By Harold Brakspear, F.S.A. 



209 



projecting into the chapel at this point, and probably formed its 

 support. 



There is one adjunct of the abbey church, the position and 

 character of which is yet unsettled, and that is the belfry. Besides 

 the reference to bells in the Commissioners' report, already given, 

 Aubrey says : — 



" Here was a good ring of bells, which Sir .... Sharington sold, when he built 

 Eea-bridge to divert the travelling by his house. The ringers took their 

 leave of the bells of the Abbey when they were to be taken down, which was on 



the 1st of May A.D This country Eythme was made upon it : — 



; On Philip and Jacob the bells rang at Lacock 

 The great bell went with such a surge that he fell in at Bea-burge.' " 1 



The evidence that there were bells necessitates the existence of a 

 belfry, and as there is no structural evidence of its forming part of 

 the original church, it is natural to suppose it was an addition. 

 As there was " a good ring of bells " it is hardly likely to have 

 been a wooden structure on the roof, but was probably a tower on 

 the south side of the church at the west end, where now un- 

 fortunately all the foundations are destroyed. 



Until further evidence comes to light any theory as to its nature 

 is mere conjecture. 



As the north wall is the only piece of the church standing above 

 ground, all evidences respecting the internal arrangements are 

 centred in this, and they are extremely scanty. Just to the right 

 of the third vaulting shaft from the east is a large hole in the wall 

 about lift, from the floor, which has been filled in with rough stone 

 and tiles. This marks the end of the beam over the quire screen, 

 which must have been constructed in wood and would have a door 

 of entrance to the quire in the centre. Against the wall from this 

 point to the vestry door would be the canonesses' stalls, and a 

 similar series would be on the south side, with three against the 

 screen on either side the quire door. Allowing the usual space for * 

 each seat, there would be nine against each wall, and the six against 

 the quire screen would make twenty-four seats in all. 



There was probably a small door in the south wall leading to 

 the Lady chapel corresponding to that to the vestry. 



1 Jackson's Aubrey, p. 90. 



