now
removed, and the eastern porch had disappeared, but most
of it was recovered — the porches are features of the rooms.
The "Oriel" room is 15th Century, with some of John
Farewell's plaster work, and the old shutters, and the Gothic
room has 15th Century ceihng, door and fireplace, and another
room has windows and ceiling of the 15th Century.

Before leaving Lieut. -Col. H. P. P. Leigh expressed the
gratitude of the branch to Mr. Lister, and their deep appre-
ciation of the beauties of his home.

Tea was afterwards partaken of at the Swan Hotel, Bradford-
on-Avon, Bath being reached at 6 o'clock.

WRAXALL, NAILSEA, NAILSEA COURT,
TICKENHAM and FLAX BOURTON.

Monday, May 23RD, 1921.

The second excursion took place in perfect weather, and
69 members started from Queen Square by motor char-a-
banc at 10.30 a.m.

Arriving at Wraxall at noon, the members were welcomed
by the Rector (the Rev. W. S. Mather), and shown the parish
church of All Saints', which is known to all users of the road
for the beauty of its western tower, one of the finest of the many

Norman Sculi'ture of St. Michael and the Dragon. \Phuru, Gerald Grey.
FLAX BOURTON CHURCH.

99

lovely church towers in Somerset. The Rector, who kindly
read some very interesting and instructive notes on the
church, pointed out that the tower, which is ornamented
with windows, buttresses, open parapet and decorated pin-
nacles, is in four graduated stages. There are four niches,
three reconstructed and blank, and the fourth containing
the original life-size figure of Henry VI. or Edward IV. The
interior of the building consists of a chancel with chapels
on either side, nave and north aisle, and is a fine example
of 15th Century work. The south porch is unusually high,,
the external doorway being of ist Pointed date, and the inner
doorway Norman, the only relic of the original Norman church.
The priests' gallery and priests' chamber were unusual
features, the former being distinct to the district. The
earlier restoration was in the ist Pointed Period, to which the
chancel, north aisle and south porch belong ; the roof and
windov/s date from another restoration in the 15th Century.
The chancel was once thought to be Early English, owing to
having a piscina and priest's door of that period, but these
were found to be inserted in a wall of later construction. It
is noticeable that the chancel arch is out of centre with the
nave ; it is the original arch of the ist Pointed Period, and is
plain, with no pillars or capitals. The fine 15th Century roof
of the nave consists of a closely set series of moulded timbers,
with carved bosses — the central one has eight human faces, and
eight eyes do double duty. The register dates from 1562,
and the list of rectors is almost complete from 1265.

The members were cordially welcomed at Nailsea by the
Rector (the Rev. J. Johnson), and taken to the church of
Holy Trinity. The tower is not so elaborate as some of the
Somerset examples, but it is stately and well-proportioned.
Hv)]y Trinity is an ancient and handsome village church,
consisting of chancel, nave, and south aisle. Its earliest
architecture points to the 14th Century, and it contains
many objects of interest, notably the octagonal stone pulpit
standing on a high moulded pedestal, against the north walk
On the eastern piers of the nave are the original corbels which
formerly supported the rood loft beam. An uncommon
feature is the absence of a chancel arch. The 14th Century
font has side panels carved with various devices, including
the Tudor rose. At the east end of the south aisle is an ancient
piscina, and on the north side the Nailsea Court pew with
some good panelling and also a hagioscope in an unusual
position. In the chancel is another ancient piscina and an
original priests' doorway, now blocked up. By the generosity
of Commander Evans, of Nailsea Court, the porch has

lOO

recently been restored and the many coats of paint scraped
from the ancient door.

After luncheon at the Royal Oak, the drive was resumed
to Tickenham. The parish church, which they visited under
the guidance of the Rev. S. M. Ridge,has a rare dedication —
Saints Quiricus and Julietta, mother and son, both martyrs,
who were put to death in the reign of Diocletian. Quiricus,
a boy of only four, is said to have been torn from his mother's
arms while she was stretched upon the rack, and exclaiming
as he struggled to get back to his mother that he also was
a Christian, the enraged Governor dashed him against the steps
of the tribunal. The two saints are much honoured in France,
and commemorated on June i6, but Newton St. Cyr, Devon,
and Luxulyan, Cornwall, are the only other churches dedi-
cated to the two saints, though Tintagel Castle chapel and
Inceworth chapel, in Cornwall, are dedicated to the mother.
The church dates from the iith Century and presents features
of ail the different styles of architecture, but the delight
of the building to the visitors was that it is such a beautiful
church of early Norman work. The oldest portion is the
chancel, which has a very low Norman arch of extreme plain-
ness, destitute of ornament, which is stated to be the only
remaining portion of the original building. In the high
wall above, which presents a somewhat barren appearance,
and on the south, is the original rood-loft doorway, which
has been walled up. A mediaeval altar slab with five incised
crosses thereon, removed from the floor of the nave, forms the
^' musa " of the Holy Table. At the foot of the chancel
arch is a staircase to the rood-loft, now closed. The early
English font is a square bowl with chamfered lower edges
and supported by a plain pillar. Some of the windows are
good examples of Perpendicular work, and the northern
windows of earlier date, show good tracery. One of the most
interesting features is the freestone effigies lying on a long
stone bench under the north windows. They are stated to
be of 13th Century date ; they represent two knights in
armour, apparently crusaders of the time of Edward L, and
a lady in a headdress of the same period. The well propor-
tioned tower, so conspicuous on the Clevedon road, is orna-
mented with battlements and pinnacles. The figures in the
canopies in the battlements on each side are interesting ;
they illustrate the story of Quiricus and JuHetta.

Close to the church are the venerable remains of an ancient
manorial mansion, called Tickenham Court House, originally
built in the form of a Roman H. Its style may be cited as
a model of the architecture of the time, early in the 15th

lOI

Century. The building is sadly decayed, but part is in a
■sufficient state of repair to be used as a farmhouse. The old
with drawing-room remains almost entire, and many of the
fine features are extant, notable the magnificent oak ceiling
and the old hall.

Nailsea Court was next visited. The owner, Commander
Evans, received the members, and having given a brief
resume of the Court and its owners (see Notes, Proceedings
1911, p. 84), let the members wander at will through the
house. Afterwards Commander Evans entertained the
members on the lawn, where light refreshments were served.

On behalf of the society Mr, Kemeys-Tynte expressed
thanks to Commander Evans for his great kindness and
generous hospitahty.

Finally, by permission of the Rev. W. Rooke, the members
saw the pretty little church of St. Michael's and All Angels,
Flax Bourton, one of the smallest churches in the neighbour-
hood, but of considerable interest on account of its age and
the existing remains of its earliest style of architecture. It
now comprises a chancel, nave of three bays, north aisle with
north chapel, a remarkably fine old south porch, and a western
embattled tower. The oldest portions are the chancel arch,
the south doorway and font, all of Norman date, probably
dating about 1140. It is thought that the existing chancel
and nave formed the whole of the original edifice. The most
interesting feature of the interior is the fine Norman chancel
arch, which stands without an ornament, save a roll moulding
on the upper part, has square unadorned edges, and is sup-
ported by two circular pillars on either side, with square
capitals. The marks of the axes used by the workmen, even
after so many centuries, are still visible on the work. The
•chancel is inconveniently small, but it is in keeping with the
other portions of the building — so many village churches
have had their proportion quite spoiled by the addition of
an enlarged chancel, oft-times too large for the older nave.
An ancient priests' doorway, leading into the chancel, is plainly
visible from the exterior, but is now bricked up. The font
is a good example of Norman work, square, and resting on a
circular pedestal, with roll mouldings on a square base. The
bowl is plain with the exception of the lower edge, which is
scalloped. The fine old south porch is unusually lofty. It is
doubly recessed ; the inner arch is plain, and resembles the
chancel arch, but the outer arch is richly ornamented. Above
the arch is a rude and quaintly carved illustration of
the patron saint, St. Michael, represented treading on the
dragon (see illustration) . It is thought that this curious relic

I02

is of earlier date than the old Norman building. The tower
is low, but of good proportions. An old story goes that the
preacher at Bourton church delivers his discourse from the
pinnacle of the tower — this is in a sense correct, for many
years ago one of the pinnacles was blown down and the stone
used for the joists of the floor of the pulpit.

The members had tea at the old inn, known as the Angel,
which dates from Elizabethan times. The members greatly
enjoyed the day, and at tea Lieut. -Colonel H. P. P. Leigh
expressed the warm thanks of the branch to Mr. Gerald Grey.

Bath was reached at 7 o'clock.

CIRENCESTER.
TUESDAY, June 14TH, 1921.

Delightful weather favoured this excursion, and 66 members
started from Fountain Buildings by motor char-a-banc..
After a pleasant run of two hours, Cirencester was reached,
via Malmesbury.

Cirencester, the Corinium of the Romans, is a fascinating
place to archaeologists. The town was one of the earliest
occupied by the Romans, and remained one of their most
important military and civil centres ; it stood on the great
Roman road, Ermin Street, and both the Fosse Way and
Ackman Street led to it. In the Norman days it became a
place of importance, and much later history attaches to it.

The members were met at the parish church of St. John the
Baptist, by Mr. Sewell, and, in the absence of the Vicar (the
Rev. W. A. Robins), by his curate. They entered by the
celebrated three-staged great south porch, which was built
in 1500 on the site of an older structure. The chambers
above, originally in two storeys, were for the meetings of
various Church Guilds, but in 1672 a faculty was granted
allowing the Vicar and wardens to let it for public purposes,,
and it has been used as the Town Hall. The exterior is of
beautiful and striking appearance, and the fan tracery of the
porch roof is a notable feature. The church itself, as Mr. Sewell
pointed out, is one of the finest buildings in the country. It is
the largest parish church in Gloucestershire, and larger than
three of our cathedrals. It has a total length of i8oft., and
breadth of 104ft., and an area internal of 13,150 square feet.
The building stands on the site of a much earlier church, a
Norman church, which extended from half-way down tlie choir
to the line of the south porch. The Ermin Street ran along

\Photo, Miss Rodman.
ABBEY GATEWAY, EAST SIDE, CIRENCESTER.

I03

that line, and the Norman church approached probably to the
border of that old road. The Norman church gave way to an
Early English church of a very considerable size, the west
walls of which are still standing — in the west wall of the north
aisle the string course of the Early English Church roof is seen
prejecting. In the reign of Henry 11. an Augustinian monastery
was established at Cirencester, on the site of the ancient
Saxon College of Canons, and there were two magnificent
churches side by side up to the time of Henry VIII., the Abbey
church, Norman in character, with a central tower, and the
parish church. The Perpendicular building came about in
this way. The wool staplers of the town grew so wealthy
between 1400 and 1500 that they decided not only to repair
their Early English church, but actually to pull it down and
build one of their own which would equal, if not excel, those
of other towns on the Cotswolds. They began in 15 15,
swept away the existing church, and built the present magni-
ficent arcaded building, ran a clerestory with a central window
over the chancel arch, and what is very unusual, ran a cler-
estory all along the north aisle.

The v/hole of the windows were filled with magnificent
coloured glass, nearly the whole of which has been destroyed,
but the remnant collected in the west window shows the beau-
tiful character of the windows of that period. In the transi-
tional period north and south aisles had been added to the
chancel, and the arcades of these aisles still remain — in the
southern is a good deal of Roman material. There are still
remains of the Norman church on each side of the chancel
arch, and in the lower parts of the wall at the south-east
corner of the south aisle. From the nave the chancel arch,
which has the doorways of the rood, is symmetrical in appear-
ance, but on passing into the choir the arch is seen to be much
out of the centre of the choir, showing that for some reason
it was necessary to rebuild the north wall. The Nomian
tower gave trouble through settlement, the Lady Chapel on
the north had to be reconstructed, and it was decided to do
away with the tower, and in 141 6 the fine western tower
(134ft. high) was erected. It was intended to carry a spire,
but possibly owing to insecure Roman-British foundations,
the spire could not be built, and the two large flying buttresses
were put up before the tower was finished, to support it.

The north choir aisle chapel, St. Catherine's, contains a
very beautiful fan tracery roof, formerly the roof of the
cloisters of the Abbey, which was the only portion of the
Abbey rescued at the time of the Dissolution and destruction
of the Abbey. The Lady Chapel has been rebuilt three times.

I04

and contains nothing ancient except the lower part of the
main wall, and in the window are all the remains of the ancient
glass not preserved in the east and west v/indows. In the
south-east corner of the south aisle is the Jesus chantry
chapel, erected in 1440 by the Garstang family, and the
chapel of the Holy Trinity on the north side of the nave
(built in 1430) is a most beautiful piece of architecture ; the
roof is unsurpassed. Mr. Sewell drew special attention to
the remains of ecclesiastical vestments, the cope of Ralph
Parsons, priest (1478), and to the beautiful church plate,
notably the Boleyn cup, in silver gilt pure Rennaissance,.
made for Anne Boleyn (for which £10,000 has been offered
to the church authorities), a pair of gilt chalices (1570) — two
fine specimens of early post-Reformation chalices, and a
175b flagon.

The cordial thanks of the Society to the Vicar and his
Curate were voiced by the Rev. F. C. Bayliss.

After lunch the members went to the Abbey grounds (by
permission of Major J. Gordon Dugdale, D.S.O.), where Mr.
Sewell pointed out the site of the once magnificent Norman
Abbey of St. Mary and St. James, of Cirencester, and there
show^ed the old Abbey hospital gateway, the only relic of
the old Abbey which remains (except the roof of St. Catherine's;
chapel). It stands close to the stream which was once the
Abbey moat and led to the old hospice. The farmery and
other monastic agricultural buildings were close by. A few
years ago a bookseller's catalogue announced a picture of
the Abbey buildings by Nattes — an artist with Bath associ-
ations— and Lord Bathurst purchased it and presented it
to the town. That picture of the ruins as they existed 120
years ago was the only knowledge they had of the Abbey,,
except from documentary records and conjecture. The Abbey
was all powerful in Cirencester, and exercised all feudal
rights.

In the Abbey grounds was also inspected an interesting
Roman carved capital with four heads. It was always
believed to be a capital of a Roman temple at Cirencester^
which had not yet been found. A distinguished authority
stated that the column belonged to the class of architecture
found in Northern Gaul and Germany, an example of the
provincial Germanic or Gaulish cult. No other case existed
in Roman Britain, and it showed the connection existing in
Roman days between Southern Britain and Northern Europe.

Next were seen the interesting remains of the old hospital
of St. John, in Spitalgate Lane, which was founded by Henry L
The arches, which are in a fine state of preservation,, were m

later years quite enclosed, but the trustees of the charity
have restored them and left them open to view.

By the kindness of Mrs. Wilfred Cripps, the Society had the
unusual advantage of seeing the contents of her Roman
museum. The collection of bone pins, bronze implements,,
bronze brooches, brooches like the safety-pin brooches of
the present day, articles in jade, and a variety of ornaments
and Samian pottery, is said to be unequalled. Notable in a
collection, which Mrs. Cripps herself showed the Society,,
were two remarkably fine stone groups of the Dese Matres —
the mother goddesses — one in local stone and the other
in Bath stone, and an altar dedicated to the Suleviae, all
taken from what was clearly an old mason's yard in Ciren-
cester. There were also some remains of Roman tesselated
pavements.

Mr. Gerald Grey, in thanking Mrs. Cripps, said he had been
associated with Mr. A. Trice Martin in the classification of orna-
ments found at Caerwent, but there was nothing at Caerwent
to compare with what they had seen in Mrs. Cripp's museum.

Passmg through Cirencester House Gardens (by permission
of Earl Bathurst), where the yew hedge, 120 years old and 30
feet high, admitted to be the finest in the country, was noted,
as well as the fine avenues, the members finally visited the
Roman museum erected in 1849 the generosity of Henry
George Earl Bathurst, principally for the reception of two
remarkably fine Roman tesselated pavements discovered in
Dyer Street and removed with great care. The design of one is
central circle with four semi-circles forming the sides of the
figure, while the corners are filled in with quadrants and
lozenge spaces. In the central circle are three dogs in full
chase, and in the semi-circles were a dragon in pursuit of
fish, a lion, petals of flowers, and Medusa's head. The other
pavement in its perfect form had nine medallions enclosed in
octagonal frames. The central figure was supposed to be a
centaur and the others the Goddess Flora, Silenius sitting
backward on an ass, Ceres, Action being changed into a stag,
Pomona, and a figure probably representing Bacchus. Alto-
gether there was a fine collection of numerous Roman relics.

Professor Sonnenschein moved a very hearty vote of thanks
to Mr. Sewell, speaking appreciatively of his great knowledge
of and love for his subject, and thanking him for instructive
and interesting guidance.

At the tea the Rev. F. C. Bayliss voiced a warm vote of
thanks to Mr. Gerald Grey (the hon. excursion secretary) for
all the trouble he had taken.

io6

LULLINGTON, ORCHARDLEIGH, WITHAM FRIARY,
AND BECKINGTON ABBEY.

Monday, July i8th, 192 i.

About 70 members availed themselves of this excursion,
the weather being very fine and warm. The members found
plenty to interest them at the Norman church of Lullington.
The Vicar (the Hon. and Rev. H. N. Waldegrave) was unfor-
tunately away from home, and a short description of the
building was given by Mr. Grey (see former visits of the Bath
Branch in the Proceedings, 1906, pp. 94-95 ; 1913, pp. 202-
203).

Following a most delightful drive through Orchardleigh
Park (by kind permission of Major A. C. Duckworth), the
island church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was next visited.
Mr. Grey again supplied some notes on the architectural
features (see former visit of the Bath Branch in the Pro-
ceedings, 1906, pp. 93-94)-

After luncheon at the George Hotel, Frome, the journey
was resumed through Maiden Bradley to the village of Witham
Friary, where the Norman church of St. Mary the Virgin,
St. John the Baptist and All Saints' was inspected. The
visitors were heartily welcomed by the Vicar (the Rev. T. F.
Palmer) , who said the church was one of the most interesting
in the diocese of Bath and Wells. Witham, he said was the
home of the great Saint Hugh, and the mother of all the Car-
thusian foundations in England. It was mentioned in the
Domesday Survey, but it was 100 years afterwards that the
importance of Witham began to appear. Owing to the murder
of Thomas of Canterbury, Henry II. founded and established
the Carthusians in Witham, about the year 1173. It was
quite possible that King Henry thought he would pay his
penance very cheaply by providing a settlement for monks
there, and he gave them 5,000 acres of his land in the adjoining
forest of Selwood. The first monks, 13 in number, were sent
over from the Grande Chartreuse, and the Prior who accom-
panied them, lost heart and ran away, his successor dying
of a broken heart. St. Hugh eventually took charge, and the
work in connection with the settlement began to prosper,
the charter of foundation being granted at Marlborough in
1182. During the few years he remained at Witham, Bishop
Hugh was instrumental in having church buildings erected
for the monks, and at the Dissolution the property was
bestowed on the Hopton family.

The registers of the present building date from the year

I07

i6i5, and the Vicar said it was generally agreed that the walls,
which were of immense thickness, were the casing walls of a
much earlier church — probably the domus interior of the
Priory. Having referred to the enormities perpetuated by
Pastor Festing, nearly loo years ago, which included the
erection of an ugly tower at the west end, an enormous organ
which nearly filled the chancel, and a lean-to vestry on the
Outside of the church, the Vicar said the church was afterwards
restored and enlarged and the tower removed, under the
direction of Sir Gilbert Scott. Attention was called to the
beautiful double piscina, the only remaining relic of the rood
screen, the apse containing a turret for the sanctus bell,
and the artistic and interesting windows in the chancel, etc.

Before leaving, a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the
Rev. T. F. Palmer for his kindness.

The visitors were hospitably entertained to tea upon arrival
at Beckington Abbey, by kind invitation of the owner, Mrs.
Blackwood, and they afterwards availed themselves of the
opportunity of inspecting the beautiful old building, which
represents a perfect storehouse of antiquities. Most of the
architecture and dedoration is of Tudor, Elizabethan and
Jacobean date, but portions are older and exhibit distinct
traces of the original monastic character of the building.

A cordial vote of thanks was passed to Mrs. Blackwood,
upon the motion of the Rev. F. C. Bayliss, and the lady hostess
said it had been a great pleasure to her to entertain the
members of the Society.

The successful organisation of Mr. Grey was also acknow-
ledged by Mr. H. W. Ingham.

The return journey was made via Hinton Charterhouse
and Midford, Bath being reached shortly after 7 o'clock.

HENBURY AND WESTBURY-ON-TRYM.
Monday, September 19th, 1921.

There was a full muster of members at the fifth excursion
of the Society, and fine weather favoured the proceedings.
The journey was made via Keynsham and Bristol from Bath,
and returning through Filton, Frenchay and Bitton.

The first halt was made at Westbury-on-Trym, where the
members were met by the Vicar (the Rev. Dr. H. J. Wilkins),
who extended a hearty welcome to them, remarking that the
people of Wessex did not always come in so friendly a way to

B

To8

the kingdom of Mercia. Westbury was the earUest portion
of the district that was inhabited. Westbury was a place of
ecclesiastical importance when Bristol was an undrained
swamp. It was historically a much more important place.
Bristol Cathedral was an upstart as compared with his church ;
the Dean and Chapter were not half so important as himself
and his curates, who were Dean and Canons in early days.
Bristol Cathedral dated from Henry VIII., whereas at West-
bury the Bishop of Worcester owned lands in 692 — Bristol
was in the diocese of Worcester right up to the time of the
Reformation — King Ethelbert having granted land to the
second Bishop of Worcester at Henbury in 692. The first
church was founded about 715, and there was at that time
no church between Westbury and Bath. The first historical
date was 804, when Ethelric produced at a synod a deed of
heirship to land at " Westymynster." The next date was
824, when there was a tremendous row between the Bishop
of Worcester and the Saxon family of Berkeley, who claimed
it. The title of the Bishop was upheld, and the oath which
completed this settlement, was taken 30 days afterwards by
50 mass priests, 10 deacons, and 100 ordained clerks, the
biggest gathering of clergy in those early days. Perhaps the
most important event in the history of Westbury was the
coming of the Benedictines. It was in this little village
that the long struggle between the regular and secular clergy
began, which gradually spread over England and continued
with varying success till, finally, the seculars permanently
estabhshed themselves. In 961 St. Oswald, Bishop of
Worcester, brought to Westbury 12 monks, under Germanus
and Eadnoth, from the Benedictine Abbey of Fleury, in
France, to test whether their practices would be suitable for
this country, and the experiment was eminently successful.
Germanus with his monks was afterwards removed to the
newly-founded Abbey of Ramsy. They were very proud
that the experiment had been made at Westbury, though the
Westbury house after their departure gradually declined,
and at the time of the Conquest only one solitary priest
remained.

^9^3 Bishop Wolfstan, second of that name, restored
' ' ' the monastic buildings, and reinstated the monks. Westbury
was made a collegiate church before 1194, with a Dean and
five Canons, remaining at that number despite the Bishop's
abortive attempt to increase the number until Bishop
Carpenter enlarged it about 1455. There were many distin-
guished names on the foundation : John de Stretford, who
subsequent^ became Archbishop of Canterbury, was Dean

109

in 1316, and William of Edington became Dean in 1335. He
was afterwards Chancellor (and debased the coinage), and was
consecrated Bishop of Winchester in 1346, the cathedral of
which city he commenced building. His great work was
taking up the little yeoman, William of Wykeham, founder of
Winchester School and New College, Oxford. John Wycliffe
was the greatest name connected with Westbury-on-Trym,
the " morning star of the Reformation." He was Prebend of
Aust from 1362 to 1384. In 1366 Wycliffe was delated to
the Bishop for neglect of the duties of his prebend at Aust —
his excuse was the Black Death. John Trevisa, whose name
was well known in connection with English literature and a
possible translation of the Bible — Cardinal Gasquet had
searched for it at the Vatican and elsewhere, but had not
succeeded in tracing it — was Canon of Westbury about 1389.
In 1444 Bishop Carpenter, a Westbury boy, formerly Provost
of Oriel and Chancellor of Oxford, was appointed Bishop of
Worcester. He took the keenest interest in the church and
college ; he rebuilt the church exactly as it stood now, except
the south aisle, removed the college to a new site, and raised
the church to the rank of cathedral, styling himself Bishop of
Worcester and Westbury. He was buried at his own wish
beneath the high altar, and when he (Dr. Wilkins) became vicar
he found Bishop Carpenter's tomb used as a stoke hole, the
worst piece of desecration he knew. Next in importance was
William Canynges, the younger, one of the merchant princes
of Bristol, and five times Mayor and twice M.P. for the city ;
his name is famous through the zeal he displayed in the restora-
tion of St. Mary Redcliff. He retired from the world in 1467,
and became Dean of Westbury in 1469. After the Dissolu-
tion the manor with the college was granted to Sir Ralph
Sadlier, a minister to the King and custodian of Mary Queen
of Scots. After the Dissolution Westbury steadily went
down hill. During the Civil War Prince Rupert fixed his
headquarters at the college, and afterwards burnt it so that
it should not fall into the hands of the Parliamentary forces.
Later Isaac Hobhouse, founder of the Hobhouse family,
acquired the manor and rebuilt the college. He was church-
warden. The Hobhouses held the college till 1871, and it
was afterwards bought by a Quaker and handed over to the
Society for the Preservation of Ancient Monuments. All
that remains is a massive square tower and two small round
towers and the gateway, which the members inspected.

Although a church existed from about 715, the earliest
remains in the present church (which was originally dedicated
to St. Peter and St. Paul), date from 1093, the circular columns

no

which date from the first enlargement by St. Wulfstan,
Bishop Carpenter also rebuilt the church, since when no
important alterations have been made. It consists of an
apsidal chancel, sloping to the south, clerestoried nave of
four bays, north and south aisles each with a small chantry,
rood stair turrets (built outside the church), south porch and
tower.

The Church of St. Mary, Henbury, which was visited after
tea at Henbury Court Hotel, is equally old, but far less is
known of its history. Although there is reason to suppose
a Saxon church existed, no trace of it can be found, and the
first record of the building is in the reign of William Rufus.
The Norman church, it is believed, stood upon the site of the
present nave without arches or pillars. Between 1175 and
1200, at the time of the Crusades, the nave pillars were built,
low arches with narrow windows added, and the old Norman
walls removed. In the 13th Century the enlargement of the
Norman choir followed, and some time in the 15th Century
a fine high arch was built, the walls of the aisles raised, and
the present aisle windows built. Mr. Street's very careful
restoration was begun in 1875, and few probably realised,
said the Vicar (the Rev. CP. Way), that the beautiful church
they now saw lay hidden behind the lath and plaster and the
square high pews. The pillars were interesting ; the crimson
glow was unmistakable evidence of a fire in the church, of
which they had no other testimony. Mr. Way pointed out
the magnificent slope of the chancel to the north, and men-
tioned that the architect was emphatic that the common
theory that these slopes were according to the builder's idea
as to which way Our Lord's head hung on the Cross was
entirely without foundation. Henbury was one of the two
finest examples of a sweep to the north. If he lived to 1930
added Mr. Way, members of his family would have been
vicars of Henbury for 100 years. His grandfather was
appointed in 1810, and was vicar for 30 years, his father. Canon
Way, was vicar 46 years, and he had succeeded his father.

A ramble through Henbury, under the guidance of Mr. Way,
formed a fascinating part of the programme, for Henbury is
a beautiful spot, whether one visits the Vicarage grounds,
with the quaint tunnel under the drive, built in the thirties
to preserve the public right of way across, and yet keep the
grounds private, the present Blaise Castle house, the old-
world garden that was once the Manor House, the famous
woods or the little group of tenants' houses, built in 1810,
forerunner of the model village schemes of to-day. Henbury
is a village of great houses that have gone. Of the old Great

>f -

^^^^

['Fhoto, Fred Little.

ST. PETER'S HOSPITAL, BRISTOL.

[P/ioti, F. Bromheai, Clifton.
INTERIOR OF THE RED LODGE, BRISTOL.

[Photo supplied by Mr. J. J. Simpson.
INTERIOR OF ST. PETER'S HOSPITAL, BRISTOL.

II I

House, on Henbury hill, in which Lord Suffolk lived, not a
stone remains ; of the Manor House, all that exists is the site
and a pool that was probably once the cellars, and the houses
that exist are empty, Blaise Castle, the property of Major J. C.
Harford, whose family has connections with Bath, and a fine
house overlooking the Severn, while Henbury Court is now
an hotel.

Before leaving Colonel Leigh voiced the thanks of the
members to Mr. Way for his kindness in showing them his
beautiful church and village. Bath was reached at 7 o'clock.

BRISTOL.

Tuesday, October i8tk, 1921.

An extra excursion was arranged to Bristol, when 46
members went by motor char-a-bancs. The weather proved
sunny and warm. By permission of the vicar (the Rev. J.N.
Bateman Champain), the church of St. Mary, Redcliffe was
first inspected. (See former visit of the Bath Branch in the
proceedings for 1911, page 98, etc., for detailed account of St.
Mary Redcliffe.)

A visit v/as next paid to St. Peters Hospital (by permission
of the Board of Guardians), where the members were wel-
comed by Mr. J. J. Simpson. (See former visit of the Bath
Branch in the proceedings for 1905 for detailed account of
St. Peter's Hospital.)

After luncheon at Fortt's Restaurant, members proceeded
to the Museum and Art Gallery, under the guidance of Mr.
Herbert Bolton, director, who kindly explained the Natural
History Section, whilst Mr. Charbonnier, an authority on
Bristol pottery, pointed out the many rare specimxcns which
were to be seen in the tastefully arranged cases.

The Red Lodge.

The great treat of the day was the visit to the Red Lodge
in Park Row, a house of extraordinary interest. There is
what is believed to be internal evidence that the Red Lodge
is built upon a section of the Carmelite Friary, erected by
Edward I, which covered an area from St. Augustine's
back to the foot of St. Michael's Hill. Upon the dissolution
the Friary property passed into the hands of the Corpora-

tl2

tion, and it was purchased by Sir John Young in February,
1568, and he at once proceeded to construct an imposing
mansion he called the Great House, which afforded fitting
accommodation for Queen Elizabeth and her numerous
suite during her week's sojourn in the city. Early in the i8th
Century the Great House was sold to Edward Colston, the
great Bristol philanthropist, who therein established his school,
removed to Stapleton in 1861. The house was then de-
molished to make way for the Colston Hall. Sir John Young
in 1578 purchased additional land to improve the surroundings
of his Great House, and built a garden or prospect house —
fitting term because of the fine views then obtainable — the
present Red Lodge. He died in 1589 before it was finished.
The house passed through many hands. For some time it
was a ladies' school. Dr. James Cowle Pritchard, the famous
ethnologist, wrote his " Natural History of Man " there, and
in 1854 Lady Byron, widow of the poet, purchased the pro-
perty in order to provide Miss Mary Carpenter with a building
in which she could establish a reformatory for girls, the first
of its kind in the country. When the school was about to be
closed in 19 19, Alderman James Fuller Eberle purchased the
property, with the help of his friends, with the two-fold
purpose of making a home for the Bristol Savages and to
afford his fellow citizens the opportunity of enjoying the
glories of the historic building, and under the direction of Mr.
C. F. F. Denning, a complete scheme of restoration was
carried out, which was not finished till April, 1920.

