TAUNTON AND DUNSTER. Hx. 



THIRD SUMMER MEETING. 



TAUNTON AXD DUNSTER. 



THE THIRD SUMMER MEETING of the Club took place on 

 Wednesday and Thursday, August 25th and 26th. The attend- 

 ance of Members was rather disappointing, although the weather 

 was fine. 



The party arrived at Taunton by train at 12.35, and repaired 

 to the Castle Hotel, which had been chosen as headquarters. 



CLEEVE ABBEY. 



At 1.45 a start was made from Taunton for Wash ford Station, 

 whence a short walk brought the visitors to the somewhat 

 extensive remains of the Cistercian Abbey of Cleeve. Upon 

 their arrival the Rev. F. W. WEAVER (who kindly acted as guide) 

 gave the following account of the Abbey and its past history : 



Cleeve Abbey was founded between 1186 and 1191 by William de Eomara, and 

 is thus of somewhat later foundation than the two great Cistercian Abbeys of 

 Dorset Ford founded in 1140 and Bindon in 1172. Cleeve was the only 

 Cistercian house in Somerset. All Cistercian houses were given the status of 

 abbeys, and all dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. The last Abbot of Ford was 

 made by the authorities at Citeaux visitor of all the monasteries in the south- 

 west of England ; and, therefore, he conceived that he was right in saying that 

 Ford was looked upon as the mother of them all. He called attention to the 

 only remaining portion of the cloisters, that on the west side, and pointed to the 

 entrance which was used by the conversl, or lay brethren, whom the Cistercians, 

 who were great fanners and wool growers, were in the habit of associating to 

 themselves for the sake of the assistance which they gave them in agricultural 

 work in the tilling of the fields and the tending of their flocks and herds. 

 These eonrersi, although engaged in agricultural work, were at first monks to all 

 intents and purposes, subject to the rule of the Order ; but in later times this 

 strictness was relaxed, and they were allowed to live in the village and to marry. 

 In the north wall he pointed out a seat which was, perhaps, occupied by the 

 claustral prior, who kept order in the cloisters. Of the magnificent church of the 

 abbey only the foundations remained, overgrown with moss and grass. At the 

 end of each of the transepts were two square chapels, still traceable by their 

 foundations. But, though the demolition of the church was to be regretted 



