271 



Mr. Browne in addition to Mr. Davis's remarks, said that 

 the three southernmost bays appeared to be of earlier date than 

 the northern bay, as evidenced by the tracery and mouldings of 

 the windows. The roof also in its design was confirmatory of 

 this opinion, for the main trusses and principals over these three 

 bays were richly carved with the "ball flower" ornament so 

 characteristic of the Decorated period, whilst the roof truss of 

 the northernmost bay, where the very elegant king post and 

 braces were placed over the collar beam, was more nearly of 

 Perpendicular date. From these facts he thought that the 

 original refectory consisted of only the three southern bays, and 

 that the northern bay had been added at a later period. There 

 was also evidence that beyond the north bay, and where the two- 

 storied domestic windows were now visible in the west wall, 

 there had been other buildings extending as far as the stair turret 

 and covering the space to the north and east of the present north 

 and west walls. 



The square stone channels for the water from the roof and a 

 few other details were pointed out, and the similarity of the work 

 at the basement of the buttresses to that at Hinton Abbey. 

 After a look at the fine yew hedge and the sloping orchard to the 

 west, the fine old barn was next inspected, and its truly magnifi- 

 cent roof of fine oak timbers spanning a space of some 110 yards 

 by 24. . 



The members now retraced their steps through Clack, some 

 visited the ancient hostelry of the Jolly Trooper, others somewhat 

 alarmed at the long walk which had been planned for them 

 returned the way they came by an early train to the city they had 

 so recently left. The remainder, some sixteen in number, braced 

 themselves up for a long detour through Lyneham to Dauntsey. 

 Following the edge of the elevated plateau they had many 

 opportunities of seeing the outcrop of the Coralline Oolite, which 

 forms the cap of the higher ground and crops up under the 

 subsoil in numerous honeycombed highly fossiliferous blocks. 