The society were most warmly welcomed by Mr. F. George
Swaish, the president of the Savages. Mr. H. E. Roslyn, the
hon. secretary, and Alderman J. Fuller Eberle, who has taken
so generous a share in the whole scheme. They were hospi-
tably entertained by the Bristol Savages to an admirably
served tea in the Wigwam, a new clubroom, most artistically
furnished, and filled with treasures, trophies and pictures by ^
the Savages. While the members sat at tea, Mr. Roslyn'
outHned the history of the Red Lodge in a happy and interest-
ing speech, explaining that the Bristol Savages were a colony
of artists who met for work, interchange of ideas, and social
intercourse with others in sympathy with their aspirations.
Afterwards the rest of the Red Lodge was inspected. The
glory of the house is the old oak room, which was commenced
in 1595 and is complete in every way with the original oak
paneUing, the original plaster ceihng, which had been hidden
by repeated costs of whitewash, the original stone fireplace,
a fine example, and to a large extent the original floor. The
lobby is a gem of skilful carving, a beautiful piece of work,

113

and the whole is the envy of collectors, and especially American
visitors. A lesser oak room, the reception room with stone
frieze, and a fine collection of old furniture, were noted.

Mr. Fuller Eberle, Mr. Roslyn, and the Savages were
warmly thanked, and in his reply Mr. Fuller Eberle said he
was extremely sorry Mr. Thomas Bush had not been able to
accompany them. They were very old friends, and he had
Towed in the crew of which Mr. Bush was stroke at Saltford
many years ago. Bath was reached at 6 o'clock.

114

LECTURES, 1921.

NORTHUMBRIAN CROSSES.

On Saturday, February 19th, the first lecture of the year
was given at the Literary and Scientific Institution by Mr,
George Norman, F.S.A.I., on Northumbrian Crosses. As
with his previous lectures it was well illustrated by lantern
slides and was evidently much appreciated by the large
audience present 1 Colonel E. Clayton was in the Chair.

Mr. Norman said that Northumbrian Crosses might be
divided into two groups, Celtic and Anglo-Saxon, and since
he had already lectured to them on the former branch, he
would confine himself to the subject of Anglo-Saxon Crosses,,
the Anglo-Saxons being a race with far greater artistic
perceptions than was often imagined. Mr. Norman dealt
briefly with a phase of Northumbrian history following the
Anglo-Saxon conquest, telling how Edwin became a Christian
King and how his defeat by the heathens under Penda was
avenged by his son Oswald, who set up a rough wooden cross
at which his army prayed before the battle. This was the
first-known Anglo-Saxon Cross. Later King Oswi brought a
missionary to the country to reconvert its inhabitants to
Christianity, and finally the famous Lindisfarne Priory was
built on Holy Island. The lecturer showed pictures of many
of the crossed stones found in that locality, the earliest ones
rather crudely designed, while later the more classical key
pattern was introduced, and finally human figures. He next
showed Crosses preserved in Durham Cathedral library, many
with fine interlacing work, though the figures were poorly
designed. Oswald's Cross was shown, and examples of
dragonesque work, and also a Cross on which ballusters were
found, a very rare occurrence. Now transferring to Hexham
Abbey, Mr. Norman told how remains of Wilfrid's Church
were found beneath the Abbey Church, some fragments being
extremely interesting as showing representations of birds,
animals, and fruit. How was this to be accounted for ?
There were two theories, one that Wilfrid, who spent
some time at Rome, being dissatisfied with Anglican
art, imported Italian sculptors to decorate his church ; the
other, that the proximity of the Roman wall, with its elaborate

115

carving, suggested these designs to the inhabitants ot North-
umbria. The famous Acca Cross was described which,
though much damaged, showed traces of great beauty and
had been a model for many others which belonged to the
'* Hexham School." Several were carved with the vine, the
earliest device of Christian art, and later birds and animals
were introduced. The Bewcastle Cross, glory of the Anglican
school, had stood in its present position for 1,200 years. This
was set up to commemorate a victory gained by Alfrith, son
of Oswi, and bore an interesting sundial, divided into canonical
hours. Of the same period was the Ruthwell Cross, which
was thrown down in consequence of an Act passed in Scotland
in 1642, but had now been repaired as far as possible. It bore
one of the finest effigies of the Christ known in sculpture, and
also a portion of a poem, " The Dream of the Holy Rood,"
which poem, written in Anglo-Saxon, had been discovered in
an Italian library. Summing up, the conclusion at which
they arrived was this, that though influenced from the East
by continental art, and from the West by Hibernian art, the
Anglo-Saxons yet developed a style of their own, fully equal
to standing alone, and deserving the title of Anglican art.

Colonel Clayton proposed a hearty vote of thanks to Mr.
Norman for his interesting lecture and for the very beautiful
slides he had shown.

ON THE CRAFT OF THE ENGLISH MEDIAEVAL
MASONS.

An extremely interesting and instructive lecture, illustrated
by a large number of excellent lantern slides, on the above
subject was given by Mr. J. E. Barton, headmaster of the
Bristol Grammar School, at the Literary and Scientific
Institution on Tuesday, November 15th. The Lecturer was
introduced by Lieut.-Col. H. P. P. Leigh, who said they were
grateful to anybody who would take them away for an hour
from the sordid happenings of the present day.

Mr. Barton spoke of the transformation from the
Romanesque to the Gothic styles of architecture, and
illustrated the types of churches built during the 12th and
13th Centuries. A diagram was shown to indicate the vault
of a Gothic church, and Mr. Barton observed that the art of
making that vault a perfect thing, so that its " thrust " and
weight fell only on certain portions of the wall, was only

ii6

acquired by long experience, during which some 7,000 churches
were built in England. The Gothic builders so worked that
although they built upwards, their results were to be studied,
as it were, downwards, and the Angel Choir at Lincoln might
be regarded as the consummation of English Gothic art. A
special series of slides illustrated this point. The Angel Choir
was not in reality a choir — it was a great reliquary built for
the shrine of St. Hugh of Lincoln. The work was expressive
of the individual craftsmen of the time — there was nothing
mechanical about it ; they had the same nervous, expressive
feeling in it all as in the lines drawn by an individual master
painter ; and there were thousands of craftsmen engaged in
the perfection of the work. An illustrated " backward glance
on leaving the Angel Choir " suggested the sense of mystery,
which Gothic art achieved, but it must not be thought that
the builders aimed at twilight. Light, and more light, was
on the contrary their object. The eastern exterior of this
work, though admirable, showed several structural insincerities
implying the human weakness for a good facade, whether it
entirely represented the true building or no. Of a rather later
period — toward the end of the 13th Century, was the Chapter
House of Southwell, in Nottinghamshire. Herein was illus-
trated the remarkable foliage sculpture, the lecturer remarking
that as the building was in charge of secular canons, it escaped
many of the troubles consequent upon the dissolution of the
monasteries. The resourcefulness of the mediaeval masons
was shown in the Benedictine Abbey at Gloucester. When
fire destroyed the timber ceiling of the nave, the masons were
confronted with the problem of putting a stone vault over
the great Norman nave. What they did was to raise the
clerestory and insert the " springers " on which they con-
structed their new Gothic vault. Some of the early English
decorative work was illustrated, attention being directed to
the " stiff-leaved " foliage with its " thrust " and tension.
He proceeded to show how another difficulty — an outward
bulging wall on the south side of the nave — was met by con-
structing external buttresses, enclosing a superb suite of
delicately traceried windows, attention being drawn to the
" ball-flower " decoration of the Edward II. period. It was
at Gloucester that what was known as the Perpendicular
style of church architecture was invented. Pictures were
shown to illustrate the " divine sham " of fan-vaulting in
the Cloister, and also in the Lavatorium. The Lady Chapel,
added toward the end of the 15th Century, illustrated the
saying that the perfect Gothic building, in the engineering
sense, had no walls at all, but consisted of a vault held up by

J. St. Maur and Wife.

BECKINGTON.

117

buttresses, the space between the buttresses being filled up
with glass, which, with its original jewelled colouring, would
look more solid. The lecturer discussed the modification
undergone in the mouldings over a period of years, illustrating
bis remarks with pictures. He showed how, from about 1290
to 1300 there was a remarkable " side step " toward natural-
isation in foliage sculpture, but by the 15th Century, the
ioliage was mostly conventional and " shop-carved." He
compared the severe and restrained work of English mediaeval
masons with the tortuous intricacies of church architecture
in Rouen and Milan, and advanced the opinion that the English
mediaeval craftsmen were entitled to rank among the greatest
of all the peoples with which history dealt.

The Chairman drew the practical lesson for modern time
that there was " a great deal of good in old England, and if
we rely upon ourselves more we shall do wisely."

The Rev. C. W. Shickle, master of St. John's Hospital,
expressed the thanks of the gathering to the lecturer. The
latter was asked the probable date of the vaulting in Bath
Abbey, and replied that it was later than the work of which
he had been speaking. Probably it was slightly before the
date of the dissolution of the monasteries, for " fan-vaulting "
went on developing even into the Tudor period.

NOTES ON BRASSES IN CHURCHES (ILLUSTRATED)
AT BECKINGTON, CIRENCESTER AND
ST. MARY REDCLIFFE, BRISTOL.

Mr. H. Parry.
Beckington.

The Church of St. Gregory has two or three small brasses
showing merchant marks, etc., but only one showing the
figures of the persons commemorated. The memorial to
John St. Maur and his wife is in the floor of the choir, but the
lady, who after the death of her first husband, married Sir
John Biconyll, is buried elsewhere. The figures are about
two feet high, and the gentleman is shown bare headed, but
otherwise in full armour, with his feet resting on a greyhound.
The heavy pieces protecting shoulders and elbows, and the
fingerless gauntlets, with their long cuffs, are typical of the
armour of the Wars of the Roses, which came to an end at
the battle of Bosworth in 1485, the year in which St. Maur

ii8

died. His wife is shown in a dress cut very low, showing the
corsage. She wears a necklace with pendant, and the
" butterfly " head-dress composed of flimsy material
stretched on wires, which looks very clumsy and heavy as
engraved, however becoming it may have been in real life.
There is no inscription.

Bristol.

In the church of St. Mary Redcliffe, there are four brasses,,
two of which are illustrated. The other two are memorials
of Sir John Juyn, a judge, and John Brook, Sergeant-at-Law,.
and judge of Assize.

I. ,

The brass of Sir Philip Mede is on the north wall of the
chancel, under the canopy of an altar tomb, and in an oblong
plate about 22 inches high. Sir Philip was Mayor of Bristol
in 1458, 1461 and 1468. He is shown dressed in armour, over
which he wears a tabard displaying his arms : Gules, a chevron
ermine, between three trefoils slipped argent. One of the
wives wears an heraldic mantle, showing two (of three)
double- tailed lions rampant, but her name is unknown.
Over the figures are two scrolls inscribed : —

Sancta Trinitas, unus deus miserere nobis
Pater de Cells deus miserere nobis

This is rather an early example of the proper tabard, the
first of them being in a brass in Cumberland, dated 1458,.
but later on they became rather common. Above the scrolls
is a half-length figure of the Diety, surrounded with clouds
and rays.

11.

In the floor of the choir are two figures, two feet nine inches
high, of John Jay, formerly Sheriff of Bristol, and his wife.
They stand under a fine groined canopj/, and underneath is
shown their family of the eight daughters, the five wearing the
" butterfly " head-dress, were presumably married at the
date of the monument, and the others with round caps and
long hair, unmarried. Of the four shields two show the
merchant mark, and the other two an object which is supposed
by some to be a winnowing fan, and by others with greater
probability, to be a teasel, indicating his connection with the
cloth trade. In the inscription is a blank left for the date of
his death, which occurred about 1480.

Philip Mead.

ST. MARY, REDCLIFFE.

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CIRENCESTER.

John Jay.

ST. MARY, REDCLIFFE.

Richard Dinton.

CIRENCESTEP.

William Prelatte.

CIRENCESTER.

119

Cirencester.

There are many brasses in the Church of St. John the
Baptist, some of which are considerably mutilated. Three
examples are selected for illustration, as being, perhaps, the
most interesting for various reasons.

I.

Richard Dixton, who died in 1438, is said to have been an
esquire to the Duke of York. His brass is a large one, the
figure itself being four and a half feet long, while the total
length is over seven feet. He is shown standing under a
canopy which, like the marginal inscription round it, is
somewhat mutilated, in full plate armour, which a few years
before had completely superseded the mixture of mail and
plate which was in vogue at the beginning of the century.
He wears a close-fitting bascinet and gorget, both with orna-
mental edges, and while his left shoulder is protected by a
pauldron, his right is protected by an apparently movable
moton fixed in front of the armpit. The long skirt of faces
which had been in use for some time, has two tuilles strapped
to the bottom, as an additional protection to the upper part
of the thigh— a comparatively recent innovation. In Rudder's
" History of Cirencester " it is said that the marginal inscrip-
tion originally ran as follows : —

(Hie jacet Richardus) Dixton Armiger cui obiit die
Sancti Laurencii (martyris anno domini) Millesimo
CCCC° xxviij° Cuius anime propicietur (de' amen).

The words in brackets are now missing. His arms shown
on the hilt of his sword are : Sable, a pile argent, surmounted
by a chevron gules.

II.

The figures of William Prelatte and his two wives, all about
three feet long, are, like that of Richard Dixton, in the floor
of the Trinity Chapel, of which Prelatte himself was a distin-
guished benefactor. He died in 1465, and his armour differs
entirely from Dixton's, and approaches much more nearly to
the armour of the Beckington example. As in that case
the pauldrons are heavy, that on the left shoulder being
ridged, the elbow pieces are large, and the sword is worn in
front of the body, but the skirt of faces is like Dixton's, made
apparently of hoops divided horizontally only, while the Beck-
ington figure has these hoops sub-divided vertically, so that

I20

they seem to be made up of oblong plates, an arrangement
which would presumably give greater freedom of movement..
He also wears a " Salade " helmet, with the vizor up, and his
gauntlets are curious, displaying not only the cuffs, and plate
protecting the back of the hand, but also an inner fingered
glove of mail. The two wives are in high-necked dresses,
trimmed with fur at the neck and wrists, and they wear
necklaces and the "horned" form of head-dress. The
inscription records the burial of Prelatte and of his two
wives, Agnes, widow of John Martyn, and Johanna, daughter
and heiress of Richard de Cobyndon, and widow of John
Twynho, of Cayford, and the death of Prelatte, 27th May,.
1465.

III.

The figures of Mr. and Mrs. John Gunter are two feet high,
and the brass is under a mat in the aisle of the Lady Chapel.
Both were born in the reign of Henry VHL, and the old gentle-
man iust pre-deceased James I., while the lady outlived him
and did not die till Charles I. was on the throne, having lived
under six sovereigns. In the earlier brasses the faces were
merely conventional, but the portraiture in this late specimen,
is obvious. The duplicate in Berkshire still exists.

121

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

1921.

PRESIDENT:

THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL WALDEGRAVE.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :

Captain CHARLES T. FOXCROFT, M.P.
LORD STRACHIE.

COMMITTEE:

Major-General BRADSHAW, C.B.
G. LAWRENCE BULLEID. Esq.
ST. DAVID M. KEMEYS-TYNTE, Esq.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. P. LEIGH, CLE.
GEORGE NORMAN. Esq., F.S.A.L
(Hon. Local Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society).
Rev. D. lee PITCAIRN, M.A.
M. H. SCOTT, Esq. (late I.C.S.),
EDWARD SEGAR, Esq.

Ex-O'fficio Member of the Committee :

CHARLES TITE. Esq.,
Hon. Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society.

HON. EXCURSION SECRETARY:

GERALD J. GREY, Esq.

HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER:
THOS. S. BUSH, Esq.

*

122

LIST OF MEMBERS, 1921.

Members changing their address will please notify the
Hon. Secretary.

(* Are also Members of the Parent Society.)
1904 AcLAND Mrs. B. D.

ign *Adams E. Cay, Esq., The Cedars, Trowbridge.
1920 Adams W. C. Mercer, Esq., 26, Royal Crescent.
1 904 AiREY Miss, I, Royal Crescent.

1920 Bache Mrs., 16, Grosvenor.

1908 Bayliss Rev. F. C, Francis Hotel, Bennett Street.

1 9 19 Begg Mrs., 7, The Circus.

1921 Berryman Lieut. -Colonel, 14, Lansdown Place, East.

1920 Bird Mrs. Charles, 153, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Blackett Dr., Hamsterley, Bloomfield Park.

1903 Blathwayt Miss, Eagle House, Batheaston.

1904 *Blathwayt Rev. W. E., M.A., Dyrham Rectory, Chippenham.

1903 *BoYD, Rev. Prebendary, M.A., B.C.L., 13, Brock Street.

191 1 Brabazon Miss, 18, Lansdown Crescent.

1912 Bradshaw Major-General, C.B., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.

191 2 Bradshaw Mrs., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.
1916 Brendon C. R., Esq., 7, Belgrave Road

1916 Brendon Mrs., 7, Belgrave Road.

1904 *Breton Miss Adela C, 15, Camden Crescent.

1920 Bridgeman Miss, Brow Hill, Batheaston.

192 1 Bridgman Miss, 9, George Street, Bath wick Hill.
1921 Bridgman Miss M., 9, George Street, Bathwick Hill.

1915 Bromley Rev. F. A., M.A., Weston Vicarage.
1921 Bromley Mrs., Weston Vicarage.

1910 Brookfield Mrs., Stratton-on-the-Fosse. ■

1913 Browne Miss Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Bruce Miss M. C, 7, Portland Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Henry, Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Mrs., 14, Raby Place.

1919 Brymer Walter S., Esq., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

191 9 Brymer Mrs., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1920 Bulleid G. Lawrence, Esq., Leura, Lansdown Road.
1920 Bullock R. C, Esq., Northfield, Bathford.

1903 *BusH Robert C, Esq., i, Winifred's Dale (Deceased).

1903 *BusH Thos. S., Esq., 20, Camden Crescent.

1903 Bush Mrs. Thos. S., 20, Camden Crescent.

1920 Calder James, Esq., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1920 Calder Mrs., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1921 Campbell Miss, 9, Bathwick Street.
1920 Capes P. E., Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1 91 6 Carr Mrs., Manor House, Weston.
1916 Carr Miss, Manor House, Weston.

1 91 5 *Carr J., Esq., Wood House, Twerton.

123

1 91 6 Carr Miss, Wood House, Twerton.

1 91 6 Carr Miss J. F., Wood House, Twerton.

1905 Cave Mrs., 16, Circus.

1 91 2 Chope Mrs., 10, Mount Beacon.

1903 Clayton Colonel Emilius, Charlcombe Manor (Deceased)

1903 Clayton Mrs., Charlcombe Manor.

191 1 CoLOMB Mrs., 17, Darlington Place.

1904 Cooke Miss M. A, H., Lonsdale, Combe Down.
1920 Corbett Mrs. R. C, 3, Cavendish Place.

1920 Crouch H. M., Esq., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1920 Crouch Mrs., Summer j&eld, Weston Park.

1904 Curd Charles, Esq., 6, Gay Street.

1904 Curd Mrs., 6, Gay Street.

191 7 Daunt Miss Mary, The Shack, Lansdown Road.

1903 Davis Rev. J. Roland, M.A., Broughton Gifiord Rectory.

1903 Davis Colonel T. Arnoll, Weston Park House.

1920 Dettmar Miss, Amoril House, Batheaston.

1919 Dickson Mrs., 46, Combe Park.

1920 Duncan G. W., Esq., Cavendish Lodge.

192 1 East Miss, 15, Lansdown Place, East.
192 1 Evans Rev. L. H., 6, Sion Hill Place.

1912 FosBERY Dr., I, Oxford Row.

1 911 FoxcROFT Captain Charles T., M.P., Hinton Charterhouse.

191 6 Gabriel Miss, Fleetlands, Weston Park.

1920 Gandy Miss Violet, 9, Kensington.

1908 *Gervis Henry, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., 15, Royal Crescent.

1908 Gervis Miss Dora L., 15, Royal Crescent.

1906 Goldie Robert F., Esq., South Lawn, College Road.

1920 Gouldsmith E., Esq., 10, Newbridge Hill.

1 92 1 Green Mrs., 12, Lansdown Crescent.
1920 Green Miss, 12, Lansdown Crescent.

1 9 10 Gregory Mrs., Mount Beacon House.

1903 Gregory George, Esq., 5, Argyle Street

1903 *Grey Gerald J., Esq., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1904 Grey Mrs., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down,

1920 Grey Miss Evelyn, 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.
1915 Grierson Miss, 40, Grosvenor Place.

192 1 Grindrod G, H. Esq., Chevin, Lansdown.

1920 Grindrod Mrs., Chevin, Lansdown.

1903 *Hallett Mrs., Claverton Lodge, Bathwick.

1918 Hardy Mrs., York Villa, Kensington.
1 915 Head H. E., Esq., 14, Dunsford Place.

1904 Heathcote J. Cuthbert, Esq., Southlands, Trowbridge.

1921 Heathcote Mrs., Effingham House, Oldfield Park.
191 5 *HiGNETT Geoffrey, Esq., Hodshill, Southstoke.
1915 *HiGNETT Mrs., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1 91 3 Holmes Thomas J., Esq., Eastern House, Beechen Cliff.
1903 *Horne Rev. Ethelbert, Downside Abbey.

1915 Horne Miss E. M., The Grange, Keynsham.

1921 Howden Mrs., 10, Bathwick Hill.

J 903 *Hylton Right Hon. Lord, Ammerdown Park, Radstock.

C

124

igiS Inchbald Rev. W. E., Charlcombe Rectory.

1920 Inchbald Mrs., Charlcombe Rectory.

1916 Ingham H. M., Esq., 4, Raby Place.

1921 Jay Miss G. de Lancey, 17, Brock Street.

1903 *Kemeys-Tynte St. David M., Esq., The Beeches, Batiiwick Hill.

1920 Ketchley Rev. H. E., Biddestone Rectory, Chippenham.
1919 King C. A., Esq., Brookfleld, Weston Road.

1 919 King Mrs. C. A., Brookfield, Weston Road.

192 1 King Mrs. Preston, 19, The Circus.
1903 Knight Miss J. F., 17, Catharine Place.

1917 Lascelles E. H., Esq., The Grange, Weston Park

1915 Layton, Mrs., 14, Elm Place, Bloomfield Road.
192 1 Legard Miss, St. George's Hill, Bathampton.
1908 Leigh Colonel P. P., CLE., Grosvenor House.

1916 Leigh Mrs., Grosvenor House.

192 1 Lethbridge Miss, Donnybrook, Russell Street.

1919 Lindsay Miss, 7, Johnston Street.

191 3 Linley-Howlden H., Esq., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1916 Linley-Howlden Mrs., Old Manor House, Freshford.
1 9 10 Longworth-Dames Miss C, 2, Winifred's Dale.

1920 Macnab Miss, 13, Lansdown Place, East.

1917 Mainwaring Colonel, Cleveland House.
1916 Martyn Mrs. King, 8, Gay Street.

1919 Meredith Miss, 7, Tennyson Road.
1907 Miller Mrs., St. Albans, Weston Park.

1920 Miller Miss, St. Albans, Weston Park.

1913 MiLSOM A. C, Esq., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1913 MiLSOM Mrs., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1 91 6 MiLSOM F. H., Esq., Audley Lodge.

1 9 16 MiLSOM Mrs. F. H., Audley Lodge.

1917 Molesworth Brigadier-General, C.B., Elstree House, Lambridge. ,
1920 MoNCRiEFF Mrs. Cunningham, 63, Combe Park.

1920 MoLONY Alfred, Esq., Edgar Hotel, Laura Place.

1 910 Nash Mrs., 7, Laura Place.

1 91 2 Newham Miss, II, Raby Place, Bathwick.

1903 *Norman George, Esq., F.S.A.I., 12, Brock Street.
1907 Norman Mrs., 12, Brock Street.

191 3 Norman Miss, Oakfield, Weston Park.

1 919 NOWELL Mrs., I, Catharine Place.

1 92 1 Nowlan Colonel, The Lodge, Batheaston.
192 1 N OWL AN Mrs., The Lodge, Batheaston.

19 1 7 O' Sullivan Dr., Glencairn, Bathwick.

1918 O'SuLLiVAN Miss, Glencairn, Bathwick.

1912 Parry Hubert, Esq., 28, Newbridge Hill

1920 Parry Mrs. H., 28, Newbridge Hill.

1920 Peirse Lady, Fiesole, Bathwick Hill.

1913 Perkes Rev. R. M., 39, Combe Park.

1 913 Phillimore J. E., Esq., Sedgley, Sion Road,

192 1 Phillips Miss, Woodside, Bathford.

1921 Phillips Miss M. L., Woodside, Bathford.

1904 PiTCAiRN Rev. D. Lee, M.A., i, Laura Place.

125

1904 PiTCAiRN Mrs., I, Laura Place.

191 1 Pitt Mrs., South Stoke House, South Stoke.

192 1 Pitt Miss, South Stoke House, South Stoke.

1913 Powell Rev. W, H., D.D., 15, Lansdown Crescent.
191 1 Powell Mrs. W. H., 15, Lansdown Crescent.

1915 Powell Mrs., 12, Rivers Street.

1920 Pritchard Miss E., Combe Royal, Bathwick.

1907 PRYCE Ernest, Esq., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1906 Pryce Mrs., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1920 QuiNTON John, Esq., Culvort Rise, ii. Junction Road.

1921 Rattray H. M., Esq., Montrose, Weston Park.
192 1 Rattray Mrs., Montrose, Weston Park.

1909 Rodman Miss, 17, The Tyning.

1903 Rolleston Colonel V., Saltford House, Bristol (Deceased).

1903 Rolleston S. V., Esq., B.C.L., M.A., Saltford House, Bristol.

1914 Rose Mrs, H. Fullwood, 93, Sydney Place.
1920 RowE Colonel Octavius, 4, Royal Crescent.
1920 RowE Mrs., 4, Royal Crescent.

1904 Salmon Miss E, E., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1904 Salmon Miss L. M., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.

1920 Sartoris Miss, 31, St. James's Square.
1903 *Scott M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West.

192 1 Scott Miss, 5, Lansdown Place, West.

19 19 *Scratton Arthur Esq., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1920 Scratton Mrs., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1 91 5 Segar Edward, Esq., Bella Vista, Lansdown.
1920 Severs Miss E., 17, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Severs Miss A., 17, Marlborough Buildings.

1918 *Shickle Rev. C. W,, F.S.A., 9, Cavendish Crescent.

1907 Shum F. E., Esq., 24, Sydney Buildings.

1920 Singers-Bigger Miss Gladys, 12, Marlborough Buildings

1920 Sonnenschein E. A., Esq., 5, Sion Hill Place.

1920 Sonnenschein Mrs., 5, Sion Hill Place.
1903 Spender Miss, 8, Forester Road.

1921 Spottiswood Mrs., 2, Sion Hill Place.

1920 Start Miss, 21, Rivers Street.

1921 Stothert Lady, i, Lansdown Place, West.

1903 Strachie Lord, Sutton Court, Pensford, Bristol.

1911 Straghan Mrs., 26, Crescent Gardens.

1912 Strangways Miss R. C, 6, Brunswick Place.
1920 Street A. E., Esq., 12, Somerset Place.

1920 Street Mrs., 12, Somerset Place.

1918 Taite Miss, 30, Paragon.

1915 Tanner J. H., Esq., 12, Beaufort East.

1915 Tanner Mrs., 12, Beaufort East.

1904 Taylor A. J., Esq., 18, New Bond Street.

1921 Thackwell Brig.-General, Perrymead Cottage.
1903 *Thatcher a. a., Esq., Midsomer Norton.
1903 *Thomas C. E., Esq., 4, Percy Place.

1920 Thomas Miss H. T., Derwent House, Weston.

1920 Thomas Miss T., Derwent House, Weston.

192 1 Thompson Miss Edith, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

1921 Thompson Miss E. Perronet, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

192© Thring Mrs. C. B., Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

126

1920 Thring Miss Marjory, Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1903 *TiTE Charles, Esq., Stoneleigh, Taunton.

1921 Tucker Mrs. Allon, 9, Green Park.

1904 Tyte W., Esq., 7, Bloomfield Crescent.

1921 Varley Rev. F., Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.

1 92 1 Varley Mrs., Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.

1921 Varley Miss, Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.

1920 ViBERT Lionel, Esq., Marline, Lansdown.

1920 ViBERT Mrs., Marline, Lansdown.

1914 Wage Henry, Esq., St. Winifreds.

1 91 4 Wage Miss, St. Winifreds.

1903 *Waldegrave Right Hon. the Earl, Chewton Priory.
1913 Walker Robert, Esq., F.R.G.S.

1916 Walker W. A., Esq., 6, Percy Place.

1910 *Wardle F. D., Esq., 5, Vane Street
1920 Watson Miss A. E., Swainswick Cottage.

1904 Way Miss H. S., i, Rosslyn Road, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Wayne Miss, 12, Bladud Buildings.

1920 Webb Mrs. Gillum, ii, Lansdown Place, East.

1903 *Whittuck E. a., Esq., 77, Audley Street, W. i.

1917 Wilkinson Lady, Deepdene, Bathampton.
19x7 Wilkinson Miss, Deepdene, Bathampton.

1904 Williams D. Prout, Esq., 7, Belvedere.

1913 Wills J. H., Esq., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-
Avon.

1913 Wills Mrs., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1913 Wills Stanley, Esq., 14, Royal Crescent.

1913 Wills Mrs., 14, Royal Crescent.
1908 Wood Miss Ellen, 38, Combe Park.

19 14 Wood Miss Margaret, 59, Combe Park.

1913 Woods John C, Esq., Bank House, Trowbridge.

192 1 Woods Mrs., Bank House, Trowbridge.

1921 Wright E. M., Esq., Lower Swainswick House.

1911 Young B. W., Esq., i, Stanley Villas, Camden Road.

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W ON (U

SOMERSET ARCH^OLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

IQ22.

BATH :

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRESS.

BATH AND DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

'HE Committee are pleased to note that the number of

Members have kept up, in fact there are always candi-
dates waiting election ; at present 32 are on the list,
showing continued interest in the work of the Branch. Com-
mencing the year with 229 Members, there have been
II resignations, 4 deaths, and 3 defaulters ; later in the year
three Members who had paid their subscription, passed away ;
total losses 21 ; 19 have been elected, so closing the year
with 227.

As usual the, account of the Annual Meeting, over which
Earl Waldegrave presided, will follow this Report, following
that are notes on the Excursions, Lectures, and other details.

Thanks of the Committee are due to the following : To
Mr. Gerald Grey for carrying out the six excursions, which
were well attended and evidently proved of interest to all
those who were present ; To Mr. Thos. S. Bush for arranging
the Lectures kindly given by Mr. George Lansdown and by
the Rev. Ethelbert Horne, and a meeting by request, at
the Roman Baths, when the gathering had the benefit of a
discourse on the Baths by Mr. A. J. Taylor. Mr. Parry has
given us the privilege of reproducing three further rubbings
of brasses (they are in Fairford Church), with some notes on
them. The Rev. Ethelbert Horne has favoured us with
photographs illustrating his lecture.

