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brake for Muchelney. The ruins of the Benedictine Abbey, 
so far as they are included in a private house, are not shown, 
but some part of the buildings may be traced in the church- 
yard, and a carefully drawn plan, hung up in the church, 
enables the chief features of the abbey to be traced. In the 
chancel is a very fine 12th century encaustic tile pavement, 
found on the site of the abbey, which adjoined the present 
church, in 1873. The pulpit came from the Mayor’s Chapel, 
Bristol. The village cross was restored in 1847. Muchelney 
Abbey was founded by Athelstan in 939. It was suppressed 
in 1538. The Abbot was mitred, but had no seat in Parlia- 
ment. Muchelney provided a contingent at the time of the 
Armada. This was commanded by Lieut. Robert Smythe, 
who was a descendant of Martyn, of Hinton St. George. Adam 
Martyn, who died in 1597, and his wife, are buried at Crew- 
kerne, where their monument still stands in the vestry. Their 
crest, ‘‘ Martin’s Ape ”’ is said to be the original model for the 
advertisement of ‘‘ Brookes’s Soap.’’ According to a local 
saying, ‘“ If you look at Martin’s ape, Martin’s ape will look 
at you,” that is, ‘‘ You shall get as good as you give.”” There 
was not time to visit Athelney, but there is little to be seen 
there, only the pillar erected in 1801, by Mr. Slade, the then 
owner, to commemorate Alfred’s residence on the “ Isle of 
Nobles,”’ and the episode of the burning of the cakes. The 
Benedictine monastery has totally disappeared. The drive 
from Muchelney to Long Sutton is by pretty country lanes. 
The church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity, is well worth a 
visit. The tower is lofty, of the Perpendicular style, as is 
mostly the case in Somerset. The screen and the pulpit are 
finely carved, and are both very old. The rood loft has been 
restored and painted, the pulpit also is painted and gilt ; the 
font has an old high wooden cover, with the remains of 
painting. The date, 1622, on the tower, is apparently that of 
its being heightened. Huish Episcopi, the next church 
visited, has a very fine tower, remarkable for its great beauty 
and elegance of design. The doorway is the oldest portion of | 
the church, and dates from the middle of the r2th century ; the 
stone is from Ham Hill, part of it reddened by fire, and part 
coloured stone, inserted in 1873. The walls and arches are 14th 
century, as are, generally, the windows, but in some the 
tracery has been cut out, and 15th century tracery putin. The 
Norman door at the south-west corner of the north transept is 
somewhat puzzling ; 1t seems probable that it led to the rood 
