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1532, whose initials, with a rose and a mitre, are above the oriel 
window, but at present concealed by a vigorous Virginian creeper. 
The gate house, with the Church on the right, and the mons 
acutus on the left, in the background, forms a pretty picture. 
The name of the village in Saxon times was Leodgaresburh, 
a name subsequently changed to Biscopestone. William of 
Malmesbury, describing the pyramids in the cemetery at Glaston- 
bury Abbey, says that on one of them was the name of LoGoR, 
which he believes to have been that of the person who gave his 
name to Logperesbeorh (Montacute), another name being Bregden, 
from whom Brent Knoll takes its name. After the Conquest 
Robert of Mortain obtained the Manor and built a castle on the 
conical hill, where a small modern tower now stands, and called 
it and the village Montacute. Round the sides of the hill are 
traces of earthworks. It was the son of this Robert of Mortain 
who founded the Priory. 
Long before the Conquest, however, this little village had 
become famous by the finding of two crucifixes, one of flint, the 
other of wood, by a blacksmith, to whom they were revealed in a 
dream. ‘Tofig, Canute’s standard bearer, was then lord of the 
manor, took the wooden crucifix to Waltham, in Essex, where he 
was then building a hunting lodge, and where the Abbey Church 
of the Holy Cross was eventually built for its reception. After 
Tofig’s death the cross fell into the hands of Harold, and became 
the special object of his devotion. It was before that cross that 
the King knelt in the great crisis of his life, and fromthe form 
upon it that he received, it was said, the warning of his coming 
doom at Senlac. 
There are several interesting places at the little village of Stoke- 
sub-Hambdon, but there was only time for a visit to the little 
Church of St, Andrew. This contains within its narrow limits 
more curious and uncommon features than almost any other 
church. The original Norman north doorway, with its quaint 
tympanum of Sagittarius, Leo and other figures, and the beautiful 