To Mr. Gerald Grey, Mr. Lansdown, Mr. Capes and Miss
Rodman we are indebted for photographs of places visited
during the excursions.

We are indebted to Mr. A. T. Wicks, of Monkton Combe
School, for notes on his discoveries at Limpley Stoke.

The accounts, which have been prepared by the Hon.
Treasurer, and audited by Mr. Segar, will no doubt meet with
approval.

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

REPORT, 1922.

'32

ANNUAL MEETING.

The Annual Meeting was held at the Literary and Scientific
Institution on Wednesday, March 8th, 1922, at 3 o'clock.

Present : Earl Waldegrave, President, in the Chair) ;
Committee : Major-General Bradshaw, Mr. G. Lawrence
Bulleid, Mr. St. D. M. Kemeys-Tynte, Lieut. -Colonel Leigh,
Mr. George Norman, Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, Mr. M. H. Scott,
Mr. Edward Segar, Mr. Gerald J. Grey (Hon. Excursion
Secretary), and Mr. Thos. S. Bush (Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer) ; Mrs. C. Bird, Miss Bridgman, Miss May Bridgman,
A. M.S., Mr. and Mrs. Brydges-Barrett, Rev. J. Byrchmore,
Mr. R. C. Bullock, Mrs. Thos. S. Bush, Mr. P. E. Capes, Mr.
G. W. Duncan, Miss Holt, Mrs. Howden, Mr. H. M. Ingham,
Miss Knight, Mrs. Lay ton. Miss Lethbridge, Colonel Main-
waring, Miss Macrae Moir, Miss Newham, Dr. O'Sullivan,
Miss K. O'Sullivan, Rev. R. M. Perkes, Miss Rodman, Miss
Scott, Mr. F. E. Shum, Miss Edith Thompson, Mr. Wace, and
Miss E. M. Wood.

The Minutes of the previous meeting were read and
confirmed.

The President having moved the adoption of the Report
and Accounts, said that since their last meeting they had lost
one very old friend. Colonel Clayton, who was a most energetic
member of their committee, and took a great interest in their
Society. They were full up as regarded Members, and the
accounts seemed to him to be quite satisfactory. The
President paid a tribute to the illustrations in the Proceedings
of the Branch, and said that he was glad to hear from Mr.
Bush that the Committee had been complimented on the
interesting production. He understood that all the excur-
sions were most satisfactory and he thought Mr. Grey was to
be congratulated on the way in which he had carried them
out.

This on being seconded by Mr. Segar, was adopted.

Colonel Leigh proposed the re-election of Earl Waldegrave
as President for the ensuing year, and referred to the great
interest he had taken in the Society. They were grateful to
him for his past services.

Mr. Norman having seconded the election of Earl Walde-
grave as President, it was carried with acclamation.

133

On the proposition of Mr. Kemeys-Tynte, seconded by the
Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, the following were elected Vice-
Presidents : Lord Strachie, Captain C. T. Foxcroft, M.P., and
the Rev. Prebendary S. A. Boyd, M.A., B.C.L.

The President proposed, and Mr. Wace seconded, that the
following form the Committee : Major-General Bradshaw,
Mr. G. Lawrence Bulleid, Mr. S. D. M. Kemeys-Tynte, Lieut.-
Colonel Leigh, Mr. George Norman, Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn, Mr.
M. H. Scott and Mr. Edward Segar.

This was carried unanimously.

Colonel Mainwaring, in proposing the re-election of Mr.
Thos. S. Bush as Hon. Secretary and Treasurer, said they all
knew of his energy and courtesy.

This was seconded by Dr. O'Sullivan and carried.

Mr. Bush having thanked the Members for re-electing him,
said that since his appointment a? Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer in 1903, he had done his best for the Branch, and
would so continue. He further remarked that the President
had referred to the illustrations in the Proceedings, so he
would like to remind Members who have cameras that there
are many opportunities of taking photographs during the
excursions.

Mr. Ingham, in proposing the re-election of Mr. Gerald
Grey as Hon. Excursion Secretary, said they were very
grateful to him for the labour and time he gave to making
the excursions successful.

This was seconded by Mr. Bulleid and carried unanimously.

Mr. Grey having returned thanks for his election, said
that this was the fourteenth year that he had held office, so
that it was impossible to arrange entirely fresh ground for their
excursions. The following have been arranged : South
Wraxall, Great Chalfield and Farleigh Castle ; Yatton,
Chelvey, Backwell and Cleeve ; Fairford, Quenington and
Ampney St. Mary ; Sherborne ; Shepton Mallet, Ever-
creech, Ditcheat and East Pennard ; and Bristol.

Major-General Bradshaw, in proposing a vote of thanks to
Earl Waldegrave for presiding, said he had always proved
himself a great supporter of this Branch Society.

This was seconded by Mr. Thos. S. Bush.

The President having acknowledged it, said the British
Archaeological Association had intimated that they would
hold their Annual Meeting in Bath early in July.

134

EXCURSIONS.

SOUTH WRAXALL, GREAT CHALFIELD AND
FARLEIGH CASTLE.

Monday, April 24TH, 1922.

Some eighty members attended the first excursion of the
season, motor coaches left Fountain buildings at 1.30 p.m.
The weather was cold, and the motors ran through a heavy
storm on leaving Great Chalfield, but it cleared for a lovely
evening and the season was most auspiciously begun.

South Wraxall is one of the show places of Wiltshire, a
county richly endowed in this direction. The Branch has
visited it before, but many saw it for the first time and all
appreciated the opportunity. They were very kindly and
courteously received by the owner. Major E. Richardson Cox,
T.D., D.L., J. P., who conducted them over the manor and
pointed out the leading features. South Wraxall is a very
beautiful and very interesting piece of domestic architecture.
The house occupies three sides of a court with a gate house to
the south, the latter and the fine oriel window above it and the
hall with its porch being the oldest portion, probably the work
of the time of Henry VII. The hall is the leading feature, a
magnificient apartment with a wonderful roof and furnished
with tapestry and furniture and trophies all in keeping. The
mansion was built by a member of the numerous Wilts family
of Longs. A strikingly rich fireplace, inserted in 1598, domin-
ates the room, together with a very fine carved screen, the
whole of the decorations being Jacobean. Major Richardson
Cox strongly critised the taste of a restoring architect who has
inserted quite unsuitable windows. It may be mentioned that
the house was unoccupied for a long period in the i8th Century
and was completely restored in 1900-2 by the present owner.

The very handsome drawing room is another notable
feature of the manor, with its richly ornamented plaster ceil-
ing and elaborate chimney piece with the carved figures of
Prudence, Justice, Geometry, and Arithmetic, with Pan in
the centre. Opposite is a singular projection designed to carry
the wall plate of the old roof —in the time of James the room
was found neither big nor hght enough and two bays were

135

thrust out, and girders being unknown, this erection was
inserted to carry the roof. Upstairs was seen a bedroom of the
same date with a remarkably fine fireplace with a baboon on a
bracket. On either side are two shields, different in size and
decoration and yet making a pair. The fireplace has three
mottoes, " Faber est quisque fortunae suae " (every man is
architect of his own fortune), " Mors rapit omnia " (death
seizes everyone), and *' Aequa laus est a laudatis laudari et
ab improbis improbari " (it is just as much a compliment
to be blamed by a bad man as it is to have the praise of a
good one).

It is a tradition that this was one of the first houses in
England where tobacco was first smoked, Sir Walter Raleigh
being said to have smoked tobacco in silver pipes with his host,
Sir Walter Long. Major Richardson Cox observed that there
was little doubt Sir Walter Raleigh stayed there, and that
he did smoke there, but it was not likely he waited till his visit
in order to commence smoking. In the restoration a number
of clay pipes were dug up, but had unfortunately been thrown
away. Sir Walter Raleigh's room was shown ; it, too, has a
fine fireplace — Lord Lee of Fareham has made a copy of it
for the Chequers, now the Prime Minister's country house.

Major Richardson Cox was warmly thanked by Mr. St.
David Kemeys-Tynte.

Major Fuller, who had intended to welcome the party to
Great Chalfield, wrote expressing his regret at being compelled
through the death of a great friend to go into Essex . In his
place Mr. Harold Breakspear, who was the architect for Major
Fuller during the restoration, explained what had been done.
The party were welcomed first in the little church in the
courtyard by the Vicar (the Rev. Liddiard Cook), and
Mr. Breakspear observed that it was the earHest building
they had on the site. The manor of Chalfield was in
Domesday Book, and until a short time ago the old
Domesday Mill was partly in existence, but it got into
a very bad state of repair and the late owner demolished
it and nothing remained except the site and a 14th Cen-
tury stone. The manor was owned in the 13th Century
and most of the 14th by the Percys, and during their time the
Httle church was built. The 13th Century nave remained with
an original window on the north side, the sill of which shows
evidence of an earlier church. Thomas Tropnell, who built the
house, first intended to be buried there and built the charming
little transeptal chapel for the purpose. The little church
was in a most deplorable state when Major Fuller took it in
hand. The fine stone screen, which the speaker remembered

136

at the chancel arch, had now been placed where Tropnell had
built it, at the transept arch. It will be remembered that the
Rev. Richard Warner, historian, was Vicar here.

Proceeding to the Manor house, Mr. Breakspear pointed out
that the house was commenced in 1465. It was built upon the
usual Wiltshire plan of a large central hall with two storied
buildings each end. Usually the hall was open to the roof,
but the only communication between the upper storeys was
through the hall, and from the middle of the 15th Century
efforts were made to connect the two upper stories, and the
result in this case was a ceiling with a way above it.

A notable feature was the three stone masks or hollow human
faces with holes through which the lady of the house could see
that good order was being kept in the hall. Little Sodbury
was the only other place with such a mask, and it had only one.
The building at the lower end of the hall had been carefully
restored, but the buildings beyond the dais end had practically
disappeared, and there were no plans, though the foundations
were found. It was rebuilt as far as possible in keeping, and
Mr. Breakspear pointed out the care which had been taken to
build in the beautiful oriel window, which alone remained. —
The thanks of the society to Mr. Breakspear were voiced
by Mr. Segar, who expressed regret at the absence of
Major Fuller.

After an excellent tea at the Swan, Bradford-on-Avon,
the society visited Farleigh Castle. Mr. George Lansdown,
J. P., who has taken a great interest in the question of
the restoration, acted as guide. He drew attention to
the great difference in the appearance of the gatehouse
and the Lady Tower from what it was in 19 14. The ivy,
which made the ruins so picturesque, had been pulled
down, and the old walls repointed. There had been great
controversy in regard to the way in which the work had
been undertaken by the Board of Works. Comparing it
with the untouched portion on the extreme right they
would notice that the gatehouse and wall adjoining had
been repointed, and the pointing came flush with the face
of the stone, and the feeling and texture and tone of the wall
had been changed. There was a sharp division between the
old and the restored. Mr. Peto, of Iford, and Mr. Lister, of
Westwood, were strongly of opinion that the work done was
unnecessary and the restoration had been carried out on too
drastic lines. It was absolutely necessary, however, for some-
thing to be done to secure the building ; it was for experts to
decide whether the work had been carried beyond preservation.

At the Domesday Survey the Manor belonged to Sir Roger

137

Courcelle, at whose death it reverted to the Crown and WilHam
Rufus granted it to Hugh de Montfort. Thf ' village was at
one time called Farleigh Montfort. In the reign of Edward
III., Sir Reginald de Montfort sold the manor to Bartholomew
lord Burghersh. In 1369 it was purchased by Sir Thomas
Hungerford. This Sir Thomas obtained a royal license to
convert the mansion of the Montforts into a castle by adding
four towers, a moat and two embattled gateways. In the
reign of Charles 11. , Sir Edward Hungerford sold the manor
to Henry Baynton of Spy Park, who with his wife, Lady
Ann Wilmot, resided there ; they appear to have been the last
occupants of the Castle.

On the front face of the gate house is one of the devices of
the Hungerford, a sickle, and above it their crest " out of a
ducal cor. a wheat garb or, between 2 sickles erect proper."
(Another coat of this family is " Sa, 2 bars argent, in chief
3 plates." This may be seen in the Manor house, Wellow, and
the Abbey Church House, Bath.) Passing through the gate-
way the outer or north court is entered, this was a paved court,
on the N. and W. sides were stables and on the E, that is to
the right on entering, is the Chapel. The inner or south court
contained the dwellings with hall, kitchen, etc., this court is
flanked by four round towers, between the two northern towers
a wall was carjied across, so dividing the two courts. The
walls of the towers were in some places 5 feet and in others
8 feet thick, the height of the towers being 60 feet. The Chapel
consists of a nave 56 feet by 19 g- feet and a chapel on the north
side 20 feet by 14 feet. The roof of oak is embossed with
sickles and the arms of the Hungerfords. The building is
entered by a porch at the W. end, then down some steps, nearly
at the foot of these and in the centre of the nave is a tomb of
one of the Chantry Priests, with an inscription in Latin, nearly
illegible, translated it reads " of the perpetual chantry founded
at the alter of the blessed Virgin Mary, by Walter Hungerford.
Lord Hungerford .... who died the 5th .... on whose
soul may God have mercy. Amen."

The tomb under the arch between the two chapels is that of
Sir Thomas Hungerford, the purchaser of Farleigh, who died
in 1398, and of his Lady Joan, who died in 1411-12, the
tomb next to this in the centre of the small chapel is that of
Sir Edward Hungerford, died 1648 and Margaret his wife,
died 1672. In the N.E. corner of this chapel is the monument
of Sir Edward Hungerford, died 1607. In the S.E. corner
of the larger chapel stands the monument of Sir Walter
Hungerford, died 1595, and of his son Edward, died 1585.

Under the smaller chapel is a vault reached from the outside.

138

containing some coffins with skeletons, supposed to be of the
Hungerford family.

Mr. Lansdown was heartily thanked by the Rev. F. C.
BayHss for his interesting information. Bath was reached at
7 o'clock.

YATTON, CHELVEY, BACKWELL and BARROW
GURNEY.
Monday, May 22ND, 1922.

The second excursion took place in ideal weather; three
motor coaches left Queen Square at 10-45 a.m., via Bristol
and Long Ashton.

The Rev. Fiddian E. Peart, the Vicar of Yatton, gave an
account of the Church of St. Mary. Speaking first of the very
beautiful south porch, he described it as some of the most
beautiful work in Enghsh Gothic, and one of the best specimens
of a porch — a drawing of it was placed on the back of the card
of membership of the Society of British Architects. He
pointed to the figure of the Father in the niche over the west
window, with the Crucified Saviour between his knees — the
only others he knew were at East Brent and Binegar. Other
exterior features are the truncated spire, and the interesting
north door. Inside, the vicar commented that Yatton Church
has one of the most beautiful naves in a county full of beautiful
churches. There was a church there before the Norman
Conquest, but of the older church practically nothing remained.
An early part of the church was the crossing of the lower part
of the tower, a very good specimen of tiiat strong Early English
architecture which grew gradually out of the Norman work.
The 13th Century lancet window over the chancel arch pro-
probably looked over the then roof of the nave. The original
church was cross form, a long nave, with two transepts and a
chancel. In the 13th Century they took down and rebuilt the
whole of the nave, and throughout the 15th Century the sound
of the chisel was never silent, pillars, arches, clerestory and
aisles were put up. It was clear by the curiously abrupt
termination of the St. John's Chapel that it was intended to
raise also the roof of the chancel, which had never been done.
— the vicar was warmly thanked by the Rev. F. C. Bayliss.

Luncheon was then partaken of at the Prince of Orange
Hotel.

The visit to Chelvey Court had added interest, because Mr.
St. David Kemeys-Tynte, a prominent member of the Society,

^39

acted as guide to the house of his ancestors. On the occasion
of a previous visit of the branch, ii years ago, Mr. Kemeys-
Tynte gave a detailed history of the manor, and on this
occasion confined himself to a few of the principal facts. (See
notes on former visit, 1911 Proceedings, pages 101-104.)

Mr. and Mrs. John Cottle, who are very proud of their old
home, showed the party round.

The vicar of Chelvey (the Rev. H. W. Humphreys), showing
the parish church of St. Bridget, said a small Norman church
existed upon that spot in 1140, and probably before, but that
date was fixed by the south door. The only parts remaining
were the south doorway, the north wall of the nave, not the
windows, and the font. The church was enlarged in the 13th
Century by the addition of the new chancel — the north window
was 13th Century — and again in the 15th Century there was
•extensive restoration ; the south walls of the nave and chancel
w^ere taken down and the south aisle or manorial chapel erected,
features of special interest are some pews, hundreds of years
old, hewn out of solid wood, an hour glass, and portion of a
fresco.

The fine old manor barn was admired — it is not a tithe barn
— for it is in excellent condition. Mr. Kemeys-Tynte, Mr. and
Mrs. Cottle and the Vicar were thanked by Mr. H. M. Ingham.

In the absence of the Rector, the Rev. S. Caudwell, Mr.
Gerald Grey read some notes on the church of St. Andrew's,
Backwell. (See notes on former visit, 1911 Proceedings,
pages 87, 88.)

After tea at the Angel Inn, Flax Bourton, the members
proceeded to Barrow Court, by permission of Mr. H. Martin
Gibbs, who, unfortunately was unable personally to act as
guide, was an unusual treat. There are few more picturesque
mansions in Somerset. It is a fine and imposing residence of
Elizabethan style and date, and the interior is a sheer delight
to lovers of the beautiful and artistic. The house occupies
the site of an ancient nunnery, said to have been founded by
Eva, granddaughter of Robert Fitz-Harding, who died in 1230.
The nunnery was dissolved in 1536, and their house was entirely
rebuilt or altered out of recognition. The manor passed
through a succession of owners to the Gore family, who
assumed the arms of Langton on the marriage of William
Gore, 12, 1783, with Bridget, daughter of Joseph Langton, of
Newton St. Loe. In 1856 Montague Gore sold the manor of
Barrow Gurney to J. Blagrave, who, in 1881, again sold it to
Mr. Anthony Gibbs, from whom it passed to Mr. Henry Martin
Gibbs, the present owner. In his hands the Court has been
wonderfully restored and added to.

140

Parts of the house are new, but carefully in keeping. The
former kitchen and scullery has been converted into a magnifi-
cent front hall and panelled dining room, the feature of which
is the great fireplace, and overmantel, and the exquisite carved
dividing screen which is said formerly to have carried an
ambulatory, with a way into the nuns' church — the doorway
in the wall of the church is clearly visible. The oldest portions
of the house are a beautiful oak parlour with a fine old ceiling,
and the upper storey, a series of exquisite bedrooms and
corridors, full of artistic treasures.

Next was seen the Church of St. Mary the Virgin and King
Edward the Martyr, the double dedication having been
adopted in consequence of the inclusion in one building of
the chapel of the Priory and the church of the parish. It
is a handsome, stately structure, beautifully ornamented,
having been practically rebuilt by Mr. Martin Gibbs. The
south, or court, aisle, stands upon the site of, and represents
what was anciently the chapel of the nuns. There are
several items of antiquarian interest, a tomb at the west
end composed of encaustic tiles, found on the site of the nave
or ante chapel of the nuns' church, a cracked mediaeval bell
of 15th Century date on the floor, which formerly hung in the
old tower, and some remains of the Norman work. Before
leaving the party wandered through the beautiful gardens,
noting particularly the yew hedges trimmed into a wondrous
castle design.

Mr. Kemeys-Tynte expressed the thanks of the Society to
Mr. Martin Gibbs for his kindness, and to the Rev. H. A.
Keates, vicar, who had shown them the church.

An enjoyable day was concluded, Bath being reached about
7 o'clock.

AMPNEY ST. MARY, FAIRFORD and QUENINGTON.
Thursday, June 15TH, 1922.

Three motor coaches started from Fountain Buildings at
9.45 a.m., in fine weather.

After a pleasant drive through Malmesbury and Cirencester,
the first stop was made at Ampney St. Mary, where the
Norman church was visited, by permission of the Rector, the
Rev. D. T.Jones. This charming little country church stands
alone in the fields near the main road. Externally a simple
building, and consisting only of a nave and chancel, it links
up the present with the 12th Century. A curious north door-

141

way, now blocked up, attracts first attention, for it possesses
a Norman tympanum or head stone with some fairly well
preserved carving, a double-headed serpent, a griffin and a
Hon, depicting probably the ever-present battle between
right and evil. The little south porch has a Norman blocked
up window, and these, together with the font, are the chief
indications of the early church. The walls and windows
appear from the masonary to be 13th Century work. The
west window is a fine example of flowing tracery, but has
settled and lost its shape somewhat. The chancel arch con-
tains a portion of the old moulded stone screen, with portions
of the priest's stalls facing east. The east window is a very
good example of a three-light window of the early 13th Century.
During the reparation, about 10 years ago, the colour wash was
removed from the walls and underneath were revealed some
frescoes of an interesting nature.

Proceeding to Fairford, luncheon was partaken of at the
Bull Hotel. Afterwards the members proceeded to the
Church of St. Mary and were welcomed by the Vicar, the
Rev. C. S. Jones, who is justly proud of his beautiful church,
and spared no trouble in pointing out its features. The church
was rebuilt in 1492. There was a much earlier church at
Fairford, of which there remains the base of the tower, in-
cluding the exterior up to the second string course, which
belongs chiefly to the 13th Century, though the columns and
arch in the south-western pier inside the church are perhaps
older still. The builder of the present church was John Tame,
a wool stapler from Cirencester, who came to live at Fairford,
and the glass was put in by his son. Sir Edmund Tame, though
probably in pursuance of his father's design. The date of the
windows is between 1493 and 1505, and the date is fixed, for
in 1520 Henry VHL went to Fairford to stay with Sir Edmund
Tame, who was one of his gentlemen, straight from the Field
of the Cloth of Gold.

There is internal evidence to show that the design must
have been by one artist, for all the windows are in relation to
each other, and part of a very good scheme. The Vicar him-
self having studied the glass at King's College, Cambridge, is of
opinion that the Fairford glass is the work of the same hand,
Bernard Flower. One or two of the ideas are identical, and
the wearing by our Lord in the walk to Calvary of an extra
weight in the shape of a spiked block, is found nowhere except
at Cambridge and Fairford. These windows are acclaimed
by one of the greatest authorities as " perhaps the best
specimens, and the greatest number existing in England of
the i6th Century ; they are valuable examples of the arrange-

142

merit and disposition of subjects in use at that time ; the
shadows are bold and deep, but perfectly transparent ; the
drawing of the draperies excellent, and the figures tolerably
correct." Van Dyck himself expressed the opinion that
" many of the figures were so exquisitely done that they could
not be exceeded by the best pencil."

The preservation of the glass is not so complete as could be
wished, though praiseworthy efforts have been made at various
times. Several of the faces were wilfully damaged in Puritan
times.; in the hurried removal at the period of the Civil Wars
much injury was done, and in the subsequent replacement
various figures and designs were fixed up together — in one
case the enamel side was fixed facing outwards, and suffered
from exposure to the weather. Much of this has been remedied
now. Further, the three windows of the fine west front were
greatly shattered and broken by a remarkable storm about
1703-4, and the upper portion is largely modern, though it
gives a very fine idea of how the original window appeared.

The unique interest of the windows, as indicated, lies in the
beauty of colouring, the pecuhar property of really old glass,,
the perfection of their drawing and execution, and the fact
that they are a complete scheme, not individual windows
added without reference to each other. Those on the north
side show the richer colouring, and are in the best state of
preservation, not being subject to the same degree of heat as
the south windows. They can be divided into two classes,
pictorial windows and figure windows. The latter include the
12 apostles, each surmounted by an article of the Apostles''
Creed, and opposite to them 12 prophets, not in chronological
order, but each with a prophecy corresponding to the article
of belief in the window opposite. There are four fathers of
the church, faced by four evangehsts, and in the south clerest-
ory are 12 saints of the church, answering to 12 persecutions
of the church in the north clerestory — it is probably the only
church with a window of Judas Iscariot. The remaining 12 of
the 28 windows are termed pictorial. They include the great
west triptych of the Last Judgment, the principal scenes in
the life of Our Lord, with the Assumption of the Blessed
Virgin and the Transfiguration, each of which forms the
central picture of the north and south chapels. The great
east window is divided by the transom into two halves. The
upper half contains the Crucifixion, which, unfortunately, is
irretrievably damaged ; on the lower is painted the story of
the Passion. The Vicar gave the explanation of each window,
and drew special attention to the magnificient triptych of
Judgment at the west end, the southern containing the

143

judgment of David upon the Amalekite — the judgment of
justice — the northern, the judgment of truth, and the central
the Last Judgment, the most splendid window in the church.

Among the church plate is a chalice of 1597, and a most
interesting mazer bowl of 1480. In the bowl is a crystal.
When a bargain was made the parties drank together out of
this bowl, and if there was anything wrong about the bargain,
the crystal was supposed to become misty.
' The faint traces of pictures on the wall were examined,
particularly one which the Vicar said he had recently found out
to be St. Edmund the King, with the instruments of torture
round his semi-nude figure — he was martyred — and on the
east side the emblems of the Passion. On another pillar he
had made out the pelican on its nest.

The very warm thanks of the Branch were extended to Mr.
Jones by the Rev. F. C. Bayliss.

Before tea the members travelled two miles further to
Quenington to see the Norman Church with its two grand
Norman doorways, each with a carved tympanum, two of the
finest examples to be seen; The Rector (the Rev. A. H. Squire),
acted as guide. Speaking of the magnificent north arch, he
remarked that guide books usually gave the subject of the
tympanum as the " Harrowing of Hell," but as there was a fish
in the carving, and he did not know of fish in hell, he disagreed.
In his opinion it depicted Revelations xx., " The sea gave up
the dead which were in it, and death and hell gave up the
dead which were in them." The idea was Christ reigning
and the devil bound for a thousand years — he was very clearly
bound. He drew attention to the Sun, representative of the
Father, which he believed was unique in England, because the
Almighty was never represented with a face, but in the centre
of this Sun was a face. He was told that there were two in-
stances on the continent. (A member of the party stated
that a similar sun with a face was also to be seen at Peter-
borough.) He also pointed out two stones like Runic stones
It had been thought these were Saxon stones put in, but as
they were part of the capital carved, probably the Saxon stone
was copied. The south tympanum depicts the Coronation of
the Virgin. A subject which was very rare at this early date
but exceedingly popular in later times. Here we observe
our Lord and the Virgin seated side by side on a raised throne
our Lord's right hand elevated, no doubt to signify that He
has just placed the crown on the head of the Blessed Virgin,
on either side is a large seraph with folded wings, and t
Evangelistic emblems — SS Matthew and Mark on the sinister,
and SS John and Luke on the dexter side. The hundred of

144

Quenington was held by Roger de Lace, who came over with
the Conquerer, and was given large tracts of land. It passed
later into the possession of the Templars.

Mr. Squire was thanked by the Rev. J. Byrchmore, a member
of the Council of the parent society.

A return was made to the Bull Hotel, Fairford, for tea, and
Mr. Gerald Grey was heartily thanked on behalf of the members
by Mr. H. M. Ingham for the success of his arrangements.
The return was made via Cirencester and Tetbury. Bath
being reached at 7.30.

SHERBORNE and TRENT.
Monday, July 17TH, 1922.

Some eighty members availed themselves of this excursion.
The weather was lovely, and the outward journey, which
starting from Queen Square at 9.45 a.m., was made via Rad-
stock. Downside and Castle Cary.

The historic buildings of Sherborne School, which adjoin the
fine old Abbey Church, were first visited, and the tour of
inspection was made under the efficient guidance of Mr. H. H.
Hudson, a member of the school staff. An interesting address
was given by Mr. Hudson in the schoolhouse dining hall, on
which site the original Sherborne School, believed to have
been founded in 705, was erected. The date of the present
building, Mr. Hudson explained, the third on that particular
site, was 1670. The Jacobean style of the hall and the fine
waggon roof having been pointed out, Mr. Hudson drew
attention to the painted stone figure of King Edward VL,
who refounded the school. The statue, he said, was made
in 1614 by a Godfrey Arnold, who received as recompense
:f 9 5s. 4d. They afterwards found items in the school accounts
such as " for washing of ye King — 6d."

The party were then shown the ancient Guesten Hall, which
is now the school hbrary. The hall, a fine example of 15th
Century work, was presented to the schools, with other build-
ings in 185 1 by Edward, Earl of Digby ; and from 1855 to
1879 it was used as a big schoolroom. The south window
was filled with stained glass in 1887 to commemorate the
Jubilee of Queen Victoria. Other interesting places visited
were the Chapel, formerly the Abbot's Hall, and the vaulted
undercroft of late Norman work, and the exterior of the old
Abbot's lodgings, one of the oldest parts of the school buildings
was noted.

Luncheon having been partaken of at the Half Moon Hotel,

PJioto] {Mr. P. E. Capes

Ampney St. Mary, Norman North Door Walled Up.

Photo] [Mr. Gerald Grey

"Chimera," Fairford Church.

Photo]

Fairford Church.

\J\Liss Rodman

[Mr. Gerald Grey

QUENINGTON TYMPANUM, NoRTH DoOR.

(Subject : " The Harrowing of Hell.")

1

[Mr. Gerald Grey

QUENINGTON TYMPANUM, SoUTH DoOR.

(Subject : " The Coronation of the Virgin.")

Photo] [Mr. P. E. Capes

Sherborne Abbey.

Photo] [Miss Rodinan

Sherborne Abbey, Norman South Door.

Photo-] ^ [Miss Rodman

Sherborne Castle, Main Entrance.

145

the old Almhouse was visited, which was refounded in 1437
by Hcense from King Henry VI. as a hospital of St. John the
Baptist and St. John the Evangehst. The older part of the
building was finished in 1448. The party was greatly interest-
ed in the picturesque little chapel, which is separated from the
ante-chapel by a very striking Perpendicular arch and oak
screen, above which is a gallery for the women. The quaint
old dining hall and the board room, which has a pretty oriel
window facing the Abbey, were also inspected.

Before entering Sherborne Abbey the members were cordially
welcomed by the Vicar, the Rev. Canon S. H. Wingfield Digby,
who remarked that just now they were intensely interested in
the restoration of the Lady Chapel. After the Dissolution
of the Monasteries, in the i6th Century, the chapel passed into
the possession of the Governors of Sherborne School, and was
turned into a domestic dwelling. They hoped to undo what
they considered was a disgraceful page in the history of
Sherborne — the turning of a religious building into a domestic
building- — and he called their particular attention to the
scheme which was being carried out in restoring the Lady
Chapei to its original consecrated use and purpose.

The members then inspected the Abbey, Mr. King, the
verger, acting as guide. Well versed in the history of the
ancient and beautiful edifice he explained the principal features
of interest in ' an admirable manner. The unusually fine
Perpendicular work and the mangificent fan-vaulting of the
nave and choir were greatly admired, and the members were
also much interested in the various shields and rebuses in the
nave. The numerous tombs and monuments in the church
were pointed out and inspected, including a brass in the
ambulatory marking the burial place of the Saxon kings,
Ethelbald and Ethelbert, together with other graves of great
antiquity and interest. The work of restoring the old Lady
Chapel was seen to be well advanced, and it was evident that
the greatest care is being exercised in retaining the various
architectural features as far as possible.

