352 Notes on Lacock Church. 



An annexe,^ on the west side of the south transept, may have 

 heen huilt in the time of Charles the Second, but there has been 

 an older building there, of less projection — perhaps a south 

 porch. 



The old pulpit, removed in 1861, stood on a stone base, on the 

 south side of the chancel arch, and was, I believe, of the time of 

 Charles the First. 



The chancel was re-built in 1777, and — though weU intended ^ — 

 cannot be considered satisfactory. At that time, probably,^ the 

 inner member of the chancel arch was removed. 



' This was supposed by Canon Jackson {Aubrey, p. 93, note 1) to have been 



formerly " an ancient house," attached to the Church, and afterwards thrown 



into it. I believe this to be altogether a mistake. Mr. Pouting also says 



{Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. xsiv., p. 164) : — "The building which was erected 



westward of the south transept, early in the seventeenth century, appears to 



have been a dwelling-house of three stories, with an outside door, and the 



opening between it and the aisle is modern." The doorway, however, appears 



to be a fifteenth century doorway re-used. . It resembles work at Bewley Court. 



The opening into the Church I believe to be of the same date as the building 



itself. In this amiexe was formerly a gallery approached by a staircase, both 



removed in 1861. It belonged to Bowden House, and that fact suggests a 



possible explanation of the building itself, for there was once, in Lacock Church, 



a monument of considerable size and importance to George Johnson, Esq., of 



Bowden, who died in 1683. There is a sketch of it in Dingley's History 



from Marhle, p. ccccci. The subject is noticed in a paper on " the family 



of James Johnson, successively Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, by Walter 



Money, P.S.A., reprinted with corrections and amendments from the Tra?Jsac<iow* 



of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archceological Society, vol. viii., part 2." 



I met Mr. Money, when he came to search the Lacock registers for entries 



relating to the Johnson family, and he formed, I believe, the opinion that 



this annexe probably contained that monument. The Johnson vault, however, 



is in the south aisle, where is a monumental tablet to the Bishop. 



- Sir John Awdry described it ( Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. sii., p. 139) as " a 

 very good piece of masourj', but constructed in entire ignorance of Gothic 

 execution." Mr. Pouting says (vol. xxiv., p. 164) : — " The chancel was built 

 in 1777, aud nothing more need be said about it." Perhaps not, but it may 

 be permissible to point out that the builders have taken the trouble to copy 

 carefully and accurately the base-moulding of the Lady chapel, and to carry 

 it round the chancel. 



■* This is now certain, as we have found this moulding of the arch remaining, 

 above the ceiling, whilst the shaft is cut away below. 



