188 Architectural Notes on Places visited by the Society in 1891. 
with the exception of the insertions named, it is now in pretty much 
the same condition as when it was relinquished by the nuns. 
Sir William Herbert doubtless largely constructed his new house 
with the stones from the abbey buildings, and these had (as Mr. 
Nightingale says) probably been brought from that convenient 
quarry—Old Sarum. There is, however, no work visible which 
would help us to identify them. The house was probably built 
pretty much on its present lines, and the quadrangle was entered 
through the archway on the east side. The central block containing 
this archway is the only part of it which remains, and this has been 
much altered. This work, and the porch which bears his name, 
have been ascribed to Hans Holbein, the Flemish painter and 
architect who was introduced into England by Sir Thomas More 
and largely patronized by the King. Although Holbein died in 
the year following the first grant of the abbey property, this of 
itself does not seem to preclude the possibility of the design having 
been prepared by him. The whole composition is a curious mixture 
of Gothic and Italian features. 
Fergusson ! says that ‘‘ Classical details or Classical feelings ” had 
not begun to prevail even during the early years of Elizabeth, and 
he terms the period from Henry VIII. to Charles I. the “ Transition ” 
and considers the “ Renaissance” to begin at about 1625. But I 
am sure that no one who has studied the work here can deny the 
latter term to much of the ornamentation ; which was undoubtedly 
imported from the South. 
The central part of the east front consists of an archway leading 
to the quadrangle, flanked by canopied niches which were erected 
by Henry, the second Earl, and are surmounted by shields of ar- 
morial bearings: that on the dexter side bears the quarterings of the 
first Earl, the supporters of which rest on his initials, W. P.; whilst 
that on the sinister bears the arms of the second Earl, the supporters 
resting on his own initials, H. P. 
The archway itself is very distinctly Gothic and English both in 
its form and detail—the pointed form of the arch, the section of the 
1 History of Modern Architecture, 2nd Ed., p. 273. 
co OR! ey ae agers. 
