282 The Forty-Second Genenil Meeting. 



landed the party close to the market cross, which gives such an 

 unusual character to the village. The CHURCH was thoroughly 

 inspected under the guidance of Mr. Brakspear, who acted as 

 cicerone throughout the day. The tower — a very beautifid one — 

 was happily left untouched at the " restoration," when the screens 

 were swept away, and the present poor rose window over the 

 chancel arch was recklessly substituted for the original five or 

 six-light window of entirely different character. A few of the 

 Members ascended the tower and were amply repaid, not so much 

 by the view of the village and valley, though that is worth seeing, 

 as by the nearer sight of the charming little spire which crowns the 

 stair-turret and still contains a small mediaeval bell. Nothing more 

 graceful than this was to be seen during this whole excursion. The 

 MANOR HOUSE and its grounds occupying a position which is cer- 

 tainly unique among Wiltshire residences for the natural beauty of 

 its surroundings, was thrown open in the most hospitable way by 

 Mr. Lowndes. The gardens, the pannelling, the pictiires, and the 

 many other objects of interest in the house itself, the group of 

 Eoman architectural fragments from North "Wraxall, preserved 

 on the lawn, the large sarcophagus fi'om the same place, and the 

 bell-turret from the Church of Biddeston St. Peter's, destroyed in 

 1840, were all inspected before it was time to sit down to the 

 stmiptuous lunch to which Mr. Lowndes had invited the Society 

 in a tent erected on the lawn. On its conclusion Mr. Lowndes 

 was warmly thanked by the President, Sir H. B. Meux, in the 

 name of the Society, for his hospitality. 



Entering the carriages again the route lay through the beautiful 

 park up to the old Eoman Road from Cirencester to Bath — the 

 FOSSWAY — close to which stands the remarkable cromlech known 

 as LUGBURY, the top stone of which was fallen and in its present 

 condition in Aiibrey's time. Only two of its upright supports 

 remain, though it probably once had more. It stands at one end 

 of a long barrow, much reduced in height by long-continued 

 ploughing (now happily forbidden), of which it seems probable 

 that it may once have formed the sepulchral chamber. Mr. 

 Lowndes gave the history of its exploration by Sir Richard Colt 



