15ii Congress of British Arclwological Association at Devizes. 



still remain. This adjunct, which has been a crux to local antiquaries, 

 was pronounced by Mr. Beock to be the base of a proposed north-east 

 thirteenth century tower, and utilized from early times as a sacristy. 



The Church of Netheravon was next visited. It has a remarkable 

 west portal, of very rude and early character. Two pilasters, with 

 cushioned caps roughly sculptured, the one wifeh a lion, the other 

 with an ape, or some other quadruped, carry a plain circular soffit 

 and arch of great depth ; the north and south sides of this stage of 

 tower are panelled with flint and stone, and have small Norman 

 doorways, now walled up. The internal arch is of like character, 

 and also has wide joints ; the nave has late Transitional piers and 

 arcades. Mr. Brock suggested that this west doorway was once 

 internal, and formed the chancel arch of the central tower of an 

 aislcless Church, apparently of the latter portion of the eleventh 

 century, an opinion in which Mr. Picton coincided. 



The drive was then continued to Araesbury, where the party was 

 reinforced by about eighty of the Newbury Field Club, under the 

 guidance of Mr. Walter Money, F.S.A., Professor Rupert Jones, 

 and others. The united party then proceeded to the Church, where 

 they were met by The Vicar (Rev. A. W. Phelps), at whose request 

 Mr. Brock described the principal architectural features of the 

 edifice. It is a large cruciform structure, with low square central 

 tower, from which a spire appears to have been demolished. The 

 walls of the nave are Norman, with inserted windows, but the other 

 limbs were re-built and enlarged in the thirteenth century. The upper 

 part of the tower is considerably later, and Decorated windows are 

 inserted into the chancel between the lancets. The roof of the nave 

 is a good example of hammer-beam construction, with ornamental 

 tie-beams and braces. There is a late south aisle, and opening from 

 the north transept is a chantry chapel, with an excellent two-light 

 window in east gable, divided by a shaft wdth foliage cap of about 

 1240. Mr. Brock gave an account of Amesbury Priory, founded 

 in 880 by Queen Elfrida, as a Benedictine nunnery, and which grew 

 to be one of great magnificence. At the Suppression of Monasteries 

 almost all the conventual buildings were destroyed. It seemed clear 

 that the proportions more resembled a conventual than a parish 



