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renewed. There are some old bench ends with linen-pattern 
which has been well imitated in the newer work. ‘The heavy 
brass candelabrum resembles that at Croscombe, and is probably 
of the same date. There is some good panelled work on the 
tower, and there are ogee canopied niches with statues on the 
buttresses, one of the figures being, it is said, the patron saint, 
James the Less. The Preaching Cross in the Churchyard is 
“extremely fine and curious, somewhat mutilated, but not past 
repair.” Entered from the South side, the preacher could 
address his hearers from all sides, himself under cover. The 
cross finial is gone. The shields bear the emblems of the 
Passion, and the Arms of Acton and Fitz Nicholl. 
Iron Acton Court is a fine old building, now a farmhouse 
Admission to the house is not permitted, so an outside view only 
could be obtained. The most remarkable feature is the gateway, 
on which are the Acton Badges—oaks and acorns—and the 
Poyntz Arms. The Actons former owners were succeeded by the 
Poyntz family, which died out in 1680. The Manor House was 
rebuilt in Elizabeth’s reign. The cross dates from about 1439. 
After a well-served luncheon at the Lamb, Yate Church was 
visited. The Rector accompanied the party to the Church, 
which is very interesting, much of the Norman stone work, and 
even plaster remaining. There are several old monuments, a 
brass to Alexander Staples (1570) with his two wives and eleven 
children, and a curious Latin epitaph in four hexameters. The 
East window is said to be from a design by Albert Durer. The 
Church was originally cruciform, but has been greatly altered, and 
the later designs not having been fully carried out, a curious 
confusion and some puzzling architectural features are noticeable. 
In the stone credence is a brass, evidently of Puritan times, to a 
former Rector, the rood stairs are curiously placed on the East 
side of the chancel arch, not as usually found, on the West side. 
There are some remains of Jacobean texts and of still older 
frescoes, which the Rector described as when first uncovered, but 
