oo 7 7 ‘ =5 + oa Ay Areheolagical aud Potural Wistory MAGAZINE, Published under the Direction OF THE SOCIETY FORMED IN THAT COUNTY, = ASH DE A.D. 1853. Pode \ EDITED BY Et DEVIZES : _ PRINTED AND SOLD FoR THE Society By C. H. Woopwarp, ort as 4, St. Joun Srpzer. Fa Z Price, 3s. 6d. Members, Gratis. — eo a a NOTK [EMBE ae TAKE NOTIOK, that a copious Index for the prece ’ volumes of the Magazine will be found at the end « Vill.; XVL, and xxiv. Ee Members who have not paid their Subscriptions to the Society for the current year, are requested to remit the same forthwith to the Financial Secretary, Mr. Davin Owen, Bank Chambers, Devizes, to whom also all communications as to the supply of Magazines should be addressed. The Numbers of this Magazine will be delivered gratis, as issued, ag to Members who are not in arrear of their Annual Subserip-" tions, but in accordance with Byelaw No. 8 “The Financial Secretary shall give notice to Members in arrear, and the Society’s publications will not be forwarded to Members whose Subscriptions shall remain unpaid after such notice.” All other communications to be addressed to the Honorary Secre-. taries: H. E. Meptacorr, Esa., Sandfield, Potterne, Devizes ; and the Rey. E. H. Gopparp, Clyffe Vicarage, Wootton Bassett. A resolution has been passed by the Committee of the Society, “that it is highly desirable that every encouragement should . be given towards obtaining second copies of Wiltshire Parish — _ Registers.’’ THE: SOCIETY’S: PUBLICATIONS To BE OBTAINED OF Mr. D. Owen, BANK CHAMBERS, DEviZEs. THE BRITISH AND ROMAN ANTIQUITIES OF THE NORTH WILTSHIRE DOWNS, by the Rev. A. C. SMITH, M.A. One Volume, Atlas 4to, 248 pp., 17 large Maps, and 110 Woodcuts, Extra Cloth. Price £2 2s. One copy offered to each Member of the Society, at £1 11s. 6d. THE FLOWERING PLANTS OF WILTSHIRE. One Volume, 8vo, 504 pp., with map, Extra Cloth. By the Rev. T. A. Preston, M.A. Price to the Public, 16s.; but one copy offered to every Member of the Society at half-price. CATALOGUE or tHe STOURHEAD COLLECTION OF ANTIQUITIES In THE SOCIETY’S MUSEUM, with 175 illustrations. Price 2s. 6d. CATALOGUE or tHe SOCIETY'S LIBRARY at tat MUSEUW. Price 3s. 6d; to Members, 2s.6d. APPENDIX No. L. and IL., 3d. each. CATALOGUE or WILTSHIRE TRADE TOKENS sn tHe SOCIETY'S COLLECTION. Price 6d. BACK NUMBERS or toe MAGAZINE. Price to the Public, 5s. 6d. aad 3s. 6d. (except in the case of a few Numbers, the price of which is raised). Members are allowed a reduction of 25 per cent. from these prices. r STONEHENGE AND ITS BARROWS, by W. Long. Nos. 46-7 of the 3 Magazine in separate wrapper, 7s. 6d. This still remains the best and most reliable account of Stonehenge and its Earthworks. Ey. GUIDE to tut STONES or STONEHENGE, with Map, by W. Cunnington, F.G.S. Price 6d. é ‘ WILTSHIRE—THE TOPOGRAPHICAL COLLECTIONS OF JOU AUBREY, F.R.S., A.D., 1659-1670. Corrected and Enlarged by the Rev. Cano ‘ J. E. Jackson, M.A., F.S.A. In 4to, Cloth, pp. 491, with 46 plates. Price £2 10s = INDEX OF ARCHAOLOGICAL PAPERS. The alphabetical Index « rd Papers published in 1891, 1892, 1893, and 1894, by the various Archzolog and Antiquarian Societies throughout England, compiled under the direction | the Congress of Archzeological Societies. Price 3d. each. 3 a ‘~s ; Wye os * Sa 2 . Do Ce THE WILTSHIRE Archeological ant Potural Wrstory MAGAZINE, Published unver the irection of the Society FORMED IN THAT COUNTY, A.D. 1853. VOL. XXX. 1898—99. DEVIZES : C. H. Woopwarp, 4, St. Joun STREET, DrEcEMBER, 1899. Tuer Eprror of the Wiltshire Magazine desires that it should be distinctly understood that neither he nor the Committee of the Wiltshire Archeological and Natural History Society hold themselves in any way answerable for any statements or opinions expressed in the Magazine; for all of which the Authors of the several papers and communications are alone responsible. CONTENTS OF VOL. XXX. No. LXXXIX. June, 1898. Account of the Forty-Fourth General Meeting, at Bradford-on-Avon Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings: By C. H. TaxBoT, President of the Society eee eee eee neereseese Cerner we reese rereeeeeeeeee The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts: By the Rev. W. G. Crark-Maxweu eee reer e ere eeeseeseee The Church of All Saints, The Leigh: By C. E. Pontine, F.S.A. The Society’s MSS., Chisledon and ths Short Notes . at Wilts Obituary... A eo ecbnere, Cone i eCee Oc Don BD eEED Ser Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles Recent Books by Wiltshire Authors Wilts Illustrations and Pictures Personal Notices.........cececesecseseee nen erenen ene ses eee Gifts to the Museum and Library eee ee een etre eeeesereesesees. os ee rr peace eeeeeeeseeseesssssseee eee eer OO eee eee. s eereeseee ae eee emer e ete Sees woes OFF POOP me eee er reeves serseeres No. XC. Drcemser, 1898. Account of the Forty-Fifth General Meeting, at Swindon ...... macho The Place-Name Cricklade, a Suggestion: Maskeyne, M.A., F.R.S. Notes from the Register Books of the Parish of 17th Century: By E. Lu. Gwituim Wiltshire Words: By J. U. Powrut, M.A The Society’s MSS; Chisledon and Draycot (Continued) Wilts Obituary Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles. . ‘Recent Books, &c., by Wiltshire Authors Wiltshire Pictures and Illustrations eee ee Gifts to Museum and Library ..........0..cseee.seeees By Nevin Srory Preshute during the ne ee OOM ee wwe eee serene Cece e eee eee etn eseeesecses eee eee eee rr) No. XCI. June, 1899. - Notes on Churches visited in 1898: By C. E. Ponrine, F.S.A.. Alfred Charles Smith—In Memoriam.. A Contemporary Poem on the Translation of the Cathedral from Old to New Sarum: Communicated by A. R. MaLpEN Notes on a Roman Building, and Interments, lately discovered at Swindon: By A. D. PassmorE The Society’s MSS.—Note I. Cee reenter ae eae ees cceses Bee ee renew eee arene ere ee were esses ease se eases On Fragments of a Saxon Cross Shaft, found at Minety, and Saxon Silver Ornament from Cricklade: By the Rev. E. H. Gopparp Contributions towards a Wiltshire Glossary: By G. E. DarTNELL and the Rev. E. H. Gopparn (Continued) ......... ccc ccc ccc ccc cee eeecec eens sane Wilts Obituary PTO ere et etree a wnnns we eeeeee agree eeeseserees Recent Wiltshire Books, Articles, &c. ......... <2 a eg RRS Wilts Illustrations, Pictures, &. ..........c...cseeeeee Books, &c., by Wiltshire Authors... . Gifts to Museum and Library ............... PeREEtEE Peete eee ewer eeerereer es eee CO eee tween ee eereeeeeeeeins 169 198 210 217 221 230 233 271 279 284 286 289 lv CONTENTS OF VOL. XXX. No. XCII. Degcemser, 1899. Account of the Forty-Sixth General Meeting, at Amesbury ............ 291 On a Remarkable Vessel found at Lattom ...........:seeceesseseeeteeeeeeees 303 Additions to the Society’s Collection of Wiltshire Tokens ............... 304 The Society’s MSS. Chisledon (Continued) ..+.......eceeceeesereecscsereees 307 Notes on the Arms of Cardinal Pole: By the Ruv. E. E. Doruine... . 338 Notes on Two Pieces of English Medieval Embroidery preserved in the Churches of Sutton Benger and Hullavington. By W. H. Sr. POEUN CELOPE bloscodecs coseeercs -eleevsdecheceedesvedoecsmecreesssatracpiares casa omee 343 Recent Wiltshire Books, Pamphlets, and Articles..............-scseeeees ia 352 Wilts Illustrations and Pictures .......scesece+...seeee cooctebsopeansssacceaee ry 362 Books, &c., by Wiltshire AUthors.........ssscessseeeessecesceeeerrrsseeeneeesees 365 Wilts Obittary.............csescseeceecceccsecssenseeseessssesseceseescescetecnseseee 368 Gifts to Museum and Library .........cceseceeeceesee evbcssbeptiaed-apetcmeee ees 371 Ellustrations. Large Earthenware Vessel found in Tidcombe Churchyard, 59. Old Houses (1682), Highworth, Wilts, 175. Stanton Fitzwarren Chancel Arch, 180. Font, Stanton Fitzwarren, Wilts, 182. Bronze Fibula, dis- covered at Okus, Swindon, 218. Roman Villa, Okus, Swindon, plan of, 218. Fragments of Saxon Cross Shaft from Minety, and Saxon Silver Ornament from Cricklade, 230. Pot of Romano-British Age (?) found at Latton, 303. A Shield of Cardinal Pole’s Arms, 338. Figure of saint in Embroidery in Sutton Benger Church, 349. WILTSHIRE Atchealagical ond Hatural Arstory MAGAZINE. No. LXXXIX. JUNE, 1898. Vor. XXX. Contents. PAGE Account oF THE Forty-FourTH GENERAL MEETING AT BraDFORD- BU WTE ARVICIN he foe comn ace at dhs sacle cer otea eal: calsse nas abcloes.oaejoe cevdicntnocsusiennene i! ResToRaTION AND THE PRESERVATION OF ANcIENT BuiLpiNnes: By C, H. Talbot, President of the Society ...........:ssssssseesereseeesterseenneees 12 Tan Fatt or THE Friars’ Hovsgs AND ALIEN Priorizs IN WILTS: By the Rev. W. G. Clark-Maxwell .........secscsceseneseeseseeeeeenenceraaeene 20 Tue CuurcH oF ALL Saints. Tue Leen: By C.E. Ponting, FSA. 35 Tur Socrrty’s MSS.: CHISELDON AND DRAYCOT .........scseseeeeeeeeees 38 PPTORT: MOTHS: cove cscs cposseuccecccielasentedgscececsvedsccscccocnocesceundesmna: sesnuce 54 Wits OBITUARY ...... ie aa eeeesaes) ©) GO Recent WILTSHIRE Bocen: eves: AND Shrinraeann 66 Recent Booxs BY WILTSHIRE AUTHORS...........cceeseee seecenseeceaeecoes 75 Witts IntustpaTions AND PicTuREs . 78 Persona Novices .......... Baabs © 79 Girts TO THE MuskUM AND ee ; 81 ILLUSTRATION. Large Earthenware Vessel found in Tidcombe Churchyard 59 DEVIZES :—C. H. Woopwarp, 4, Saint JoHN STREET. ~ a> ~ ee ~ oneness ee a at otf 2° eo ee fe" hee ae ae 2 pe eA. yo THE WILTSHIRE MAGAZINE. “ MULTORUM MANIBUS GRANDE LEVATUR onvs.’— Ovid. JUNE, 1898. THE FORTY-FOURTH GENERAL MEETING! OF THE Wiltshire Archeological anv Natural History Society, — HELD AT BRADFORD-ON-AVON, July 27th, 28th, and 29th, 1897. CG. H. Tarzor, Ese., President of the Society, in the Chair. TUESDAY, JULY 277u, 1897. ==.he General Annual Meeting of the Society was held ‘at the Town Hall, at 2.45, some twenty-two Members being present at the proceedings. The Report (see vol. xxix., p. 221) was read by Mr. Mepricorr, and its adoption was moved by Lorp Epmonp Frrzmavrice, and seconded by ARCHDEACON Bucwanan. The Officers of the Society were re-elected, on the motion of Mr. J. Movrron, and the appointment of two new Local Secretaries, provisionally made by the Committee, was con- firmed—the Rev. C. V. Goddard, of Shrewton, for the Salisbury Plain district; and Mr. A. D. Passmore for the Swindon neigh- bourhood, in the room of Mr. Kinneir, resigned, and Mr. Shopland, ee ee 1 The Editor desires to acknowledge the assistance he has received from the account of the Meeting given by the Devizes Gazette. VOL. XXX.