352 



Notes on Lacock Church. 



An annexe, 1 on the west side of tho south transept, may have 

 been built in the time of Charles the Second, but there has been I 

 an older building there, of less projection — perhaps a south 

 porch. 



Tho old pulpit, removed in 1861, stood on a stone base, on the i 

 south side of the chancel arch, and was, I believe, of the time of J 

 Charles the First. j 



The chancel was re-built in 1777, and — though well intended 2 — j 

 cannot be considered satisfactory. At that time, probably, 3 the 

 inner member of the chancel arch was removed. 



1 This was supposed by Canon Jackson (Aubrey, p. 93, note 1) to have been I 

 formerly " an ancient house," attached to the Church, and afterwards thrown 

 into it. I believe this to be altogether a mistake. Mr. Ponting also says 

 (Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. xxiv., p. 164) : — "The building which was erected '[ 

 westward of the south transept, early in the seventeenth century, appears to 1 

 have been a dwelling-house of three stories, with an outside door, and the 

 opening between it and the aisle is modern." The doorway, however, appears 

 to be a fifteenth century doorway re-used. It resembles work at Bewley Court, j 

 The opening into the Church I believe to be of the same date as the building I 

 itself. In this annexe was formerly a gallery approached by a staircase, both H 

 removed in 1861. It belonged to Bowden House, and that fact suggests a 1 

 possible explanation of the building itself, for there was once, in Lacock Church, 

 a monument of considerable size and importance to George Johnson, Esq., of 1 

 Bowden, who died in 1683. There is a sketch of it in Dingley's History \ 

 from Marble, p. ccccci. The subject is noticed in a paper on "the family | 

 of James Johnson, successively Bishop of Gloucester and Worcester, by Walter | 

 Money, F.S.A., reprinted with corrections and amendments from the Transactions j | 

 of the Bristol and Gloucestershire Archaeological Society, vol. viii., part 2." | 

 I met Mr. Money, when he came to search the Lacock registers for entries 

 relating to the Johnson family, and he formed, I believe, the opinion that I 

 this annexe probably contained that monument. The Johnson vault, however, j 

 is in the south aisle, where is a monumental tablet to the Bishop. 



2 Sir John Awdry described it (Wilts Arch. Mag., vol. xii., p. 139) as "a 

 very good piece of masonry, but constructed in entire ignorance of Gothic 

 execution." Mr. Ponting says (vol. xxiv., p. 164) : — " The chancel was built I 

 in 1777, and nothing more need be said about it." Perhaps not, but it may 

 be permissible to point out that the builders have taken the trouble to copy | 

 carefully and accurately the base -moulding of the Lady chapel, and to carry Jj 

 it round the chancel. 



3 This is now certain, as we have found this moulding of the arch remaining, ! 

 above the ceiling, whilst the shaft is cut away below. 



