By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson, P.S.A. 275 
there, which possessed, amongst other things, the rectory and tithes 
of the parish of Frome Selwood. In return for that benefit it would 
not have been unbecominy if he had left some particulars of the 
state of things hereabout that he had heard or read of, or that hap- 
pened in his own time. But what says Richard of Cirencester five 
hundred years ago :—‘ Such was the negligence and inattention of 
our ancestors that hardly anybody thought of writing history but 
men in holy orders, and even they esteemed it inconsistent with 
their sacred office to engage in such profane labours, My own 
abbot did all he could to dissuade me, telling me that such occupa- 
tions were of no service, it was only deluding the world with un- 
meaning trifles.” 
Richard then ventured to argue with his Superior 
that such histories were important, and did not in any degree clash 
with more sacred employment; but in deference to his Superior’s 
opinion, he humbly acquiesced and gave over writing, and the con- 
sequence is that he has left us only a few pages. Of course we 
have general histories of England (such as they are) in the Anglo- 
Saxon period, but I am not here to-night to give you the general 
history of England, but the particular history of a very small part 
of it. Selwood Forest is my text, and I want to stick to my text, 
and all I con find about it in this period amounts to two solitary 
facts, or to two individuals connected with its name. 
The first of these is the famous Aldhelm, Abbot of Malmesbury, 
who founded two small subordinate houses, one at Frome and the 
other at Bradford-on-Avon. At Bradford he also built a small 
Church, which exists there to this day—that little ecclesiola which 
‘was recovered from utter destruction chiefly by the late Canon 
Rich-Jones, and which is now put into such a state of substantial 
repair—not restoration—as will ensure its safety for many years to 
come. 
I may just say in passing, that I lived near Bradford many 
years ago, and have walked by that building five hundred times © 
without thinking anything of it. Moreover, Canon Jones told me 
that he himself had lived seven years at the vicarage house, which 
is close by it, and had seen it every day without taking more notice 
‘of it than I had done. The fact is, it was so completely built 
