Places Visited in Cirencester. 7 



inspected with much interest. The latter comprises two of the very- 

 earliest examples of the Post-Reformation flagons, of the " round 

 bellied " shape which preceded the later tankard — these particular 

 specimens being hall-marked 1576 ; two chalices with paten covers, 

 of 1570, which have a gadrooned flange on the stem close under 

 the bowl and in other respects seem to follow the earlier shape in 

 vogue during the reign of Edward VI. But the most interesting 

 piece of all is the beautiful silver-gilt cup, made in 1535, which in 

 all probability once belonged to Queen Anne Boleyn — as it bears 

 her badge on the cover. (The flagons, the chalices, and this secular 

 cup will be found well illustrated in Cripps' Old English Plate, pp. 

 170, 177, and 181, third ed.) 



From the Church the party proceeded to the gardens of the Abbey, 

 the history of which Mr. Fuller had already given them. The house 

 itself is a perfectly plain building, with no mark of antiquity about 

 it — but there is a very remarkable Roman capital of large size and 

 richly carved acanthus foliage and human figures preserved on the 

 lawn. 



St. John's Hospital was next visited, of which a double arcade of 

 three Early English arches still roofed over remains — and the so- 

 called " Saxon Arch,^-" really the gateway of the Abbey. {Hee Wilts 

 Mag., vol. xiv., p. 145.) The party then walked a considerable 

 distance along the line of the earthwork which now forms the sole 

 remains of the ancient wall of the Roman city. This earthwork 

 was originally faced on the outside with masonry — but all trace of 

 this above ground has disappeared. At one point, now occupied by 

 a mill, the dovjjle ditch outside the wall is still well seen. At this 

 point the weather, which had been somewhat threatening all the 

 afternoon, grew worse and rain began to fall, and the Members 

 hastened back to tea, which was hospitably provided for them by 

 Mr. and Mrs. Cripps (Countess Bismarck). 



After tea, the Roman pavement at the Barton, still carefully 

 preserved in situ and roofed over, was inspected, and to those who 

 had not seen it before this was certainly one of the chief treats of 

 the Meeting, for probably there are few, if any, finer mosaic pave- 

 ments in England — Orpheus in the centre plays his lyre surrounded 