Through the kindness of the owner of Sherborne Castle,
Major F. J. B. Wingfield Digby, D.S.O., the members inspected
the old castle ruins. Mr. H. H. Hudson again officiated as
guide.

The castle like all other castles in England had little peace
and was the scene of fierce attacks of violence and scheming.
In 1597 the castle and manor was granted to Sir Walter Raleigh
" for ever," but as that gallant adventurer was indicted for
treason in 1603, he was not long possessed of his property,
During the Great Civil War the castle was twice besieged — once

B

146

in 1642 and once in 1645 with the result that it was taken by
Fairfax for the ParHament and eventually blown up by gun-
powder after the manner of Corfe Castle. Little remains of
the castle but the fine Norman gate-house, the walls of the
chapel and of the keep. Here are to be seen still immense
masses of masonary standing up like rugged crags on a lawn,
a Norman doorway, a Norman window, a great Norman pillar.
There are dingy, barrel-vaulted chambers, traces of sunken
passages, a wall marked by a beautiful interesting arcade,
and a turrel stair.

After tea, which was served in the Church Hall, a hearty vote
of thanks was accorded Mr. H. H. Hudson, on the motion of
Mr. Kemeys-Tynte, who attended Sherborne School as a boy.

Mr. Hudson said it had been a great pleasure to do what he
could to help them. He regretted that Mr. W. B. Wildman,
formerly a classical master at the school for many years, was
unable to meet them that day owing to the state of his health.

The excellent arrangements made by Mr. Gerald Grey, the
hon. excursion secretary, were also cordially acknowledged,
on the proposition of Mr. H. M. Ingham. In his response,
Mr. Grey thanked the house-master of Lyon house, Mr.
Trelawny Ross, for his kind help in connection with the day's
programme.

From Sherborne the members proceeded to the picturesque
hamlet of Trent, which has been transferred to Dorset from
Somerset. They were cordially received at Trent Manor by
Major-Gen. and Mrs. G. Drummond and inspected the charm-
ing house, which is a part of the old seat of the Wyndhams.
The members were greatly interested in seeing the secret hiding
place of King Charles II., after the Battle of Worcester, and
they also much enjoyed their inspection of the delightful
gardens. A hearty vote of thanks was passed to Major-Gen.
and Mrs. Drummond for their kindness on the proposition of
Mr. G. W. Duncan.

The last place to be visited was the particularly interesting
church of St. Andrew, Trent, where the special features were
pointed out by the Rector, the Rev. W. T. Roe. The finely-
carved screen, carving of the ancient benches, oak pulpit
(bought on the Continent by the Rev. W. H. Turner, a former
rector), monuments and stone effigies, all proved of great inter-
est, and the Rector said they were all very proud of their bells,
three out of five of which were mediaeval. In the name of
the members, Mr. H. Brydges-Barrett suitably thanked the
Rector.

The homeward journey, via Frome and Beckington, com-
menced at 6.30, and Bath was reached shortly before 9.

147

SHEPTON MALLET, EVERCREECH, DITCHEAT
AND EAST PENNARD.

Monday, September i8th, 1922.

Beautiful weather favoured this excursion and 70 members
started from Queen Square by motor coach.

The first call was Shepton Mallet, where the Rector (the
Rev. R. L. Jones), welcomed the Society. The parish church
of SS. Peter and Paul, he remarked, belonged to many periods
of architecture. Once upon a time there was a small Saxon
church, the place being a little country district, belonging to
Glastonbury. Then as Shepton, which had a market, grew,
they had to make the church grow, until in 1837, they again
wanted more room, but had only a little money and they made
it as large as they could for their money — thus a good deal of
the old was lost. He mentioned as an unfortunate instance
of vandalising restoration that a two storied treasure chamber
was taken out for the insertion of the organ and was only
visible externally and the bulk of the old papers of the church
thrown away. A noticeable feature was the very large arcades
of the nave (17ft.), of Transitional Norman. They were
wider than the arcades of Wells and larger than the width of
the church's nave, which was 14ft. 5in. They were, it was
believed, inserted in the wall of the Saxon church, which would
account for the unfinished appearance of the pillars. Origin-
ally there were two arcades, the westernmost being added
later, that would give the church very nearly the size of the
Saxon church at Bradford-on-Avon and exactly the size of the
Durham church. Then the church was lengthened, the third
arcade added and the chancel arch inserted in the old walls.
The south side of the choir was as originally made. The
tower, which was built in the 14th Century, had a very un-
finished appearance with the beginning of a spire, which was
either not completed or taken down because unsafe — in this
connection, Dugdale alludes to the fine spire. The old church
had no clerestory, as was seen by the tower arch. Mr. Jones
also drew attention to the Norman font, quite round and plain,
and the wagon head and carved pannelled roof, one of the
finest of its kind. There were 350 panels, all different. The
registers contained an entry which he thought was unique,
the curate in 1790 officiated at his own wedding, married
himself.

The visitors were then shown by Mr. Jones the old market
cross dating from 1500, the remains of the Shambles and
some interesting old houses, including that at which Monmouth

148

stayed (now the Co-op. bakery), and a visit was paid to the
httle museum to see an interesting geological collection given
by Mr. John PhilHs. The late curator, Mr. Halstead, said the
collection varied from the Silurian down almost to the Bath
OoHte strata, all the specimens being local. Shepton was
nearly as old as Bath. It was on the Fosse Way, and Roman
remains were found pointing to a villa or station. The founda-
tions were found but no superstructure. Roman coins were in
that collection from early date down to almost the end of
Roman occupation. Many of the finds were made at the
widening of the railway to Bath.

The Rector, the curator and Mr. Halstead were thanked by
Mr. Grey.

After luncheon at the Hare and Hounds Hotel the members
proceeded to Evercreech and visited the Church of St. Peter.
The Rector of Bathwick (the Rev. H. Foley Napier), kindly
acted as guide. He said the 15th Century was a prolific age for
church building and the way in which they did it as a rule
was to pull down everything that had been built before, or a
great deal of it, and put in its place very beautiful little fanes
with lofty clerestories, supported by light arcading and
flanked by two aisles, large windows for rich glazing, open
timber roofs enriched with carving and magnificent western
towers, a feature of Somerset churches. All these features
were evident in Evercreech, but the glory of its building was
its tower, beautifully tapering and enriched by crown pinnacles
with groups of smaller ones. Its long panelled top windows
suggested the same builder as Batcombe and showed a great
similarity to Wrington. Its height to the top of the pinnacles
was 90ft. ; it looked higher owing to its tapering, but Wrington
was a few feet higher. The chancel which was untouched
at the 15th Century rebuilding was 14th Century and obviously
belonged to a much smaller building. The tower arch, a bold
composition, was worthy of notice and the west gallery contained
portions of the rood screen. The south aisle was built in 1843,
before which there was a smaller aisle called the Park aisle.

Evercreech Park was one of the residences of the Bishops
of Bath and Wells and became the residence of Lord Hopton.

At Ditcheat the members were received by the Rector (the
Rev. H. H. Tripp), and the patron (Gen. Leir Carleton), the
latter explaining the features of the building. The church of
St. Mary Magdalen is cruciform ; the central tower of which
the lower portion is late 12th Century is the oldest portion.
The chancel was rebuilt in the 13th Century and its windows
are beautiful specimens of geometrical tracery, said to resemble
closely those of Tintern. The transepts were rebuilt in the

49

latter part of the 15th Century, when also the tower was carried
a stage higher. The low and heavy arches of the central
tower were left, but the restorers connected the new transepts
with chancel by two large squints reaching down to the floor.
At the same time the walls of the 13th Century chancel were
raised and clerestory windows inserted. Attention was also
directed to the ancient piscina brought to the church and the
fine fiat oak roof and boldly carved angel corbels.

Gen. Leir Carleton then took the members to see his house,
the Priory, and its dehghtful grounds. Ditcheat, he said, was
given to the Abbey of Glastonbury as early as 851. On the
dissolution of the monastry it was sold by the Crown to Rafe
Hopton, knight marshal to Henry VII. for jfi,i22. He
resided at the Priory while he built the manor house near the
church and also built Evercreech Park. Mr. Richard Leir, of
Charlton Musgrave, bought the quarters of the property and
the advowson and presented his grandson in 1699. This was
the oldest family in England holding a rectorial manor ; for
over 200 years a Leir had been rector of the parish. The
Priory was built by John Gunthorpe, rector of the parish, Dean
of Wells and holder of other livings and appointments.

The house, a charming specimen full of old furniture, oak
panelling and historical paintings was then shown to the
visitors and Mr. M. St. David Kemeys-Tynte thanked the
General.

East Pennard, the home of the Napier family, was completely
new ground for the Branch and here the Rector of Bathwick,
with his intimate local knowledge, was a valued guide. Pen-
geard Minster, he said, was the name given to the manor of
East Pennard, when in 950, King Edred gave it to Aelfgitha,
a nun, who in turn gave it to Glastonbury Abbey. The name
was of interest as it pointed to the fact that there was already
a church there of some importance in the days of St. Dunstan.
It might have been one of those minsters, such as Pitminster,
Stourminster and Warminster, founded by St. Adhelm, who
died in the neighbouring parish of Doulting in 709. The name
" minster " might indicate a permanent settlement of a priest
as compared with a mission station. Of the original Saxon
church there were no traces. Of its Norman successor, how-
ever, they had a priceless remnant in the beautiful Norman
font which would seem to be of late Norman or Transitional
period. It had been thought, moreover, that the rough
bases seen below the dressed stone bases of the nave piers might
have formed parts of the wall of the Norman church which
would probably consist of a nave only. The advowson along
with that of St. John's, Glastonbury, was made over by

Bishop Saverie, 1 192-1206 to the Sacristan of Glastonbury
Abbey in about 1200 to faciUtate its restoration after the
disastrous fire in 11 85. The present church, dedicated to All
Saints', was entirely a 15th Century building, excepting, per-
haps, the tower whose simple arch andrewal staircase suggested
an earher date, but its upper lights were Perpendicular in
character and co-eval with the rest of the church. The tower
was out of centre with the rest of the church which might in-
dicate that it belonged to a smaller or narrower building. The
timber roof, also of the 15 th Century, was supported on
angelic corbels, two of which bore musical instruments. The
bosses were fine examples of floral carving. It had been
pointed out that one boss represented a fern of a rare character,
but which was to be found in the gully immediately below the
church. The eastern bay of the nave roof had been richly
coloured, honouring the Holy Rood, and in the apex above
the Rood a fresco of censing angels (both restored by the
speaker) . There were still a few fragments of the old glass in
the east window which had fine canopy work. The piscina,
which was 15th Century, had had its bowl restored (also by
the speaker). The south porch which was contemporary
with the building had still its slots for " sporting the oak "
and a Holy Water stoop. There was a scratch dial on the
south wall near the porch. The registers were continuous
since 1608 and included a book kept by the civil registrar
chosen by the parishioners under the 1653 Act. In 1760 a
whirligig and stocks were erected in the churchj^ard for the
encouragement of good behaviour. Both instruments of
torture had disappeared, but the hinges of the shutter placed
across the North aisle, when they used to play fives, still re-
mained. Thus while the sorrows of East Pennard had past
into obhvion, the memory of its joys remained. Might it
so always be.

Also present were the Rector (the Rev. R. Luxton) and Mr.
Berkeley Napier of Pennard House. The Rector of Bathwick
was warmly thanked by Mr. Grey.

A return to Shepton Mallet was made for tea. Bath being
reached at 7 o'clock.

KEYNSHAM and BRISTOL.

Tuesday, October 17TH, 1922.

Leaving Queen Square at 10.45 a.m., in two motor coaches,
the members first visited the Roman villa excavations at
Keynsham Cemetery. Dr. Arthur Bulleid, F.S.A., gave an

interesting account of the excavation work, and at the close
of his address was thanked on behalf of the members by the
Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn. .

The examination of the Roman villa in Keynsham cemetery
was begun on September iith, but after four weeks work it
was found necessary to discontinue the excavations owing to
bad weather and the lateness of the season. The Committee
hope, however, to re-open the work in May or June next year.
Although during the past 40 years a large part of the villa
has been destroyed m digging graves, the recent excavations
have shewn there is a considerable portion of it still remaining.
We are unable as yet to say what was the plan of the villa or
the extent of ground approximately covered by the buildings,
but as the excavations have disclosed the foundations of a
corridor 200 feet in length, we may safely conclude that it
was a dwelling of considerable importance. As the villa was
built on sloping ground it was necessary, in order to attain the
required levels in the corridor, to have two flights of steps.
Arranged along the north side of the corridor was a series of
living rooms, one of which with its tessellated pavement hes
beneath the modern Cemetery Chapel. The lower or eastern
half of the corridor was paved with stone slabs, and the upper
or western part with tesserae. Although the tessellated pave-
ments are much mutilated, enough remains to show the chief
design was a series of panels of the Guilloche pattern in red,
white and blue tesserae.

At the west end of the corridor there are two important
rooms, one of which has an apsidal end. These rooms together
with their respective pavements await examination next year.
Other foundations lying to the south of the corridor when
traced may disclose the sites of more rooms and passages.

Amongst the things already discovered are numerous stone
roofing tiles, hypocaust flue tiles, the stones of two round
headed arches, pieces of carved stone belonging to a cornice,
and fragments of coloured wall plaster. The smaller objects
include, 16 Roman coins of 3rd or early 4th Century date, parts
of two crucibles, one half of a small clay mould for casting
a pendant or ornament, a complete bone pin, and portions of
two others, part of a bronze bracelet, and a quantity of pottery
in fragments.

The Church of St. Peter's, Bristol, was next visited. Mr.
C. E. Boucher, one of the churchwardens, kindly acted as
guide. St. Peter's claims to be the mother church of Bristol
and is said to have been built prior to the Conquest. The only
part remaining of the original building is the base of the tower,
a massive piece of masonry — the walls of the belfry are said

to be more than six feet in thickness. It formerly stood with-
out the church. The first rehable record of the church is
dated 1106, when the church was granted by Robert Fitz-
hamon, said to have been its builder, to the Abbey of Tewkes-
bury. The church was rebuilt after the Black Death, and
owing to the proximity of the castle and north aisle was very
narrow, with a lean-to roof. The original chancel was longer
than the present one, extending 40 feet beyond, the space being
now occupied by houses, under which are many graves and
vaults. Attached to the chancel in 1326 stood a barbican,
or outer defence, to one of the Castle gates, through which
Edward IL escaped to Berkeley Castle where he was afterwards
put to death. The extension of the church, owing to these re-
strictions, had to be on the south side. The present church
consists of nave, side aisles, and chancel ; the pillars on either
side of the nave are graceful columns of the 15th Century.
Where the vestry now stands was originally a chapel to St.
Catherine, and at the east end of the south aisle there was
formerly a chantry dedicated in honour of the Blessed Mary
of Bell-house (the fraternity is supposed to have been a guild
or company of ringers). In the south aisle is a nicely orna-
mental tomb, erected to the memory of Richard Aldworth,
who lived in the picturesque EHzabethian mansion, now
known as St. Peter's Hospital (visited by the Society last year).
There are other interesting tombs and brasses, and a piece of
old armour hangs on the wall. In the churchyard lie the
remains of Richard Savage, the poet, who died a debtor in
Newgate prison. The churchwardens' staves of Queen Anne
period were found in a fine state of preservation on the top of
a tomb, and a treasured relic is a box of white wood bound with
iron with a lock with three keys, all different, variously
described as a pre-Reformation pyx or Host box, and as a
receptacle for the church seal, which is unusual, the only other
like it being at Bakewell Church, Derbyshire.

Mr. Boucher was warmly thanked by Dr. Fosbery.

After luncheon at Stuckey's Restaurant, the Archdeacon of
Bristol (the Ven. C. H. Dickinson), vicar, met the members
at All Saints' Church. (See notes on former visit, 1912 Pro-
ceedings, pages 164-5.)

The Rev. D. Lee Pitcairn expressed the thanks of the
members to the Ven. Archdeacon.

St. John's Church was next visited. Mr. H. C. M. Hirst,
who is a great authority on the church, acted as guide. (See
notes on former visit, 1912 Proceedings, pages 167-8. Mr.
Gerald Grey thanked Mr. Hirst for this informative address.

The day was concluded with a walk, under the guidance of

153

Mr. J. J. Simpson, who has before assisted the Society. He
showed them first the St. John's conduit, one of the many in
Bristol, the water for which was found by the Carmehte Friars,
on Brandon Hill, and is brought by pipe, and the Merchant
Taylors' Hall, in Broad street, with its fine doorway. Then
they walked round the inside of the old city walls to St.
Nicholas Church, and inspected the exteriors of the very
interesting old houses in Queen Square, and the Seamen's
Almshouses in King Street.

Afterwards the members returned to Stuckey's Restaurant
for tea, Bath being reached at 6 o'clock.

154

MEETING AT THE ROMAN BATHS.

MR. A. J. TAYLOR, F.S.Arc.

By special request of several members who wished to visit
the Roman Baths under expert guidance, Mr. Thos. S. Bush
arranged a meeting there on Saturday, March iith, at 11.30.
About 90 members were present.

Mr. A. J. Taylor, Baths architect, kindly acted as guide.
He first gave a sketch of the history of the Baths from the
earliest period and then took the party round, explaining in
detail the various points of interest.

Before separating, Colonel Mainwaring voiced the thanks
of all present to Mr. Taylor for his lucid explanation of the
various and important details.

The following notes are extracts from Mr. Taylor's pamphlet
on the Baths'^ : —

About the middle of 1755 the old Priory or mediaeval
Abbey, which stood at the south-western corner of the existing
Abbey, was pulled down to give place to a suite of baths for
the Duke of Kingston. In removing the foundations, a
number of stone cofhns were found, and, on sinking further,
the hot mineral water gushed forth and interrupted the work.
The site being drained, Roman masonry was disclosed, and
subsequently a number of baths and sudatories. That there
lay buried still further remains of what must have been an
extensive Roman bathing system, indications were unmis-
takable. The rectangular bath, now commonly known as
the Lucas bath, was uncovered, and at either end of it a semi-
circular deep bath, entered by seven steps. The sudatories
lay on the eastern side, together with a number of square
baths and other apartments which apparently bathers used
preparatory to entering the hot chambers. Some of these
rooms were paved with flag stones, others were beautifully
treated with various coloured tesserae.

Though these were the earhest recorded discoveries
actually connecting the hot springs with a Roman system
of baths, there were important finds at a still earher part of
the Eighteenth Century, which later knowledge showed to
have belonged to the south western part of the Roman

* Notes on a previous visit to the Baths will be found in the
Proceedings, 191 7, page 222.

155

establishments. The most noteworthy of these was the
remarkably preserved bronze head, probably the finest
specimen of its kind found in Britain. Other discoveries of
importance occurred in 1790, in digging for the foundations of
the present Pump Room. These discoveries, so far westward
from those made in the middle of the century, removed ideas
which had hitherto been shadowed by uncertainty to the region
of established fact. Evidence was now absolutely conclusive
that not only must the baths and adjoining buildings have
been of great extent and importance, but, in some instances,
of considerable splendour. Of the discoveries at this period
the most noteworthy were the remains of what was
obviously the pediment of a Roman temple. No mere un-
recognisable, meaningless fragments, but so far perfect as to
enable the pediment to be restored, if not with absolute
certainty, at any rate to such a degree as to strikingly illus-
trate the character of the building which it originally adorned.
Its most impressive feature, the central head, remains in an
■almost perfect state of preservation. It is a figure of extra-
ordinary power, and for its wonderful vigour and almost
barbaric intensity of expression is claimed to be one of the
most remarkable monuments erected in any Roman province.

It was the year 1878 that marked the most important
epoch in the re-discovery of the baths. Engineering works
were at that time undertaken to remedy a leakage from the
principal spring, and it was discovered that from this
leakage the Kingston Baths, then in private hands, derived
the whole of their supply. Interruptions ensued, but the
Corporation enforced their rights in respect to the water
escaping from the King's spring, and the draining of the
•site and other necessary works proceeded.

About the time that the great rectangular bath was opened
up (1878-80), portions of the culvert of the outfall drain were
discovered. This culvert proved to be of notable size and of
fine workmanship, large enough to admit of a person standing
in it erect. In 1883-4 the hypocaust on the western side of the
circular bath was disclosed ; in 1885 the circular bath itself
in 1885-6 the latrines and circular hypocaust, and in 1887
the bath beneath the basement of the modern baths (west of
the circular bath) were in succession explored. Subsequently
in 1896, still further west, another rectangular bath was
excavated under Stall Street.

From the stones and altars dug up from time to time (one
stone bears reference to a definite date, a.d. 77-8), and the
characteristics of a few of the sculptured remains, some
vigorous occupation of Bath can be ascribed, with tolerable
accuracy, to the last 30 or 40 years of the first century.

156

A culvert which was the outlet from the Roman reservoir
was further explored in 1894, with the result that about 15
feet east from the wall of the reservoir a number of stone steps
down to a sort of trough were disclosed, leading to the behef
that the Romans used the spot as a dipping place. This
belief is strengthened by the discovery of two metal flagons,
a drinking cup and a number of personal ornaments. In the
following year there was excavated still further eastward the
wooden duct in which the numerous intaglios now in the
Grand Pump Room were found. The clearing of this duct,
which was traced to a distance of 150 yards or more, marked
practically the close of activity, though it was then apparent
that much interesting ground remained unexplored.

In spite of the havoc wrought by the builders of widely
different periods, the remains of the system of baths which
the Romans here built are to us to-day a profound reality.
The symmetry of their first construction still remains almost
unimpaired. The baths are filled from the same apparently
inexhaustible source, drained by the culverts of the ancient
use. The pavements surrounding them (14 feet wide in the
case of^the largest bath) though worn and uneven, afford prom-
enade for the twentieth century sightseer. The floors are still
covered with the sheets of lead, 40 lbs. to the foot, obtained
by their original builders from the Roman mines in the Mendips.
The steps to the larger baths are istill practically intact.
The recesses in which the bathers lounged, the diving stone
from which they plunged into the thermal waters, can still
be seen.

156

A culvert which was the outlet from the Roman reservoir
was further explored in 1894, with the result that about 15
feet east from the wall of the reservoir a number of stone steps
down to a sort of trough were disclosed, leading to the belief
that the Romans used the spot as a dipping place. This
belief is strengthened by the discovery of two metal flagons,
a drinking cup and a number of personal ornaments. In the
following year there was excavated still further eastward the
wooden duct in which the numerous intaglios now in the
Grand Pump Room were found. The clearing of this duct,
which was traced to a distance of 150 yards or more, marked
practically the close of activity, though it was then apparent
that much interesting ground remained unexplored.

In spite of the havoc wrought by the builders of widely
different periods, the remains of the system of baths which
the Romans here built are to us to-day a profound reality.
The symmetry of their first construction still remains almost
unimpaired. The baths are filled from the same apparently
inexhaustible source, drained by the culverts of the ancient
use. The pavements surrounding them (14 feet wide in the
case of^the largest bath) though worn and uneven, afford prom-
enade for the twentieth century sightseer= The floors are still
covered with the sheets of lead, 40 lbs. to the foot, obtained
by their original builders from the Roman mines in the Mendips.
The steps to the larger baths are Tstill practically mtact.
The recesses in which the bathers lounged, the diving stone
from which they plunged into the thermal waters, can still
be seen^

157

LECTURES, 1922.

FARLEIGH CASTLE.
Mr. George Lansdown.

The first lecture of the year was given by Mr. George
Lansdown at the Literary and Scientific Institution on
Saturday, January 28th, at 3 o'clock. The subject, Farleigh
Castle, was well illustrated by lantern slides. Mr. Edward
Segar was in the Chair.

Mr. Lansdown spoke on " Farleigh Castle and the Hunger-
fords." He had been acquainted with Farleigh Castle during
the whole of his life, he said, and had visited it many times a
year. At this particular time it was of more interest than
usual because various works were being carried out by a
Government department, which seemed destined to rob Far-
leigh Castle of much of its beauty. (Hear, hear). He held
the view that the works now being carried out were works of
restoration — but not of preservation — and he felt that a castle
of such age should be preserved carefully by those who knewn
its special peculiarities. His first picture was a copy of an
old engraving of the castle, the frontispiece of a book written
by Canon Jackson, and he spoke of the Hungerford family,
which for three centuries " lorded it " over the immediate
neighbourhood.

He referred to Sir Thomas Hungerford, who held (for a
short time) the position of first Speaker of the House of Com-
mons, and passed to a survey of the obtaining of a Royal
license to convert de Montfort's house at Farleigh into a castle.
A plan of the castle was shown, to indicate how strongly
fortified the place became after the Hungerford family took
possession, and the description given to the place in Leland's
survey was quoted. The lecturer was also able to show his
audience the only existent portrait (as far as he was aware) of
Sir Thomas Hungerford. Pictures were shown of the fine
old gateway as it was, and of the ancient chapel, both exterior
and interior. The interior showed the miscellaneous collection
of armour, much of which had since been removed. The
ancient fresco, representing St. George and the Dragon, which
has almost disappeared, was shown, and the pictures and
description of the fine Jacobean pulpit — a very well preserved
piece of work — proved highly interesting. The remarkably
fine tomb, erected to the memory of Sir Edward and Lady

158

Hungerford, was described as being among the finest of the
period. Lady Margaret Hungerford not only erected the
tomb, but also embellished the chapel with family shields.
Having seen pictures of the other tombs, and a memorial
brass, the company was shown fine photographs of the crypt,
with the remains of members of the family encased in lead.

Mr. Lansdown showed pictures of the Lady Tower, and
recalled the tragic tales of old times which led to the belief that
the tower was haunted. The West tower was shown as being
now only a shell, and of this tower also the lecturer had a
story to recount. From the castle, the " new " church, built
in the reign of Henry VI., and dedicated to St. Leonard, was
visited. He was able to show strong contrasts between the
previous condition of Farleigh Castle and its present state,
and observed that the pity of " restoring " the buildings was
that one lost the idea of rich, mellow age, for the filling in of
crevices with gravel and cement, made the buildings look as
though quite new, and destroyed that soft colouring and
eloquent shadow which gave some indication of the true
antiquity of their construction.

At the close Mr. Segar voiced the thanks of those present to
Mr. Lansdown for his interesting lecture.

MANORIAL DOVECOTES AND FISHPONDS AND
EXCAVATIONS OF ROMAN VILLA, KEYNSHAM.

Rev. Ethelbert Horne.

There was a full attendance at the Literary Institution
on Tuesday, December 5th, at 3 o'clock, to hear a lecture
on the above by the Rev. Ethelbert Horne, which was illus-
trated by about 30 excellent slides and a few slides showing the
excavations of the Roman Villa at Keynsham. Major-General
Bradshaw was in the Chair.

Manorial Dovecotes and Fishponds.

The Lord of the Manor was an important person all through
the Middle Ages, and beyond. At the present day he still
enjoys many rights and privileges. Although the powers
and possessions of this great man were the same everywhere,
in the main, yet in places he seems to have had special privi-
leges, which were outside those common to manors generally.
Among the powers he possessed, and which seems to have been
universal, was the right to have a Dovecote. It certainly

159

sounds a peaceable possession — what more harmless than a
dove ? Unfortunately, however, the things he kept in his
dovehouse were not doves but pigeons, which is a very different
kind of bird, and one endowed with a voracious appetite.
We must picture to ourselves then, the Lord of the Manor,
having his dovecote inhabited by anything between five and
eight hundred pairs of ever-hungry pigeons, who lived, not on
food with which he supplied them, but with what they could
pick up for themselves from the farms and gardens of the
surrounding countryside. We are told, on what seems to be
good authority, that one of the contributory causes of the
great French Revolution was the destruction done by hordes
of pigeons to the crops. The birds were kept by the great
landowners, against whom the sufferers could obtain no redress.
The farmers complained that they sometimes planted their
fields as many as three times over, and each time flocks of
pigeons came down on the land and pulled out the seed as
fast as it was planted. Like complaints were made in this
country, too. Bishop Hooper, writing in 1549, ^^Y^ '• " Such
as hath great forests or parks of deer or conies, that pasture
and feed upon their neighbours' ground, or columbaries, whereat
doves assemble and haunt, and feed of the poor's corn." When
Hooper speaks of the poor's corn," he does not only mean the
farmer, but probably those who had cultivated small patches
of the common -land, to whom the loss would be much worse.
Any attempt to act drastically with these ravenous pigeons
was dealt with most savagely, for the birds must not be
destroyed, no matter how much damage they did. One
remedy and one only, the farmer had against these marauders,
and that was to employ boys to scare them. Bird " keeping,"
or " scaring " or " starving," was a regular employment for
boys in days when there was no School Attendance Officer.
The boys were provided with wooden rattles which they swung
round and round, or with a clapper made of two small pieces
of board loosely bound together with a leather thong. They
accompanied this noise with one they made by singing a cease-
less refrain in a high voice, and the words they used and the
tune they sang are among the oldest of our country sounds.
However interesting and even artistic some of the dovecotes
may be, they do not represent one of the happiest sides of our
rural life.

The manorial fishponds are on quite another footing. While
no one but the Lord oj the Manor might possess a dovecote,
it seems probable, at least in places, that the right to a fish-
pond was not confined to him. Religious houses frequently
had them, and they niay be found in other places to which

i6o

Manorial rights did not extend. Fishponds did no harm to
the surrounding country, and at places far inland they were
certainly a re at benefit to the inhabitants.

Dovecotes were built in two forms, either round or square.
On account of the absence of those architectural details which
help us to fix the date of more pretentious buildings, these
dovecotes are, as a rule, very difficult to date. Hence it
is not easy to say whether the round or the square form is
the older in this country. Both the dovecotes at Pilton
Manor House, and Ivythorn Manor, near Street, are rectangular
and both belonged to Glastonbury, so that they were built
probably late in the 15th century. On the other hand, the square
specimen at Kelston is considerably later, and may be early
17th century. A round dovecote, like the one at West
Bower, in the parish of Durleigh, built entirely of " cobb,"
may perhaps be older than either of the Glastonbury examples
named above, but so vague are the indications to be gathered
from the style, that any rigid fixing of dates is best avoided.
We know that dovecotes have been in use from a very early
age, and some parts of the country have buildings said to go
back to Norman and even pre-Norman times. Palladius,
who lived and wrote about the time of Theodosius, in the
4th century, composed a book in verse on Husbondrie. It was
translated about 1420 by a monk of Colchester. He gives
quaint directions for building a dovecote and for feeding the
birds. One of the things to be guarded against was attack
from rats and weasels. Palladius says : —

" Yit for the wesel use another charme.
Some of the rope wherewith hath strangled be
Some men, pray I God lette it [be] never the,
Hang part of that in every fenestell.
And this wol from the wesel wite him well."

