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to examine, arrange, and prune the local traditions into con- 
sistent and credible history. In the subseqhent conversation 
after tea. 
The Rev. H. 8. Sayce, who took the chair, Messrs. Green, 
C. Davis, Moore, Odgers, and Wright slightly extended the 
subject in various directions and the evening closed with a vote of 
thanks to Dr. Hunter. 
The third evening meeting was held on Thursday, January 
13th, 1876, when the Rev. Preb. Earle made an interesting 
communication, entitled ‘ Historical Observations on Church 
Architecture in Bath and the Neighbourhood.” 
His object was, he said, to show that there have been only two very limited 
periods of church building in this district. The first began with the building 
of the Norman Abbey by John de Villula, and lasted to the end of that 
generation. The present Abbey was in shape a reduced picture of this edifice 
the Nave of which covered the site of the present building, while the Chancel 
extended right across the Orange Grove, nearly to the rails of the Institution 
garden. The bases of the columns which carried the central tower could still 
be seen outside the east end of the Abbey. A number of churches in the 
neighbourhood were built at this time, e.g., Langridge, Charleombe, Twerton, 
Priston, Swanswick, Timsbury, Monkton Farley, Limpley Stoke, Englisheombe, 
&c., and described the traces which remain of the original structures. He 
mentioned the curious fact that Norman churches had two doors, north and 
south, directly facing each other, while the later custom was to have only a 
south entrance. He produced views of Monkton Farley and Limpley Stoke 
Churches, cut from the Bath Herald, and showing that they were entered from 
the north, and thus must be of Norman foundation. In the latter church the 
other door, though walled up, was still visible. He considered the present 
Abbey was a re-building upon the plan of the old edifice, though the prevailing 
Perpendicular fashion had ordered its details and given it the large windows, on 
account of which it bore the name of the “lantern of England.”? He therefore 
_ held that the second church building era had commenced in our own time when 
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a i ties 
so many new churches and new foundations had been made, and he said this 
revival of zeal, after a lapse of seven centuries, was most interesting. The 
Movement commenced with Bathwick Church, an interesting church, which 
held an historical position, for it marked the revival of Gothic art. In con- 
clusion, Mr. Earle threw out with regard to the translation of the very ancient 
