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June 20th, instead of on Thursday, June 22nd, which happens to be Brampton 
Bryan Fair. 
Thanks having been duly offered to the Rev. T. Powell and Mr. Piper, Mr. 
Powell gave some interesting extracts from Rowland Vaughan’s account of his 
‘*Most approved and long experienced Water Works,” which, far from being 
limited to statistics of the ditches which had been seen between Bacton and 
Peterchurch, deals with the social condition of the Valley. The account is 
extremely curious and often amusing, and not less curious is the scheme, which 
this scion of the Vaughans of Bredwardine thought suitable for the amendment 
of things as he found them there. The copy of the book, which is extremely rare, 
was lent by Mr. H. Vevers, and it is to be hoped that it may be reprinted at no 
distant day. 
At 2-30 a start was made, by special train, for Peterchurch, and now occurred 
the only hitch in the arrangements. The rain, that had on the whole held out 
very well so far, began to fail, and soon entirely ceased. Not that it was of much 
consequence, for the remainder of the day was chiefly spent under cover, and 
it is remarkable, as showing the foresight of the ancients, that all the villages 
hereabouts were built, and all the churches founded, within a bow shot of the 
predestined sites of the railway stations—an example which the founders of some 
cities might very well have copied. At Peterchurch the Rev. T. Prosser Powell 
received the party, pointing out particularly the ancient altar slab, with its five 
consecration crosses. The Rev. G. M. Metcalfe read a very interesting history 
of the Church, which is worthy of permanent record—omitting in it, by the way, 
to detail his own great exertions in the work of its restoration. This is truly a 
noble building in all respects, having, like the neighbouring churches of Kilpeck 
and Moceas, the rounded sanctuary beyond the chancel, but also a second 
chancel (perhaps originally a central tower) which joins the east end of the 
nave, and besides this a more modern tower, of great massiveness, and a most 
graceful spire. An old, but still vigorous Yew tree, of the great girth of 
thirty feet, was observed in the churchyard. 
The Church of Vowchurch has some traces of Norman work, chiefly in the 
small windows of the period. Tufa was used in some portions of the walls, as we 
have seen also in the apse at Moccas. It was found locally in small quantities, 
and, from its durability and easy working, was generally exhausted in early times. 
_The great feature of Vowchurch is the timber construction of its tower, and the 
support of its roof. Huge oak posts were in the 17th century erected inside the 
walls, regardless of the windows and other features, and on these the roof was 
erected ; a mode of construction not to be held up for copy, but involving some 
curious motives, not easily to be guessed at now. In the little Church of 
Turnastone, three or four hundred yards away, the first feature of interest is the 
oaken porch, an extremely plain but effective piece of construction. Within the 
Church there is a fine incised alabaster slab—a somewhat uncommon feature—an 
example of which may be seen at Westhide, near Hereford. The single-light 
windows are of good proportion, and most of them retain the ancient hooks for 
shutters or casements. One heard, of course, the tradition of the erection of these 