Plenty of evidence could be gathered from wills all through
the Middle Ages, showing that dovecotes were in use and part
of a man's ordinary possessions. John Baret, of Bury St.
Edmunds, in 1463, says in his will : . . . . " also I geve and
be qwethe to Willam Baret .... the gardynes, berne, and
duffous that I purchased thereto "

The arrangement of these dovecotes was much the same
whether they were round or square. On the outside was one
small door, and sometimes a second as well, fixed to the inner
face of the wall. This would enable a person to enter or leave
at such time as the birds were shut into the house, without
their escaping. There was usually some means of ventilation,
either by a window or by dormers in the roof — the latter

[Father Home

Dovecote, Widcombe Manor.

i6r

was common in the circular form. On the apex of the roof
was the covered opening by which the birds flew. It was
called the glover, which must be a corruption of louver, or
lover, a word variously pronounced in different parts of the
country— in some dialects getting into " luffer." This^
opening could be closed from the inside with a trap-door,
pulled into place with a cord. The whole of the interior of
the dovehouse was occupied with nest-holes. These ran round
the building in rows, one above the other. As a rule these
holes were the shape of the letter L, so that the birds could
turn round in them without breaking their tails. Between
every three or five tiers of nests is a projecting ledge of stone,
which served for the birds to alight on, but in a few dovecotes
this arrangement is absent.

It will be seen that in some of the larger dovecotes there
was accommodation for more than a thousand birds, and the
question will naturally arise— for what purposes were such
large quantities needed ? It must be remembered that until
the farmer had found out how to feed his stock on what he
called " roots," he was unable to keep many animals through
the winter. Only those known as " stores," whether cattle,
sheep or pigs, were saved— except, perhaps, a few cows for
milk — and everything else was slaughtered and salted down
at the beginning of winter. Hence throughout the winter
months the only meat to be had was salt meat. Anything
that would compensate for this was most desirable, and as a
consequence these large flocks of pigeons were kept to supply
the want. The dovehouse was entered by a man with a short-
handled net, and both the entrance door and the trap-door
below the glover being closed, he swept his net about among
the flying pigeons until he had secured enough. We can under-
stand the full value of the expression " a flutter in the dove-
cote " when we think of seven or eight hundred scared and
dazed pigeons flying in the confined space of the inside of
their house as the net swept about among them. If something
more delicate than a grown-up bird was wanted, the ladder
that revolved on a pole in the centre of the building, could
be mounted, and sufficient young ones taken from the nests to
make " squab pies."

Very little seems to be known about the use or management
of manorial fishponds. In days when the transport of fresh
fish from the sea to distant places inland was an impossibility,
a supply of fresh-water fish was a necessity. Abstinence from
flesh meat in Lent, on Fridays, and at certain other times, was
of strict ecclesiastical precept for everyone, and the civil law
supported the church law by making it an offence to sell meat
c

l62

at such seasons. Hence a substitute had to be found, and fish
was regarded as the most useful one. Whether the lord of
the manor kept all his fish for his own use, or whether, as
seems hkely, he was bound to supply his tenants as well, it
is difficult to know for certain, as records are scanty and not
very clear. One thing we may gather from old cookery
books is, that care was taken to make the fish from these
ponds palatable. They were caught alive by being washed
down to the end of the lowest pond, when a sluice was raised,
and then kept in tanks of clean water for some days so that
they might get rid of the mud of their pond. Here they were
fed and fattened until they were wanted for the table. Nearly
all the fishponds in Somerset are destroyed, and in a few
years' time scarcely any will be left. An imperfect and very
partial list is given after the Hst of Dovecots.

Dovecotes in the County.

Kelston. — In the farmyard to W. of parish church. It is
about 25 feet square. Contains 890 nest-holes, v/hich is
probably the largest number in any dovecote in Somerset.
On the outside is a heavy string-course, designed to prevent
rats climbing the walls. The trap-door under the " glover "
or exit-hole is in place. The building is in excellent condition.

Widcombe. — In the grounds of the fine Manor House.
Probably built about the same date as the house, and in the
same style. It is octagonal, and three stories high. Only the
top story contains nest-holes, and these number 153. On the
outside of the building are 132 nest-holes. This is the only
dovecote in which outside nesting places have been seen.

There are fishponds in the valley below the Manor House.

Southstoke. — In the tithe-barn at the Manor Farm. The
nest-holes are evidently a later addition to the barn, and hence
this is not a separate building set apart for pigeons, but
merely an adaptation of an existing one.

Wellow. — At the back of the fine old house, once the
property of the Hungerfords, and now called the Manor
Farm. This dovecot, which is circular in shape, is 20 feet
in internal diameter. It contains 600 nest-holes, which are
L-shaped. The exit-hole has been thatched over and the old
cover removed.

HiNTON Charterhouse.- — In the upper story of the ruins
of that part of the Abbey, called the Chapter House. A
lining of nest-holes has been put into two rooms, one above
the other. It was probably done at the time the present
dwelling-house was built on the spot where the monastery
had stood.

i63

Norton St. Philip.— In the yard of the Manor Farm.
Rectangular in shape, being 27 feet in length and 19 in width.
It contains about 658 nest-holes. There is a round-headed
window in the E. gable, which may have been the exit-hole,
or there may have been the usual place in the former roof.
The present one is new. The place is used as a pig-stye,
and has been much spoilt.

. CoMPTON Martin. — In the roof of the parish church, over
the chancel. There are several examples of dovecotes in
church towers in different parts of England. This is the only
one discovered in a church in this county, so far, but there
may be others. Nest-holes may be found inside church
towers, in the upper storey above the bells, and not infre-
quently each hole has been filled in, so that such dovecotes
easily escape observation.

PiLTON. — At the back of the Manor House, once the
property of the Abbots of Glastonbury, is a square-shaped
dovecote, 18 by 16 feet. It has been much repaired, and has
been put to so many uses that the interior is somewhat
destroyed. There were probably as many as 650 nest-holes
in it originally, exceptionally large, and L-shaped. The exit
may have been by way of the small door high up in the N. wall,
or it may have been in the old roof. The present roof appears
to be new.

Street. — Another Manor belonging to Glastonbury, known
as Ivythorn, has a rectangular dovecote, 26 feet in length
and about 16 in width. It has been converted into a coach-
house, and a floor made through the middle of it. Large
doors, to fit it for this purpose, have been inserted at the N.
end, the original small door remaining at the S. The nest-
holes, which are very large, are well made. It is difficult
from the changes that have taken place to say how the exit
was originally arranged.

Shapwick. — In the garden of the Rectorial Manor House,
which again was a Glastonbury possession. This round dove-
cote has an internal diameter of 15 feet and contains about
444 nest-holes. The old roof was of thatch, and was replaced
with slates, when some extensive repairs were done owing to
part of the wall falling out. The three buttresses were also
added at this time, and probably the window. The interior
of this dovecote is not built with the care that some of the
later examples are, the stone- work not being curved to suit
the round shape of the building, but each stone is left square.
The flock of Blue-rock pigeons, still in possession, are said to
be descendants of the birds that settled there several hundred
years ago.
c *

164

GoDMiNSTER. — About a mile S. from Bruton. This is one
of the most artistic dovecotes in the county. It is square
outside and octagonal within, containing about 500 nest-
holes. The place, unfortunately, fell into a ruin, but the
present owner is restoring it exactly as it was before.

Bruton. — The so-called dovecote on the top of the hill,
outside the town, is really only a " look-out " tower, which
had nest-holes to the number of about 80 or 100, added at a
later period of its history.

WiNCANTON. — At Holbrook House, about a mile and a half
W. from Wincanton, is a circular dovecote only 12 feet in
internal diameter, built entirely of the narrow bricks of the
period. It is rough-cast on the outside and its old roof would
have been stone slabs, as one row now remains at the eaves.
The nest-holes, built entirely with brick, are L-shaped, and
370 in number, so that this ranks as the smallest dovecote in
this Hst. There is a beam across the interior from side to side,
and in its centre an iron plate with a hole in it, in which the
round ladder revolved. The floor could not be examined to
find the corresponding hole.

KiNGWESTON. — In the garden of the Manor Farm House,
at the entrance to Kingweston Park. This circular dovecote
is almost a ruin, being without roof, and its walls in bad
repair. It contains about 450 nest-holes.

West Camel. — In the Vicarage Grounds, but belonging to
the Manor Farm adjoining. It is a beautiful specimen of a
round dovecote, being 15 feet in diameter and containing
540 nest-holes. Although the roof appears to be new, the
glover over the exit seems old, so that it may be a careful
restoration. There may have been dormers in the old roof,
as there is no ventilation in the present building.

Long Sutton. — At what is known as Chard's Farm. It is
a poor building of the square type, with an internal partition
to give more nest space. It is 25 feet in length and 18 feet
in width, and contains about 780 nest-holes. There are two
exit-holes in the roof, covered with a dormer-shaped glover.

Stoke-sub-Hamdon. — In the farmyard of the curious old
building known as the Priory Farm. The dovecote is circular,
17 feet in diameter, and contains about 500 nest-holes. The
roof has gone, but the walls are in fairly good repair.

Norton-sub-Hamdon. — In the parish churchyard. The
churchyard has been extended and the dovecote enclosed.
It was attached as usual to the Manor. It is a fine building,

■6s

in excellent repair, circular in shape, being about 14 feet in
diameter, and containing 450 nest-holes. The exit-hole is
covered with a glover of pronounced Jacobean design. The
roof is of stone slabs, and the building itself of the local Ham
Hill stone. Inside the door, on the left splay, is cut the date
1785.

Bridgwater. — In Durleigh parish, at West Bower Farm.
This interesting dovecote is built entirely of " cobb," and is
still in good repair. It is circular in form, 21 feet in diameter,
and its mud walls are 4 feet in thickness. The nest-holes
number 745, and are made square into the wall as if blocks
of wood had been inserted when the material was soft, and
withdrawn after the cobb had hardened. The roof is covered
with thatch and the glover is of simple and primitive design.
The clever construction of the roof, so that the weight may
be spread evenly over these earthen walls, should be noted.

DuNSTER. — This is circular in shape and 15 feet in diameter.
It contains between 500 and 600 nest-holes. The revolving
ladder is still in place in this dovecote. The weather-cock on
top has the initials G.L., which are the same as those on the
weather-cock at the beautiful old Yarn Market, in the High
Street. They stand for George Lutterell, and the date of the
latter building is 1647. This would probably be about the
date of the dovecote.

Other dovecotes are to be found at Witham Friary, Stoke
Curey, Henstridge, Nynehead, Goathurst, Fivehead, West
Coker; Montacute, North Petherton, Curry Rivel, and, perhaps,
at Swell and Cathanger.

Fishponds in the County.

There are remains at Widcombe, Bathampton, Stratton-
on-the-Fosse, Chilcompton, Mells, Stoke St. Michael, Tolland,
Bratton Seymour and Brislington.

General Bradshaw proposed a hearty vote of thanks to
the Rev. Ethelbert Horne for his interesting lecture and for
the excellent sHdes illustrating it. This was carried with
acclamation.

Four dovecotes are illustrated herewith, and two more at
Southstoke and Kelston are shown in the Proceedings 19 18
and 1919,

i66

NOTES.

BRASSES IN THE CHURCH OF ST. MARY,
FAIRFORD, GLOUCESTERSHIRE.

Mr. H. Parry.

One of the most striking objects in the Church of St. Mary,
at Fairford, is the tomb of John Tame, the founder of the
church, and his wife Ahce. He died in 1500, and his wife in
147 1, and on their tomb, which is near the choir, are their
efhgies in brass. The armour is that of the period, but the
demi-placcate covering the lower part of the chest is unusually
well displayed, and a lance rest is shown in front of the right
shoulder. The lady's figure is conventional. Beneath their
feet is an inscription in raised letters : —

ffor Jhus love pray for me : I may not pray nowe pray ye

With a Pater noster and an Ave : That my paynys Relessyd may be.

There is a long inscription on the chamfer of the altar
tomb, setting out names and dates of their deaths. Round
the figures there are four shields : —

I. and IV. bear the arms of Tame, impaling those of his

wife.

II. bears the lady's arms : argent a chevron between

three lapwings.

III. bears the Tame arms : argent a dragon segreant vert

combatant a line azure crowned gules.

The other two brasses commemorate Sir E. Tame, son of
the founder, his two wives, and his family. It is rather
unusual to have two brasses in the same church for the same
people.

The first of these is in the floor of the N. aisle, the gentleman
with his head resting on his tilting helmet, surmounted by his
crest, a nag's head, and wearing a tabard over his armour,
between his two wives, Agnes Grevill and Elizabeth Tyring-
ham. Below the family is represented as consisting of two
boys and three girls.

There are several points of interest about the heraldic
trappings. In the case of the knight, his arms are shown, as

JOHN TAME AND ALICE HIS WIFE, A.D. 1500.

Sir E. tame (on Floor of N. Aisle).

Sir E. tame (on North Wall).

167

usual, on the shoulderS; but they only appear on the lower part
of the body, instead of covering the whole front of the garment.

The ladies of this date usually wore on their mantles the
husband's arms on the dexter side, and their own on the
sinister side, or else had them displayed quarterly, but in this
case both ladies wear their own arms on each side of the
mantle.

The other brass is on the N. wall, and shows the husband
and two wives kneeling with their children (one of the sons
has apparently died in the interval), again with full heraldic
trappings, but in this case everything is arranged in normal
fashion.

At the end of the inscription below this brass is the usual
sentence : " Quorum animabus prapicietur Deus," which
has been partially obliterated to save it from puritanical fury,
though the words can still be read quite easily. This pre-
caution was very common in London and the neighbourhood,
but not so common in the country.

ROMAN SITE AT LIMPLEY STOKE.

Mr. a. T. Wicks.

The lane that runs from Midford to Limpley Stoke
climbs diagonally the southern slope of the Midford Brook
valley : before it reaches the crests, its course is for half
a mile through a belt of woods, in which, on the
right, or higher side the Great Oolite forms a broken
line of low cliffs, known as Cleeve Rocks (6in. O.S. Map,
Somerset, Sheet xiv S.W.). In one place, between the
Rocks and the lane, and extending also to the lower side
of the lane, is a narrow, almost level, natural platform. Here
there is a small cultivated clearing, about 110 yards long by
35 yards broad, which has yielded numerous relics of Roman
date, and although it is in the parish of Limpley Stoke, that
curious salient of Wiltshire territory, which projects across
the Avon and wedges itself in between Monkton Combe and
Freshford, it seems worthy of the attention of the Bath
Branch.

The site has been known for some years ; in the years 1911-
1914, Mr. G. L. Bulleid found on the surface quantities of
pottery and a Roman coin (undatable). During the period
September, 1921 — September, 1922, a careful watch resulted
in three more coins, over 4,000 fragments of pottery, and other

i68

relics. Amongst these, over 150 vessels were represented by
rim-pieces, seven of them of Samian ware. On November 6th,
by permission of the owner and occupier, Mr. Pickering, of
Upland Farm, I was enabled to make a trial excavation to
endeavour to prove the site. With the assistance of a col-
league and three of the boys at Monkton Combe School, a
day's digging was undertaken. On the following day, Mr.
G. J. Grey kindly visited the site and advised the continuance
of the work, but owing to lack of opportunity and assistance,
very little further was done. A measured plan of the work
has been made.

Altogether 64ft. of trench of average width 2|ft. were
opened, 31ft. of which was in a continuous line parallel to
the lane. The top earth to the depth of i8ins. was the black
earth met with on occupied sites, and was in marked contrast
with a yellow-red clay that followed. The level of the soil
has recently been raised by the dumping of road-scrapings,
and only about 6 inches of the earth was undisturbed, and
owing to its proximity to the clay, the pottery in this was
usually in a sodden decayed state.

It was hoped that distinctive traces of a Roman villa or
other building would be uncovered, but the evidence was
indecisive. Scattered throughout the trenches, at depths
of i2ins. and more, were numerous Oolite stones, a few of them
hewn, others rubble stones, and some of them fired, which were
probably the debris of a building ; there were also fragmentary
pieces of a foreign sandstone, presumably the remains of flag-
stones. A more definite indication was the bottom course of
a wall, 20 inches wide, at a depth of 14 inches, which ran
across the field at an angle of about 60 degrees with the lane,
and faced N.E. This was not followed up, but left in situ.
The direction of this wall was a surprise, and a short con-
tinuation would bring it to the lane which is here a foot below
the surface of the field. It is not improbable that the wall
crosses the lane, as since then, J. B. Tracey, one of my helpers,
has brought me several fragments of pottery, laboriously
collected from exiguous rabbit-scrapes, which came from
across the lane. On the other hand the levels are very un-
favourable for a continuous building extending both sides
of the lane.

The following relics have been obtained : —

Coins. — On the surface : 2nd brass of Probus and two
undatable 3rd brasses (one found by J. B. Tracey). In the
excavations : Two 3rd brasses of the Constantine period
(Gloria Exercitus), one 3rd brass of Valens, or Valentinian,
and one barbarous imitation.

169

Metal. — Large-headed iron nails ; fragments of bronze
bracelet ; fragment of a bronze knife.

Stone. — Lower stone of rotary quern, maximum diameter
at " spout," II inches, thickness 4 inches, found at a depth
of 17 inches. This is of a pinkish, micaceous grit, with em-
bedded quartz pebbles, and has been used also as a grindstone.
On the surface : A few artefact flint flakes, one only with
secondary chipping ; cuboidal flint cone heavily used as a
strike-a-Hght.

Pottery. — Black, grey, red and cream-coloured ware in large
quantities, but very fragmentary. Only one vessel could be
partially reconstructed ; this was a black vessel with a roll
moulding at the rim., and with a design of intersecting arcs.
Only very small fragments of Samian ware ; one piece has
the festoon and tassel ornament.

Miscellaneous. — On the surface : Fragments of polished
and sawn bone ; a few fragments of wall-plaster, and some
fragments of a surfaced cement of a maroon colour, which
seem to have been part of a pavement. No tesserae, roof-
tiles or brick-tiles.

ROMAN COFFIN, WALCOT PARADE, BATH.
Thos. S. Bush.

On April 20th, 1922, Mr. Pike informed me that his brother-
in-law, Mr. Oakley, had unearthed a stone coffin in the garden
at the back of his house, 8, Walcot Parade. The next day I
called to see it and took measurements. The coflin is round
at head, square at foot. It is 3ft. loins. long, I4ins. wide at
head, 7ins. at foot, 7i-ins. deep all inside measurements,
2|^ins. thick. It must, of course, have been made for a young
person. The cover is 4ft. 6ins. long, 4ins. thick, rough on the
upper side, the lower side has a projection round the edge
about i|ins. wide by lin. deep, presumably to keep it in place
on the coflin, inside this is a flat surface, 2ins. wide, where
it would rest in the coflin ; the centre had been roughly tooled.
No bones were found in the coflin, but on the cover was a
skull without the lower jaw, evidently of an elderly person. A
few very small fragments of pottery, Samian, black and grey,
and parts of two heavy handles were dug up.

The ground is, steep at the back of the house. No doubt
it originally continued so down to Fosse Road, when the

house was built there was probably a considerable disturbance
of the ground, so it may have been that the coffin was then
unearthed, and the skeleton — presuming there was one — taken
away with that of the elderly person. The cofhn has, since
writing the above, been entirely broken up.

Several cofhns have been discovered in Bath near the
Roman roads, so it is not surprising to find one on this site.
The last Roman interment brought to light alongside the Fosse
Road in Bath was at Lambridge, in 1911. This consisted of
the skeleton of a woman in a wood cofhn within a sarcophagus.
This is described in our Proceedings for that year, page 114.

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172

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCHy^lOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

1922.

PRESIDENT:

THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL WALDEGRAVE.

VICE-PRESIDENTS :

Rev. Prebendary BOYD, M.A.. B.C.L.
Captain CHARLES T. FOXCROFT, M.P.
LORD STRACHIE.

COMMITTEE:

Major-General BRADSHAW, C.B.
G. LAWRENCE BULLEID. Esq.
Rev. ETHELBERT HORNE.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. P. LEIGH, CLE.
GEORGE NORMAN. Esq., F.S.A.L
(Hon: Local Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society).
Rev. D. LEE PITCAIRN, M.A.
M. H. SCOTT, Esq. (Late I.C.S.)
EDWARD SEGAR, Esq.

Ex-Officio Members of the Committee :

Rev. J. BYRCHMORE.
CHARLES TITE, Esq.
Hon. Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society.

HON. EXCURSION SECRETARY:

GERALD J. GREY, Esq.

HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER:

THOS. S. BUSH, Esq.

'73

LIST OF MEMBERS. 1922.

Members changing their address will please notify the
Hon. Secretary.

(* Are also Members of the Parent Society.)

1904 AcLAND Mrs. B. D.

191 1 *Adams E. Cay, Esq., The Cedars, Trowbridge.

1920 Adams W. C. Mercer, Esq., 26, Royal Crescent (deceased).

1904 AiREY Miss, I, Royal Crescent.

1920 Bache Mrs., 16, Grosvenor.

1908 Bayliss Rev. F. C, Francis Hotel, Bennett Street.

1 91 9 Begg Mrs., 7, The Circus.

192 1 Berryman Lieut. -Colonel, 16, Somerset Place.

1920 Bird Mrs. Charles, 153, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Blackett Dr., Hamsterley, Bloomfield Park.

1903 Blathwayt Miss, Eagle House, Batheaston.

1904 *Blathwayt Rev. W. E., M.A., Dyrham Rectory, Chippenham.

1922 Bowen E. Palmer, Esq., 6, Bathwick Hill.
1922 BowEN Mrs., 6, Bathwick Hill.

1903 *BoYD Rev. Prebendary, M.A., B.C.L., 13, Brock Street.

191 1 Brabazon Miss, 18, Lansdown Crescent.

1912 Bradsh'aw Major-General, C.B., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.

191 2 Bradshaw Mrs., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.
1916 Brendon C. R., Esq., 7, Belgrave Road.

1916 Brendon Mrs., 7, Bel grave Road.

1904 *Breton Miss Adela C, 15, Camden Crescent.

1920 Bridgeman Miss, Brow Hill, Batheaston.

192 1 Bridgman Miss, 9, George Street, Bathwick Hill.
1921 Bridgman Miss M., 9, George Street, Bathwick Hill.
1915 Bromley Rev. Prebendary F. A., M.A., Weston Vicarage.

192 1 Bromley Mrs., Weston Vicarage.

1910 Brookfield Mrs., Stratton-on-the-Fosse.

1913 Browne Miss Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Bruce Miss M. C, 7, Portland Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Henry, Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Mrs., 14, Raby Place.

1919 Brymer Walter S., Esq., 13, Marlborough Buildings,

19 1 9 Brymer Mrs., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1920 *BuLLEiD G. Lawrence, Esq., Leura, Lansdown Road.
1920 Bullock R. C, Esq., Northfield, Bathford.

1903 *BusH Thos. S., Esq., 20, Camden Crescent.
1903 Bush Mrs. Thos. S., 20, Camden Crescent.

1922 Buston Mrs., 161, Newbridge Hill.
1922 *Byrchmore Rev. J., 12, Beaufort West.
1922 Byrchmore Mrs., 12, Beaufort West.

1920 Calder James, Esq., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1920 Calder Mrs., 16, Lansdown Crescent.

1921 Campbell Miss, 9, Bathwick Street.

174

I920 Capes P. E., Esq., 14, Raby Place.

1 91 6 Carr Mrs., Manor House, Weston.

1916 Carr Miss, Manor House, Weston.

1915 *Carr J., Esq., Wood House, Twerton.

1 91 6 Carr Miss, Wood House, Twerton.

1916 Carr Miss J. F., Wood House, Twerton.

1905 Cave Mrs., 16, Circus.

1 91 2 Chope Mrs., 10, Mount Beacon.

1903 Clayton Mrs., Charlcombe Manor.

191 1 CoLOMB Mrs., 17, Darlington Place.

1904 Cooke Miss M. A. H., Lonsdale, Combe Down.
1920 Corbett Mrs. R. C, 3, Cavendish Place.

1920 Crouch H. M., Esq., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1920 Crouch Mrs., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1904 Curd Charles, Esq., 6, Gay Street.

1 91 7 Daunt Miss Mary, The Shack, Lansdown Road.

1903 Davis Rev. J. Roland, M.A., Broughton Gifford Rectory.

1920 Dettmar Miss, Amoril House, Batheaston.

1 91 9 Dickson Mrs., 46, Combe Park.

1920 Duncan G. W., Esq., Cavendish Lodge.

1 92 1 East Miss, 15, Lansdown Place, East.
1 92 1 Evans Rev. L. H., 6, Sion Hill Place.

1912 FosBERY Dr., I, Oxford Row.

1911 Foxcroft Captain Charles T., M.P., Hinton Charterhouse.

191 6 Gabriel Miss, Fleetlands, Weston Park.

1920 Gandy Miss Violet, 9, Kensington.

1908 *Gervis Henry, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., 15, Royal Crescent.

1908 Gervis Miss Dora L., 15, Royal Crescent.

1906 Goldie Robert F., Esq., South Lawn, College Road.

1920 Gouldsmith E., Esq., 10, Newbridge Hill.

1921 Green Mrs., 12, Lansdown Crescent.
1920 Green Miss, 12, Lansdown Crescent.

1922 Green Miss L. R., 9, Dunsford Place.

1922 Green-Armytage, R. N., Esq., 22, Bathwick Hill.

1910 Gregory Mrs., Mount Beacon House.

1903 Gregory George, Esq., 5, Argyle Street

1903 *Grey Gerald J., Esq., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1904 Grey Mrs., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1920 Grey Miss Evelyn, 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.
1915 Grierson Miss, 40, Grosvenor Place.

1921 Grindrod G. H., Esq., Chevin, Lansdown.

1920 Grindrod Mrs., Chevin, Lansdown.

1 91 8 Hardy Mrs., York Villa, Kensington.

1922 Harford Miss, 9, St. James's Square.
1922 Harford Miss C. L., 9, St. James's Square.
1915 Head H. E., Esq., 14, Dunsford Place.

1904 Heathcote J. Cuthbert, Esq., Southlands, Trowbridge.

1921 Heathcote Mrs., Ef&ngham House, Oldfield Park.
1915 *HiGNETT Geoffrey, Esq., Hodshill, Southstoke.
1915 *HiGNETT Mrs., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1922 Holt Miss F. V., 30, Daniel Street.

175

1913 Holmes Thomas J., Esq., Eastern House, Beechen Cliff.

1903 *HoRNE Rev. Ethelbert, Downside Abbey.

1915 HoRNE Miss E. M., The Grange, Keynsham.
1922 Houghton Mrs., Edgar Hotel.

1921 HowDEN Mrs., 10, Bath wick Hill.

1903 *Hylton Right Hon. Lord, Ammerdown Park, Radstock.

1918 Inchbald Rev. W. E., Charlcombe Rectory.

1920 Inchbald Mrs., Charlcombe Rectory.

1916 Ingham H. M., Esq., 4, Raby Place.

1921 Jay Miss G. de Lancey, 17, Brock Street.

1903 *Kemeys-Tynte St. David M., Esq., Harefield, The Parks,
Minehead.

1920 Ketchley Rev. H. E., Biddestone Rectory, Chippenham.

1922 KiDD Mrs. May, 17, Darlington Place.

1919 King C. A., Esq., Brookfield, Weston Road.

1919 King Mrs. C. A., Brooktield. Weston Road.

1921 King Mrs. Preston, 19, The Circus.
1903 Knight Miss J. F., 17, Catharine Place.

1915 Layton Mrs., 17, Oldfield Road.

1908 Leigh Colonel P. P., CLE., Grosvenor House.

1916 Leigh Mrs., Grosvenor House.

192 1 Lethbridge Miss, Donnybrook, Russell Street.

191 3 Linley-Howlden H., Esq., Old Manor House, Freshford.

IQ16 LiNLEY-HowLDEN Mrs., Old Manor House, Freshford.

1922 Lloyd, Miss Margaret J., 4, St. James's Square.
1910 Longworth-Dames Miss C, 2, Winifred's Dale.

1920 Macnab Miss, 13, Lansdown Place, East.

1917 Mainwaring Colonel, Cleveland House.
1916 Martyn Mrs. King, 8, Gay Street.

1 9 19 Meredith Miss, 7, Tennyson Road.

1907 Miller Mrs., St. Albans, Weston Park (Deceased).

1920 Miller Miss.

191 3 MiLSOM A. C, Esq., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1913 MiLSOM Mrs., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1916 MiLSOM F. H., Esq., Audley Lodge.

1916 MiLSOM Mrs. F. H., Audley Lodge.

1922 Moir Miss Macrae, Diamond Cottage, Bathampton.

1917 Molesworth Brigadier-General, C.B., Elstree House, Lambridge.
1920 MoNCRiEFF Mrs. Cunningham, 63, Combe Park.

1920 Molony Alfred, Esq., Edgar Hotel, Laura Place.

1910 Nash Mrs., 7, Laura Place.

191 2 Newham Miss, II, Raby Place, Bathwick.

1903 *Norman George, Esq., F.S.A.I., 12, Brock Street.

1907 Norman Mrs., 12, Brock Street.

1913 Norman Miss, Oakfield, Weston Park.
1919 NowELL Mrs., I, Catharine Place.

192 1 NowLAN Colonel, The Lodge, Batheaston.
1921 NowLAN Mrs., The Lodge, Batheaston.

1917 O'SuLLiVAN Dr., (ilencairn, Bathwick.

1918 O'SuLLiVAN Miss, Glencairn, Bathwick.

176

1 912 Parry Hubert, Esq., 28, Newbridge Hill.

1920 Parry Mrs. H., 28, Newbridge Hill.

1913 Perkes Rev. R. M., 39, Combe Park.

1913 Phillimore J. E., Esq., Sedgley, Sion Road.
1922 Phillimore, Mrs., Sedgley, Sion Road.

192 1 Phillips Miss, Woodside, Bathford.

192 1 Phillips Miss M. L., Woodside, Bathford.
1904 PiTCAiRN Rev. D. Lee, M.A., i, Laura Place.
1904 PiTCAiRN Mrs., I, Laura Place.

1911 Powell Mrs. W. H., 15, Lansdown Crescent.

1 91 5 Powell Mrs., 12, Rivers Street.

1920 Pritchard Miss E., Combe Royal, Bathwick.

1907 Pryce Ernest, Esq., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1906 Pryce Mrs., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1909 Rodman Miss, 17, The Tyning.

1903 RoLLESTON S. v., Esq., B.C.L., M.A., Saltford House, BristoL

1914 Rose Mrs. H. Fullwood, 93, Sydney Place.
1920 RowE Colonel Octavius, 4, Royal Crescent.
1920 RowE Mrs., 4, Royal Crescent.

1904 Salmon Miss E. E., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1904 Salmon Miss L. M., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.

1922 Sanders Miss, 22, Forester Road.

1920 Sartoris Miss, 31, St. James's Square.
1903 *Scott M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West.

1 92 1 Scott Miss, 5, Lansdown Place, West.

1919 *Scratton Arthur Esq., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1920 Scratton Mrs., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1915 Segar Edward, Esq.. Bella Vista, Lansdown.

1922 Seth-Smith Miss, Caisson House, Combe Hay.
1920 Severs Miss E., 17, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Severs Miss A., 17, Marlborough Buildings.

191 8 *Shickle Rev. C. W., F.S.A., 9, Cavendish Crescent.

1907 Shum F. E., Esq., 41, Sydney Buildings.
1920 Sonnenschein E. a., Esq., 4, Sion Hill Place.
1920 Sonnenschein Mrs., 4, Sion Hill Place.

1903 Spender Miss, 8, Forester Road.

1920 Start Miss, 21, Rivers Street.

1 92 1 Stothert Lady, i, Lansdown Place, West.