—NO. LXXXIX. A 2 The Forty-Fourth General Meeting. deceased. Mr. Toone, of Devizes, was appointed Honorary Auditor in the place of Mr. Wilshin, resigned ; and Mr. N. Story Maskelyne was re-appointed as the Society’s representative on the Wootton Bassett Town Trust. This concluded the business of the Meeting, and the Members proceeded to visit the many objects of interest in the town under the guidance of Mr. C. 8. Apyz. The Saxon Church of St. Aldhelm of the 8th century (see vol. xiii., p. 274) was first visited, and Mr. Apyer described the measures that were taken for the rescue of the building from the degraded condition in which Canon Jones first discovered it. The Parish Church, just across the road, next claimed the attention of the Members. Internally, however, it is one of the many victims of over-restoration, during which process many of its original features were practically destroyed. The interesting Dole Stone in the churchyard claimed some attention as being remarkably similar to the example lately brought to light at Potterne. From this point the party strolled along the narrow and singularly picturesque streets of the town—no town in the county can vie with Bradford in the picturesqueness and quaintness of its streets as they cling to the steep hillside, reminding one in some ways more of France or Italy than England—across the ancient Bridge with narrow pointed arches to the magnificent Barton Barn, with its two great projecting arched gateways and grand timbered roof. Probably few finer examples of the tithe barn are to be seen in England. Some discussion took place as to the date of the building, Mr. Apye inclining to the 15th century, whilst Mr. Tarsor stood out for the latter part of the 14th. The Farm House adjoining contains considerable remains of antiquity too—notably a remarkable room over the roadway— which seems to be of about the same date as the barn itself, #.e., either late 14th or early 15th century. The next move was by way of the Town Bridge, with its picturesque projecting lock-up, built on the corbelled out walls of the ancient Chapel, through the town, passing on the way the two half-timbered houses in The Shambles, with their beauti- fully-carved barge boards, to The Hall, formerly known as The Annual Dinner. 3 Kingston House,! where tea had been most kindly prepared in the garden by Mrs. Movtron. The beautiful place, with its terraces and flower borders, was looking its best, and after tea Mr. Mouton gave a short account of the history of the building and of the reasons which had induced him to change the name from “ Kingston House” to “The Hall.” Built probably in the reign of James I., possibly by John Thorpe, for one of the Hall family, who seem to have been seated here long before this date, it passed when the last of that family died in 1711 to Miss Baynton, who married the heir presumptive to the Dukedom of Kingston, their son be- ' coming the second Duke, who married Miss Chudleigh, the notorious Duchess. From the end of the last century until it was bought by the father of the present owner in 1848 the house fell on evil times and practically ceased to be used as a residence, part of it being utilised for manufacturing purposes. After its purchase by Mr. Stephen Moulton the building, especially the front, was extensively restored. In the interior, in addition to the fine fireplaces and plaster ceilings, attention was especially called to the curious minstrels’ gallery over the porch, which has no visible means of access to it; to the three pieces of tapestry hanging in the hall, which belong to the house; and to a beautiful rapier (ci. 1600 ?) also found in the house during the progress of the restoration. The Annual Dinner, to which twenty-eight sat down, was held at the New Bear Hotel, the company afterwards adjourning to the Town Hall, where they were serenaded on their arrival by ‘the Town Band—the effect in the irregular little square, with the many narrow streets opening into it, crowded with people looking on, suggesting an evening scene in some town on the Continent rather than in our own County of Wilts. The Conversazione, though only attended by some thirty- four persons, proved an interesting one, Mr. Talbot leading off with his inaugural address on Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings, followed by the Rev. W. G. Clark-Maxwell, on “The Suppression of Alien Priories and Friar’s Houses in Wilts.” Both these ———eeOooowowawwta_oeoooo - ‘See Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. i., p. 265. : A 2 Y 4 The Forty-Fourth General Meeting. papers will be found at a later page of the Magazine. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28rn. The party for the first day’s excursion, which numbered twenty- nine at lunch time, left the Town Hall at 9.30, and drove to Westwood, where the Church and Manor House were visited, under the guidance of Mr. C. 8. Apyr. One of the most in- teresting points about the Church, of late 15th century archi- tecture, for the most part, with some remnants—as the priest’s door in the chancel—of the 18th century, is the considerable amount of old glass which remains in the east and south windows of the chancel. In the central light is the Crucifixion, and in the upper lights SS. Peter, Andrew, John Baptist, and Michael weighing souls—whilst in the lower side lights are figures holding shields with the emblems of the Passion. These emblems are the whips, crown of thorns, the mocking, myrrh, spear and sponge, lanthorn, nails, purse, ladder and reed, and another which is un- decipherable. The ‘‘ mocking” and the “myrrh” are treated in a very. curious way—the former typified by a hand pulling a beard, the latter by a pestle and mortar. Considerable remains of the rood-screen have been made up into choir stalls, the woodwork where deficient having been copied in cast iron. The tower, with its picturesquely capped turret and richly pannelled belfry stage, is perhaps the finest of the small group of towers of somewhat similar design, of which Yatton Keynell is another notable example, most of which are found in this corner of the county. The Manor House, now sunk to the condition of a farm- house! stands close to the Church ; and if we except Great Chalfield, there are few more charming groups of buildings to be found in Wiltshire than the two sides of the old house, with the Church and its fine tower showing just beyond them. ‘The interior, too, has very much of interest—panelling, fine plaster ceilings, and good fireplaces—whilst the sundial now standing on the side wall of the | forecourt, with its numerous hollows, each of which held a separate dial—though somewhat like that from Ivychurch, (described in vol. 1 Tilustrated in “ Elyard’s ““ Some Old Wiltshire Homes.” . 4 : q i P 4 A Wednesday, July 28th. 5 xxvii., p. 236) seems an even more elaborate specimen. Altogether this house would well repay fuller illustration and more careful examination than it has yet received, for Mr. Elyard’s one drawing and sketchy account of it does not by any means exhaust the subject. From this point the carriages drove, and their occupants walked, for the most part by precipitous ways, to Farleigh Hungerford, where The Castle was first explored, still under the leadership of Mr. Apye—the border of the County of Wilts having been crossed some yards on the further side of the stream which runs below the Castle walls. Of the Castle itself the gate towers and two corner towers of the inner court, with parts of the curtain walls, are the chief portions remaining—the domestic ‘buildings having entirely disappeared. The chapel, however, remains intact, and is used as a sort of museum—the walls being hung with a large ‘collection of arms and armour, mostly of the Civil War period. The grand tombs of the Hungerfords in the projecting chapel are, of course, the principal objects of interest, but there are many things worth seeing—the fine ironwork of the grille and nice glass in the windows (of various nationalities and dates, chiefly 16th and 17thcentury). In a vault under this chapel, seen through the bars of an iron gate, lie the lead coffins of those whose effigies appear above. Farleigh Church was described by Mr. Apyx, on the strength of an existing consecration deed, as having been built late in the 15th century by Walter, Lord Hungerford, but Mr. Ponrine pointed out that, judging by the architecture of the nave, the body of the Church would appear to be rather of 14th century date— altered, and with the tower added, late in the 15th century. In the glass of the south window of the chancel appear the Hungerford | arms, charmingly introduced in the centre of three interlaced sickles. ” There is also old glass in the east window. | > At this point an adjournment was made, for lunch, to the Hungerford Arms, after which the party proceeded through the beautiful grounds of the modern castellated mansion, “ Farleigh Castle,” to Norton St. Philip, where Mr. Haroitp BraksPEAR acted as cicerone. The Church was first visited. The fine west tower, with its prominent buttresses stopping under the projecting 6 The Forty-Fourth General Meeting. cornice of the top, is the most remarkable feature of the building— but there are many other points of interest, of which the small groined western porch, added later to the tower, the fine wooden screens of the north and south aisles, and the well-preserved recumbent effigy of a merchant in the wall of the south aisle, are perhaps the most prominent. The speciality