Ixxix. 



FOURTH SUMMER MEETING. 



FORD ABBEY. 



THE LAST OF THE SUMMER MEETINGS was held at Ford 

 Abbey, on September 5th. The party numbered about 150. 



On arrival at Chard Junction a short business meeting was 

 held, at which three Members were elected and ten candidates 

 for Membership nominated. 



The HON. SECRETARY announced that he had received a letter 

 from Sir Frederick Treves enclosing a cheque for five guineas 

 towards the proposed excavation work at Maumbury Rings. He 

 had sent the cheque to Captain Acland, who had kindly con- 

 sented to act as secretary and treasurer of the Excavation 

 Committee. The name of Mr. Alfred Pope was added to the 

 committee, and this concluded the business meeting. 



The party then drove to Ford Abbey,* where they were 

 welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Freeman Roper, and were invited 

 first to enter the refectory or great hall. 



Mr. Sidney Heath, joint-author of " Some Dorset Manor 

 Houses," had sent a paper on "Ford Abbey," and in his 

 absence it was read by the HON. SEC., who said he was sorry that 

 Mr. Heath could not be with them, and explained that the paper 

 was a portion of a chapter of the book "Memorials of Old 

 Dorset " which was soon to be brought out by Messrs. Bemrose. 



FORD ABBEY. 



Various authorities agree with Camden in stating that Ford Abbey (originally 

 in Devon, but now included in the county of Dorset), near Chard, was founded 

 in the year 1140, for Cistercian monks, by Adeliza, daughter of Baldwin de 

 Brioniis, and a grand-niece of William the Conqueror. The circumstances of its 

 origin are interesting and romantic. It appears that Adeliza's brother, Richard 

 of Okehampton, had given, in 1133, certain lands at Brightley, within his 

 barony, to an Abbey of the Cistercian Order, and had secured twelve monks to 



* The illustrations of Ford Abbey in this volume are reproduced, by permission, 

 from " A Brief History " of the Abbey, published by Messrs. Young and Son, 

 Chard. The photographs were taken by Messrs. Higgins and Son, Chard. 



