2 PAPERS, ETC. 



history, miglit disclose to us many a tale of passloaate 

 interest, now, spite of all our care, kept secret from the 

 World for ever, and buried beyond all power of recovery 

 in the absorbing grave of time. 



A stately Priory occnpied the spot and made it holy 

 ground. Its pious founder was blessed with the instlnct- 

 ive acumen of most siniilar beuefactors, and selected his 

 Site with a taste and ablllty that left no cause for subse- 

 quent regret. From the vcry walls of the House the 

 meadows sloped away gently towards the Tone ; and the 

 scene which stretched beyond was as lovely as any on 

 which an Englishman's eye could rest. The valley in the 

 forcground, through which the river winded, was all but a 

 forest, though uominally devoted to the Operations of the 

 husbandraan. Here the mill of Tobrigge was a conspicuous 

 object, and behind it rose the groves of Hestercombe and 

 the grey tower of Monkton. A little to the rlght, smiling 

 in mysterious grandeur, was Creechbury Hill that looked 

 down upon Bathpool and its noted mills. While the 

 background of the picture was composed of the long and 

 diversified line of the Quantocks, with Cothelstone, Bun- 

 combe, Woodball, and Burlinch* for thcir highest and 

 most prominent points. 



In addition to its special interest, as a locality conse- 

 crated by olden meraories, the scene has many and peculiar 

 charms for me. I have, therefore, most willingly undertaken 

 some amount of pains and labour in endeavouring to 

 collect and weave into a consecutive narrative the notices 

 relating to this once celebrated House — including, as they 

 necessarily must, the ecclesiastlcal history of the neigh- 

 bourhood at laro-e, of which it was the recognised head and 



* Ol' Burling=. 