of Norton St. Philip, however, is the George Inn, probably one of the finest examples of a 15th century hostelry remaining in England, with not only its exterior but also its rooms inside remaining for the most part unaltered since the Duke of Monmouth slept in one of them before the Battle of Sedgemoor. It is a half-timbered building, with a lower story of stone, and a most picturesque chimney at the point of one of the gables of the roof. A curious quadrangular Pigeon House, of larger size than they are generally found, standing behind the Queen Anne manor-house was also visited. It presents but few architectural features to judge from and may be of either 15th or 16th century date. The last place to be visited on this day’s excursion was Hinton Charterhouse, where the remains of the Carthusian House, standing in the grounds and now‘forming part of the offices of the house built from its ruins after the Dissolution, were inspected, by kind permission of Mr. Hearucorr, still with Mr. Braksprar as guide and expounder. The “modern” house is a picturesque gabled building, of which the oldest part appears to be a portion of the original gate-house of the abbey—but the chief interest lies in the ivy-covered remains of the domestic buildings of the abbey, the Church of which has entirely disappeared. The groined chapter- house, with a chamber over, remains perfect. The architectural details of the interior exist in a remarkably uninjured state, and are of the best work of the 13th century. The pigeon house formed in the roof was generally taken to be a post-Dissolution addition. Besides this there still stands a range of buildings of 13th century date which formed the guest-house and the calefactory of the abbey; the latter having the remains of a fine 13th century fireplace. After seeing all there was to be seen at leisure, the party returned to Bradford, having spent a most enjoyable day, in which, Wednesday, July 28th. 7 it is true, three out of the four places visited were outside the boundaries of our county, but were none the less interesting on that account—the main feature of the day’s excursion being that, contrary to our usual custom, the Members had ample time to see each place visited we//—a condition which did not obtain on the next day’s excursion. The weather was very good on the whole for the purpose in hand, a slight mizzly rain which fell at Farleigh for a while was not enough to do any harm, and the remainder of the day was dry and free from heat and dust. At the Conversazione at the Town Hall, in the evening, only some thirty-one persons were present, but what was lacking in numbers was made up for by the interest taken in the papers read. Dr. John Beddoe, F.R.S., led off with an address on “The Ethnology of Wilts,” a subject which has hardly been touched hitherto by the Society, and on which no one.could speak with so much authority as himself. Several Members joined in the discussion which followed the address—the BisHor or Ciirron / asking whether any explanation could be given of the great number of serfs in Gloucestershire mentioned in Domesday, whilst Mr: W. H. Bet reminded the Doctor of the presence of Paleolithic man in the river drift of Salisbury, Mr. Connorne and Mr. C. Smuvprson asked questions as to the “ Wiltshire Eye” spoken of by Dr. Beddoe in one of his works as characteristic of Wiltshire recruits in the army, and the Rev. E. H. Gopparp asked whether _ Dr. Beddoe would assign any importance as a race characteristic to the great difference in intonation and accent which undoubtedly exists between North and South Wilts, and to the way in which the southern accent is found more especially developed in certain districts. Dr. Beppor thought this a line of investigation that might be followed with profit, and the results of which would probably point to differences of race. He had not, however, himself paid any attention to it. . The Rev. A. D. Hill, Vicar of Downton, then read a paper on discoveries quite recently made at Breamore Church, just over the Hampshire border, illustrated by drawings and rubbings of a curious inscription—from which it appears that the walls and 8 The Forty-Fourth General Meeting. some details of a Saxon Church of much interest have existed hidden away under rough cast, &c., quite unsuspected, to the present time. It seems due chiefly to Mr. Hill’s knowledge and enthusiasm that the value of this discovery has been duly appreciated by those who have the restoration of the Church in hand, though unhappily a good deal of damage in the way of the destruction of the old Saxon plaster had been done before Mr. Hill came on the scene. This paper also evoked a good deal of discussion, the audience being evidently much interested in the discovery. Mr. Hill’s account of the Church will be printed in The Archeological Journal. A series of really fine enlarged carbon photographs of the principal buildings in Bradford were exhibited by Mx. W. Doresto, and he generously presented the Society with two admirable views of the Saxon Church. THURSDAY, JULY 29ru. The carriages again left Bradford at 9.30, and passing through Holt without stopping, halted at Broughton Gifford Church, where Mr. Apyr acted as cicerone. Some discussion arose as to the age of the arcade of the north aisle—most of the arehitectural Members being unable to agree with Mr. Apye in placing the date anything like as late as the 15th century. After leaving the Church the carriages halted for a moment in front of the Old Manor House in the village, which still remains much as it was built by Sir John Horton in the year 1629, and then proceeded to Monkton, where the occupier—Mr. Buake— most courteously received the party and allowed them to wander over his house from top to bottom. Though this fine old house is visible from the railway, few of the Members had ever had an opportunity of visiting it before. In his History of Broughton Gifford, the Rey. J. Wilkinson (Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. v., p. 341) repeats a local tradition as to the manner in which Mr. Samuel Shering, whose portrait still hangs in the dining-room, became possessed of the property which belonged to the Duke of Kingston, for whom he acted as steward; Mr. Bike, in showing the picture, Wednesday, July 28th. 9 made a point of stating that there was no evidence whatever that there was anything underhand about the purchase, and that Mr. Shering was probably at least as honest a man as his master, the Duke. Before proceeding to inspect the inside Mr. W. H. Bety gave a short account of the history and architecture of the house— the latter principally of the 17th century, the fine front door being of this date; though Mr. Tatnor gave his reasons for believing that the gable over the door is earlier than the rest of the house. In the interior there are several fireplaces of interest, one of which, in a bedroom, of Gothic design very rudely wrought, though it looks of earlier date and is so stated to be by Mr. Wilkinson (Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. v., p. 338), was thought by - those qualified to judge to be more likely to be a poor copy of Gothic work by the later masons, and to really belong to the house itself. On three of the bedroom doors very fine and interesting iron locks remain, some of them apparently of 16th century design. So interesting, indeed, were these and other details of the charming old house, that it was with difficulty that several Members were induced to leave the attics at all and re-enter the carriages in obedience to the blasts of the Secretary’s horn. The next stop was at Beamacre, where Mr. W. H. Brett again acted as guide to the two charming old manor-houses, only divided by a single field—each complete in itself—the one, of the 15th century, which belonged to the Daniels, the other, of the 17th century, which owes its origin to the Selfes, who, on acquiring the Pe ee ee See eee . ? property, had the excellent taste to leave their predecessors’ house untouched and unadded to, and to build another house for them- selves in the fashion of their time close by. There can be few places where two houses of the smaller manor kind, with two hundred years between them, exist as these do side by side still. The older house retains its hall, with the 15th century roof, practically intact, though now divided into two stories ; whilst the new Jacobean dwelling, though one of its wings has been re-built, _ retains in an absolutely uninjured condition a singularly beautiful pannelled room, with remarkably fine stone chimneypiece—lately most carefully cleaned and freed from paint and whitewash by the 10 The Forty-Fourth General Meeting. daughters of the occupier, Mr. Dansey. The room over this is also good, the date apparently very early in the 17th century. The stables, of early 18th century date, with their oak stalls and rooms over, are quite worth notice too. Altogether the group of buildings at Beanacre is an extremely interesting one, and ought to be adequately described and illustrated. Melksham Church was the next item on the programme. Here the Vicar, Rev. E. G. Wytp, described the building, and showed the interesting pre-Reformation paten, and the Elizabethan chalices which Canon Warre secured for the use of the parish. After this the party adjourned to the neighbouring barn, converted now into a school, for luncheon—and then entered the carriages again and drove to Seend, passing on the way “ Woolmer,” or ~ “Bower”? House, of red brick with stone dressings, dated 1631, and the old oak tree on which, according to local tradition, Cromwell caused three men of his own army to be hung for pillaging. Time unfortunately did not allow of a stoppage to examine the old house. Seend Church was described by Mr. Ponrtne, but the time available for examining it was somewhat short, and the Secretary’s trumpet was soon calling the party together to depart for Keevil. Here the first thing to be seen was Mrs. Kenrick’s well-known 15th Century wooden