30 



The Eleventh General Meeting. 



porch on the south side, over which was formerly a priest's cham- 

 ber. The south transept was comparatively modern. The general 

 effect of the chancel was good, and it appeared originally to have 

 been older than the rest of the church. After many other obser- 

 vations on this subject, Dr. Williams observed that the archaeolo- 

 gists in the excursion that day would pass by the church of Bower 

 Chalk, and remarked that the village took its name from a cor- 

 ruption of Burgh Chalk, it having been for many years the 

 property of a family named Burgh. They would also pass by the 

 village of Fifield Bavant, in which was one of the smallest churches 

 in England. This place was so called in consequence of a family 

 named Bavant once holding the lands. The parish derived its 

 earliest name from having contained during the Saxon dynasty 

 five hides (or fields) of land. After leaving this place the excur- 

 sionists would next come to Ebbesborne, which derived its name 

 from its situation in the bourne on the banks of the river Ebele. 

 They would then pass by Alvediston, and thence to Norrington 

 House, which would, no doubt, be explained to them. In allusion 

 to the village of Berwick St. John, through which they would 

 pass, he stated that the Rev. John Gane, by his will dated 1735, 

 left a tenement and garden, on condition that the great bell of the 

 parish church should be rung for a quarter of an hour at eight 

 o'clock, every night from the 10th of September to the 10th of 

 March, for ever, for the purpose of enabling travellers on the 

 Wiltshire downs to find their way by the sound on dark and foggy 

 nights. He then pointed out the corruption of some of the names 

 of places in the Yale of Chalk, and concluded a very able and 

 interesting address, of which the foregoing is a mere summary, 

 amidst the loudly expressed applause of his hearers. At its 

 conclusion the Rev. A. C. Smith proposed a vote of thanks to 

 Dr. Williams, which was cordially responded to. 



The party then left the schoolroom, and after inspecting the 

 church, where considerable discussion arose as to the date of its 

 nave and chancel: proceeded through Fifield Bavant and Alve- 

 diston to Norrington House, which by the courtesy of Mr. Parham, 

 they were allowed thoroughly to explore. Dinner however 



