202 



Lacock Abbey, 



Forge," 1 and would be entered on the west side through the main 

 gate-house. 



The great drain of the abbey apparently commenced at the 

 brook north of the parish church and continued in a direct line to 

 the rere-dorter and thence under part of the infirmary to the river. 

 A portion of the water of the brook was intercepted and ran con- 

 tinuously though the drain to keep it clean. Where the drain is 

 supposed to commence at the brook was a stone bridge, to convey 

 a pack-road over the stream. The southern arch remains, of late 

 thirteenth century date, and has a double chamfered outer arch 

 with cross ribs in the soffit, under the roadway. Parts of the drain 

 nearer the abbey have been found from time to time, and consisted 

 of walled sides with paved bottom and covered with wide flag-stones 

 on the top. 



The abbey buildings, judging from those still remaining, were 

 constructed with rubble walls of hard stone and dressings of free- 

 stone. The hard stone is quarried in various places in the proximity ; 

 it is a forest marble, found near the surface of the ground in 

 thin beds, and is very tough, durable, and impossible to work. 

 The free-stone is of a good quality of Bath oolite. The earlier 

 buildings were doubtless supplied from the quarry that " Henricus 

 Crok dedit eisdem inter terram domini Sampsonis de la Boxe et 

 Walteri Campedene, cum libero ingressu et egressu quamdiu ipsa 

 durare poterit," 2 which was until 1241, when " Robertus Abbas de 

 Stanlega in Wiltesire et conventus ejusdem loci dederunt eisdem 

 Monialibus unam partem quarrarise suse de Haselbyria, habentem 

 in longitudine sexaginta et sexdecim] pedes, et in latitudine quicquid 

 eorum fuit, ad capiendam petram quantam inde capere poterant, 

 in escambium illius quarrarise quam Moniales emerunt de Henrico 



1 Most of these buildings were required in the new 16th century manor- 

 house, but as their monastic arrangement was doubtless inconvenient in 

 situation, they were all re-built and still exist round a large new court on the 

 north side of the claustral buildings, forming one of the most interesting 

 series of Tudor offices now extant. 



2 Lacock Cartulary, fol. 30, b : — Translated. Henry Crok gives to the same 

 [convent] the quarry, between the lands of Sampson lord of the manor of 

 Boxe and Walter Campedene with the liberty of ingress and egress so long as 

 it lasts. 