mansion, second only in Wiltshire to the Church House at Potterne. Here Mr. Adye, who restored the building for Mrs. Kenrick, described the house; and after the Members had wandered through the hall, the drawing-room—with its restored ‘“ beasts’? painted on the wall, and remarkable panelled oak ceiling and the many rooms upstairs—filled, as the whole house is, with old furniture, china, and curiosities of every kind— they adjourned to the garden for tea, kindly provided there by Mrs. Kenrick. The garden is in itself quite worth seeing, and with the house hung with creepers as a background makes a singularly charming picture. Mr. Anys, while discoursing on the architecture of the building, relied on the arms of the Earl of Arundel painted on the gallery of the hall as giving the date of its erection—a conclusion which Mr. Tarnor dissented from—holding that the original arms, of which the present shield is a restoration, were Wednesday, July 28th. it probably a good deal later than the time of the building of the house. The Church was next visited. Mn. Apyz here also acted as cicerone, and mentioned that the painting on the roof-timbers is a faithful restoration of the original painting of the timbers, as discovered during the recent repairs of the roof. At this point a considerable number of the Members were obliged to leave for Trowbridge to catch the evening trains—those who remained visiting the fine old gabled Manor-House—sister house to Boyton, and built by the same Lambert—with its hall and oak screens, panellings, and plaster ceilings, over which the party were conducted by Mrs. Watiineron. This concluded the excursion, for though Steeple Ashton was upon the programme, time did not allow of its being visited. The one fault of this day’s excursion was that enough time could not be allowed at some of the places visited to thoroughly digest what there was to see—in ‘this respect the Wednesday’s ex- cw'sion was more satisfactory—but on the whole both days were very enjoyable, and except for a little drizzling rain at Farleigh the weather was all that could be desired ; Bradford itself was an interesting place to meet at, and its inhabitants laid themselves out ~ to entertain the Members of the Society with a hospitality which, except in the case of the Wilton Meeting, some years ago, has hardly been equalled elsewhere in the recent history of the Society’s meetings. Moreover, though the actual numbers attending the conversaziones or taking part in the excursions were not large, yet the papers read were above the average in interest, and those who were present were genuinely interested in the proceedings. For this success one person above all others was responsible—the Rev. W. N. C. Wueetrr, Local Secretary, upon whose shoulders the whole burden of the arrangements was practically laid, and for whose self-effacing labours to make the Meeting a success, seconded as they were by the other members of the Local Committee, the Society owes a deep debt of gratitude. 12 Arestoration and the Preservation of Ancient auildings. , By C. H. Tatsor, President of the Society. [Read July 27th, 1897.] (BOUT a month ago I was confronted with a printed state- ment that I was going to deliver an “inaugural address ”’ this evening. It therefore became necessary for me to decide on a subject, and it appeared to me that a suitable subject, to take for such a discourse, might be “ Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings.” An idea appears to have arisen in these latter days, and those who hold it make a great noise, that Restoration and Preservation are incompatible. You will hear architects described—I might almost say sneered at—as “ restoring”’ architects, good enough in their way, no doubt, and according to their lights, but very dangerous men, in fact public enemies. I hold, on the contrary, that restoration is often a very necessary process, and that an architect, who is incompetent to carry out a work of restoration in a satisfactory manner, does not understand his business. The subject has been kept before my mind, of late, and, no doubt, before the minds of many other persons, by the controversy that has raged in the newspapers, on the subject of the west front of Peterborough Cathedral. I read enough of that correspondence to form a very decided opinion, and what struck me most, in the whole matter, was the great unfairness of those who attacked the Dean and Chapter of Peterborough and their architect. No architect, in his senses, would desire to take down any part of the west front of Peterborough, if he saw his way to keeping the work up, without re-building, and the experience of the architect, in this case, could not be disputed. Another circumstance, which determined my choice of a subject, Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings. 138 was my personal experience of a somewhat unnecessary and trouble- some correspondence with the executive of one of the societies that has figured most prominently in this controversy, owing to the society going out of its way to take up a matter that it might very well have let alone. With regard to restoration here in Bradford, I never was inside the Parish Church before its restoration, but I think it must have lost in interest, as a consequence of that operation. I remember, at any rate, noticing, when I looked over the Church with the late Canon Jones, one or more pillars,! introduced at the restoration, of what I considered a very objectionable design, viz., with scrolls wound round them. It was explained to me that the donor desired to have “ Roslin”’ pillars, but that they could very easily be rectified, in the future, by removing the scroll. Roslin pillars they are not, and, if they were, they would be very much out of place. The twisted pillar, at Roslin, has a beauty of its own. These have none, and it hardly seems satisfactory to introduce a feature which will require to be rectified, in the future, by the removal of what was intended to be its ornament. _ Considerable care was taken in dealing with the small Saxon Church, in the matter of restoration, and I don’t suppose that much fault will be found with what was done there. I now come to the fine house that was built by one of the Hall family, apparently early in the seventeenth century. This house, looks particularly well, when seen from below, as from a spot near the Barton farm and bridge. I had once the advantage of being shown over the house, by the late Mr. Stephen Moulton, to whom great credit is due for restoring it, as a dwelling-house, after it had fallen to meaner uses. Mr. Moulton pointed out to me one small alteration, that he had made, which I thought a mistake, though I could not very well tell him so, and I should probably not have found it out, if he had not drawn attention to it himself. On one of the fireplaces were certain bosses or spherical projections, which 1 Written before I re-visited the Church, with the Society. The number is two. 14. ~—- Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings. he thought heavy, and so had them ! carved into flowers like dahlias. I think that, whether the original design was entirely satisfactory to the eye or not, it lost in value by the alteration. The present owner, my host on the present occasion, prefers that his house should be called “The Hall.” The Hall family, no doubt, derived their name from a formerly existing hall, in Bradford, which may very probably have stood on the same spot, but is there any evidence that the present house was ever, until the present time, called the Hall? ‘The interest of the building is, however, independent of its name. There is an interesting house, of the fifteenth century, in the short street called the Shambles, which, I am happy to see, still remains uninjured. It has formerly had small projecting oriels. To the best of my recollection, I once saw a house at Keevil, a little out of the village, retaining such an oriel of the fifteenth century. I have not heard that the hand of any restorer has, as yet, touched Westwood, which we are to see to-morrow, where the Church has a very fine late tower, which I suppose may be of the time of Henry the Eighth, and where I remember a beautiful wooden ceiling, at the end of one of the aisles, apparently of the same date. The manor-house also is very interesting and contains some curious plaster work. Our excursion, on Thursday next, must take us past a very in- teresting old house, close to the road from Melksham to Seend, 1 Mr. John Moulton called my attention, by letter, since the meeting, to an apparent inaccuracy in my reference to this fireplace, which is the one in the dining-room, viz., that I was reported as having said that alZ the bosses were altered by the late Mr. Moulton into dahlias. It was not my intention to be so understood, and it will be seen that such a report must have gone beyond what I said. Mr. Moulton added that one of the bosses only is intended as a dahlia, the others being roses of the orthodox design, and that his father told him that the introduction of the dahlia was by way of a joke in order to puzzle architects and others. That agrees with my recollection of what the late Mr. Moulton told me, the point being, I believe, that the dahlia was not introduced into England until a later date than that of the building of the house. I was writing simply from my recollection of a conversation, at one short interview, years ago. My impression was that one or more of the bosses, but certainly not all, had been carved into dahlias. What flowers the others had been carved into I did not recollect. By C. H. Talbot. 