354 Agreement for Building a Chapel at Laco'ck. 



so evident now as they were before these alterations. Fortunately 

 however we have evidence which enables us to supply those features 

 which have disappeared. 



Before the alterations were begun, a set of drawings of the whole 

 house were made by the late Mr, John Darley ' of Chippenham, 

 which are valuable as indicating what then existed. They are very 

 neatly executed, but it is evident that many of the details were not 

 drawn out from actual measurement. They therefore must be re- 

 ceived with caution and carefully checked. The drawing of the south 

 side of the house shows clearly the six bays of vaulting, the foqr 

 lancet windows, the position of the string-course, the doorway in the 

 second and the two doorways in the fourth bay from the west ; but 

 every one of the arches is drawn as four-centred, which would give 

 a totally erroneous idea of the character and date of the church, if 

 we did not know it to be a mistake. The real proportions of the 

 vaulting can be seen in the two bays next Sherington's tower. 

 When it was taken down, the wall-rib which was bonded into the 

 wall was not removed ; but, as it was not intended to be seen, its 

 projecting part was cut away, and the stones shaved down to the 

 general surface of the wall. Nevertheless, on inspection, their 

 arched outline is plainly visible. All the other features above enu- 

 merated are traceable in different places throughout the wall, with 

 the exception of the arched doorway in the fourth bay from the 

 west, shown in Darley^s drawing, which is not now accessible.^ 



' I have, by an unfortunate mistake (vol. xii., p. 228, of this Magazine), 

 attributed these drawings to Mr. Harrison, who was the architect employed for 

 the alterations. The drawings are not signed, in accordance with the usual 

 practice, and I was not aware at the time that any had been made by Mr. Darley. 



* It is concealed on the south side by the projecting modern building. Future 

 investigation in the cloisters may probably bring it to light. It appears to 

 correspond in position with the east walk of the latter; and, whatever its date, 

 it must have formed the principal entrance to the church, from the north, after 

 their erection. Of the adjoining square -headed doorway one jamb can be seen. 

 It was opened at the time of the alterations, having previously been walled up, 

 and found to lead into a room which had no other entrance, in which was found 

 only an ash pole, sound in appearance, but which broke on being touched. 

 This room is now inaccessible, but evidently lies within the thick western wall 

 of the sacristy, and I conjecture that it contained a staircase from the dormitory 

 to the church. (See Mag., vol. xii., p. 224.) 



