]44 Congress of British Archaeological Association at Devizes. 



by a circuitous route to Malmesbury. Langley Burrell Church 

 was the first halting-place, and was hailed by the archaeologists 

 as one of the very few which have escaped the hand of the res- 

 torer : moreover, it possesses many remarkable features, which 

 were pointed out by Mr. Brock, amongst which the groined 

 roof of the porch, with charming grille to window lighting an upper 

 chamber ; and a beautiful gable cross over the east end of the nave, 

 which is open-work and contains a representation of the Crucifixion, 

 were the most distinctive. A very short drive led to Braycot 

 Cerne Church, which closely adjoins the Manor House, the residence 

 of Lord Cowley. Mr. Brock called attention to the extreme length 

 of the chancel in proportion to the rest of the building ; and also 

 the singular depression of the chancel, to which — contrary to general 

 custom — there was a descent from the nave : this peculiarity — as 

 he had remarked on a previous occasion — was often found in Saxon 

 Churches. But the chief interest of the Church centered in the 

 monuments : on the north side of the chancel the fine fourteenth 

 century founder's tomb, with its numerous mouldings and closely-set 

 crocketting : and on the opposite side the monumental brass, with 

 effigies of Sir Edward Cerne clad in chain mail, who died in 1393, 

 and his second wife ; while on the wall above are suspended two 

 ancient bascinets, a pair of gauntlets, a short sword, and a tattered 

 flag. The old font still existed and might be seen beneath the east 

 window of the Church, in the garden of the Manor House, though 

 he regretted to see it was desecrated by being used for garden pur- 

 poses. Sutton Benger Church came next, and called forth much 

 admiration : indeed Mr. Brock remarked that they might make 

 many a journey and find few Churches so full of little points of 

 interest to architects and ecclesiologists : its history might readily 

 be traced from the relics of Norman masonry in the nave, and the 

 Norman font. About 1330 the whole fabric underwent restoration, 

 'and a very beautiful result followed. The work was carried on in 

 no spirit of niggardliness and was very beautiful and artistic to the 

 last degree : the windows of the south aisle were filled with flowing 

 tracery, of a better type of the Late Decorated style than is common 

 in the district: while the five-light eastern one was of a florid 



