44 
loft of a cruciform church, or to a central tower. As further 
evidence of this, one of the ribs in the roof of the nave was 
moulded on one side only, showing that it had been fixed 
against an arch. The cruciform church was probably burnt 
down, a quantity of calcined metal having been unearthed 
during the restorations. The church was most likely rebuilt 
in the 14th or 15th century. The ceiling of the nave is 
original, the colouring was restored from the remains found 
when the whitewash was removed. The screen under the 
tower arch was brought from Enmore Church, in 1873. As 
the question ‘‘ What does Huish mean ?” was asked, it may be 
observed that antiquaries do not agree, some deriving the 
word from the Celtic Wych (pronounced oo-1sh)=water, many 
places named Huish being in spots through which a stream 
trickles between two rising grounds, while others take the 
derivation from the Anglo-Saxon Hi-wisc=homestead farm, 
every Huish being near a larger town. The former derivation 
seems the more probable, seeing how many of the old names 
refer in some way to water, and with regard to the character 
of the district. The date on the pulpit at Huish Episcopi, 
it may be noted, is 1625, the initials C.B. are those of 
Cannanuel Burnard, Rector of Pitney, who had charge of 
Huish in 1624. Not much time was left for visiting the 
church of AJ] Saints, at Langport. This is old, and in the 
Tudor style ; there is some old glass in the east window. _ It is 
said that the church possessed some very fine windows, which 
were destroyed by the Parliamentary troops. The vestry is 
at the east end of the church, an unusual position. When 
chambers behind altars are used as vestries, it generally means 
that the rooms were formerly depositories of the bones of 
saints, and other sacred relics belonging to the church. Lang- 
port was a very large town, probably moated, but few vestiges 
of the fortifications are now visible. There is an ancient 
gateway at the entrance to the town from the east, over 
which is the Hanging Chapel, so named from its being over the 
gate. This little Perpendicular building was once used as a 
grammar school. Here Quekett, the microscopist, whose 
father was master of the school, was educated. Time not 
permitting further exploration, Langport was left at 4.49 
and Bath duly reached about a quarter to 8, the day having 
proved very fine, except for a slight shower in the afternoon. 
Sufficient names not having been sent in, the other excur- 
sions did not take place. 
