Third Bay, Friday, August 4>tk. 



25 



period, and from one of whom the sentence was removed after an 

 interval of no less than forty years. Within a short distance of the 

 Church was pointed out in an orchard the base of an old cross, if 

 not the original, yet in all probability the successor of that which 

 once stood at the ford over the river, and gave its name to the village, 

 " Christ's mal " signifying no other than Christ's Cross or Crucifix, 

 such as may so frequently be seen in Italy or Spain by the wayside, 

 or near bridges or fords over streams. 



Sutton Benger was the next halting-place, and some of the more 

 enthusiastic visited the handsome Church, remarkable for its peculiar 

 style of architecture, and the flowing tracery of its windows : but 

 the visit was a hurried one, for here the party was to lunch, and the 

 fresh air and the long drive had sharpened the appetites of alL 

 Immediately after luncheon, a short walk across the meadows brought 

 the visitors to Draycote. The Church was first examined, and here 

 you descend a step from the porch to the nave ; still more remark- 

 able, you descend again from the nave to the chancel, which lies: 

 some feet below the Churchyard outside. The effigy of a cross- 

 legged knight, and other tombs and brasses were examined with 

 attention, and then, passing out by the square room, furnished with 

 table, chairs, fire-place and screen, which does duty for the pew of the 

 Great House, the party entered the mansion of Lord Cowley hard 

 by, and wandered over the sitting-rooms, and examined the pictures, 

 several of which are of great merit. Rejoining the carriages, a 

 beautiful drive through the very fine park of Draycote brought the 

 archaeologists to Seagry, where the Rev. Mr. Anketell, the Vicar of 

 that parish, not only conducted the visitors over his extremely 

 interesting Church, and pointed out the many objects which called 

 for special attention, but read notes on the parish and its history, 

 such as he had gleaned from sundry ancient Anglo-Saxon and other 

 charters, copies of which he exhibited in the porch. The next halt- 

 ing-place was the field close by, where excavations had been made 

 in hopes of discovering a heathen burial-place, alluded to in one of 

 the charters ; but though certain fragments of undoubtedly ancient 

 British pottery had been brought to light, the long trenches cut 

 through the field gave no indication that the ground had been 



