President's Address. 



297 



(A laugh.) I am still content to think that King Alfred fought 

 his decisive battle with the Danes at or near our Wiltshire Eding-ton 

 in the year 878, and that the place called Dane Leys was the en- 

 campment of the enemy, just before the King invaded their quarters, 

 after his forced march from Athelney. Their retreat to their strong- 

 hold over the downs above the scene of action prevented Alfred from 

 making short work of them, as we should say now, but within 

 fifteen days the Danes had to capitulate and to accept the terms of 

 their victor. Researches have been made within the area of their 

 camp, and vegetable earth and pottery have been found, and three 

 skeletons ; but without doubt this camp would repay further in- 

 spection. Through pleasant Wiltshire lanes we reach the beautiful 

 church of Edington. Erected by Bishop Edington, a native of the 

 place, and the predecessor of William of Wykeham in the see of 

 Winchester, it is a good example of the transition from the decorative 

 to the perpendicular style. It took nearly ten years in building. 

 The first stone was laid in 1352. At Edington the Bishop founded 

 a college for a dean and twelve prebendaries, so that the place was 

 becoming of considerable ecclesiastical importance, but soon after he 

 converted it into a brotherhood of the order of St. Augustine, but 

 of a particular class called Boni homines or Bon homines. Edward 

 the Black Prince is said to have had a particular leaning to this 

 order of " good fellows," and on his return from France persuaded 

 the good Bishop to adopt that species of monasticism. The interior 

 of the church, with its curious old tombs and monuments will well 

 repay attention. From its very altar was dragged the unfortunate 

 Bishop Ayscough by Wiltshire peasants, during the rebellion of 

 Jack Cade, and murdered on the downs, his assumed fault being that 

 he was too much at Court, and did not exercise sufficiently the rights 

 of hospitality in his diocese. On the north side of the church is still 

 to be found a portion of the old conventual buildings, part of the 

 buttressed wall of the garden, and the site of the monastic fishponds. 

 Near Edington is the beautiful seat of Simon Watson Taylor, Esq, 

 It derives its name of Erie Stoke from having belonged to Edward 

 d'Evreux, Earl of Sarum. Of Steeple Ashton proper, which in- 

 cludes West Ashton, Rood Ashton,Henton, Littleton,and Scmington, 