15 which would be a very good subject for a judicious and conservative restoration. In the meantime, I commend it to the notice of artists and photographers. The Members of the Society should, I think, stop, and, at least, view the outside of it. The house is in the parish of Melksham, and, I believe, in the tithing of Woolmer, and is called “Woolmer” by some. The present occupier, I think, ealls it “ Bower Hill.” A reference to the old map by Dury and Andrews, 1773, seems to show that its old name was “ Bower House.” It was all built, at one date, in the time of Charles the First, and is very little altered. Over the principal door are the letters G MH above the date 1631, and I expect that investigation will show it to have been built by a member of the Hulbert family, for this reason. A bread charity was left to the parish of Lacock, by George Hulbert, of Covent Garden, which is a charge upon land at Woolmer, in the parish of Melksham. As however this appears to have been founded by will, in 1629, he could not himself be the builder of the house. The house is remarkable, in this part of the country, as being built of brick with stone dressings. _ It has a range of small gables, at the sides, and a similar range, at the front and back, has either been removed, or intended but never erected. Many of the original fireplaces remain, of got character, and all very similar. At Keevil we shall see a timber-built house of the fifteenth — eentury, which has been restored and added to. This is a case in a ~ = Se eee ud which I think that the restoration was a little too sweeping, and more so, I believe, than was the wish of the owner. The builder employed on the restoration, who also did the Porch House at Potterne, was a very good man for the work, and the only man I ever knew who restored wattle-and-dab properly. Lath-and-plaster is generally substituted for decayed wattle-and-dab, but does not _ stand anything like as well. The builder was animated by a desire to bring the place back to its original condition, and he removed a “stone window of the sixteenth century and a timber porch of the seventeenth century, which it might have been better to have retained. Twenty years ago, I first visited Mere, in South Wilts, and in a 16 = Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings. paper that I read at Warminster,! I described an old house of the fifteenth century, then a barn, but which was probably originally the Rectory house of Mere. There was a fireplace, with a peculiar device on it, which I made out to be a rebus of the Trinity. Some time later I went to see the old house in Salisbury, which was being restored as the Church House, and I there saw a fireplace with the same device. On enquiry, I found that it had actually come from Mere, so that it was the same fireplace, and it had been introduced, in the Salisbury Church House, to replace the original fireplace, which was in less good condition. I regretted that this fireplace should have been removed from Mere, but I never thought, at the time, that the old building, at Mere, had been pulled down. When the Society was about to visit Mere, last year, I began to have apprehensions that the building might be no longer in existence, and such proved to be the case. The surprising thing, in this case, is that the owner, who certainly had a regard for antiquities, should have allowed the destruction. It seems to me that such a society as ours should make a point of recording such transactions. — It would be very desirable, also, that measured drawings and photographs should be made and kept, and copies distributed, if possible, so that, if such demolitions cannot be prevented, at least a record of the destroyed building should remain. © In this case, what became of the ornamental features of the building? The roof was a good one, and might, one would think, have been brought in elsewhere. ‘There was a second fireplace, and one of the original timber windows. The old house at Woodlands, near Mere, we found uninjured, but it is simply thanks to a Member of our Society, who called the attention of the owner to the fact that a portion of the building, which was threatened with destructive modernisation, is a chapel of great interest, that the mischief was averted. As the house and chapel were noticed by the late Mr. J. H. Parker, of Oxford, and two illustrations were published, in his book on the Domestic ' Wilts Arch. Magq., vol. xvii., p. 356. _ VOL. XXX.—NO, LXXXIX. B } By C. H. Talbot. 17 Architecture of the Middle Ages, many years ago,! it is curious that the owner should, quite recently, have been unaware of the interest of the building. At Easton, in the parish of Corsham, there is a house which retains a chimney of the fifteenth century, and has a wing which was untouched sixteenth century work, and apparently perfectly sound. ‘lo my sorrow, one day, I observed the lower windows of this Elizabethan part cut out, and windows with wooden frames substituted. I could not help mentioning it to the owner, who was much annoyed at what had been done, and proposed to have the mullioned windows replaced. I advised against that, as it would _ not be the same thing, and would probably displease his tenant. Just before the late Meeting of our Society at Corsham, in 1895, a range of old building, in that town, of the seventeenth century, that I had been in the habit of looking at with interest, for years, every time I passed, was modernised, with wholesale destruction of the ancient features. This was on the same estate, but not in the lifetime of the same owner. I very much doubt, however, whether the present owner would have approved of the proceedings, if his attention had been called to them. This suggests the reflection that it would be an advantage, if agents and sub-agents were required to have some knowledge of the value of old work. The explanation of the unnecessary destruction that goes on is mainly ignorance, of one kind or another, and herein such a society as ours may be of considerable.use, by diffusing information. We have done an appreciable amount of good already, and we might do a good deal more. A great deal of personal supervision is necessary, in building operations, in order to save all that can be saved. Workmen can be got to be very careful, when they know that is what the employer wants. There was formerly in the village of Lacock, but not on my own property, an old thatched house, used as a farm house, which re- tained a fifteenth century chimney. This was not visible from the "In 1859, Domestic Architecture of the Middle Ages, vol. iii., p. 332. 18 Restoration and the Preservation of Ancient Buildings. road,! and, for a long time, I was unaware of its existence, but after T had observed it, I took a considerable interest in it, as it was the only example of the kind that we had in the place. It had nota simply moulded cap, but an embattled ornament, and was like the ~ example above-mentioned, at Easton in the parish of Corsham. Then came a time when the old house was pulled down, and, one day, the workmen employed brought me rather a peculiar corbel, apparently of the fifteenth century. I said that, as I was not the owner of the house, I had no right to receive the corbel, and I asked them what they would do with it if I did not receive it. They re- plied that they should build it into their new wall. I therefore agreed to keep it, and I asked them what they had done with the cap of the old chimney. They said they had cut it up, and built it into the wall. I therefore wrote to the owner, and told him that T had the corbel, and I found that he was quite unaware that there was anything of interest about the old house. I have the corbel still. What part of the house it belonged to I do not know, and I regret that I did not take the opportunity of looking over the house before it was demolished. At Stockton House, in South Wilts, which we visited on the occasion of the last Warminster meeting, I noticed that the sills of a good many of the windows, of the sixteenth or early seven- teenth century, had been cut down, not however, I think, very recently. On pointing this out to a friend of mine, who understands these subjects, he asked me whether I did not think it a perfectly legitimate thing to do. I am afraid that I had not the presence of mind to say that I did not. That is to say, I think it is an alteration which should be avoided if possible. In this case, the transoms were originally at half the height of the windows. Cutting down the sills, of course, throws the transoms out of position, altering the character of the design, as I think, for the worse. If the old sills were found to be at an inconvenient height from the floor, that could be got over, in the case of recessed windows, by raising the 1It stood behind the house, occupied by the late Mr. J. H. Crisp, which was formerly the vicarage. By C. H. Taibot. 19 floor in the recess, and something of the same kind might be managed, even in the case of windows that are not recessed. At any rate, I can say that, whereas I have, in my own house, windows of the sixteenth century whose sills have been cut down, I should be pleased if I could have them restored, exactly as they were originally. They have, however, been treated worse than the _ Stockton examples, being four-light windows, whose transoms and lighter mullions were removed in the last century, for the purpose of converting them into sash windows. The moral of my discourse is this. Do not be afraid of restoring, when restoration is necessary, but be very careful how you do it. Restoration is but another name for the highest class of repair, and, if you can repair an old building of any interest, that stands in need of it, and do not do so, you are not doing your duty by that building. Preserve all that you can preserve of old features, and, when there is a doubt in the matter, stretch a point, if possible, in favour of preservation. Gradual change, however, is inevitable. It should not be revolutionary, and it should be intelligent. We cannot all be architects, but we can, most of us, study the subject to a certain extent, which would be an advantage, not only to ourselves, but also to the architects and builders whom we may employ. B 2 20 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priovies in Celilts. By the Rav. W. G. Crark-MaxwBLL. [Read at the Bradford Meeting of the Society, July, 1897.