Vlll 



Notes on Bisley Cross ; also a Communication on Friar Bacon. 

 By CHARLES POOLEY. 



As no record has been preserved of the ancient crosses that are 

 so numerously scattered over this county, it seems desirable that 

 this department of the Archaeology of Gloucestershire should not 

 be left entirely unrepresented. Having had my attention called 

 to the subject, I shall be happy to supply this deficiency by occa- 

 sionally contributing papers to the Transactions of the Club, 

 which shall embody as much information respecting them as I 

 have been able to accumulate ; at the same time I may state that, 

 in many instances, the paucity of materials at my disposal will 

 oblige me to be content with a bare enumeration of the measure- 

 ments of these monuments, and probable dates of their erection. 

 This is the more to be regretted because an interest attaches to 

 these crosses that enhances their value in the eyes of antiquarians. 

 Many of them are the standing witnesses of events which at the 

 period of their occurrence exercised a powerful influence over the 

 destiny of this country ; while others, as in the case of the Cross 

 of Amney Holy-Rood, illustrate in a remarkable manner the 

 ancient custom and practice of ecclesiastical tenure. 



The subject of the present paper is Bisley Cross, or, as it is 

 sometimes spelt, Bislye, Biselie, and Bisleigh, which stands at the 

 west end of Bisley churchyard, where it forms rather a striking 

 object, and may be mistaken for a handsome sepulchral monument. 

 Lysons has figured it as a cross of the 13th century. Why it 

 should be called a cross, it is difficult to say, as an inspection must 

 convince any one that the term is misapplied. The buildiDg 

 consists of a circular basement, on which is erected an upright 

 hollow hexagon, formed by six three-centred arches, supported on 

 round columns with beaded capitals and square plinths. On this 

 tier rises a hexagonal pyramid built on a corresponding number 

 of smaller open arches, with very deep scolloped mouldings. A 

 thick fillet runs half way up the pyramid at each angle and 

 terminates by bevelling. The small Greek cross of modern date 

 which surmounts the summit, I suspect has no business there, as 

 it certainly is not in keeping with the rest of the building : its 

 place was formerly occupied by an equally incongruous object, 

 namely, the baptismal font which now stands in the church. The 

 total elevation of the whole building, from the ground line to 

 the apex, is about twelve feet six inches. In the absence of any 

 definite information, we may conjecture that this is a specimen 

 of a detached bell-tower or turret of the thirteenth century, 

 but it is difficult to conceive on what grounds it claims to be 

 called a cross. Not only is the style of architecture in nowise 

 analogous to that seen in the remains of any of the early 



