130 The Fourteenth General Meeting. 



Parliamentary representation down to our own day, the tradition 

 of their being the habitations of men has been kept up, can hardly 

 be called architectural. Yet the regular frame of Old Sarum has 

 much interest as an early fortress adapted by art, on a site suggested 

 by nature. 



Later we have two instances of the foundation of mediseval towns, 

 both interesting, and affording examples of contrary currents of 

 progress — the fortified town of Devizes, and the open town of 

 Salisbury. 



At Devizes the escarpment of the green-sand is very steep and 

 deeply cut into, by ravines, two of which so nearl}' meet at their 

 heads, as to leave a peninsular eminence, with steep sides, and only 

 a very narrow attachment to the high ground behind. This was 

 an admirable site for a Castle : and on that high ground, grew up 

 a town, in the form of a semi-circle, the diameter of which abutted 

 on the steep descent on each side of the approach to the castle, and 

 the curve was, and is clearly marked by the line of New Park 

 Street, and Bridewell Street. The castle was held in the reign of 

 Stephen, by Bishop Roger, and the town, both from the regularity 

 of its form, and from the Norman Architecture of St. John's 

 Church, would seem to be of the same date, or nearly so, and a 

 part of the same plan. St. John's Church, of which the chancel, 

 transept, and intersection with its tower, remain entire, with 

 unimportant additions and insertions, is a very characteristic 

 specimen of somewhat advanced Norman architecture. The nave, 

 to meet increased population, has been re-built with aisles added in 

 the 15th century. Outside the walls is another church, St. Mary's, 

 which for the most part, dates from that age; but shows some 

 Norman work, though later than St. John's. 



We have no very great Norman work in this county except the 

 remains of the Abbey at Malmsbury. But several churches show 

 Norman proportions though the existing structures are in various 

 degrees modernized. Of these Westbury is perhaps the most 

 remarkable. 



Of the next style we have much. There are many fragmentary 

 parts of Early English work, particularly in the chancels of small 



