Notes on the History of Great Somerford. 285 
Lord on the cross-shafts at Bewcastle and Ruthwell, the former 
_ sculptured in the year 670 and the latter about 680. Those reliefs 
are more beautiful than anything of that date in Italy ; and when 
the earliest imported sculptors in stone in Northumbria died out, 
the attempts to represent the human figure fell off terribly, while 
the skill in representing arabesques and interlacements of foliage 
and dragons and bands was retained for many generations. * 
Bates on the Pistorp of Great Somertord. 
By the Rev. F. H. Mantey. 
[Read at the Malmesbury Meeting, July, 1900.] 
(a= HE parish of Great Somerford is situated on the river Avon, 
4 ZK seven miles north from Chippenham and four miles south- 
east from Malmesbury. The main portion of the village adjoins 
the Church near the river, but the smaller portion lies about two 
miles to the west and forms the hamlet of Startley. It is in the 
hundred, union, and deanery of Malmesbury, and diocese of Bristol.” 
The area is 1544 acres, and the land chiefly pasture. The parish 
of Little Somerford is contiguous on the east. 
The name Somerford seems to suggest the reason why at this 
particular point of the Avon village communities settled on opposite 
sides of the river; Great Somerford on the right side where the 
ground rises rather rapidly close to the river, and Little Somerford 
on the left side at a distance of rather more than halfa mile. The 
river no doubt often during the winter, when in flood in old times, 
would cover this space, but in the summer, when the water was 
low, an easy passage could be made. The principal ford, we may 
suppose, was near the present bridge, but various other fords, such 
as Whitacre Ford, Richtford, Neytheford, &c., were to be found 
1 See also Mr. Ponting’s notes on Sherston Church, printed below. 
od In diocese of Sarum until 1836, from then until 1897 in diocese of 
Gloucester and Bristol. 
