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down to the village of Kewstoke, consisting of a flight of more 

 than 200 steps, also strongly fortified, and no doubt once 

 extending farther down to the sea than it does at present, thus 

 constituting, in all probability, the principal landing-place for 

 the British Town. The local legend tells that these steps led 

 to the cell of a British or Saxon saint named Eew, and hence 

 they are called "St. Kew's Steps." But " Kwch," in Welsh, 

 means a boat, and Stoke means Station; so Kewstoke has 

 nothing to do with a saint, but was the water-gate and landing- 

 j)lace of this early British settlement. When the Eomans took 

 possession of the country, the place was probably soon deserted, 

 the population removing to the Roman Axium, now called 

 Uphill, on the other side of the bay. 



After a careful examination of this interesting camp, the party 

 descended by St. Kew's Steps directly down upon Kewstoke 

 Church, which was next insj)ected. This church was restored 

 in 1850, but its fine Norman door-way was preseiwed intact, 

 and the font and beautifully carved pulpit are well worthy of 

 examination. From this point the route lay through the little 

 hamlet of ITorton, where the Lower Lias and Ehoetic beds are 

 exposed, to Culm, where the "Planorbis Zone" is well displayed 

 and very fossiUferous. On reaching Woodspring, all were 

 charmed with the picturesque appearance of the ruins of the 

 Priory, seated under the shelter of Middle Hope Hill, and 

 surrounded by the most luxuriant foliage. The Priory is said 

 to have been founded about 1210 by one of the Courtenays, 

 who was in some way connected with the assassination of 

 Thomas a Beckett. It was endowed and enriched by 

 the descendants of others who were concerned in the same 

 transaction, to the end, as the monkish chronicle has it, 

 *Hhat the daily mass might cleanse their souls and free 

 them from the pains of purgatory." Anyhow, the founders 

 shewed their good taste in the selection of the site for their 

 monastery; for a more beautiful spot, even in that rich and 

 beautiful country, could not have been chosen whereon to build 

 their nest. But of the buildings raised here, little now remains, 

 and those portions left are rapidly falling into still greater decay. 



