166 Congress of British Archccological Association at Devizes. 



monastic times, and described the principal architectural features. 

 He remarked that the oldest portion of the structure had been built 

 in the reign of Henry III., the Abbey having 1 been founded by Ela, 

 Countess of Salisbury in her own right, for Canonesses of St. 

 Augustine : the foundation stone was laid in 1232, and eight years 

 after the foundress became the first abbess. Mr. Talbot pointed 

 out the many alterations and changes which were effected by Sir 

 William Sherington, who purchased the property in 1540 or 1541, 

 and converted it into a manor-house ; and by whom much of the old 

 nunnery buildings, as the cloisters, the refectory, the dormitory, 

 the sacristy, and the chapter-house, were retained with only such 

 alterations as were necessary to fit them for their altered use. It is 

 needless to recapitulate here the details of Mr. Talbot's very lucid 

 explanation of the various parts of his most interesting Abbey, for 

 they are already published in a former volume of the Magazine 1 : 

 both exterior and interior were inspected by very appreciative 

 visitors, and amongst the many art treasures which the house con- 

 tained, perhaps the most interesting were the very early Calotypes, 

 or Talbotypes, the photographic process invented by the father of 

 the present owner of the Abbey. It was here, indeed, that Mr. 

 Fox Talbot worked out his experiments which resulted in the art of 

 which photography was the present development : so that this was 

 really the birth-place and the cradle of photography. There were 

 also exhibited specimens of a process of photo-engraving, of great 

 capabilities, invented by Mr. Fox Talbot and called by him Photo- 

 glyphic engraving; the finest specimens of which are dated 1866. 



After partaking of refreshments which had been hospitably pre- 

 pared in the great hall, the President begged, in the name of the 

 Association, to thank Mr. Talbot for his very great kindness in 

 explaining so clearly the beauties and the antiquities of his noble 

 mansion. They would remember that in his opening address he 

 had assured them they would have a rich treat in visiting Lacock 

 Abbey, and he was extremely glad to find that the worthy owner 

 had studied its history so closely, and had taken such great care of 



1 Vol. xii., pp. 221 — 233. " On the Existing Structure of Lacock Abbey," by 

 C. H. Talbot, Esq. 