1903 Strachie Lord, Sutton Court, Pensford, Bristol.

1911 Straghan Mrs., 26, Crescent Gardens.

191 2 Strangways Miss R. C, 6, Brunswick Place.
1920 Street A. E., Esq., 12, Somerset Place.

1920 Street Mrs., 12, Somerset Place.

191 8 Taite Miss, 14, Bladud Buildings

1915 Tanner J. H., Esq., 12, Beaufort East.

1915 Tanner Mrs., 12, Beaufort East.

1904 Taylor A. J., Esq., 18, New Bond Street.

1921 Thackwell Brig. -General, Perrymead Cottage.
1903 *Thatcher a. a., Esq., Midsomer Norton.
1903 *Thomas C. E., Esq., 4, Percy Place (Deceased).
1920 Thomas Miss H. T., Derwent House, Weston.

1920 Thomas Miss T,, Derwent House, Weston.

1 92 1 Thompson Miss Edith, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

192 1 Thompson Miss E. Perronet, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

177

I920 Thring Mrs. C. B., Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1920 Thring Miss Marjory, Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1903 *TiTE Charles, Esq., Stoneleigh, Taunton.

192 1 Tucker Mrs. Allon, 9, Green Park.

1904 Tyte W., Esq., 7, Bloomfield Crescent.

192 1 Varley Rev. F., Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.

192 1 Varley Mrs., Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.

1 92 1 Varley Miss, Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.
1920 ViBERT Lionel, Esq., Marline, Lansdown.
1920 ViBERT Mrs., Marline, Lansdown.

1 91 4 Wage Henry, Esq., St. Winifreds.
1914 Wage Miss, St. Winifreds.

1903 *Waldegrave Right Hon. the Earl, Chewton Priory.
1913 Walker Robert, Esq., F.R.G.S.

1916 Walker W. A., Esq.

1910 *Wardle F. D., Esq., 5, Vane Street.
1920 Watson Miss A. E., Swainswick Cottage.

1904 Way Miss H. S., i, Rosslyn Road, Newbridge Hill.
1920 Wayne Miss, 12, Bladud Buildings.

1920 Webb Mrs. Gillum, ii, Lansdown Place, East.

1903 *Whittugk E. a., Esq., 77, Audley Street, W. i.

1922 *WiCKS A. T., Esq., Monkton Combe School.
1922 Willis Colonel C. H., C.B., 94, Sydney Place.

1 917 Wilkinson Lady, Deepdene, Bathampton.

1904 Williams D. Prout, Esq., 3, Charles Street.

1913 Wills J. H., Esq., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-
Avon.

1913 Wills Mrs., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on- Avon.
191 3 Wills Stanley, Esq., 14, Royal Crescent.

1 913 Wills Mrs., 14, Royal Crescent.
1908 Wood Miss Ellen, 38, Combe Park.

1914 Wood Miss Margaret, 59, Combe Park.

192 1 Wright E. M., Esq., Lower Swainswick House.

191 1 Young B. W., Esq., i, Stanley Villas, Camden Road.

\

SOMERSET ARCH^OLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

PROCEEDINGS

OF THE

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

1923.

BATH:

PRINTED AT THE HERALD PRESS.

BATH AND DISTRICT BRANCH
SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

REPORT, 1923.

THE Committee are pleased to note continued interest in
this Branch as shewn by there being 40 candidates wait-
ing admission. Commencing the year with 227 mem-
bers, there have been 21 vacancies, including 5 deaths ; the
vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Scott at the close of the
year has not been filled; admitted 23, thus closing the year
with 229.

With this issue will be found the Contents of this and the
four previous ^^ears' Proceedings, forming a volame. This
makes the fourth volume of 5 years each, covering a period
of 20 years. Any member wishing to obtain a back copy
will please apply to the Hon. Secretary and Treasurer.

The account of the Annual Meeting, Earl Waldegrave,
President, in the chair, will follow this Report.

The thanks of the Committee are due to Mr. Gerald Grey
for arranging the six excursions and securing competent
guides, to Mr. Thos. S. Bush for arranging lectures by Mr.
Bothamley and Mr. Savory. Mr. Parry has given us the
privilege of illustrating another of his rubbings of brasses, an
excellent one in the Church of St. Peter, Dyrham, with notes.
Mr. A. J. Taylor reports the discovery of a coffin with skeleton
near St. John's Church, Bathwick, and Mr. A. T. Wicks
on further discoveries at Limpley Stoke. We are indebted
for photographs to Miss Newham, Miss Rodman, Dr. Fosbery
and Mr. Savory, illustrating his lecture.

Thanks were again due to Mr. Thos. S. Bush for carrying
out the duties of Hon. Secretary and Treasurer and to Mr,
Edward Segar for kindly auditing the accounts.

l82

ANNUAL MEETING, 1923.

The Annual Meeting was held at the Literary and Scientific
Institution on Wednesday, March 7th, 1923, at 3 o'clock.
Present, Earl Waldegrave, President, in the chair. Committee,
Mr. G. Lawrence Bulleid, Colonel P. P. Leigh, Mr. Edward
Segar, Mr. Gerald Grey (hon. excursion secretary), Mr. Thos.
S. Bush (hon. secretary and treasurer), the Rev. F. C. Bayliss,
Miss E. A. Bridgman, Miss M. Bridgman, R.M.S., Mr. and
Mrs. Brydges-Barrett, Mrs. Thos. S. Bush, Mrs. Byrchmore,
Mr. James Calder, Mr. P. E. Capes, Mrs. Clayton, Miss
Dettmar, Miss Sybil Ford, Mr. Ingham, Miss G. de Lancey
Jay, Mr. Fizroy Jones, Mr. and Mrs. King, Miss Knight,
Mrs. G. S. Nash, Miss Newham, Colonel Nowlan, Dr. D. A.
O'Sullivan, Miss Rodman, Miss G. E. Salmon, Miss L. M.
Salmon, Miss Strangwaj^s, Mrs. Allon Tucker, Mr. Wace,
Mr. Prout WilHams, Colonel WiUis and Miss E. M. Wood.

On the suggestion of the President it was agreed to take
the Minutes of the last Annual Meeting as read, these having
already be printed in full in the Proceedings. The President,
in proposing the adoption of the Report and Accounts, said
the Branch was in a flourishing condition, both with regard
to finance and the number of Members. Towards the close
of the year three members passed away, leaving a total of
227. Early this year, 15 resigned and 18 had been elected
to fill vacancies, there still being 20 candidates on the waiting
list. The Committee had decided not to admit any more
members at present.

He also referred to the excursions having been most success-
ful in spite of the eccentricities of the weather, and said it was
gratifying to find Mr. Bush and Mr. Grey at their old posts.

There had been some very interesting Roman finds during
the year — remains at Limpley Stoke, a coffin at Walcot
Parade — and a villa at Keynsham. Another feature of the
report was the excellent little map showing the ground covered
by the Branch.

Mr. Henry Wace seconded the adoption of the Report
and Accounts. This was carried.

The following resolutions were carried unanimously :

Colonel P. P. Leigh proposed and Dr. Curd seconded
the re-election of Earl Waldegrave as President.

Mr. Segar proposed and the Rev. F. C. Bayliss seconded
the re-election of Lord Strachie, Capt. Foxcroft and the Rev.
Preb. Boyd as Vice-Presidents.

i83

The President proposed and Mr. Brydges-Barrett seconded
that the following form the Committee : Major-General
Bradshaw, Mr. G. Lawrence Bulleid, Rev. Ethelbert Horne,
Lieut. -Colonel P. P. Leigh, Mr. George Norman, Rev. D.
Lee Pitcairn, Mr. M. H. Scott, and Mr. Edward Segar.

Dr. O'Sullivan proposed and Mr. Calder seconded the
re-election of Mr. Thos. S. Bush as Hon. Secretary and
Treasurer. Mr. Bush, thanking the Members for his re-
election said that he could only repeat what he had for manj^
years stated — that he would do his best for the Branch. —
He hoped all the Members would appreciate the Proceedings
just issued, which contain a lot of interesting matter and an
unusual number of illustrations, the cost, of course, is con-
siderable, amounting to four shillings each copy.

Mr. Lawrence Bulleid proposed and Mr. H. M. Ingham
seconded the re-election of Mr. Gerald Grey as Lion. Excursion
Secretary. Mr. Grey thanked the Members for his re-election
and said the following excursions were suggested for the
coming season : April 23, Dyrham and Marshfield. May 28,
Nunney, Great Elm, Mells and Holcombe. June 21, Knook,
Codford St. Peter, Little Langford and Stonehenge. July 16,
Crewkerne, Chard and Somerton. September 17, Pickwick
Manor, Malmesbury, and Tetbury. October 15, Bristol.
He also mentioned that excavations at the Roman Villa,
Keynsham, would be resumed in May under the supervision
of Dr. Bulleid, the Rev. Ethelbert Horne and himself.

Mr. Bush mentioned that he had resigned the position of
Representative of the Branch on the Council of the Parent
Society and moved that the Rev. Ethelbert Home be elected
in his place. This was seconded by Mr. Grey and carried
unanimousty.

The meeting ended with a vote of thanks to Earl Walde-
grave for presiding. Proposed by Colonel Willis and carried
with acclamation.

Earl Waldegrave, in acknowledging the vote, expressed the
hope that all who had not done so would make a point of
seeing the Somerset War Memorial in Wells Cathedral and
especially the beautiful Book of Remembrance, which could
always be inspected on apphcation to the head verger.

t84

EXCURSIONS.

DYRHAM AND MARSHFIELD.
Monday, April 23RD, 1923.

There was a record attendance of members, and the weather
again held good, the afternoon being bright and warm. The
members were received bv Mrs. R. W. Blathwayt and the Rev.
W. E. Blathwayt (in the absence of Mr. R. W. Blathwayt).

The Rev. W. E. Blathwayt, who acted as guide, expressed
the regret of his brother that he had been called away through
an engagement in Kent. Like most old houses, he said,
Dyrham Park was of various dates. Downstairs were traces
of Tudor work, and at the back of the wing was an older
frontage than either on the East or the West. No doubt
there was an older Tudor house there built of Gloucester,
the local oolite stone, with gables along the top story. Dyrham
was granted to the Newmarches after the Conquest. Their
heiress married into the Russels, the last of whom was Sir
Maurice, who died in 1401. His heiress married Sir Gilbert
Dennis, a member of a family which owned a great deal of
property in Gloucestershire — Syston was built by them.
Dyrham was sold in 157 1 to George Wynter, brother of
William Wynter of Lydney, and father of Vice- Admiral John
Wynter, who sailed with Drake. His great-grand-daughter
married William Blaythwayt, Member for Newton from
1685-8, and for Bath in 1695, who was Secretary of State
for War to William HI. in Flanders. He set to work to alter
the house.

The front they saw as they came through the park, was
built by him, but not from the ground, as was first supposed.
The design of Talman was fitted on to the old front, which
was altered as required, the upper storey, with gables be-
coming the present storey with balustrade above, the windows
being cut and widened to fit the design. William Blathwayt
lived there till 1717, and he collected a great number of
the pictures they saw there.

(See former visit of the Bath Branch to Dyrham Park for
description of pictures and furniture in vol. of Proceedings
for 1911, pages 81-2).

i8s

Before leaving, Col. H. P. P. Leigh warmly thanked Mr.
and Mrs. R. W. Blathwayt, and the Rev. W. E. Blathwayt,
and expressed the Society's regret at the absence of Mr.
Blathwayt.

By the private passage way out of the library, the members
then entered the parish church of St. Peter adjoining. (See
former visit of the Bath Branch to Dyrham Church in vol.
of Proceedings for 191 1, pages 82-3.)

Marshfield was next visited, and a brief inspection made of
the Marshfield almshouses, built in the reign of James I.
They were (according to notes supplied by the Vicar, and
read by Mr. Gerald Grey), a gift to their native town from
two Marshfield brothers, who had sought their fortunes in
London in the reign of Elizabeth and had become prosperous
merchants, the elder, Nicholas Crisp, being a member of the
Skinner's Company and the younger, Ellis Crisp, a member
of the Salter's Company, which still administer charitable
bequests of his. They bought an acre of ground and erected
upon it the present almshouses, " for the perpetual harbouring
and rehef of eight poor householders of the town and parish
of Marshfield, from time to time for ever." They divided
it into " eight several dwellings or lodgings," and vested the
property in 12 Feoffees, who in conjunction with the Bailiff,
Vicar, churchwardens, and overseers, had the management
and control.

After tea at the Catherine Wheel, an interesting old inn
at which the London and Bristol coaches used to change
horses, the Vicar of Marshfield (the Rev. L. O. Asplen) kindly
acted as guide to the Church of St. Mary, as well as showing
them the fine old town mace ; now in the care of the present
lord of the manor. Major Pope, of Ashwick Hall, who had
permitted its exhibition to the Society.

Many have wondered how a place on the top of the hills
could be " marshfield," and the Vicar explained that the
name denoted St. Mary's Field, the oldest spelling being
Meres-field.

The Church was built by the Monks of Tewkesbury, in
the reign of Edward IV. The Abbey of Tewkesbury had
received the tithes and pastoral care of the town in 1125 and
in 1242, the Bishop of Worcester, during an episcopal visitation
dedicated a church there.

The church had a central tower with transepts; the north
and south arches of the crossing remained in a blocked con-
dition to tell the tale. This Early English church, however,
was replaced in 1470 by the present one. The original central
tower was demolished and the aisles and chantry chapels

i86

widened to the original length approximately of the transepts.
The present Perpendicular tower, a stately landmark for miles,
was erected at the west end and the chancel was extended.
The four square-headed windows of the north aisle dated
from 1360, and must have been an addition to the Early
English structure and retained when the church was de-
molished.

The Church unfortunately had undergone two drastic
restorations, in i860 and 1902. The pulpit was Jacobean
and the brass chandelier i8th century, bearing the. date 1725.
The font, with quatre fleurs with shields, originally painted,
was probably 15th century. It had the mark of the lock
and hinge, and the nails to each were still there.

Till quite recently, added Mr. Asplen, there were in the
Angel Inn, built in the wall, evidently for safety, two sculptur-
ed portions of an alabaster reredos, belonging to the church.

The Vicar was thanked for his kindness by Mr. H. M. Ingram.

Bath was reached at 6.30.

MELLS, NUNNEY AND HOLCOMBE.
Monday, May 28th, 1923.

The keeness of the members was shown by the large attend-
ance who filled four Blue motor coaches in addition to private
cars. It was a dehghtful day, despite the cold — fortunately
the rain which threatened in the morning held off — and the
members enjoyed one of the most interesting programmes.

The first stop was at Mells, where Sir John Horner himself
greeted the members. The visitors were at once impressed
by the beauty of the Manor House, its lovely lawns and
gardens. The old Manor House is the ancient home of the
Horner family, who are living in it again. It is the remaining
portion of a much larger building, part of which was pulled
down over a hundred years ago when the remainder became
a farm house and then a school. The house, said Sir John
Horner, originally consisted of two parallel wings (of which
the present house is one), joined across in the centre in the
form of the letter H. They knew of the other wing for certain,
because two or three years ago, in the abnormally dry weather
the foundations of the lost wing showed up quite clear on the
lawns. They did not come up under the gravel, of course,
so the question of the cross-piece could not be settled thus.
The gables dated the house as Elizabethan. MeUs belonged
to the Abbot of Glastonbury and his ancestor (Mr. Horner,
of Cloford), following the Dissolution of the Monastries,

Photo]

Stonehenge,

[Dr. Fosbcry.

J'holol

NUNNEY Castle from S.W. [Fathcy Home.

Photo]

Yeovil, The George Inn.

[A/iis Rodman.

Photo]

[Miss Rodman.

St. John the Baptist, Yeovil (South Porch).

Fhoio]

Chavenage Manor and Church.

I Dr. Foshcry.

Pfioto] [Mrs. F. B. Girdlestone.

Bristol Cathedral. Tomb of Paul Bush,
First Bishop of Bristol.

i87

bought it just at the end of the reign of Henry VIII. Leland
said that in his time there was " a praty manor place of stone
harde at the west end of the churche. This be hkehod was
partely builded by Abbate Selwolde of Glasseinberie. Syns
it served the fermer of the lordeship." It was not necessarily
a large house and may have been added to, but he (Sir John)
thought it was entirely remodelled or rebuilt in the middle
of the 1 6th Century. There were Jacobean additions. The
visitors had the advantage of seeing the interior, which is
furnished with great taste.

The Church of St. Andrew was also explained to the members
by Sir John Horner. (See former visit of the Bath Branch
to Mells, etc., in Vol. of Proceedings for 1907, page 138.

Sir John Horner was warmly thanked by Lieut. -Col. H. P. P.
Leigh. Luncheon was served at the Talbot Hotel, Mells.

The Rev. Dom. Ethelbert Home, O.S.B., awaited the
visitors at Nunney, where they saw the Castle by permission
of the owner, Mr. R. Baily-Neal. Father Horne, in an in-
teresting paper, said that of all the Somerset castles, of which
there were originally 12, Nunney was probably the youngest,
while Dunster and Taunton went back to Saxon times. Sir
John Delamere, lord of the manor, in the reign of Edward I.,
obtained a license to embattle his house at Nunney. He may
have wished to build a castle or to fortify his existing house.
The license was merely a device of the Government to obtain
money, but it served a purpose in giving them the date*
The castle was an oblong nearly two squares, being 6ift. long
by 25ft. wide, and was not laid out with any respect to the points
of the compass. The walls were 8Jft. thick, and originally
the building was divided into four stories, as can be seen.
The four corner towers had walls 7ft. in thickness. The chief
entrance was on the north side and was very small, only 4ft.
in width and 7ft. in height. In the northern tower was a
circular wooden staircase for the use of the garrison and the
servants. Underneath the last tower was a well from which
the water could be drawn up to the second floor. There was
a " speaking tube " in the wall communicating with what
was the kitchen. In the south tower was the chapel, the
window sill of which made the altar table, facing east. By the
side of the altar the piscina was still in place. The castle
was surrounded by a moat, outside of which was a wall 12ft.
high except on the stream side — of that wall nothing re-
mained. In the Civil War the owner, George Prseter, was a
Royalist. Fairfax and Cromwell, fresh from their victories
over the King's troops further south and making for Bristol,
sent two regiments and three cannons to take Nunney. The

i88

guns on the higher ground were able to batter the breach
visible in the wall, and Col. Prseter asked for a parley, and
the castle was given up on terms. Subsequently the National
Assembly ordered it to be " shghted " and made useless,
and that was done.

The castle is now rapidly falling into serious ruin. Father
Horne observed that though it would cost a great deal to
restore completely, something should be done to prevent
its falhng into complete ruin. It was more interesting because
it was more complete than Farleigh Castle, which had recently
been preserved, and he suggested that the society should
make representations to the proper authorities with a view
to its preservation, at any rate.

By permission of the tenant, Mr. Gilbert Ashman, who
was thanked by the Rev. F. C. Bayliss, the society visited the
Manor Farm to inspect some panelling, a curious hidden recess
and a fine carved staircase. They also visited the church
of All Saints, by permission of the Rector, the Rev. J. W.
Clough. The church has a picturesque Perpendicular tower
on the west side of which is a panel with a key and a knot,
believed to be the Delamere arms. The interior, which has
been much altered, contains a Norman font, some interesting
13th and 14th Century effigies of the Delameres, and a fine
15th Century screen.

At Holcombe, Father Horne again described the old church
of St. Andrew. (See former visit of the Bath Branch to
Holcombe, etc., for description of Church in Vol. of Proceedings
for 1914, pages 7 and 8.

Finally, the members drove to Stratton-on-the-Fosse, to see
the war memorial. At tea, admirably served in the village
hall, Mr. H. M. Ingham expressed the grateful thanks of
the society to Mr. Gerald Grey for a specially interesting
excursion and Mr. Duncan thanked Father Horne.

Bath was reached at 6.30.

KNOOK, CODFORD ST. PETER, LITTLE LANGFORD
AND STONEHENGE.

Thursday, June 2ist, 1923.

Leaving Queen Square at 9.45 a.m. in three motor coaches
Knook was reached at 11.45. At the church of St. Margaret,
the Rev. A. D. Clutsom told the members that it was very
small, but full of interest. The church was originally entirely
Norman (though there may have been some earlier work
in it), which is practically proved by the blocked up south

189

doorway and the window in the north aisle of the chancel.
The church was restored by Mr. Butterfield in 1876. The
doorway outside had a Norman tympanum, which was
particularly interesting, partly beacuse it had none of the
usual rehgious subjects, but was carved in the Eastern style,
mostly Byzantine.

It seems to date between 1120 and 1150 and represents a
lion or leopard and a dragon feeding on a tree. The lower
west window was Norman, but very much defaced. The three
small east windows were placed by Mr. Butterfield because
he found that arrangement in churches of that period. The
Vicar drew attention to the beautiful Norman capitals at
the chancel arch, though the arch itself is new. He showed
an Elizabethan chalice and a paten undoubtedly mediaeval.

The Vicar was warmly thanked by Mr. Gerald Grey.

The Rev. R. Denny, Rector of St. Peter, Codford, said the
<church as they saw it was almost entirely rebuilt in 1864,
when a great many old things were destroyed. For instance,
ihere was an old 15th Century arch where they now saw a
new one, and there was no aisle, in fact, he thought the church
was very much altered indeed. The arch under the tower
was the only part not restored. The only two things of any
antiquity in the church were an old stone, in the chancel,
which was found built inside the old chancel arch and possibly
was a relic'of the earher Saxon church. It is a tall block stand-
ing four feet high, tapering from the back, which is about a
foot wide, to the top, which is about six inches. Carved in
front is a figure of a man reaching up with his right hand to
seize a fruit from a tree, while in his left he holds what appears
to be a stone-headed mallet. He is apparently a Saxon,
and the manner and style of the whole are just that. Accord-
ing to Mr. Ponting we have here the tapered shaft of a Saxon
cross of the loth Century. The font, which some said was
Saxon, but he believed was very early Norman. It had
been broken and repaired. The screen was erected in 191 1, and
the rood was rare. It had the symbols of the Passion instead
of the figures. There was one other, in Brittany, where the
architect probably got the idea from.

The Rev. J. Byrchmore expressed the thanks of the members
to the Rector.

After Luncheon, at the Angel Hotel, Heytesbury, Little
Langford was next visited. A little old-world village, a tiny
but interesting Church. The members were welcomed by
the Rector (the Rev. C. S. Earle). The Rector said the
Church was dedicated to St. Nicholas of Mirva, and was built
about 1 1 20. He drew attention to the south door which

190

was a beautiful piece of Norman work. It was late Norman^
probably about 1120. It was in a wonderful state of preserva-
tion. In the tympanum is depicted a hunting scene on the
lintel, a tree with a bird at the top of each of the three branches
symbolical of the Blessed Trinity, and a figure of an eccelesiastic
vested, holding a pastoral staff and in attitude of benediction.
As this Church is also dedicated to St. Nicholas, it is fair
to assume that this Saint is here designated. In the interior
they had examples of all four styles of Gothic architecture.
The south doorway and font were Norman, the west end
Early Enghsh ; the chantry chapel Decorated Work ; the
chancel window was Perpendicular, being rebuilt, for the
first time in 1430, and the north side was debased and probably
Elizabethan. The Norman font was big enough for the full
'immersion of infants.

Mr. Earle was thanked by Mr. E. Segar for his interesting
description.

The chief feature of the day was a visit to Stonehenge where
the members were met by Mr. B. Howard Cunnington, F.S.A.,
(Scot.), F.G.S.

Mr. Cunnington said that Excavations had been carried
out by the Society of Antiquaries under Col. Hawley, and
the excavations had shown them that the building in which
they stood was not the first Stonehenge. Running round on
the outside was a bank and ditch outside the level, inside
of which were a number of httle white patches. Aubrey
drew attention to these in the 17th Century, drew a plan of
them and marked them as little depressions, but no notice
was taken of them. Authority after authority argued about
the stones, but overlooked the hollows. Two years ago
Col. Hawley excavated one of these depressions, and then
found that they were equi-distant all the way round just
inside the bank, and they corresponded with the two
stones of the bank which were what were called foreign
stones or blue stones, and were similar to the inner circle of
s tones, and it was presumed with very good reason that these
blue stones all stood in these holes, which were called Aubrey
holes because he marked them, and were removed at a later
period and put inside the Stonehenge temple, as they knew
it to-day. Evidence of this was the fact that within nine
inches of the top of the ditch, which was filled nearly level,
were found chippings of the stones of Stonehenge. It was
impossible for the chippings to be at the top of the ditch,
unless the silting had taken place first. It was proved that
there were remains of Bronze Age burials — not cremations,,
but a small spadeful of human bones — in 25 out of the 30

holes that had been opened, and this pagan interment had
been found almost at the bottom. These burnt bones must
have been put in when the stones were removed. Stonehenge
No. 2. was probably Stonehenge as we saw it to-day because
m the last few days Col. Hawley had found 33ft. away from
the centre another hole where stones had been put up, and
these square holes were not holes made by the Bronze Age
men, but of the Halstatt or Roman-British period. Mr. Cun-
nington emphasized the importance of the discovery of the
square holes and the fact that the man of the Bronze Age
always made his holes round, and observed that he was inclin-
ing to the opinion that the present Stonehenge was Romano,
British or post-Roman.

Mr. Gerald Grey expressed the great indebtedness of the
members to Mr. Cunnington.

After tea, at the Angel Hotel, Heytesbury, a return home
was made, Bath being reached at 7.15.

YEOVIL, BRYMPTON D'EVERAY AND CREWKERNE.
July 17TH, 1923.

Some 50 members started from Queen Square at 9.15 a.m.,
the weather being fine. After a delightful drive of two
hours, Yeovil was reached in good time.

At the Parish Church of St. John Baptist, Mr. John Good-
child, who is Editor of the " Western Gazette " and a Warden
of the Church, took charge of the party as guide.

The members having gathered inside the Church, Mr.
Goodchild welcomed them to what he said was one of
Somerset's most beautiful Churches, " The Lantern of the
West," which was chiefly remarkable in that it was designed,
built and completed in one style — early Perpendicular. The
earliest endowment was by the Empress Maud (1126-1189)
and by this the Rector by right of his church, became Lord
of the town with a market on Fridays. In 1205 King John
gave a charter to the town which altered the ancient Sunday
market to Friday.

In 1349 Bishop Ralph was besieged in the Church by the
townspeople for the space of a day and there was bloodshed
for which the Church was presently enter dieted and the
rioters ex-communicated.

The Church begun about 1380 and finished ten years later,
is just as the builders left it, but a shell from which most of
the magnificence has been extracted. It is 150 feet long by

192

50 feet wide and 80 feet across the transepts. A great screen
enclosed the choir and transepts on which stood an organ
which was in existence in 1549 and was taken down in 1644.
The screen which shut off the choir from the nave and made
chapels of the choir aisles remained till 1753 when the church-
wardens took it down and erected " two respectable galleries."
There were four chantries existing at the date of the Suppres-
sion and this fact may have had a bearing on the plan of the
church, for as they would observe the transepts were more
chapels than true transepts.

Mr. Goodchild said that a fortunate discovery by him of
some Elizabethan churchwarden's accounts had enabled
them to place exactly the sites of the Chantry Altars. Holy
Trinity in the south choir aisle was the most important, being
for three priests (one an arch priest) and the dedication was
represented in the glass of the window above the altar. The
altar of the Blessed Virgin was in the South Transept, that
of the Name of Jesus in the north choir aisle, and the Holy
Cross in the North Transept.

Pointing out that most of the mediaeval fittings of the
Church had gone, he pointed out that one which remained
was their greatest treasure — the great brass lectern which
dated from 1450-60 It had an inscription which had re-
mained a puzzle on account of its queer contractions.
A free translation was :

"Come make your petition from this place with humble prayers

lN]ow I pray,

And may Brother Martin fforrester awake in the blessed life. "

Above this inscription is a figure of a monk from which the
head has been erased. The churchwardens accounts for
1565 contain the entry :

" Item, payd for the puttynge out of the two pictors uppon
the brasse Dexte that the lessuns be reade on — iid." (2d.),
Another curious entry was : " 1564. Item payd for birde Hme
to take ye birde^ which did haunte ye church — iid " (2d.).
In the church are preserved a Bible of the Restoration period
and paraphrase of Erasmus (1561). The paraphrase cost i6s.
and a chain and lock for it cost is. The chain was still
on the book. In the chancel the guide pointed out two
interesting corbels-heads that once supported the rod which
held the Lintern veil. There were no mediaeval fittings in
the chancel with the exception of the aumbry. Former
churchwardens sealed up the open timber roof with lath
and plaster, painted the pillars yellow, and fitted the church
with pews ; they repanelled the sanctuary and covered up
two wonderful Gothic niches and a piscina. The crypt.

193

was once thought to be anterior to the church, but the present
opinion was that it was but little earher than the sanctuary.
It was quite of decorated character. It was thought that
this was finished and the whole plan of the church prepared,
when there came the great change to Perpendicular, which
originated at Gloucester. The whole of the designs were
swept away, and the great church was built in the Perpendicu-
lar style. The font was original, but had been restored. A
brass had been removed from the floor of the choir, and
was now on the eastern wall of the south choir, to the memory
of Giles Penne (or Penney) and his wife. The George Inn,
Yeovil, a 15th Century half-timbered house, was thought to
be the residence of Penney.

From the church the members went down the street to
view the Castle Hotel, a house dating from the 12th Century,
once the residence of the priest of the chantry of the B.V.M.
It is an old house of many periods. Opposite to it is the
George Inn, once the property of almshouses, now owned
by a brewery. It is of the 14th Century, the same date as
Norton St. PhiHp.

A vote of thanks to Mr. Goodchild was voiced by the hon.
secretary, Mr. Gerald Grey.

After luncheon at Maynard's Restaurant another drive
brought the members to Brympton D'everay, where they
were received by Capt. and Mrs. E. A. B. Clive (sister of the
present owner, Mr. R. Ponsonby-Fane) . Mrs. Clive conducted
one half of the party and the captain the other half. They
inspected the collections made by the late Sir Spencer Ponsonby
Fane, G.C.B. From the Conquest, Brympton has been
held by four families only — D'everay, Stourton, Sydenham
and Fane ; each family holding it about 200 years. It is
asserted that the south front was designed by Inigo Jones.
Adjoining the house is a small house, part of the original
dating back to King John. The hall on the first floor is a
beautiful example. It would be impossible to describe the
treasures in the present house — pictures by Holbein, Vandyck,
Rubens, Lely, Hoppner, Sir Thomas Lawrence and others ;
a collection of brass pole-heads (mainly Somerset) such as
were carried on feast and club days. The room prepared for
Queen Anne, who died without reaching the House. There
was much tapestry of the Elizabethan period. The members
viewed the kitchen with its ancient spit, and its lovely old
pewter.

The church, very pretty and quaint, dates from the 14th
Century. It contained a fine example of a hagioscope ; a

194

piscina ; a little ancient glass, very beautiful ; and one of the
most interesting stone screens in the country.

Mr. G. W. Duncan expressed the thanks of the visitors to
Capt. and Mrs. Clive.

