at the Saiiabury Meeting. 



43 



specimen of the survival of the Gothic style, of which we have 

 such conspicuous examples at Oxford and Cambridge. 



The monastic remains of Wiltshire are scanty. The great 

 religious foundations of Wilton, Amesbury, and others have entirely 

 passed away, leaving few if any fragments of their once extensive 

 buildings. At Malmesbury a large portion of the nave is still 

 standing, and a vaulted crypt over which may have been the Abbot's 

 house, and some other relics are built up in an Elizabethan house. 

 At Bradenstoke, the refectory, a beautiful example of early Decorated 

 work, is preserved, with its vaulted under-croft, prior's house, and 

 domestic offices. The remains of Monk ton Farleigh are of early 

 English date, but are very insignificant. The most important and 

 best preserved monastic building in the county is the Nunnery at 

 Lacock, founded by Ela of Salisbury, in memory of her husband, 

 William Longsword. It is too little known for it is one of the best ex- 

 isting examples of conventual arrangement, substantially unchanged. 

 The cloister, with its three beautifully vaulted alleys of good Perpen- 

 dicular design, is surrounded with the usual monastic buildings, on 

 a small scale, but of excellent character. Of the Church on the 

 south side only the north wall remains. Opening out of the east 

 walk we have in succession the sacristy, the chapter house, the slype, 

 and the calefactory or day room, all of early English date, with the 

 Perpendicular dormitory above. The refectory occupies the north 

 side, standing on a vaulted undercroft, with the kitchen at the lower 

 end. The whole building is of the greatest interest, and it is to be 

 regretted that it lies too far away for us to visit it on this occasion. 



If the remains of monastic architecture in Wilts are but scanty, 

 the remains of military architecture are scantier still. The great 

 castles of the county which have played so important a part in 

 English history have completely vanished, leaving only their high 

 mounds and earthworks with some fragments of walls and vaults to 

 testify to their former existence. I may mention Old Sarum, 

 Devizes, Marlborough, Castle Combe, and Ludgershall. The only 

 castle of which the walls still stand is Wardour, hexagonal in plan, 

 a good example of early Perpendicular, when the military castle was 

 passing into the nobleman's residence. 



