WOODSPRING PRIORY. 111 



more Interesting had they taken a more active part in the 

 affalrs of their times, it certainly can be no cause of blame 

 to a body of cliurclimen tliat they foUowed, as we will 

 charitably hope they did, the duties of their profession 

 according to the light they possessed, and abstained from 

 interference in temporal matters. 



I will now proceed briefly to point out the most remark- 

 able features of the venerable remains of this once beautiful 

 structure. The first point to which I would draw atten- 

 tion is the entrance, which consists of a large gateway. 

 There is a smaller door or wicket on the north side. The 

 arches in both cases are segmental or small segments of 

 large circles, a form not uncommon in buildings of the 

 14th Century, to which date their construction may safely 

 be referred. The weather moulding of the large gateway, 

 is a very fine specimen of the style, being composed of the 

 scroll moulding, with a bead under it, Avhich is rarely met 

 with except in buildings of that period. The projections on 

 each side of the road ornamented with escutcheons, on one 

 of which is blazoned the fine Stigmata or wounds of our 

 Saviour ; on the other, a chevron between three bugles ; 

 are probably of comparatively modern construction. We 

 now find ourselves in a small court, bounded on the north 

 by a ränge of domestic buildings, which I should be in- 

 clined to suppose of Post-reformation date, though some 

 parts, particularly the string course, may be older ; and on 

 the west by the wall of the cloisters, which retain some 

 fine gurgoils. Immediately before us is the west front 

 of the church. This, when perfect, must have presented to 

 the beholder a very fine composition of late Perpendicular 

 character, though now sadly mutilated by the insertion of 

 modern Windows. The large west window, now built up, 

 occupied nearly the whole of this front, i'ising from a bold 



