THE 



WILTSHIRE MAGAZINE. 



"MULTOEUM MANIBUS GRANDE LETATUE ONUS." — Ovid. 



June, 1910. 



ON THE DATE OF THE ECCLESIOLA AT 

 BEADFORD-ON-AVON 

 By John Beddoe, M.D., LL.D., F.E.S., 



President of the Society. 



A few years ago those who took an interest in the ecclesiola at 

 Brad ford-on-A von seemed to have settled down comfortably in the 

 belief that the existing building was the work of St. Aldhelm ; but 

 since then several formidable objectors have arisen, who will not 

 subscribe to so early a date as that of Ine's reign. The late Mr. 

 Micklethwaite was incredulous ; then arose Baldwin Brown, who, 

 while acknowledging the glamour of antiquity about its general 

 aspect, objects to sundry details, such as the compound pilasters 

 and the doubly-splayed windows, as being of later evolution, and 

 pointing to the latter part of the tenth century ; and now comes 

 Signor Bivoira with two beautiful and richly- illustrated volumes, 

 in which the earliest date he will allow to our poor little Church 

 is the reign of Edward the Confessor, while he would by no means 

 object to put it as late as the Norman Conquest. Bishop Browne, 

 however, stands to his guns, and still ascribes the building to St. 

 Aldhelm, though he may have some doubts about the arcading. 



I would like to suggest some considerations on the subject, based 

 on a perusal of Bivoira's valuable work, and especially of the 

 illustrations. 



VOL. XXXVI. — NO. CXIII. 2 B 