} Gre ik story of the Fall of the Friars’ Houses in Wilts is soon ky told. There were but four establishments of the kind in the county, and they seem to have gone under in the year 1538 without a struggle. It may be well, however, to add a few words of explanation of the reasons which led me to exclude the houses of friars from my former paper on monasteries, among which they might seem most naturally to be ranked.! The truth is, that friars were not monks, nor was a friary a monastery in any true sense of the term. We are apt, in looking back upon the religious orders, as we do, across an interval of three centuries, to blend them all into one general designation of “ monk,” but in reality the orders of friars differed widely from the monastic institution in (1) the date and method of its origin, (2) the object and method of its activity, (3) its relation to the house, /.e., the material fabric in which the community was lodged. (1) The foundation of the first order of friars dates from the time of St. Francis of Assisi; that of the first order of monks is lost in the mists of the first centuries of Christianity. It is true that Benedict of Nursia is usually looked upon as the founder of Western monachism, but he was merely the organiser of a com- munity already existing, and his rule made its way simply by its inherent excellence, not because Benedict was the first monk, or even the first framer of rules for monks. ; (2) Both monks and friars had this in common, that they had \ Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. xxviii., p. 288. By The Rev. W. G. Clark-Maxweil. 21 embraced the religious life, as it was called, and lived that life under a definite rule, and as members of an order; but the object, at any rate the theoretical object, with which that rule was embraced, was widely different. The monk sought, by retirement from the world, to win the favour of heaven for himself by self-mortification and religious offices, for his fellow-men by perpetual intercession. It was as though—in the earlier middle ages—men had delegated their intercessory functions to a particular class. The essence of a monk’s life was retirement; every time that he came out into the world, even when compelled of necessity so to do, he was abandoning his special function, and impairing his special efficacy. The friar’s object, on the other hand, was to help men in the world, to tend the sick, and to preach to the poor; these were the ends for which S. Francis founded his order. In such a work retirement is impossible, hence we can trace a characteristic difference in the sites of the houses of monks and friars. Where the former chose, and by preference, lonely and secluded spots, and devoted themselves largely to agriculture, the work of the friars lay of necessity in the towns and chief centres of population, where their service of ministry to the souls and bodies of men was most urgently needed and could be most effectually exercised. (3) As the monk’s life was the religious life in its contemplative, the friar’s in its active aspect, the relation in which the individual member stood to the house of his order was necessarily different. The cloister was the monk’s home, from which, when he had once entered it, he was to emerge as little as possible. It was to the _ friar, on the other hand, a place to which he retired at intervals for needful rest and spiritual refreshment, and whence he issued forth equipped with fresh energy for the task to which he had dedicated his life. Neither institution could keep absolutely to its ideal—the almonry and dispensary brought the monk in contact at least with suffering poor outside; the rest which the cloister afforded was a necessity for the overworked friar; but what was a means in one case was an end in the other. In all this I have been drawing an ideal picture ; and deliberately so, for I conceive that we can best understand the spirit of an 22 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. institution by looking at it in its highest—its ideal—embodiment. One must admit that both monks and friars degenerated greatly from their ideal (an ideal, be it remembered, far beyond what most men now think even of attempting), and as the ideal of the friar was, as we judge now, higher than that of the monk, so the de- generation in his case was more complete. The friar, often a wanderer, owning no allegiance, save to the head of his order, and through him to the Pope, easily degenerated into the pardoner— the scandal of his order, and the butt of every medizeval satirist. The degeneration began when the friars ceased to live on alms and began to gain their living by begging, for this career presented to anyone who was too lazy to work the readiest means of obtaining a livelihood. Armed with the power of dispensing or withholding pardon, tempted to use his powers for his own convenience and profit, owning no jurisdiction within the realm save to the superior of his own order, small wonder if the wandering friar was a constant thorn in the side alike of the diligent and of the easy-going parish priest, small wonder if he converted his spiritual power into an engine for extracting from the terrified housewife the good things in her larder. In the bill for the suppression of smaller houses no mention had been made of friaries: a fact partly, no doubt, accounted for by their insignificant size and poverty of income. But when the extinction of the smaller houses, and the ease with which the larger came into his hand, together with the complete suppression of the Pilgrimage of Grace, convinced the King that England lay helpless in his grasp, then the fall of the friars was decided on. After all, the sites on which their houses stood, being—as I said before—in towns, had a peculiar value, and were much sought after; even if the other revenues of the houses yielded little or nothing to the royal treasury; while the fact that the various orders of friars formed in a special sense the outposts of the Papal army, confirmed Henry VIII. in his determination to be rid of them. It may now be convenient to mention here the various houses of friars in Wiltshire in 1538. They were four in number, and in- | cluded representatives of three out of the four great orders existent / oa <— Se = By the Rev. W. G. Clark-Mazuwell. 23 in that day. The Franciscans had a house in Salisbury, in which city also the Dominicans were domiciled, as well as at Wilton ; Marlborough held one settlement of the Carmelite, or White Friars; while the fourth order (that of the Austin Friars) was unrepresented. The Dominicans, friars preachers, or Black Friars, seem to have been the first to enter the county, and to have made their first settlement at Wilton, about 1245, and later to have transferred their chief establishment to the growing city of New Sarum, settling at the end of the year 1280 in Fisherton Anger, not far from Fisherton Bridge. Thither also came, probably about the same time, the Franciscans, friars minor, or Grey Friars: while the house of Carmelites at Marlborough was not founded till 1316, and then by the liberality of two private individuals, John Goodwin and William Remesbach, merchants; whereas the other two orders had been encouraged, if not actually founded, by king, or bishop, or local magnate, such as a Longespé, or Mauduit. This corresponds to what we otherwise learn of the homelier character of the Carmelites, who affected too, it seems, the smaller towns of the land. The same course was adopted with the friaries as with the monasteries. The visitatorial powers conferred by the Act of Supreme Head were delegated to Richard Ingworth, himself . formerly a Black Friar, and lately promoted to the Suffragan Bishopric of Dover, at the end of 1537. He at once started on his career of visitation (not, be it marked, necessarily and im- mediately one of suppression, though that was the ultimate end in view), and by July, 1538, writes of his progress to his employer, Cromwell. In the course of a long letter, dated from Marlborough, he says, after speaking of his visit to Chichester and Southampton :— * & to Salysbury how [7.e., who] also I fynde in good order and so lefte them.” Then, after relating his doings at Winchester} he proceeds :— “Now I am at Marleburche, wher befor I was but y* p’or was not at home, sythe he came to me to London and offeryd up hys howse. I taryed tyll y' I cam now hether and now I have receyvyd yt of him and his cdvéte and by y® _ mayer to me assygnyd ij men & have made y* Invétory & p’seyd all at ix’. vi®. iij’. 24 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts, of thys the howse in dete iiij'. vij*. vij.1. So resteythe iiij". xviij*. viij*. yt was tyme to take yt for yt was to far in abominacyon I have not hard of such, thys howse receyveth yerly v'i. vj‘. and payethe owte xxvj*. ob. here is no led but a lytyll stepull I thinke nott v hundreyd, master yorke cam to me In yo". name by that token y' I suyd to yowe for the delyverans of a fryer y‘ I shold leve bothe the howse and the stuffe wt hym and so I have by Indéture as yt ys p’seyd both chales & other, and he shall see the detts payd.” He then goes on to say that he is preparing a book giving a full account of all the houses, and ends thus :— **And good my lorde yt ys pety to knowe the penury of y* howseys and I thynke ther kowlde no better dede be don than to set ev’y man at lyberte y' wolde goo / for they have no thynge to purches ther capacytes w‘ / & leve in mysery | All ys solde in more pte off the howseys & ther vhales chaunged into tyn or cop’ so y* ther ys no thynge lefte as god knowy' he [who] eu’ p’s’ve you" lordschype to hys hey honor “ You". oreter & servantt “RICHARD DOVERENC’.” Again, in a letter of the 25th July—place of writing not specified —he uses much the same language. He wishes to know Cromwell’s pleasure :— “What I may do w' the freers that gyffe up their howseys for ther ys so much penure that oder howseys be not abull to kepe them / and I se that almost among x howseys be not ij abull to cotynew an yere / many that I am past be redy to gyffe up / in.many howseys I am fayn to pay all my costes & receyve nev’ a peny they be so pore y‘ war a charytabull dede y‘ capacytes? was cheper so that freeres myght make schyfte to have them for no can gett them but p’iors y' sell y® covets goods or lemytors? yt w ther lemytacions purches them.” This tender-heartedness on Bishop Ingworth’s part seems to have _convineed Cromwell that he was not the right man for visitor, and so we find him superseded by Dr. London, a man who did not first visit, then report, then visit again, before suppression, but who visited, suppressed, sold the lease, etc., and then reported, and who did not continually ask questions of Cromwell, or make inconvenient promises to friars. Still Bishop Ingworth received the surrender of Marleborough, : ae Capacytes. ‘Capacities were permissions granted (for a consideration) to - such of the religious as were priests to serve as secular clergy. * Lemytors. Friars who had the sole right of begging within certain bounds or limits from the house. - Se By the Rew. W. G. Clark-Maxweill. 