282 History of the Priory of Monkton Farley. 



The chancel floor was about 24 feet square, lying east and west. 

 At about two-thirds of it eastwards were steps. Here a sepulchre 

 was opened, containing the skeleton of a stout man, upwards of six 

 feet high. On a gravestone his bust, in has relief, and at his feet 

 a lion. This, of course, was pronounced to be the founder; but the 

 principal founder, Humphrey Bohun III., was, with all after him, 

 buried (as has been stated,) at Lanthony Priory. North-west of 

 the altar, and some yards off, was found another floor, as of a small 

 side chapel, rather deeper in the ground. It contained a basin for 

 holy water, and its walls were perfect about a yard high all round 

 it ; in one part as high as the sill of a mndow. South of the altar, 

 about four feet under the rubbish, was found anotlier floor of tiles, 

 about ten feet square, but no remains. On this side, also, apparently 

 beyond the church, were signs of a burial ground, with a large yew 

 tree; several stone pillars were discovered, having figures carved 

 upon them perfect and fresh. Some of these are known to be still 

 buried. 



At various times, in 1720, and even now, stone coffins have been 

 dug up at a considerable distance from the Priory in various direc- 

 tions. One of these was suited to the size of a child, and is still 

 preserved. 



The most curious monument, found in 1744 (given away by Lord 

 Webb Seymour, and now preserved at Lacock,) is that of Ilbert de 

 Chat, already mentioned as one of the chief benefactors to Farley 

 Priory. Ilbert de Chat (so called from a place of that name on the 

 coast of Normandy, near Carentan, half way between Cherbourg 

 and Caen) was a landholder, under the Bohuns, in Normandy as 

 well as in England;^ His estates seems to have passed to sisters or 



' St. George's and St. Andre de Bohon are parishes in the Canton of Carentan. 

 The following document from the Cartulary of the neighbouring Abbey of Mont- 

 bourg was communicated by Mr. Stapleton to Mr. J. G. Nichols (Hist, of Lacock, 

 373.) "Be it known, &c., that I, Ilbert de Caz, give and grant, &c., to the 

 Abbey of St. Mary, of Montburg, the Church of Caz, &c., for the health of ray 

 soul, (See. ; with leave of my Lord Humphrey de Bohun, and my nephews, Wil- 

 liam de Greinvill, and Bartholomew le Bigot, &c.. Signed, Ilbert M , Hximphrcy 

 de Bohun, Bartholomew le Bigot, and others." Greinvill and Bigot succeeded 

 to the inheritance of Ilbert de Caz, in Xormandy, and probably also in Wiltshire, 

 as the name of Adam de Greinvill is found at Southwick, near Trowbridge, c. 



