I 



127 



but the painting is much defaced, and on the opposite arch of the 

 south aisle a figure rising from the tomb, and a female saint. 

 These are on the sides as you enter from the aisles into the nave. 

 These remnants of ancient wall decoration were common to all 

 the Somersetshire Churches, and good specimens have been found 

 at WeUow, at Ditteridge, and at Claverton, all of which in former 

 years were visited and examined by the Club. 



The most interesting discovery, however, which has been made of 

 late, is at Wedmore. This, though not properly in the district of 

 Mendip, is but a very short distance out of it, being only four 

 miles distant from Cheddar, across the Marsh. It was formerly 

 an island lying in the direction of Glastonbury, and eight miles 

 west of Wells. 



It will be remembered that in August last year the Millenary 

 of the " Peace of Wedmore" was kept there, under the auspices 

 of the Bishop of the Diocese, and his son, who is the Vicar. A 

 large gathering took place, which was attended by a distinguished 

 member of our Club. An account of this interesting gathering 

 appeared in the local papers at the time, and has since been 

 collected and published at Wells, at the office of the Journal. 

 Our member. Professor Earle, has moreover improved the occasion, 

 and thrown additional interest into the subject, by deliveriog a 

 lecture at Oxford in November last on " The Peace of Wedmore 

 (A.D. 878) and how it touches the English language." He observes 

 " that the original dialect of Wessex may still be heard in the 

 western counties, and perhaps nowhere better than in Somerset. 

 . . . and " the living language of rustic Somersetshire, when 

 combined with our Anglo-Saxon texts into one testimony, form no 

 inconsiderable body of evidence as to what that Sotithern language 

 was," which he supposes to have been the antithesis of the Dano- 

 Anglian, and the foundation of the English language." 



But more has resulted from keeping the Millenary at Wedmore. 

 The site of King Alfred's palace had been traditionally preserved, 

 and is known to have been situated at Mudgeley, within two 

 * See " Rambles About Bath," p. 436. 



