The Club first examined the Church. The tower, and body of 

 the Church, which formerly belonged to the Abbey of Tewkesbury, 

 are said to have been built by a Fitzhaedinge; the South aisle 

 by Hugh Lord Staffoed. There are several handsome tombs, 

 one of Thomas Ttndale buried 1571 ; another of Sir John 

 Staffoed, obt. 1624 ; and likewise memorials of Maet, vnfe of 

 Edwaed Lord Staffoed, grandson to Edwaed Duke of 

 Btjckinghabi ; she died in 1609. The interior of the edifice is 

 well kept and in good order. 



Close adjoining to the Church, is Thornbury Castle ; but this 

 interesting historical mansion, the Club were not suffered to 

 visit, though our courteous secretary Dr. Paine had exerted 

 himself to obtain the desired permission. This was a cause of 

 much disappointment, and it is worth noting that this was the 

 first occasion on which any difficulty has been experienced by 

 the Club, in obtaining admission to such halls or baronial 

 mansions as have chanced to come within the scope of their days' 

 rambles, where on the contrary they have met with every 

 courtesy and not unfrequently with princely entertainment. 



It was fortunate for the Club that they numbered among their 

 members an antiquary in Mr. Niblett, who had prepared a 

 memoir of the Castle, illustrated by numerous diagrams, by help 

 of which the party were put in possession of all the principal 

 facts connected with this grand historical pile. 



Thornbury Castle was built in the reign of Henet VIII. 

 Eleven years were occupied in building it, and it was unfinished 

 at the death of its founder, Staffoed Duke of Buckingham ; 

 nevertheless it was then habitable and capable of housing and 

 entertaining a goodly company, as shewn in the Stafford 

 Household book which is still in existence. It was a castellated 

 mansion rather than an actual castle. There is no keep, or 

 stronghold as at Berkeley Castle, nor was it ever intended 

 to resist a siege. Privacy and comfort, not defence, were the 

 intentions of the founder. 



Mr. Niblett gave an interesting account of the circumstances 

 which led to the decapitation of the Duke, whose death he 

 remarked, was a foul and deliberate murder. His faults seem 



