88 



Some Notice of William Heriert, 



demesnes will barely suffice to maintain and repair the fences and 

 the said hedges — therefore not valued 



It is probable that Sir William Herbert made a clean sweep of 

 nearly all the monastic buildings ; there is ceitainly no part of the 

 original abbey contained in the present house. Some of the stones 

 themselves may have been, and probably were, brought from Old 

 Sarum, many of the squared stones have all the appearance of 

 having been previously used in Norman buildings. It is known 

 that Old Sarum formed a convenient stone quarry for the neighbour- 

 hood during several centuries. The only exception to this general 

 destruction is found in the massive remains of a Gothic building now 

 standing near the stables. It is good vigorous work of the fourteenth 

 century, and has a capital example of the (< shouldered ** arch ; it 

 possibly formed some part of the outbuildings of the original es- 

 tablishment. Within the house the only probable remains of the 

 abbey consist of some fragments of painted glass of the fourteenth 

 century, now placed in an upper window of the entrance hall and 

 once forming the rich canopy heads of a larger window. 



The original plan of the house was a quadrangle, pretty much on 

 its present lines ; but the east front is the only part which retains 

 its original exterior, and this has been a good deal altered. When 

 the south front was rebuilt in its present state by Inigo Jones, the 

 wings of the east side were brought somewhat into harmony with 

 it, but the central mass remained intact until the upper part was 

 remodelled by Wyatt, early in the present century. The only ad- 

 ditions to the old work being the two canopied niches containing 

 thermes on either side of the porch of entrance. These were added 

 by Henry, the second earl, probably soon after he came to the estate. 

 They are surmounted by shields of armorial bearings, that on the 

 dexter side carries the quarterings of the first earl, the supporters of 

 which rest on his initials, W.P., whilst that on the other side bears 

 the shield of Henry, the second earl, the supporters resting on his 

 own initials, H.P. The only connection of the building with Henry 

 VIII. is found in a coat of the royal arms and supporters, with the 

 monogram of that king, now built into the wall on the north side 

 of the house, over the entrance porch, but this is not its original 



