By Harold Brakspear, F.S.A. 201 
THe Precrncr. 
There is an interesting map on vellum in the possession of Mr. 
_ Talbot, of the date 1714, “made for the Honble. John Talbot, 
Esq.”’ (who succeeded to the property that year), previously to the 
sweeping alterations he effected on the west side of the claustral 
buildings and in the arrangement of the grounds. The accom- 
panying plan, Fig. 1, is reduced from a tracing of this map, and 
shows a portion of the abbey precinct, which occupied the almost 
level ground between the village and the river. The map shows 
many features now swept away which formed part of the monastic 
_ arrangements. The precinct itself seems to have been an irregular 
oblong, containing about 18 acres; it was bounded on the south by 
the old road from London to Bath, on the east by the river Avon, 
on the north by fields, and on the west by two irregular areas. Of 
these the northern forms the churchyard, and contains the parish 
church, and the southern the yard of the home farm of the abbey. 
_ The principal buildings were, of course, those surrounding the 
_ cloister situated towards the eastern end of the precinct and after- 
wards incorporated in part in the present house. The infirmary 
occupied the space between this block and the river. The mill was 
to the north-east of the claustral block, a position necessitated by 
the course of the quick-flowing stream that then joined the river at 
a point eastward of the abbey. The mill was destroyed and the 
stream diverted shortly after the map was made, as it doubtless 
interfered with certain ornamental grounds then laid out. The 
“Mill Way” on the map was probably not the original approach, 
as it would interfere with the quiet and seclusion necessary for the 
infirmary. Eastward of the mill were the fishponds, which are 
shown in probably their unaltered state, and were supplied by the 
same stream that drove the mill. 
The outer court of the abbey was westward of the main block, 
and the buildings in connection with it have been entirely destroyed. 
Among other buildings it would contain the following, which are 
included in the suppression inventory of the sister house of Grace 
Dieu, in Leicestershire, namely :—‘‘ The Brew House, Yele House, 
_Laundrye, Saulte House, Bake House, Kyle House, and Smythes 
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