At Crewkerne, where the fine old church of St. Bartholomew
was shown by the Rev. T. H. Labey, curate, who said it was
supposed that the niche now occupied by St. Bartholomew
once contained the B.V.M. That church was founded in the
days of the Saxons, and was handed by William the Conqueror
to St. Stephen's, Caen, Normandy. It was an abbey served
by three rectors and two or three chantry priests. Over the
southern porch was a par vis, lift, by lift, and 7ft. high,
used as a residence by the chantry priest. There were 76
gargoyles on the church, all with musical instruments. The
west front was supposed to be as fine as Bath Abbey. The
church was thought to be one of the finest specimens of
Perpendicular, the nave absolutely square, 56ft. each way ;
total length of church 122ft. The house by the church, known
as the Abbey, is supposed to have been once joined to the
church. It was the residence of the chantry priests. The
beautiful old roof of the church, once hidden under plaster, was
pointed out ; also the door which once led into the rood loft.
The old chaHces and paten were shown, the " cupps " dating
from 1607 and 1609.

A hasty visit was made to the adjoining Grammar School,
which Mr. Humphrey Blake explained. It was founded in
1499, continued as a school to 1881, now bought back by
Miss Sparkes, a benefactress of the church, and presented as
a church room. An inscription attests : " Thomas Masterman
Hardy, Bart, and G.C.B., the friend of Nelson, and Captain
of the Victory, was educated here 1778-81."

Thanks, proposed by Mr. Lionel Vibert, to the Rev. Labey
and Mr. Blake for their kind assistance, were tendered.

During tea at Yeovil Mr. Fitzroy Jones briefly tendered
the thanks of all to Mr. Gerald Grey for his admirable arrange-
ments.

Bath was reached at 7.30.

TETBURY, BEVERSTON, CHAVENAGE AND
MALMESBURY.

Monday, September 17TH, 1923.
The members left Queen Square at 10 o'clock, in fine weather,
and were conveyed in two motor coaches to Tetbury, where
they were met at the church by Mr. Aubrey P. Kitcat, who
described the building. The parish church of St. Mary

195

Magdalen has a very attractive exterior, with its tower and
graceful spire. Mr. Kitcat explained that the present church
was completely rebuilt, with the exception of the tower and
spire, about 1766. The old church was large and handsome
it had an aisle on the south side and two on the north ; a
chancel with rood loft and two side aisles. This church,
according to contemporary accounts, had fallen into such
a state that rebuilding was a necessity in 1766. The tower
and spire were supposed to date from about 1400, and were
considered very good.

Subsequently the members inspected the ancient Town Hall,
being shown old seals, deeds, and pictures, some old houses,
and a supposed monk's cell. — Mr. Kitcat was thanked by
Mr. Brydges-Barrett.

After luncheon, at the Talbot Hotel, the members proceeded
to Chavenage House, by permission of Major Lonsley- Williams,
who personally received the members and showed them round.
The house was built in the reign of Queen Elizabeth by
Edward Stephens, of Eastington, near Stonehouse, and added
to in 1684. The eastern front is in the usual form of the
letter E. The south, or garden front, is long, irregular, and
highly picturesque, its length being added to by the private
chapel built close to the house. The hall is a very fine apart-
ment ; it has two lofty, mullioned windows, partly filled
with fragments of choice old Flemish and other glass.
The lofty stone mantelpiece is of Jacobean date, and the
walls are oak-panelled. At the end of the hall is a minstrel's
gallery, with a coved and panelled ceiling. The dining room,
which is even finer, is panelled throughout with dark oak,
relieved with gilding. There are many other interesting
rooms. The families of the Stephens and Oliver Cromwell
were connected by marriage, and Cromwell slept in a room
hung with tapestries in a fine state of preservation, representing
a woodland scene. Another room, also covered with tapestry,
but much cut about, was occupied by Gen. Ireton. Another
room has long been labelled as once occupied by Queen Anne.
The house is full of beautiful old furniture, and the Flemish
glass is very interesting.

The thanks of the members were conveyed to Major Lonsley-
Williams by Mr. E. Segar.

The members next drove to Beverston to see the church
and ruined castle, being met at the church by the Rector (the
Rev. G. W. Dominey), and at the castle by Miss Gar lick. It
is a place of some antiquity, for a fortress existed there some
50 years before the Conquest. The name is thought to mean

B

196

the town of Bever, Bever being a Norman noble who obtained
a grant of land by favour of Queen Emma. The great Lord
Berkeley made alterations to the castle, which had been
rebuilt in 1225, and the estate was held by his descendants,
in the younger line for 265 years. The castle was held for
Charles I., and withstood more than one assault. Two
fires destroyed much of the castle, but the walls of the old
banqueting hall were filled in with floors and partitions to
make a residence.

The castle, as left by Lord Berkeley, was a place of great
strength, defended by four towers, one at each angle, and
between each angle was a curtain wall with extensive galleries
and many chambers behind it. It is now a picturesque ruin.
The western face still remains, and the great tower, or " keep "
which is of three stories. The lowest forms a guardroom, the
second contains a gallery and stairs leading to rooms behind
the western curtain, but mainly occupied by the garrison
chapel, a beautiful structure with a fine, traceried window
of three lights on the east. The stone vaulting is extremely
fine, and has richly carved bosses. The double piscina are
nearly perfect. Above this chapel is a large chamber, whence
steps lead to the battlements, and northward is the tiny
domestic chapel furnished with double squints on each wall,
to allow a much large number to see and hear the service.
The northern and eastern curtains and north-east angle tower
have disappeared, and towards the east only the gate tower
remains, and the small guard chambers on either side.

The present church in its older parts dates from about the
year 1225, and belonged to the transitional Norman period.
There was a church before, said Mr. Dominey, but they did
not know when it was built, or on what side. The oldest
portions are the pillars and arcade, the doorway, part of the
tower, and the figure of our Lord carrying the Resurrection
banner, rudely sculptured, on the outside of the south wall.
The remainder of the church dates from 1360, when Lord
Berkeley was rebuilding the castle. There was no record of
anything being done in the church from then until it was
restored, or, as some people said, spoiled, 90 years ago. Later
rectors have done much to put matters right. An interesting
passage from the Berkeley castle, along which the consecrated
elements were brought to the occupants who worshipped in
the chapel, and did not mix with the rest of the congregation.
The beautiful old black screen of 14th Century style, which
was probably originally five bays, instead of three, had been
rescued from the Rectory garden, where it had been made
into an arbour.

197

Mr. Dominey was thanked on behalf of the members by
Mr. Gerald Grey.

Finally, the members went to Malmesbury, where they were
received by the Vicar (the Rev. C. E. Paterson), and Mr.
Harold Brakspear, F.S.A., once more was kind enough to
address the branch. The beginning of the history of Malmes-
bury, he said, was the founding of a religious school there
by Maldulf, which became well known ; Aldlielm succeeded
him, and converted the school into a regular monastery. He
became first Bishop of Sherborne, when the diocese of
Winchester was divided, but he was buried at Malmesbury.
He was a great builder of churches, and built the church at
Malmesbury, his cathedral at Sherborne, and monastries at
Frome and Bradford-on-Avon. He did not build a big church,
but several, for in Anglo-Saxon times the sanctity of a place
depended not upon the size, but the number of churches.
From the time of Aldhelm the monastery prospered ; the
only alteration after the Conquest was the substitution of a
Norman Abbot for an English, and there was no immediate
building activity. In 1112 a Chancellor of England, Roger,
Bishop of Salisbury, seized the revenues of the monastery.
According to some guide books, Roger vva^s reputed to have
built this church, but that was nonsense — he wished rather
to reduce the importance of Malmesbury. It was after his
death, in 1139, that they must look for the building. It
was begun at the eastern end, and carried to the west. The
east end was out in the middle of the tennis lawns ; he had
traced the foundations carefully. The Norman church
consisted of the great eastern arm, with an apse and side
chapels. Then came the great crossing, of which the beautiful
northern arch remained outside. The east wall of the present
church was the western arch of the central tower. The
nave formerly had three more bays, and the whole church
was twice as long as the original nave. In the 14th Century
the whole of the transepts and nave were vaulted in stone, and
later the great central tower was raised. The church had
two towers, but the western tower collapsed later, and des-
troyed the three end bays, and the vaulting of the bay now
was lath and plaster, and they were hoping to restore it, for it
had now become unsafe. Upon the suppression of the monas-
tries, the abbey church was to be destroyed, and the handsome
Abbot's house was to remain. William Stumpe, a rich clothier
in Gloucester, purchased the site of the Abbey, and as the
parish church of St. Paul, whose tower and spire still remained,
was in a very dilapidated condition, presented the remains
of the nave of the Abbey church to be used as a parish church.
The rest was despoiled.

198

Mr. Gerald Grey conveyed the thanks of the members to
Mr. Brakspear.

Tea was partaken of at the King's Arms Hotel. Bath
being reached by 7 o'clock.

KEYNSHAM ROMAN VILLA AND BRISTOL.
Monday, October 15TH, 1923.

The last excursion of the season was held in delightful
weather. The members started from Queen Square in three
motor coaches. At the Roman Villa, Keynsham, Mr. Gerald
Grey read some notes on this years excavations. A trial
trench was dug in this field last June, and a section of the
corridor came to light. At the angle of the two corridors
was a group of dwelling rooms. A large room in the form of a
hexagon, 26ft. across, stood at the top of the principal corridor,
having a wonderfully good tesselated floor, the geometrical
designs being particularly fine. At the west end of the
hexagon there was another room about 12ft. square. On the
right hand side of the hexagonal room was a long room —
beautifully tesselated — with an apse. Corresponding to
this on the left hand side are the remains of the hypocaust,
or heating chamber. About 30 coins of bronze have been
found, as well as two or three bronze bangles and rings of
bronze. One of the most interesting finds is a bronze fish-
hook in absolutely perfect condition. Other discoveries are
spindle whorls and a mark of a human foot on a piece of clay,
made while it was soft.

In Bristol, the first church seen was the Temple Church
(or Holy Cross), famihar to all travellers to Bristol for its
leaning tower — it is 4ft. out of the perpendicular, having
sunk owing to being built on the meadow clay. Here the
members were received by the Rev. Canon Welchman. The
church was founded in 1145 by the Order of the Knights
Templar. Temple Church was also identified with one of
the earliest trade guilds, the side chapel being the spiritual
home of the Weavers' Guild. Edward Colston, the great
Bristol philanthropist, was baptised in the church, and John
Wesley, who was a friend of the vicar, preached there — it
was the last pulpit he preached in before he was inhibited —
and he performed a marriage ceremony and they had his
signature in the register.

Canon Welchman drew attention to the grille, which was
recognised as the finest example in the country of 1700 work,

199

and also the magnificent Florentine brass candelabra with
figures and symbolic emblems, presented by the Weavers'
Guild in 1350, and used ever since. The church suffered
at the hands of the Cromwellian soldiery, who used the church
for stables and destroyed all the stained glass. Canon Welch-
man also showed some unique church plate, an early Elizabeth-
an alms dish, the only existing dessert spoon made by the
silver foundry at St. Peter's Hospital, in the reign of Edward
VI. and a 1701 candlestick of unique design.

The thanks of the members were voiced by the Rev. D. Lee
Pitcairn.

After lunch, the Lord Mayor's Chapel in College Green
was visited, the sexton, Mr. Ackery, acting as guide. He re-
marked that it had three names, the chapel of the Gaunts,
by whom the hospital was founded; the chapel of St. Mark,
to whom it was dedicated, and Lord Mayor's Chapel, because
the Lord Mayor and Corporation were responsible for its
upkeep, and it was the only purely civic church in England.
It dated from 1210, when Sir Maurice Berkeley de Gaunt,
grandson of Robert Fitzharding, founded Gaunts's Hospital,
the work being enlarged by his successor, Robert de Gournay,
and his younger brother Sir Henry de Gaunt. The oldest part
is the nave, which is the original. Early English; the south
aisle windows are Early Decorated, and the east end of the
chancel and' the south aisle chapel, about 1500, are fine
examples of the Perpendicular. The site of the hospital
buildings on the north side were devoted by the Corpora-
tion to a school, but in the restoration of 1889, when the paint
was cleaned off the stones, the transept was rebuilt on the
old lines and the church has now its original shape. The
carved work in the sanctuary is one of the finest examples
of 15th Century work. The 18 small niches contained
statuettes of silver and copper gilt. In the beautiful Late
Perpendicular Poyntz chapel, the fan vaulting is notable,
rising straight out of the canopies. The Dean of Bristol
(Dr. Borroughs), owing to his accident was unable to welcome
the party, but had very cordially invited them to the cathedral,
and on his behalf the members were greeted by the Sub-
Dean (Canon Alford) — and the Precentor (the Rev. J. M. D.
Stancomb).

The visitors were divided into two parties, and under the
guidance of the Sub-Dean and the Precentor inspected the
cathedral in detail. There was much of interest to be seen,
the magnificent great east window with the original glass, so
praised by Augustus Pugin as " truly beautiful ;" the sacristy,
part of the old monastic building, a very fine example, with

200

its valted roof and recess with flue used for making * 'wafer
bread " ; the twin Berkeley chapels, now the choir vestry,
but to be restored as the children's chapels ; the worn steps
leading from the monks' dortor, and soon to be used again ;
the i6th Century oak choir stalls with carved misericordes ; the
ruins of the Bishop's palace, wrecked by the Bristol rioters,
who were only kept out of the cathedral itself by the pluck
of the sub-sacrist, who fought with his back to the door.
Finally, the great treasure of the cathedral, the Chapter
House, which is the most perfect Norman room in the Kingdom,
though one of its three bays is lost, destroyed by the rioters.
Its vestibule, with rounded and pointed arches combined,
was also shown — this summer the floor has been lowered
to the original level and the bases uncovered, the inside series
of which are rounded instead of being square like the outside
(it is suggested so that there should be no nasty edges for
the monks passing by). Much interest was shown in the
restoration work in progress in this part on the old monkish
foundations, and a perfect Norman arch erected out of frag-
ments of Norman stones found around the cathedral.

Canon Alford was thanked by the Rev. F. Varley, and
Mr. Stancomb by Lieut. -Col. Leigh.

Afterwards the members attended Evensong.

Opportunity was taken at the tea table to thank the hon.
excursion secretary (Mr. Gerald Grey) for all the trouble he
had taken, Lieut.-Col. Leigh expressing the warm apprecia-
tion of the Branch.

Bath was reached in good time at 6 o'clock.

20I

LECTURES.

FORTIFIED DWELLING HOUSES IN ENGLAND IN
THE MIDDLE AGES.

Mr. C. H. Bothamley, M.Sc.

This, the first lecture of the year, was given at the Literary
and Scientific Institution on Saturday, March loth, at 3 o'clock.
Mr. Bothamle}^ has previously favoured us with two lectures,
this one was on a different subject, but not less interesting,
especially so as the matter was quite new to the goodly com-
pany in attendance. As usual with his lectures it was well
illustrated by lantern slides. The Rev. Prebendary Boyd,
who presided, said that he knew nothing about the subject,
but he felt that it was an immensely attractive one. One
had heard about fortified castles, but what did they want to
fortify a dwelling house against ? In the beginning and
possibly afterwards it was no doubt necessary to fortify against
wild men, against attacks by stones and the shooting of
cross bows and long bows.

Mr. Bothamley said that, as had been remarked, when
one talked about a fortified place, it brought to the mind
as a rule one of those great fortified castles put up to secure
the feudal lord's hold upon his demesnes, or as part of the gen-
eral plan of the defence of the country. But, as a matter of
fact, quite early and for his purpose, at any rate, from the
iith Century onwards, lesser gentry found it necessary to
have a dwelling of such a kind as to be capable of resisting
against, not a great attack, such as would be laid to a castle,
but against a band of marauders or any unfriendly neigh-
bours, and there were a great many unfriendly neighbours
then — as now, but not in the same form ; or a band of pirates
or invaders. So, up and down the country, especially within
reach of the East or South Coast, along the Welsh border, and,
in particular, on the Northern border against Scotland, there
were still quite a number of houses remaining not big enough
to be dignified by the name of a castle, but large and relatively
important dwelling houses, arranged to hold out for a week
or a fortnight against a sudden attack.

By means of the lantern slides, the lecturer then showed
views of a house in Lincolnshire, Norman — belonging to the 12th
Century, an oblong type of house which was entered not from
the ground floor, but from the first floor, as was the case to-day
under similar circumstances in the Near East. The entrance
was reached by a flight of stairs, sometimes built a little
way from the main building, and a movable bridge giving

202

the only access. The lower part of the building could be
entered only from the upper, by means of a stair, or sometimes
only a ladder. It had generally a stone vault and the store-
house of the place, and sometimes may also have provided
accommodation for the servants. A house of that kind,
surrounded by a moat, and with the access made difficult,
might hold out for a time until relief came.

A great many of the houses of the 12th Century, of stone as
distinct from less substantial materials, had the name of
Jews' houses, of which one of the most famous was the Jew's
House on the Steep Hill, at Lincoln. Nor far away was one
known to have belonged to Aaron the Jew. The Jews, rich
people, required strong houses, not easily burnt. Such were
found at Lincoln, Southampton, and Bury St. Edmund's.

When they came to the 13th Century, they found a good
many examples left, and some in surprisingly perfect condition.
The lecturer showed views of the castle of Stokesay, Salop,
which originally belonged to the Say family, but passed into
the family of Ludlow. Here much of the 13th Century work
remains, notably the great hall, and the tower on the south
which, like the keep of a Norman castle, was the last refuge in
time of real danger. Little Wenham Hall, in Suffolk, was
also described as a specially beautiful 13th Century house
with later alterations, but still retaining a perfect little chapel
at the end of the hall. Then he passed on to Aydon Hall in
Northumberland, which has been inhabited ever since it
was built. He showed the battlements and embrasures for
defence against the northern marauders. Next followed
a series of views of the north country Peels, or strong towers
from both sides of the Border, one on the northern side being
the famous Hunting Tower, and another, Langley Castle.
Markenfield Hall, with its encircling moat and great enclosure,
capable of holding herds of cattle and even the villagers in
time of need was described and fully illustrated. Then he
passed on to speak of Nnnney Castle, Somerset, and of Compton
Castle, Devonshire, the resort of Frobisher, Drake, Howard
of Effingham, Grenville, and others, and possessing a method
of defence unique in this country. Then he came on to the
15th Century, when the idea of domestic comfort was becoming
more and more the dominant idea, and the need for defence
had disappeared, except on the Scottish border, where Peel
towers were built until the i6th Century. As the beginning
of the 15th Century was the end of the Middle Ages, it was
also the end of his story.

The Chairman briefly expressed the thanks of the audience
to the lecturer for his realistic lecture.

PLATE Vlt.

(b) WooKEY Hole : The first great chamber and underground river Axe.

203

THE LIMESTONE CAVES, UNDERGROUND RIVERS
AND GORGES OF MENDIP.

Mr. J. Harry Savory.

This most interesting lecture, illustrated by many excellent
slides, was given at the Literary and Scientific Institution
on Saturday, November 24th at 3 o'clock. Mr. Savory
has not only favoured us with notes here reproduced but
loaned us the photos and blocks to illustrate them which
will greatly add to their interest and will certainly be apprec-
iated by every Member.

The Rev. J. Byrchmore was in the chair.

The following notes treat on Cave Exploration solely as a
Nature Study, at the same time giving some indication of
its sporting possibilities. It will readily be understood that
this is entirely apart from the Archaeological research being
carried on in many of the Mendip Bone Caves.

The chief of the happy hunting grounds for the Cave
Hunter on Mendip is that part of the great ridge running
from the Bristol- Wells road north-westwards to Cheddar
and Burring ton. When roaming over these uplands, two
things must impress the most casual observer — firstly, that
there are no rushing streams running down the Gorges of
Cheddar, Burrington, Ebbor, and a score of smaller valleys
as would be the case anywhere on Quantock or Exmoor where
to negotiate such streams and precipitous valleys, one is
often taken far off one's course : secondly, that, roughly
speaking, the whole of this portion of the Mendip plateau is
one vast shallow basin bounded on the north and south by
almost continuous buttresses of higher ground.

Mendip in common with any other high ground, attracts
its full share of rain-fall, helped considerably by the close
proximity of the Bristol Channel, and, in addition, where
the core of the Old Red Sandstone makes its appearance
through the overlying Limestone at all the highest points,
copious springs pour forth their waters.

The hollowed crown of Mendip is therefore constantly
receiving a great volume of water, which as quickly disappears
and yet nowhere do surface streams run to the low-lying
moors on north and south. How then is the plateau drained ?
Herein lies the whole secret of Mendip's caves. To put it in
a nut-shell, the surface water having absorbed carbonic
acid gas from the vegetation in which it is lying, has the
power to dissolve Limestone and it is to this fact alone that
the formation of limestone caves is due.

204

It will quickly be discovered that, at varying distances
from their sources, usually soon after they have run on to
the Limestone, the spring streams disappear underground.
By means of this chemical action, as might be expected,
they attack on the lines of least resistance, namely the
bedding joints, eating downwards through the steeply tilted
strata. It is not that the depression prevents their escape to
the low land, for the depression is itself the result of their
disappearance rather than the cause.

In this way, therefore, the surface of the Mendip plateau
is constantly being denuded and thousands of streams are for
ever carrying underground the surface soil and stony debris
which they are washing along in their courses. It is due to
this that we have the great general depression on the plateau,
more clearly emphasised at the points where the streams
run underground, called locally " swallets," where butt-
ended valleys are formed varying in size according to the
strength of the stream. Many streams are so small that they
have hardly formed a swallet valley at all, but it is a fact that
swallets of different sizes are so numerous on the top of Mendip
that one cannot anywhere walk across a couple of fields without
finding clear indications of surface drainage of this kind :
the stream of a great swallet roaring underground in time of
flood or the merest trickle gurgling mysteriously through the
pebbles just beneath the turf.

The streams, following the dip of the strata, travel steeply
downwards until the " plane of saturation " is reached, roughly
the level of the low lying moors, when they flow for consider-
able distances nearly horizontally, finally to reach daylight
once more at outlets such as Rickford and Langford on the
north or Cheddar and Wookey Hole on the south. Swallet
streams in the various areas tend to converge underground
as proved by the exploration of such penetrable swallets as
Eastwater and Swildon's Hole, where numerous tributaries
are constantly adding to the volume of the main stream.
For this reason, not only are the outlets fewer in number
but, for the most part, are on a much larger scale. By this
means a complete through system is formed as shown diagram-
atically in Plate i.

The cave of outlet is of an entierly different character, not
dipping steeply as does the swallet, but running nearly horizont-
ally into the heart of the hill. Incidentally, being so much
more roomy (Plate 7b), it is usually far more comfortable for
exploration, affording at the same time plenty of good climbing
since, it is found, that old upper passages previously carved
out by the streams but now forsaken for lower levels, always

205

exist and connections between the different levels are invariably-
found. At Wookey Hole, for instance, there are five such
levels and the ends of several are visible in the cliff face as
dry cave mouths. They are in reality the old river outlets
now deserted, and the present entrance is nothing less than
one of these through which the connection with the present
water level is made at the first great chamber where one
can walk down to the edge of the underground river Axe.
(See Plate 7b). But for this type of passage, the wealth of
Stalactite scenery in our caves would be practically non-
existent.

Nowhere on Mendip has it been possible to penetrate from
the swallet to the outlet. It is invariably found, where
really low levels can be reached (Eastwater 500 feet, Swildon's
Hole 460 feet), that long sections of the system consist of
submerged passages, filled to their very roofs with liquid
mud. In Yorkshire, another limestone district, the Yorkshire
Ramblers Club has been successful in carrying out a penetra-
tion such as this.

Referring again to Plate i, the actual points of inlet* and out-
let are seen enlarged and it will be clear that at both ends,
various processes are at work. The valleys themselves are
gradually being worn deeper by the usual stream action and, as a
result, the cliff face at the foot of the swallet valley and the head
of the outlet valley (formed by the undercutting action of the
issueing streams) are gradually increasing in height. Both
these cliff faces are also exposed to the action of the elements :
the effect of wind, rain and frost on limestone being perhaps
best seen in some of the gigantic screes of Ebbor, which
reach from top 'to bottom of the gorge. By these means
both cliff faces are gradually being destroyed and, as they
slowly recede, imperceptibly approach each other, thereby
shortening the underground portion of the system between.
For the sake of clearness the diagram shows but one
swallet : the same applies to a system branching out to
any number of swallets. The illustration of the swallet
and cliff (Plate 2a), is taken on the old Bristol road midway
between the Miners' Arms and the Hunters' Lodge Inn. It
is not one of our greatest swallets and has not been opened
up but shows in a remarkable manner the lengthening of
the valley. It may clearly be seen, the cliff has receded
so far that the wall on the near side of the road has been
undermined and a considerable length has fallen into the
swallet mouth ; for the most part it has disappeared entirely.
The brink of the cliff is now half way across the grassy margin
of the road. It may be mentioned that here, progress has

2o6

been more rapid since the swallet is at a comparatively early
stage and (as may be seen in the plate) has not yet reached
bed rock proper, the little cliff being formed of surface soil
and broken stone which have far less resistance.

The illustration of the outlet and cliff (Plate 2b) is taken
at Wookey Hole, quite our most picturesque example. In
dry weather the small canal leading to the mill may take all
the water coming down. In time of flood, however, the
roar of the foaming torrent is deafening. The undercut
arch, clearly seen, is a convincing testimony of the gradual
destruction of the cliff. After a gale or hard frost we may
find large stones below which we knew were not there before :
at all times in windy weather, one can hear trickles of
earth rattling down through the ivy leaves on the cliff, telling
us that irresistable nature is surely taking her course.

Now let us study what is going on in the underground
portion of the system and mark the various types of passages.
Firstly, any extensive swallet is a small centre of depression
and in addition to the main stream there is much surface
moisture percolating through to the line of drainage from
all directions. It is only at some distance down that this
moisture is collected together and all running through passages
in bed rock. Near the surface, the limestone beds are eaten
out by the encroaching moisture, the result being that they
are breaking up into enormous boulders and these, together
with those falling from the cliff face, fill, so to speak, a
gigantic funnel of bed rock. Unlike the Yorkshire pots,
a Mendip swallet is never a large gaping hole inviting one to
enter and explore, far from it. Below the swallet cliff lies
sometimes a miniature swamp, sometimes a quagmire of
mud and rubble. It is a simple matter, though hard work,
to excavate this and clear it to a safe distance ; one is in day-
light and has the free use of one's limbs, but below this one's
troubles begin. The great obstacle to all swallet exploration
is the carving out of a passable passage through the boulders,
firstly the small stuff nearer the surface and then the really
big fellows below, perhaps working with a sledge just in
out of daylight with one's body in all sorts of impossible
positions and not an inch of spare elbow room. This is the
really arduous and often heart-breaking part of cave work,
such as most effectively cools off the merely luke warm
enthusiast.

It was only by much persevering work such as this, on the
part of H. E. Balch and others, with the aid of powerful hfting
tackle and blasting charge, that the craggy depths of East-
water and the unrivalled glories of Swildon's Hole were

207

€ver laid bare to human eye. At the great Hillgrove swallet
the luck has been bad ! Since years before the war, many
are the efforts which have been made to penetrate the
boulders to what we know must be an extensive system
below and the excavated pit is now enormous, yet nowhere
has any passable fissure yet been exposed or even certain
indication given of the best line to follow.

Finally the boulders end or become so large that one can
creep about between them in a bewidering maze of darkness.
Great masses, weighing many tons, may be suspended above
one's head with no visible support and that unpleasant feeling
of impending collapse, the streaming moisture (one avoids
the direct line of the stream !) the knife edge fossils outstanding
on the surface of the water worn rocks cutting one's clothes
to ribbons, together with the restricted space all tend to
make boulder work by far the most unpleasant part of cave
exploration. Plate 3a shows H. E. Balch in the upper and
less formidable part of the Eastwater boulders, not far from
the surface, and his right hand rests upon the " trap door,"
a great mass which had to be levered up into its present
position before the passable passage, occupied by his body,
was discovered.

Bed rock reached, various types of passage may be en-
countered. 'Water action alone (firstly by the percolating
moisture in the fissures and, as these enlarge, by the stream
itself) tends to eat out low, flat " bedding caves " along the
lines of the joints and these may often be of considerable
width. " Purgatory," well named, in the west series of
Wookey Hole (see Plate 4a), is a good example, where only
at one point does a shght enlargement just and only just allow
the passage of a not too robust human body.

In due course the fissure becomes enlarged to such an
extent that, not only the streamlet, but, that which it is
bearing along in its course gains an entrance and a second
highly important process then comes into operation, far
reaching in its effects, far more speedy in its action, namely
Erosion. Gravel, debris and the disintigrating boulders are
rushed down pell mell by the stream carving out the passages
at a comparatively far greater speed. Plate 3b is a view of
the Plantation Swallet, Priddy mines and is taken from
inside looking up to daylight above. The stream — one of
those which drains this old lead mining area — is extraordinarily
constant. The rocky nature of the stream bed and some of
the larger stones which from time to time are hurled on
downwards into the bowels of the earth, are clearly shown.

208

To mention a public cave, wonderful examples of the
results of this work may be seen on the passage roofs and in
the lofty rifts of Gough's Cave, Cheddar, where some of the
rock surface resembles beaten copper.

Our first example is in the horizontal beds of the Dolomitic
Conglomerate of Wookey Hole. These actions taking place
in tilted strata result, as may be foreseen, in a passage of
the " Eastwater Canyon " type, the actual section of which
is shown in a striking manner in Plate 4b. To obtain this,
the only existing photograph was a tough proposition, for,
be it remembered, the operator and his assistant with the
magnesium light were in the same sort of position as the rest
of the party. Space will not permit of reminis ences of some
of our expeditions here and elsewhere, so it might just be
mentioned in passing that this is one of the easier sections
of Eastwater through which much bulky gear for the negotia-
tion of vertical drops, photographic apparatus and rations
for a strong party, have to be transported.

Again, the vertical fault is a line of great weakness quickly
seized upon by the descending waters, resulting, firstly in a
high and narrow passage, later in the great lofty rift chamber
which occurs in Eastwater and Cheddar. Plate 4c shows the
rift immediately inside the little cave mouth below the
reservoir railings in Cheddar Gorge. The figure, seated on
the boulder at the far end gives some idea of its enormous
height, not perhaps realised by those who peep inside without
the necessary illuminants.

What is the result of prolonged underground erosion ?
Passages are eaten out and enlarged by the processes already
described, all the cracks and fissures in the neighbourhood
of the stream are water logged. Here and there great masses
in the roof, by the weakening of the joints, will gradually lose
their support and crash into the torrent thereby forming great
boulder chambers, the fallen rocks, breaking up, helping largely
to increase the work of erosion. The greater the chamber
formed the more rock surface is there exposed to water action,
the greater the support necessary for the roof. In short,
though not in the experience of any of us, has any extensive
fall taken place, through the course of time gradually increasing
collapse is slowly but surely going on. Plate 7a is rather a
convincing example taken in the Boulder Chamber of Reed's
Cavern, Burrington, an active swallet not long ago opened
up by the Speleological Society of Bristol University. The
figure seated below gives some idea of the size of the enormous
fallen mass forming a natural bridge above.

