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Notes on Bisley Cross; also a Communication on Friar Bacon. 
By Cuarues Poo.ey. 
As no record has been preserved of the ancient crosses that are 
so numerously scattered over this county, it seems desirable that 
this department of the Archeology of Gloucestershire shouid not 
be left entirely unrepresented. Having had my attention called 
to the subject, I shall be happy to supply this deficiency by occa- 
sionally contributing papers to the Transactions of the Club, 
which shall embody as much information respecting them as I 
have been able to accumulate ; at the same time I may state that, 
in many instances, the paucity of materials at my disposal will 
oblige me to be content with a bare enumeration of the measure- 
ments of these monuments, and probable dates of their erection. 
This is the more to be regretted because an interest attaches to 
these crosses that enhances their value in the eyes of antiquarians. 
Many of them are the standing witnesses of events which at the 
period of their occurrence exercised a powerful influence over the 
destiny of this country; while others, as in the case of the Cross 
of Amney Holy-Rood, illustrate in a remarkable manner the 
ancient custom and practice of ecclesiastical tenure. 
The subject of the present paper is Bisley Cross, or, as it is 
sometimes spelt, Bislye, Biselie, and Bisleigh, which stands at the 
west end of Bisley churchyard, where it forms rather a striking 
object, and may be mistaken for a handsome sepulchral monument. 
Lysons has figured it as a cross of the 13th century. Why it 
should be called a cross, it is difficult to say, as an inspection must 
convince any one that the term is misapplied. The building 
consists of a circular basement, on which is erected an upright 
hollow hexagon, formed by six three-centred arches, supported on 
round columns with beaded capitals and square plinths. On this 
tier rises a hexagonal pyramid built on a corresponding number 
of smaller open arches, with very deep scolloped mouldings. A 
thick fillet runs half way up the pyramid at each angle and 
terminates by bevelling. The small Greek cross of modern date 
which surmounts the summit, I suspect has no business there, as 
it certainly is not in keeping with the rest of the building: its 
place was formerly occupied by an equally incongruous object, 
namely, the baptismal font which now stands in the church. The 
total elevation of the whole building, from the ground line to 
the apex, is about twelve feet six inches. In the absence of any 
definite information, we may conjecture that this is a specimen 
of a detached bell-tower or turret of the thirteenth century, 
but it is difficult to conceive on what grounds it claims to be 
called a cross. Not only is the style of architecture in nowise 
analogous to that seen in the remains of any of the early 