25 as stated above, in July, 1538; and on the 2nd October of that year the Black Friars of Salisbury surrendered. The document is given in vol. xviii, p. 161 of the Magazine, in an article on the Black Friars of Wiltshire by the Rev. C. A. R. Palmer. It is signed by the prior, John Hesskyns, and thirteen brethren. An inventory of the goods of the monastery is also given, which certainly bears out the Bishop of Dover’s statement as to the penury of the friars’ houses, especially since this is mentioned as one of the better ones. The fall of Salisbury Black Friars involved that of Wilton as a dependent house, and synchronised with that of the Grey Friars in the same town. The inventory of this house also is given.' _ The sites, ete., were disposed of as follows :— The White Friars, at Marlborough, to John Pye and Robert Brown, 34 Hen. VIII. The Black Friars, at Salisbury, to John Pollard and William Byrte, Jan. 6th, 1545. The Black Friars, at Wilton, to Sir William Herbert, in 1547. The Grey Friars, at Salisbury, to John Wroth, 36 Hen. VIII. The Visitors’ reports, taken as a whole, reveal a much greater embarassment in pecuniary matters in the houses of friars than in monasteries. The reason for this, is not, I think, far to seek. The rule of St. Francis forbade not only the possession of private property by the individual friar, but even the holding of corporate estates by the community, and though, no doubt, this primitive severity had become in many cases relaxed, yet the fact remains that friaries on the whole did not enjoy the settled income which arose from landed property, and consequently lived in a much more hand-to-mouth fashion than did their elder rivals, the monks, So long as offerings from the faithful continued to flow in unchecked all was well: but when once it became evident, as must have been the case before 1538,that all religious houses were marked for destruc- _ tion, the tide of almsgiving slackened apace: and naturally so, for who will give to a body whose possessions may to-morrow be seized by the king’ And so, apart from the question of bad management 1 See Appendix. 26 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. —which no doubt existed—the friaries were almost bound to get into financial difficulties during the last years of their existence. As a consequence very few of these houses yielded any substantial sum to the Court of Augmentations; yet still their plate and the lead from the roof would yield something, while the actual sites, from their position in or near great towns, were often eagerly sought after by courtiers, speculators, and others, who wished to erect town houses for themselves, or sell the sites again at a profit. There are a certain number of minor religious foundations in the county which may be enumerated for the sake of completeness. Some of them perished with their companions, others appear to exist, though probably under altered statutes, to the present time. There was at Ansty a preceptory of the Knights Hospitalers of St. John of Jerusalem. The manor was given by Walter de Turberville in the 12th year of King John, and in the Valor Ecclesiasticus is returned as worth £81 8s. 5d. At the dissolution the site was granted to John Zouch, 88 Henry VIII. At Temple Rockley was a hide of land, given in the second year of Hen. II. to the order of the Knights Templars. At the sup- pression of this order it was transferred to the order of St. John, and annexed to their preceptory of Saundon, Oxon. At the dis- solution Sir Edward Bainton obtained the site. (382 Hen. VIII.) An interesting memorial of a very critical period in the history of the University of Oxford is to be found in the College of De Vaux, in Salisbury. When the Pope in 1238 laid the University under an interdict, numbers of the scholars retired from the place and congregated at Abingdon or elsewhere, Salisbury among the rest. Here, in 1260, Bishop Giles de Bridport founded the College de Valle Scolarum, or de Vaux. This was suppressed and the site granted, 35 Hen. VIII., to Sir Michael Lister. “The college was just outside the Close, on the Harnham side. There is a view of the building, which is now entirely destroyed,! in Hall’s “ Picturesque 1I quote from the “ Diocesan History of Salisbury,” p. 111, but there is a difference of opinion on the point. Mr. C. H. Talbot, of Lacock Abbey, writes: “TI believe there are some remains of it in the house called De Vaux House, where there are some buttresses of the fifteenth century.”’ By the Rev. W. G. Clark-Maxwell. 27 Memorials of Salisbury.” It is interesting to reflect what might have sprung from this rival of Merton and Peterhouse at the older universities, had it proved as fruitful as they in descendants. Alien Priories. The suppression of religious houses in the time of Henry VIIL., though carried out on a scale of unprecedented extent, had not been altogether unknown in England. Apart from the houses which Cardinal Wolsey suppressed, in order to endow Christ Church, Oxford, there had been from time to time instances of individual suppression by the Crown or some great landowner, followed by the transference of the religious to some other monastery or a new site, or sometimes by the re-founding of a different order. The largest precedent for suppression, however, is to be found in the case of the Alien Priories, as they are called, in the time of Henry VI. What were these Alien Priories, how many were there in Wilts, and what became of them and of their lands ? The phenomenon of Alien Priories finds its origin and its ex- _ planation alike in the fact of the Norman Conquest. The followers of the Conqueror became possessed in many cases of large properties in England. Some of these were already landowners in Normandy and so it came about that when these men or their descendants made benefactions of manors or other property to a religious house, it might happen that a monastery in Normandy or Anjou might hold land in England. (Whether the converse also obtained I have found no evidence to determine.) So long as England and Normandy remained united under one Crown this arrangement was not attended with inconvenience, beyond the fact that the distance between the monastery and its manor rendered it advisable to plant a small “cell,” or colony, from the mother house, to collect the revenue, to transmit it to France, and to supervise the manage- ment of the estate. When, however, Normandy was separated from the Crown of England, the difficulty arose that revenues from 28 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. the soil of England went to swell the resources of her rivals in time of peace, her enemies in time of war. The Plantagenet Kings, on discovering this, boldly seized the revenues of these Alien Priories in time of war between England and France. This was first done by Edw. I., and apparently repeated by Edw. II., for we find that one of the early acts of Edw. III. is the restitution of these priories to their owners. The same monarch, however, in 1337 once more seized the revenues of the Alien Priories, and retained them for the long period of twenty-three years, when, on the conclusion of the treaty of Bretigny, they were restored. Richard II. attempted to solve the difficulty by endeavouring, but without success, to induce the foreign abbeys to sell their English possessions; while his successor, Henry IV., made the arrangement that in time of war these priories should, as a matter of course, pay their revenues to the Crown of England. Henry V., in pursuance of his aggressive policy against France, obtained an Act of Parliament, appropriating the Alien Priories to the king’s use, some of the estates, including in this county Ogbourne and Avebury, being assigned to the support of the royal foundation of the College of Fotheringhay. This was confirmed by a charter of Henry VI., who further endowed his foundations of Eton College and King’s College, Cambridge, with more of the confiscated estates, while most of the remainder were granted to Archbishop Chichele, for his foundations at Higham Ferrers and All Souls, Oxford. Some few appear to have been given to private persons, chiefly among the nobility, but as a whole the suppression of the Alien Priories differed from that of the time of Henry VIII. in that the lands, etc., were still devoted to religious uses, including in that term the endowment of educational “establishments. The Alien Priories in Wiltshire, so far as I can ascertain, were as follows :— Ogbourne (Okebourne). Given by Maud de Walingford to the Abbey of Bec, in Normandy, about the year 1149. The manor was probably given to Fotheringhay, as I find the sale of Barbery leas in Ogbourne S. George as part of the possessions of that college to Sir William Sharington. By the Rev. W. G. Clark-Maavwell. 