209

Now although, in these underground systems, we may say
that this work, deep down in the heart of the hills, may go on
for an infinite amount of time — geologically this is not so —
collapse, of which we have so many impressive examples,
cannot go on indefinitely. There must come a time when
the very roof of the enlarged and weakened system finds
insufficient support. In the opinion of H. E. Balch, wha
knows the Mendip caves better than any, the formation of
the Mendip Gorges, Cheddar, Burrington, Ebbor and others,
is due to the final collapse of cave systems which have reached
this stage though it is only right to mention that Professor
Reynolds of Bristol University, an expert on Mendip Geology,
regards this as only one of several possible theories. It is,
perhaps, only natural that this should be the pet theory of all
cave enthusiasts, adding as it would, such considerable
interest to their subject, their hope being that in course of
time it may be proved beyond a doubt.

If the argument is worked out still further, it would follow
that in such a case as Cheddar, the various valleys branching
out at the head of the gorge to Long Wood, Velvet Bottom,
Kingdown Farm and Priddy, indicate the lines of the principal
swallets feeders to the Cheddar water, to-day flowing along
the same lines, but at a lower level and out of sight. The
heads of these various branches would once have been those
gradually lengthening butt-ended valleys already described.
In other words, the upper extremities of the Gorge (and the
lower in like manner) would have been formed by surface
action. The numerous dry cave mouths in the upper reaches
(not of course the old out-lets, Gough's and Coxes caves,
at the foot) would indicate the old junctions of the smaller
tributaries. The fact that in these last mentioned caves
the earliest races of cave men found ready made homes,
must impress us with the vast ages of time to which we must
school our minds when considering the question of cave
formation.

The wonderful and prolific stalactite scenery forms, in the
opinion of many, quite the most attractive feature of cave
exploration. It is the persistent hope of one day to burst
in on a fairy grotto of marvellous beauty, never before seen
by human eye, that forms the chief lure of cave hunting for
many whose keenness might otherwise be speedily destroyed
by the arduous labour and discomfort inseperable from
serious work.

No report on Mendip caves would be complete without some
space devoted to this subject and although, in a journal of
this kind, it is entirely superfluous to describe how these

210

wonderful formations come into existence, yet I venture
to do so (with the help of some rather unique illustrations),
since it has a bearing on other points of considerable im-
portance.

The percolating moisture (as distinct from running water)
descending through the bedding joints takes carbonate of
lime into solution and where this moisture ultimately strikes
a passage or chamber, it hangs in the form of drops on the
roof. Now, provided that passage contains a rushing torrent
and driving spray, those drops will fall and be swept away.
The air is already saturated with moisture and no evaporation
can take place.

No cave is quite as wet as Eastwater, even its " dry "
ways are unpleasantly moist and in that vast system there
occurs hardly a vestige of stalactite. But should the passage
be an old deserted dry way, evaporation is carried on and
each successive drop at every point deposits round itself a
minute quantity of its Carbonate. " Pencils " are formed in
this manner, see the upper portion of Plate 6, sometimes
4 feet long, the stalactite at its first stage, a frail hollow
tube to be broken with a breath, even sometimes to fall with
its own vv^eight as we have found in the newly opened grottoes
of Swildon's Hole where the breakage must have been natural.
By the constant drip the pencil grows in length and girth
and ultimately the hollow core is sealed up, the stalactite now
growing by the moisture running down its sides. Any section
of a stalactite, however great the size, taken near the roof
will show this small hollow core.

Provided the drops occur at points where they tend to fall
clear, a pendant is formed, but should they enter a passage
down through a sloping fissure they will continue to run
down the underside of the sloping roof, the effect of evapoura-
tion now being the deposition of slight ridges of the carbonate
which conduct the flowing moisture. In course of time beauti-
ful " curtains " are formed and, according to how the original
drops meandered down the sloping roof, so these fall in folds
as graceful and natural as in real drapery : frequently
they have a cock's comb edging. Plate 5b taken beyond
the public way in Gough's cave, could hardly be bettered
as a clearly defined example of the two forms, they hang quite
by themselves, side by side, and above is seen the fissure
from which the moisture is derived.

The supply of moisture is usually such that much of it
falls to the ground where it flows out over the rocky floors
and, evaporation continuing, everything in its course is
sealed down under a pavement of glistening crystal, where it

Sir Morys Russell and Isabel
Dyrham Church.

Photo] {^^y- ^- J- Taylor

Roman Coffin and Skeleton found near St. John's Church.

211

drops over ledges, transforming these into the semblance of
frozen waterfalls. The carbonate is also deposited in the
cave pools in the form of a lining of sparkling dog tooth
crystals, a nodular variety of lining being sometimes found.

Directly below the points of drip the stalagmite is formed
which by the same process grows slowly upwards. Plate 6
taken in the most recently discovered grottoes of Swildon's
Hole shows some unusually fine stalagmite pillars.

The two points are now imperceptibly approaching each
other. In course of ages they join and, as growth continues,
become solid pillars joining floor and roof. Plate 5b.

One must accept with caution the statement often made,
based on 20 or 30 years observation, that the stalactite grows
such and such a fraction of an inch in a given time. No
one can tell in any individual case whether, in past ages,
the supply of moisture has always continued constant or if
it has always contained the same percentage of carbonate.
It is no uncommon thing to come across stalactites where at
present all action has ceased, they are bone dry with a rough
dull surface and far less beautiful than those glistening with
moisture.

The beauty of a stalactite grotto, never before desecrated
by human hand or foot, when first seen, baffles description,
as does also the excitement of a party, it may be after months
of hard work, breaking in on such a scene. It may be all of
purest, glistening white as in some of the recently discovered
grottoes in the lower series of Swildon's Hole or perhaps
a mass of wonderful colour running from white (the pure
carbonate of lime) to cream, yellow, brown, blood red, even
to greys and blacks as the moisture happens to be affected
by different minerals in the limestone — iron, manganese, etc.
The translucence also varies to a great extent, some formations
being almost transparent and showing wonderful veining
when a light is held behind them, while others, chiefly those
where action has ceased, are quite opaque.

It is, however, the infinite vagary of form which entirely
defies explanation. Why, at such places as Wookey Hole,
should the stalactites remain insignificant, while they have
directed the drip which has formed magnificent columns
below ? when, in other cases, no pillar springs up from
the stalagmite floor to meet a great pendant. Why, in a
cluster of hanging pencils should one choose to run out nearly
horizontally, another turn round and start growing upwards
like a huge button hook or a third, halfway down its length
grow to several times the original diameter, imitating a great
carrot, or a group of three or four loop and tangle themselves
c

212

together ? These occurances are common, not to mention the
multitude of freakish forms easily earning the fancy names
we know so well in some of the public caves. These " erratics "
are of great interest but are likely to remain unexplained for
a long time to come. They cannot be accounted for by the
presence of draughts, due to running water, which often give a
wierd, steady tilt to one's candle flame (incidentally the
chief instrument by which a plentiful supply of good air is
almost invariably forthcoming).

It has already been shown why stalactite cannot form in
active waterways. Before closing these few remarks on
cave formation, it must therefore be explained why certain
underground torrents are canopied with some of our richest
and best scenery. There is not the slightest doubt that
this is due to the accumulation of " Chokes." Let us take
as our example the recently opened lower series of Swildon's
Hole. At the " Water Chamber," the bottom of the old upper
series, all known dry ways come to an end and with the
exception of Barnes' Loop (not a long section) and one or two
short branches, the whole of the rest of the cave down to the
present termination, 460 feet vertical below the entrance, and
2,000 to 2,500 feet from the entrance, has to be traversed
along the main stream and along practically the whole distance
wonderful masses of stalactite occur. What has happened is
obviously this : — The stream having carved out a considerable
passage was at some time in its remote past diverted by a
choke and for long ages ran through another course at present
undiscovered, during which time these formations were
built up. Then, owing to something, we know not what,
perhaps a great flood, the choke was cleared and the stream
reverted to its original passage.

It is now very actively engaged in destroying the work
of all those ages, all the ponderous masses of stalactite within
its reach are steadily being planed down by the rushing
water or hacked to pieces by rocks being hurled along in time
of flood. A great boss at the end of the water rift, where the
stream turns left handed, shows clearly the marks of such
blows as make one marvel who has tackled a bank of stalagmite
with a sledge-hammer.

The limestone base suffers far more than the stalagmite,
which is almost as steel to lead in hardness, the former
being destroyed at a far greater rate : the results are interesting,
great shelves of stalagmite stand out from the walls, 4 and 5
feet up, under which one can creep, while at other points,
masses stand out derelict in mid-stream quite detached from
the parent rock on which they were formed.

213

The lodging of a single stone in a fissure of the stream way
may therefore have great and far-reaching consequences ;
it may arrest the course of a second stone ; their combined
efforts may, in reality, be the small beginnings of an immovable
dam, later to be made a compact and solid mass from floor
to roof, as the smaller water borne material — sand, gravel, etc.,
is banked up and fills every crevice. The causes and results
•of chokes are some of the many interesting points to be studied
underground. It is a choke of liquid mud which at present
bars further penetration downwards in Swildon's Hole ; it
was by digging away an ancient choke of coarse river sand
high up in the west wall of the first chamber at Wookey
Hole, that the beautiful western series was discovered by
Balch and Troup (Plate 5b), and it is undoubtedly due to
chokes that many of our dry ways, containing some of the
best scenery, exist to-day.

Space will not permit of a detailed description of any
individual cave, nor of any further comments on the sporting
possibilities of this somewhat unusual hobby. The outstand-
ing work of the past few years is the opening of Reed's Cavern,
Burring ton, by the Bristol University Speleological Society
(a cave full of Archaeological interest) and the final mastering
of the forty-foot waterfall at Swildon's Hole by the Wells
Society, by which the penetration of that indescribably
beautiful lower series (Plate 6), is now, though perhaps at
the cost of a ducking, always ensured.

In closing, I should like to acknowledge the kindness of
the committee of the Wells Society in lending the block of
Plate 6, which helps to illustrate this report. It is with
great difficulty that I have resisted the impulse to include
more such views of our beautiful underground scenery rather
than those perhaps more sombre subjects which help to
explain the progress of cave formation.

214

NOTES.

ST. PETER'S CHURCH, DYRHAM.

Mr. H. Parry.

In the floor of the south aisle, under the pews, is a large
brass in memory of Sir Morys Russell and Isabel his wife.
The knight wears bascinet and camail, and a jupon with a
straight edge over a hauberk of banded mail, with plate
armour on the arms and legs. His bawdric is elaborately
ornamented. His wife, on his right hand, wears her hair in
three nebule rows on her forehead, but behind it is long, resting
on her shoulders. She wears a mantle over a kirtle with tight-
fitting mitten sleeves which are buttoned closely the whole
length of the fore arm. Above the figures are the remains
of a fine double canopy, showing two shields suspended in
quatrefoils.

I. Argent on a chief gules three bezants. Russell.
11. Russell impaling, Quarterly ist and 4th, Ermine three
annulets one within the other gules, Fitton : 2nd and 3rd.
Argent a bend wavy gules, between two bendlets of the last,
Kingston.

There is a rhymed latin inscription underneath.

NOTES OF STONE COFFIN UNEARTHED DURING
BUILDING OPERATIONS AT ST. JOHN'S
ROAD, BATH.
Mr. a. J. Taylor, F.S.Arc.

A stone coffin with cover and containing human skeleton
and bones was uncovered at a spot about 180 feet from the
S.W. angle of St. John's Church and 32 feet from the road
(St. John's Road) on June 27th, 1923, during excavations for
building works. The top of cover was at a level of 3ft. 6ins.
below the surface of the ground. The outside dimensions
of coffin were as follows: length 6ft. 6ins., width at head 2ft.,
width at foot ift. 3ins. Internal measurements, 5ft. gins,
long, ift. 7ins. wide at head, iiins. wide at foot. It was
iiins. deep and the cover consisted of a single stone slab 6ins.
thick, the walls being 2|ins. thick.

The coffin was lying with its axial line 60° E or N at the
head. The coffin had to be removed to allow the building
operations to continue.

215

ROMAN SITE AT LIMPLEY STOKE.
Mr. a. T. Wicks.

Since the report in last year's Proceedings some further
digging in the same field has been undertaken. This field,
it may be repeated, is on the higher or south side of the
Midford — Limpley Stoke lane.

The chief discovery this year is of the existence of a con-
siderable area of cobbled stone. A flat stone, a foot high,
set nearly vertical at Sins, from the surface, proved to be a
sort of revetment for a cobbled surface, which extended
northward for 13ft. where progress was stopped by the bushes
against the lane wall. On attempting to follow the line of
revetment westward, a similar si one was found adjacent
to the first, and another 15ft. from it. As a quicker method
of finding the westward extension of this area, a line of seven
holes was dug about 9ft. from the lane wall ; in each the cobble
was again found, in the first five at 6ins. from the surface, in
the next at I3ins. and in the last at i8ins., thus following the
lie of the ground as indicated by the lane. The total distance
traversed was looft. and the western edge of the field almost
reached.

At this end of the field a short trench was then dug, extending
from 40ft. to 55ft. from the lane. In the deeper soil it was
hoped to find' some undisturbed foundation or unbroken
relics. Instead, at depths of 33ins. to 28ins. the cobbled stones
were found again. This feature has thus been proved for at
least lOoft. parallel to the lane ; in the perpendicular direction
it is at least 13ft. in the centre of the field, and if continuous
at least 50ft. at the western end.

In previous digging in the centre of the field, two flat oolite
slabs w'^re found at a depth of i8ins. resting on undisturbed
clay. One was a pointed stone 3ft. long, iSins. wide and 3ins.
thick. The other was loft. away and half as big. No further
trace of a supposed wall in this part of the field was found.
The whole is consistent with an interior area paved with
oolite slabs, surrounded on at least two sides by cobbled
area which in one place is raised by about one foot.

The length of 13ft was cleared of the stones to a width of
2ft. As the top layer was never more than Sins, below the
surface, it is probable that a portion has disappeared, and in
this connection mention may again be made of fragments of
inch slab of foreign sandstone which are frequent in the
field. The bed of stones was found to be a foot in depth,
the bottom layer was chiefly of irregular stones up to gins,
in length, the succeeding layer or layers of smaller stones.

2l6

The whole was very closely packed with smaller stones ranging
in size down to the size of a walnut. It was a very solid
piece of work, and took several hours to clear.

Under these circumstances, relics were few ; there were
portions of two sandstone rubbers, and a fiat pointed piece
of oolite broken at an artificial perforation, in bronze there
were the bow and plate of a course heavy fibula, a small
portion of ribbed banding, and one undecipherable "third
brass." Mr. J. F. S. Stone, who gave me assistance in the
digging, found a coin in similar state on the surface.

In the field on the north of the lane and immediately
opposite the diggings described above, bare patches began
to show in the partial drought of the summer, thus con-
firming the existence of remains there.

217

BATH & DISTRICT BRANCH

SOMERSET ARCH/EOLOGICAL

AND

NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY.

1923.

PRESIDENT :
THE RIGHT HON. THE EARL WALDEGRAVE.

VICE-PRESIDENTS:

Rev. Prebendary BOYD, M.A., B.C.L.
Captain CHARLES T. FOXCROFT, M.P.
LORD STRACHIE.

COMMITTEE:

Major-General BRADSHAW, C.B.
, G. LAWRENCE BULLEID, Esq.
Rev. ETHELBERT HORNE.
Lieutenant-Colonel P. P. LEIGH, CLE.
GEORGE NORMAN, Esq., F.S.A.I.
^Hon. Local Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society).

Rev. D. LEE PITCAIRN, M.A.
M. H. SCOTT, Esq., and EDWARD SEGAR, Esq.

Ex-Officio Members of the Committee :

Rev. J. BYRCHMORE.
CHARLES TITE, Esq.
Hon. Secretary Somerset Archaeological Society.

HON. EXCURSION SECRETARY :

GERALD J. GREY, Esq.

HON. SECRETARY AND TREASURER:
THOS. S. BUSH, Esq.

2l8

LIST OF MEMBERS, 1923.

Members changing their address will please notify the
Hon. Secretary.

(* Are also Members of the Parent Society.)
1904 AcLAND Mrs. B. D.

191 1 * Adams E. Cay, Esq., The Cedars, Trowbridge.

1920 Bache Mrs., 16, Grosvenor.

1908 Bayliss Rev. F. C, Francis Hotel, Bennett Street.

1 91 9 Begg Mrs., 7, The Circus.

192 1 Berryman Lieut. -Colon el, 16, Somerset Place.

1920 Blackett Dr., Hamsterley, Bloomfield Park.

1903 Blathwayt Miss, Eagle House, Batheaston.
1923 Blathwayt Mrs. C. G., Kelston, Batheaston.

1904 *Blathwayt Rev. W. E., M.A., Dyrham Rectory, Chippenham.
1923 Board Mrs., 13, Sydney Buildings.

1922 Bowen E. Palmer, Esq., 6, Bathwick Hill.
1922 Bowen Mrs., 6, Bathwick Hill.

1903 *Boyd Rev. Prebendary, M.A., B.C.L., 13, Brock Street.

191 1 Brabazon Miss, 18, Lansdown Crescent.

1912 Bradshaw Major-General, C.B., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.

191 2 Bradshaw Mrs., Buckenhill House, Lansdown.
1916 Brendon Mrs., 7, Belgrave Road.

1904 *Breton Miss Adela C, 15, Camden Crescent (Deceased).

1921 Bridgman Miss, 9, George Street, Bathwick Hill.

1021 Bridgman Miss M., R.M.S., 9, George Street, Bathwick Hill.

1915 Bromley Rev. Prebendary F. A., M.A., Weston Vicarage.
1910 Brookfield Mrs., Stratton-on-the-Fosse.

191 3 Browne Miss Dominick, 15, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Bruce Miss M. C, 7, Portland Place.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Henry, Esq., 28, Pulteney Street.

1920 Brydges-Barrett Mrs., 28, Pulteney Street.

1919 Brymer Walter S., Esq., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1919 Brymer Mrs., 13, Marlborough Buildings.

1920 *Bulleid G. Lawrence, Esq., Leura, Lansdown Road.
1920 Bullock R. C, Esq., Northfield, Bathford.

1903 *BusH Thos. S., Esq., 20, Camden Crescent.
1903 Bush Mrs. Thos. S., 20, Camden Crescent.

1922 Buston Mrs., 161, Newbridge Hill.
1922 *Byrchmore Rev. J., 12, Beaufort West.

1922 Byrchmore Mrs., 12, Beaufort West.

1920 Calder James, Esq., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1920 Calder Mrs., 10, Lansdown Crescent.

1921 Campbell Miss, 9, Bathwick Street.

1920 Capes P. E., Esq., 28, Pulteney Street (Deceased).

1923 Carey Miss, 2, Beckford House, Lansdown Crescent.

1 91 6 Carr Mrs., Manor House, Weston.
1 91 6 Carr Miss, Manor House, Weston.

219

1915 *Carr J., Esq., Wood House, Twerton (Deceased).

1 91 6 Carr Miss, Wood House, Twerton.

1 91 6 Carr Miss J. F,, Wood House, Twerton.

1923 Carter Mrs. Stuart, Oriel House, Gloucester Road.

1905 Cave Mrs., 16, Circus.

1912 Chope Mrs., 10, Mount Beacon.

1903 Clayton Mrs., Charlcombe Manor.

191 1 CoLOMB Mrs., 17, Darlington Place.

1904 Cooke Miss M. A. H., Lonsdale, Combe Down.
1920 Corbett Mrs. R. C, 3, Cavendish Place.
1923 Cragie Mrs., 11, Queen's Parade.

1920 Crouch H. M., Esq., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1920 Crouch Mrs., Summerfield, Weston Park.

1904 Curd Charles, Esq., 6, Gay Street.

191 7 Daunt Miss Mary, The Shack, Lansdown Road (Deceased).
1903 Davis Rev. J. Roland, M.A., Broughton Gifford Rectory.
1920 Dettmar Miss, Amoril House, Batheaston.

1919 Dickson Mrs., 46, Combe Park.

1920 Duncan G. W., Esq., Cavendish Lodge.

192 1 East Miss, 15, Lansdown Place, East.

1921 Evans Rev. L. H., 6, Sion Hill Place (Deceased).

1923 Ford Miss Sibyl, 5, Cavendish Place.

1 91 2 FosBERY Dr., I, Oxford Row.

1911 FoxcROFT Captain Charles T., Hinton Charterhouse.

191 6 Gabriel Miss, Fleetlands, Weston Park.

1920 Gandy Miss Violet, 9, Kensington.

1908 *Gervis Henry, Esq., M.D., F.S.A., 15, Royal Crescent.

1908 Gervis Miss Dora L., 15, Royal Crescent.

1906 Goldie Robert F., Esq., South Lawn, College Road.

1920 Gouldsmith E., Esq., Wairoa, Combe Down.

1 92 1 Green Mrs., 12, Lansdown Crescent.
1920 Green Miss, 12, Lansdown Crescent.

1922 Green Miss L. R., 9, Dunsford Place.

1922 Green-Armytage, R. N., Esq., 22, Bathwick Hill.
1 9 10 Gregory Mrs., Mount Beacon House.

1903 Gregory George, Esq., 5, Argyle Street

1903 *Grey Gerald J., Esq., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1904 Grey Mrs., 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.

1920 Grey Miss Evelyn, 3, Oakley, Claverton Down.
1915 Grierson Miss, 40, Grosvenor Place.

1 92 1 Grindrod G, H., Esq., Chevin, Lansdown.

1920 Grindrod Mrs., Chevin, Lansdown.

1923 Hamilton Mrs., 42, Park Street.
1923 Hamilton Miss, 42, Park Street.

191 8 Hardy Mrs., York Villa, Kensington.

1922 Harford Miss, 9, St. James's Square,
1922 Harford Miss C. L., 9, St. James's Square.
1915 Head H. E., Esq., 14, Dunsford Place.

1904 Heathcote J. Cuthbert, Esq., Southlands, Trowbridge.

1921 Heathcote Mrs., Effingham House, Oldfield Park.

220

I9I5 *HiGNETT Geoffrey, Esq., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1915 *HiGNETT Mrs., Hodshill, Southstoke.

1922 Holt Miss F. V., 4, Henrietta Street.

1913 Holmes Thomas J., Esq., Eastern House, Beechen Cliff.

1903 *HoRNE Rev. Ethelbert, Downside Abbey.

1915 HoRNE Miss E. M., Hunter's Hall, Bitton.
1921 HowDEN Mrs., 10, Bathwick Hill.

1 91 8 Inchbald Rev. W. E., Charlcombe Rectory.

1920 Inchbald Mrs., Charlcombe Rectory.

1916 Ingham H. M., Esq., 4, Raby Place,

192 1 Jay Miss G. de Lancey, 17, Brock Street,

1923 Jones Fitzroy, Esq., Mendip Lodge, Bathwick Hill.
1923 Jones Mrs. Fitzroy, Mendip Lodge, Bathwick Hill.

1903 *Kemeys-Tynte St. David M., Esq., Harefield, The Parks,.
Minehead.

1920 Ketchley Rev. H. E., Biddestone Rectory, Chippenham.

1922 KiDD Mrs. May, 39, Bathwick Street.

1919 King C. A., Esq., Brookfield, Weston Road.

1 919 King Mrs. C. A., Brookfield, Weston Road.

192 1 King Mrs. Preston, 19, The Circus.
1903 Knight Miss J. F., 17, Catharine Place.

191 5 Layton Mrs., 17, Oldfield Road,

1908 Leigh Colonel P, P., CLE., Grosvenor House.

1916 Leigh Mrs., Grosvenor House.

192 1 Lethbridge Miss, Donnybrook, Russell Street.

1923 Lewis C. M., Esq., 15, Camden Crescent.
1923 Lewis Mrs,, 15, Camden Crescent.
1923 Lewis Mrs. Egbert, 23, Bathwick Hill.

19 1 3 Linley-Howlden H., Esq., Old Manor House, Freshford.-

1 916 Linley-Howlden Mrs., Old Manor House, Freshford,

1922 Lloyd.^MIss Margaret J., 4, St. James's Square.
1 910 Longworth-Dames Miss C, 2, Winifred's Dale.

1920 Macnab Miss, 13, Lansdown Place, East.

19 1 7 Main waring Colonel, Cleveland House.

1919 Meredith Miss, Beaufort House, Marshfield, Chippenham.

1920 Miller Miss.

1913 Milsom a. C, Esq., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1 91 3 Milsom Mrs., De Montalt, Combe Down.

1916 Milsom F. H., Esq., Audley Lodge.

1916 Milsom Mrs. F. H., Audley Lodge.

1922 MoiR Miss Macrae, Diamond Cottage, Bathampton.

19 1 7 Moles worth Brigadier-General, C.B., Elstree House, LambridgCc
1920 Moncrieff Mrs. Cunningham, 63, Combe Park.

1920 MoLONY Alfred, Esq., Edgar Hotel, Laura Place.

1923 Myers Rev. Thomas, 89, Bioomfield Avenue.
1923 Myers Mrs., 89, Bioomfield Avenue.

1910 Nash Mrs., 7, Laura Place.

1 91 2 Newham Miss, II, Raby Place, Bathwick.

1903 *NoRMAN George, Esq., F.S.A.I., 12, Brock Street.

1907 Norman Mrs., 12, Brock Street.

221

1923 NoRRis Mrs., i, Beaufort East,

1919 NowELL Mrs., I, Catharine Place.

1 92 1 NowLAN Colonel, The Lodge, Batheaston.

1921 NowLAN Mrs., The Lodge, Batheaston.

1923 Orton Miss E. J., 137, Newbridge Hill.

1 91 7 O'SuLLiVAN Dr., Glencairn, Bathwick.

1918 O'SuLLivAN Miss, Glencairn, Bathwick.

1923 Parr Mrs., Eagle House, Bathford.

1912 Parry Hubert, Esq., 28, Newbridge Hill.

1920 Parry Mrs. H., 28, Newbridge Hill.

1913 Perkes Rev. R. M., 39, Combe Park.

1913 Phillimore J. E., Esq., Sedgley, Sion Road.

1922 Phillimore, Mrs., Sedgley, Sion Road.

192 1 Phillips Miss, Woodside, Bathford.

1921 Phillips Miss M. L., Woodside, Bathford.
1904 Pitcairn Rev. D. Lee, M.A., i, Laura Place.
1904 Pitcairn Mrs., i, Laura Place.

1923 Pitt Mrs., South Stoke House, South Stoke.
1923 Pitt Miss, South Stoke House, South Stoke.
1911 Powell Mrs. W. H., 15, Lansdown Crescent.

1 91 5 Powell Mrs., 12, Rivers Street.

1920 Pritchard Miss E., Combe Royal, Bathwick.

1907 Pryce Ernest, Esq., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1906 Pryce Mrs., 10, Cavendish Crescent.

1923 Robinson Sidney, Esq., Lansdown Croft.

1923 Robinson Miss Violet, Lansdown Croft.

1909 Rodman Miss, 17, The Tyning.

1903 Rolleston S. v., Esq., B.C.L., M.A., Bath and County Club.

1914 Rose Mrs. H. Fullwood, 74, Pulteney Street
1920 RowE Colonel Octavius, 4, Royal Crescent.
1920 RowE Mrs., 4, Royal Crescent.

1904 Salmon Miss E. E., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.
1904 Salmon Miss L. M., 26, Hawthorn Grove, Combe Down.

1922 Sanders Miss, 22, Forester Road.

1920 Sartoris Miss, 31, St. James's Square.

1903 *ScoTT M. H., Esq., 5, Lansdown Place, West (Deceased).

1 92 1 Scott Miss, 5, Lansdown Place, West.

1 91 9 *Scratton Arthur Esq., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1920 Scratton Mrs., Woodleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1 91 5 Segar Edward, Esq., Bella Vista, Lansdown.

1922 Seth-Smith Miss, Caisson House, Combe Hay.
1920 Severs Miss A., 17, Marlborough Buildings.
1920 Severs Miss E., 17, Marlborough Buildings.

1918 *Shickle Rev. C. W., F.S.A., 9, Cavendish Crescent.

1907 Shum F. E., Esq., 41, Sydney Buildings.
1920 Sonnenschein E. a., Esq., 4, Sion Hill Place.
1920 Sonnenschein Mrs., 4, Sion Hill Place.

1903 Spender Miss, 8, Forester Road.

1920 Start Miss, 21, Rivers Street.

192 1 Stothert Lady, i, Lansdown Place, West.
1903 Strachie Lord, Sutton Court, Pensford, Bristol.

1911 Straghan Mrs., 26, Crescent Gardens.

1912 Strangways Miss R. C, 6, Brunswick Place.

I920 Street A. E., Esq., 12, Somerset Place.

1920 Street Mrs., 12, Somerset Place.

19 1 8 Taite Miss, 14, Bladud Buildings

1915 Tanner J. H., Esq., 12, Beaufort East.

1904 Taylor A. J., Esq., 18, New Bond Street.

192 1 Thackwell Brig.-General, Perrymead Cottage.
1903 *Thatcher a. a., Esq., Midsomer Norton.

192 1 Thompson Miss Edith, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

192 1 Thompson Miss E. Perronet, Beaconfield, Lansdown.

1920 Thring Mrs. C. B., Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1920 Thring Miss Marjory, Ormonde House, Sion Hill.

1903 *Tite Charles, Esq., Stoneleigh, Taunton.
1923 Townsend Mrs., Fairhaven. Batheaston.

192 1 Tucker Mrs. Allon, 9, Green Park.

1904 Tyte W., Esq., 7, Bloomfield Crescent.

1 92 1 Varley Rev. F., Filleigh, Bath wick Hill.

192 1 Varley Mrs., Filleigh, Bath wick Hill.

1 92 1 Varley Miss, Filleigh, Bathwick Hill.
1920 ViBERT Lionel, Esq., Marline, Lansdown.
1920 ViBERT Mrs., Marline, Lansdown.

1 91 4 Wage Henry, Esq., St. Winifreds.

1 914 Wage Miss, St. Winifreds.

1903 *Waldegrave Right Hon. the Earl, Chewton Priory.

1913 Walker Robert, Esq., F.R.G.S., Armidale, Knighton Road,
Leicester.

1910 *Wardle F. D., Esq., 5, Vane Street.

1920 Watson Miss A. E., Swainswick Cottage.

1920 Wayne Miss, 12, Bladud Buildings.

1920 Webb Mrs. Gillum, ii, Lansdown Place, East.

1903 *Whittugk E. a., Esq., 77, Audley Street, W. i.

1922 *WiCKS A. T., Esq., Monkton Combe School.
1922 Willis Colonel C. H,, C.B., 94, Sydney Place.
1917 Wilkinson Lady, Deepdene, Bathampton.

1904 Williams D. Prout, Esq., 3, Charles Street.

1913 Wills J. H., Esq., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-
Avon.

1 91 3 Wills Mrs., Potticks House, Frankleigh, Bradford-on-Avon.

1913 Wills Stanley, Esq., 14, Royal Crescent.

1913 Wills Mrs., 14, Royal Crescent.

1908 Wood Miss Ellen, 38, Combe Park.

1921 Wright E. M., Esq., Lower Swainswick House.

191 1 Young B. W., Esq., i, Stanley Villas, Camden Road.

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