Junk 27th, 1879. 



BUILDWAS AND WENLOCK. 



TITHE members of the Woolhope Club held their second meeting on Friday, the 

 ][_ 27th June, for the purpose of visiting Buildwas Abbey, and the still more 



celebrated ruins of the Priory of Much Wenlock. The route was a very 

 long one, and the weather most unpromising. A wet night was followed by so 

 cloudy a morning that the courage failed of many who had intended to be there. 

 The excursion tickets led throiigh Shrewsbury, where the train waited to take on 

 the party to Buildwas, and this opportunity may be taken of naming the gentle- 

 men who took part in the meeting : — The President, Mr. Arthur Armitage ; the 

 Rev. H. W. Phillott, Dr. Bull, Mr. W. A. Swinburne, Mr. T. Curley, Mr. J. G. 

 Morris, Rev. G. H. Clay, Mr. Henry Southall, Mr. Henry Vevers, Rev. H. W. 

 Tweed, Mr. Charles Fortey, Rev. C. J. "Westropp, Mr. J. T. Owen Fowler, Mr. 

 Joseph Carless, Rev. A. G. Jones, Mr. W. Lloyd, Mr. Henry P. Bull, and Mr. 

 Theophilus Lane. The excursionists held on their way down the fertile valley of 

 the river Severn, to 



BUILDWAS OR BULDWAS ABBEY. 



The ruins of Buildwas are situated on the south bank of the river Severn, 

 about 11 miles from Shrewsbury. The Abbey was founded in 1135 by Roger de 

 Clinton, Bishop of Chester. It was dedicated to St. Mary and St. Chad, and was 

 first instituted for monks of the order of Savigny, who were afterwards united to 

 the Cistercians. The church was originally built in the form of a cross, with a 

 tower resting on arches between the nave and the choir. The side aisles, transepts, 

 and chapels of the choir are in total ruin. The chapter-house is still perfect. It 

 is a parallelogram of 43 by 33 feet, the roof of stone, supported by pillars Avith 

 pointed arches. The abbot's house adjoining, is now converted into a most com- 

 fortable dwelUng-house occupied by Mrs. Moseley, who most kindly gave permis- 

 sion for the members of the Club to visit it. It presents many objects of great 

 interest, though we can only notice now the beautiful old encaustic tiles from the 

 old abbey with which the hall is laid. They present a great variety of pattern, 

 both inlaid and scored, and often of very elegant design. The abbey ruins are 

 still very massive and picturesque. They are kept in excellent order, and are so 

 well cared for, that if a means by which the very interesting chapter-house may be 

 stayed from rapid decay is now pointed out, it is but offered as a tribute of 