29 Avebury. Given by William de Tankerville to the Abbey of S. George de Boucherville in the time of Henry I. This was assigned to the College of Fotheringhay, and at the disso- lution was sold to Sir William Sharington. Chariton, near Marlborough. Given by one of the de Pavely family to the Premonstratensian house of de Lisle Dieu. Henry VI. assigned this to Eton for seven years, at which time it was valued at £22. But Edward IV. transferred it to his foundation of the College of Windsor, but it again figures as sold as part of Fotheringhay to Sir W. Sharington. Olatford, near Andover. Given in the time of Henry II. to the Abbey of St. Victor de Caux by the de Mortimer family. This priory was assigned by Henry VI. to Eton. Corsham (spelt Cosham in old documents). There were two Alien Priories in this town, given (1) by William I. to the Abbey of St. Stephen, of Caen; (2) by Henry II. to the Abbey of Marmoustier. These priories were assigned first to King’s College, then to the Monastery of Syon. Upavon. Given in the time of Hen. I. (by whom I do not know) to the Abbey of St. Wandrille, in Rouen. It was transferred to Ivychurch. I would like in conclusion to ask any who may be interested in this not unimportant chapter of our county history, and who have more local knowledge than I, whether there are any structural remains left of these Alien Priories, in order that, before complete destruction comes upon them, some record may be preserved, which may help towards a work which is greatly needed, and for which I think the time has come—a new edition of the Wiltshire Monasticon. APPENDIX. 1.—SurRENDER OF THE Buiack Friars or SAtispury. _ “Memorandum we y° Prior & Conuent of ye Blacke Fryers of Salysbury w* _ one assent and consent w‘ owte any maner of coaccyon or consell do gyue ow" 30 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. howse in to y® handes of y® lorde vysytor to y* Kynge’s vse desyeryng his grace to be good & gracyous to vs In wyttenes we subscrybe ow" namys w' ow" proper handes the ij'” day of October In y® xxx‘ yere of y° raygne of ow most dred Souereyn lorde Kynge Hery y* viij™. “fy Jon’Es Hxsskyns Prior “fy JoH’Es CHARDCOW “fr, Lupovic’ MEMEREJ “fy, Toosas BRowNE “fy, WILL’MS PRESTON “fy. THomas WARDON “fr, Rarr CokE “fr, Jon’Es Rosy “fy, Rogerus PHYLYPS “fr, Jou’s BENTLEY “fy, RyCHARD STONYS “fy. JoHN BUTTLER “fr, Pgr®- TREURUA.” [H. 8., vol. xiii., part ii., No. 519.] 9.—SuRRENDER OF THE GREY FRIARS OF SALISBURY. “ Memorandum we the Wardeyn & Conuent of y* Graye Fryers of Salysbury w' one assent [as above—same date}. “fr, Jon’es BurtHam [?] baccalarius “fr, THom’s Maw bacca “fy, Witim’s REDYNG. “fy, Toomas PooPre “fy. WILL’Ms YONG “fr, WiLL’Ms TURNOR “fy, Wyti’ms NEWMAN “fr, Vincencius Torry “fy, BarTRaMUS BYLLYNG “fy, RoBERT WALKAR” [H. 8., vol. xiii., part ii., No. 518.] 3.—For the inventory of the goods of the Black Friars of Salisbury see vol. xviii. of the Magazine, as referred to above. 4. —INVENTORY OF THE Goops OF THE GREY FRIARS OF SALISBURY. “The Grey freerys of Salisbury “his indenture makith mencyon of all the stuffe of the grey freerys of Salisbury receyvyd by the lorde visitor vnder the lorde Preuey Seale for the Kingis grace & delyuerid to M*. iohn Shaxton gentilman & to iohn goodale baly of Salisbury to See and order to y° Kingis vse w' the howse & all the appurte- naunce till the Kingis plesure be further known sli ie ali — ee 6205 J ‘TE, “Tt. “It. “Tt. “It. “Tt. eit “It. “Tt. It: “Tt. It. “Tt. sets Tt. “It. ork. gE “Tt. “Tt. SIts “ It “ It By the Rev. W. G. Clark-Macwell. 31 “The quere the hey alter taabill of ymagery giltt a lampe laten bason feyer stallys well sileid w' an orgayne lofte ij lecturnys timber “The chirche pore auterys on [7.¢., one] alabaster feyer formys “The Stepill ij bellis the on a feyer bell “The Vestre v laten candelsticks small vj cruettes & an holy water stoppe “Tn copis a golden cope w'" y° offeras ' ymagery iij white saten w'" y° offeras red saten v blewe copis ij w'" starys ij w'" flowerys & on w' golden birdis iij grene copis ij dornekes? & on silke iiij white copis iij dornikes & on bustion * on blacke cope silke iiij litill copis for childerne ix small alter clotheis for lowe alterys vj for y° hey alter vj. towellys x albys y‘ be not occupeid & ix curples XX corporas cases w'. x corporas in y™ . ij old grene chesabullys & iiij tunakill “Tha Tt Tt. “Tt. pat, at: “It. At. blacke co(r)pe w' a sute * of blacke vestment a Sute of white for ou" lady ij Sutis of grene a Sute of blacke an other Sute of white a Sute of redde iij Sengeill redde vestmentes a Sengeill vestment halfe blewe & halfe yelowe . on of chamlete Tt. It. vj grene Sengeill vestimentis iij redde Seingeill vestimentis “Tt. iii “Tt. “Tt. fat. iiij Seingill vestimentes for lent y* on yelowe an alter cloth for y® hey alter w'" a frontlet a grene auter clothe w' ij frontletis a golden pawell w' ij frontletis 1 Orphreys. * Dornyske, a coarse kind of damask. 3 Fustian P then a much richer material than now. +Sute. A suit of vestments was chasuble, dalmatic, and tunicle. 32 The Full of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. “Tt. a blewe alter cloth w' ij frontletis “Tt. a Sute of hangines for the hey alter white and greene veluit “Tt. an other Sute of redde “Tt. ij pallys y® on white & y° oter redde “Tt. a noter hangin alter clothe “Tt. ij olld grene pallys “Tt. ix frontletes on w' an other “It. iiij blewe clotheis “Tt. viij olld broken vestmentes chesabulles & tunakilles “Tt. vij chestes neuer on good “Tt. an olld blacke clothe “Tt. a borde & ij trestelles “It. a feyer presse “The freytre ! “Tt. ix tabilles & iii] formys “The Parlar ” “Tt. ij tabilles iiij trestelles & ij formys “It. feyer bencheis well Sileid / a propar portall “The Hall * “Tt. iiij tabilles viij trestellys iij formys “Tt. an olld cubborde “Tt. well benchid & dobill Sileid “Memorandum beside y* stuffe y' still remaynith ther ys solld to paye the dettes iij Sutis of vestmentes iiij copis pore all for x" alsoa payer organys broken ij candelstickes the stuffe of the chamberys w*" was very pore w* other small thinges abrode for iiij!' ij* the dettis drewe xix" & above of the w*" a gret parte was to breuerys & diuerse other for necessareis & y* rest to the warden the ende was y' xij’ xijd 4 satisfeid every man so y° howse y* owt of dett clere & the visitor hathe in his handis to y° kinges vse above y*** payementes lix* and beside y‘ in silver xiij** vne’ and xviij vne’ “And yt ys to be notyd y® evidens of y** howse be in y® vestre vnder y* keparys handis & y* visitor payde his owne chargis & so departid after iij days being here p me IOHN SHAXTON p me IOHN GOODALE” [No. 518.] 5.—Extract From A RetTurN OF “The housses of ffreres lately given up whiche have any substance of leayde * * * * * * * “The blake freres of Salisbury. Halfe the queer / twoe Iles of the Church / & all the cloystre w' diverse gutters “The grey freres in Salisbury / the Church all leaded the vpper parte of the 1 Frater, or refectory. ? Parlour, parlatorium ; a room where the religious could converse. * Perhaps the Guest-hall or Hospitium. *Soin MS., but perhaps we should read “ xij*.” By The Rev. W. G. Clark-Maxwell. 33 steple leade / a gutter bitwene the quere / & the batilment / a greate cloystre & all iiij paines' leade”’ Exchequer T. R. Misc. Books., vol. 153, p. 4, b. [Vol. xiii., part ii., No. 489, ii.] 6.—INVENTORY OF THE Goons OF THE WHITE FRIARS OF . MARLBOROUGH. “The Inventorye of the Whyet Frerys of Marlborow praysyd by Robert Brown Wylliam Symonds assygned by mayster mayre there at the request of the vysytor- “Ttm ij candelstyckes Vv. “ Ttm iij crewettes a “Ttm a holywater stop & a sacryng boll (? bell] vj’. “iiij laten candelstyckes & a sensore att “Ttm a crosse w' a staffe cooper & gylde vj’. viij’. “Ttm a paxe coper & gylde xij’. “Tt a fruntlett for y* hye aulter iiij’, *Ttm iiii alter clothes ly’. iv’. “Ttm iij corporax w' ix caasys xx*. “Ttm a chesable wt deakyn & Subdeakyn? and cope wt onealbe —_vj*. viij*. “Ttm a chesable wt deakyn Subdeakyn & cope lacking albys vj*. viij?. ““Ttm achesable & ij tunakles w'owt albys ¥% “Tt a hangyng of sylke for y* sepulchre * ij’. “Ttm ij coopes of bustyan w' redd garters vj*. viij*. “Itm a cope of olde bawdekyn * ri be “Ttm a chesable of dornyske. vj‘. “Ttm a chasable & ij tunnakles of bawdkyn xx4, “Ttm a chesable & ij tunnakles of red Sylke w' a cope of the same vj°. viij?. “Ttm a cope of grene Sylke ij’. “a syngle vestyment w' y° albe eS ag a pall of Sylke ij’. “Ttm ij olde chesabals iy". “Ttm on old chesable wt y° albe viij*. “Ttm an alter clothe w' the fruntlet xij’. “Itm a cope of blew sylke ij’. “ Ttm ij olde chesabuls viij’. “Ttm a cope of bawdkyn xij’, “Ttm ij hangynges for y° alter w' y® fruntlet xij’. “ An olde chesabull viij®. “Ttm a vayle? ij’ 1 Paines, i.e., the leaden roof of the four walks of the cloister? 2 Deakyn and subdeakyn, 7.¢., dalmatic and tunacle. 3 The Easter sepulchre, set up on the eve of Good Friday. 4 Bawdekyn, a rich and precious kind of stuff introduced into England in the thirteenth century, said to have been composed of silk interwoven with threads of gold in a most sumptuous manner. > Perhaps the Lenten veil. VOL. XXX.—NO. LXXXIX. Cc aoe a 34 The Fall of the Friars’ Houses and Alien Priories in Wilts. “7 baasons & an ewer of latyn xvj". “Ttem a braasyn morter w' y® pestell ins “q 7 Aundyrens of yren xis “Ttem a fryyng pan & a sclyesse ! vj’. *Ttm ij broochys ? xajt “Ttm ix old platters ij fivesiys & a Saucer see yah “Ttm a chaffyng dysshe iiij". “Ttm a grydyron iij’. “Ttm a great Kettell & ij great pannys & a small Kettle > ed “Ttm iij brass pottes ve. “‘Ttm a brass panne stonding in y*® furneys vs, “‘Ttm ij hangels ij payr of hookes & a fyer shovell viij*. “Ttm j brokyn candelstyck a8. “Ttem a bell ves “Ttem ii) fayer tabyls of alabaster ! Vj". vilj". * Ttm the bookes lytyll in valewe ““Ttm a great pott vijr. 3 Wi": “Ttm in wodd Vine vine “Ttm in tymber Wiljee liye. “Ttm old tubbys << “Ttm a chaleys w' the patteyn / xj vne’ & iij qrt