Early G^'civcstones found at Trowhridye. Tl\ 



regularly set out than is usual, although there is no evidence of a rule-of- 

 thumb method of doing it. Of course the hatched ornament is what one finds 

 in Norman work, but I have often thought that it has all the characteristics 

 of Saxon, and it is interesting to find it in conjunction with the sections 

 referred to, which I regard as the most reliable test. I take it that the other 

 stone is of about the same date, the bellied, pilaster-like stem of the cross 

 looks distinctly Saxon. They are both of Bradford stone, which is perhaps 

 to be expected in this locality, but I think it will be found that this stone 

 was more generally used in Saxon than Norman times." 



"We have coped slabs of Pre-Norman date in Wiltshire at 

 Kamsbury and Cricklade, but they have the characteristic orna- 

 mentation of their period and do not at all resemble Norman work. 

 This Trowbridge stone, on the other hand, has the general air of 

 being of Norman date, though its details — as Mr. Ponting points 

 out — seem, some of them, of an earlier character. It is difficult, 

 therefore, to assign a date to the stones with any certainty, some 

 of the ornament on the coped stone suggest the 12th century, but 

 on the other hand the cross on the headstone and certain details 

 on the coped stone suggest an earlier date. 



\* I printed a note on these stones, with the illustrations now given, in 

 The Reliquary, January, 1904, vol. x., pp. 63, 64.— E.H.G. 



