373 



EXCURSION TO RADSTOCK, KILMERSDON AND VOBSTER. 



The last excursion of tlie season took place on Tuesday, Sept. 

 28th, to Radstock, Kilmersdon and Vobster. The first part of 

 the day was given up to archaeology, and the lately enlarged and 

 restored church at Eadstock (which does great credit to all 

 concerned in the work) was visited under the guidance of the 

 Eector. Many bits of antiquity have been recently brought to 

 light there, and have been judiciously preserved. The members 

 received an addition here to their numbers in the person of Mr. 

 McMurtrie and several others ; the former acted as guide through 

 the rest of the day, and has kindly contributed tlie following 

 notes on the church : — 



It is believed a Norman church originally existed here, but if so, no 

 trace of the original work remains except an ancient Norman font with 

 cable moulding, which after lying neglected in the churchyard for 

 many years has again been restored to its sacred use. The present 

 church, which is dedicated to St. Nicholas, originally consisted of a 

 western tower, nave and chancel, and it does not appear to have com- 

 mended itself to CoUinson, who dismissed it witli the single remark 

 that it was " a small plain structure" containing " nothing remarkable." 

 If small and plain however there was probably nothing in it at variance 

 with correct architectural taste, until some 40 years ago when the 

 Churchwardens and the Church Building Society carried out an 

 enlargement which entirely destroyed the original character of the 

 edifice. Tlie north wall of the nave was removed and the width of an 

 aisle added ; instead of an arcade a trussed beam was made to support 

 the double roof and a gallery was introduced rendering it one of the 

 most unsightly churches in this part of the county. 



Under the guidance of Mr. Wiilcox, architect of Bath, however, all 

 this has now been changed. The trussed roof, unsightly galleries and 

 high pews have all been swept away. An arcade of goodly propor- 

 tions now divides the church into a nave and north aisle, the budding 

 has been extended eastward to double its former length, and a new 

 chancel and organ chamber have been added. In carrying out the 

 work the architect had before him in the original church two distinct 



