1912.] 



THE PRIORY AT LIHOU. 



387 



Architecture. — The Priory, as far as can be gathered 

 from the existing scanty remains, consisted of a nave, 41ft. 6in. 

 long by 29ft. wide ; a choir or sanctuary, 41ft. long by 17ft., 

 op the north-eastern corner of the nave, and a tower about 

 12ft. square on the north side of the nave. 



Certain straight joints in the masonry show that the 

 Priory was without much doubt built in three parts, and the 

 evidence points to the nave having been first built, then the 

 sanctuary was added, and the tower was added later, the 

 then existing north wall being utilized for one of its 

 walls. 



We have still existing the greater part of the north wall 

 of the nave, the lower part of the tower complete, the lower 

 parts of the sanctuary, and the east Avail of the nave. The 

 north wall of the nave still shows the springing of the vaulting 

 and the construction and nature of the roof, giving us data by 

 which we can arrive at the height of the roof of the nave. 



On the south side of the sanctuary are the remains of a 

 building the use of which I have not been able to determine 

 with any degree of certainty. It extends the whole length of 

 the sanctuary with an internal width of only 6 feet. The 

 dimensions indicate that it was not, as might be expected, a 

 side chapel as the masonry at the S.E. angle of the choir 

 shows that it was built at a later date than the walls of the 

 sanctuary. It might have been a platform where the pilgrims 

 collected before entering the Priory. The ground near is 

 very broken, and a procession moving across it would not have 

 been able to proceed in an orderly manner. Or it might have 

 been a robing vestry for any ecclesiastics who came with the 

 bands of pilgrims. 



On the south side of the nave is a mass of masonry, in 

 which I have made some few excavations and which appear 

 to establish the fact that it is the south wall collapsed out- 

 wards. I have hopes that further investigations will reveal 

 the presence of windows and, possibly, some of the stained 

 glass remaining still in them. On the site Mr. Lukis discovered 

 a small piece of blue glass, which is now in the Lukis 

 Museum. 



Of the western Avail nothing noAv remains except the return 

 end to the north wall. Mr. Lukis shows in his plan of 1838 a 

 doorway about 10 feet from the angle, but of this no trace 

 now remains. 



The pavement still remains in situ in one place. It was 

 formed of alternate quarries of malachite green and buff, 

 inches square, all over the nave and sanctuary. There used 



