MARLBOROUGH. XXxiH. 



down in the great fire of 1653, Cromwell sent briefs through the country 

 asking for contributions towards the succour of the poor burghers of 

 Marlborough, who thus were enabled to rebuild their church in the same 

 year. The best feature of the church is the Norman archway of two 

 orders in the western tower, which happily survived the fire. 



The Club dined at the Ailesbury Arms, the President (Mr. Richard- 

 son) being supported by a large company. 



Afterwards six new Members were elected by ballot, and the HON. 

 SECRETARY announced three new nominations. 



The party then adjourned to the Court Room at the Town Hall 

 w r here Mr. ST. GEORGE GRAY followed up the visit to Avebury that 

 day by giving a lecture on the place and the excavations, illustrated 

 by a series of lantern slides, made from photographs taken by himself. 

 Speaking with cautious reserve, in answer to the question so repeatedly 

 put as to the date of the place, Mr. Gray observed that, so far, the 

 evidence adduced pointed to it being either of the early Bronze Age or 

 the late Neolithic, and, if so, of greater antiquity than the better 

 known and more spectacular Stonehenge. 



SECOND DAY. 

 Wednesday. 



KNOWLE CHAPEL AND GRAVEL PITS. 



The parish of Great Bedwyn contains this desecrated chapel, 19ft. 

 Gin. by 12ft. 9in., the chief feature of which is the 14th Century windows, 

 now bricked up. It was, said Mr. DORAN WEBB, one of a series 

 of domestic chapels in that neighbourhood. 



Dr. COLLEY MARCH then described many points of interest in con- 

 nection with the gravel pit adjoining Knowle House, a spot often 

 visited by those in search of flint implements. 



FROXFIELD ALMSHOUSES. 



Shortly afterwards the party were standing inside a large quadrangle 

 of two-storeyed tenements in the mellowed brickwork of the 17th 

 Century. In the centre of the sward rose an early 19th century chapel, 

 an architectural anachronism. This quadrangle forms the Froxfield 

 Almshouses, as they are now generally called, or the Somerset Hospital, 

 founded and endowed for the benefit of 50 widows (20 of the clergy 

 and 30 of laymen) by Sarah, Dowager Duchess of Somerset, in 1694. 



Mr. DORAN WEBB pointed out the oldest tenements, late Caroline 

 or James II., the gatehouse and the chapel being built in what is 

 known as the " Batty Langley " style. 



The Duchess of Somerset also founded a system of apprenticeship 

 available for youths in the counties of Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, and 



