250 



The Thirty- Seventh Annual Meeting. 



is now, the remains of contemporary glass in the heads of the 

 easternmost windows, and many other points of interest — is, in some 

 respects, unique in Wiltshire. After thoroughly enjoying this 

 Church, under Mr. Pointing's direction, the party, at the invitation 

 of the Vicar, visited the picturesque garden of the vicarage, with 

 its curious deep ravine ; and then assembled at the school, where an 

 excellent lunch,provided by Mr. Reynolds, of the Bear Hotel, Devizes, 

 awaited them. Me,. Penruddocke, who took the chair in the 

 absence of the Chairman, thanked the Local Secretaries of the 

 Meeting for the excellent way in which all the arrangements were 

 made ; whilst Mr. Medlicott said they must not allow the Meeting 

 to terminate without expressing their thanks also to the Mayor of 

 Devizes (Mr. Gillman) for his very kind provision of refreshments 

 on the two previous evenings. 



Chirton was soon reached after lunch, and the very interesting 

 little Church, with its splendid font, south door, nave arcade, and 

 roof, all of the twelfth century, were commented on by Mr. 

 Ponting, who, after a mile's further drive, also did the honours of 

 Marden Church, pointing out the fine twelfth century south door 

 and chancel arch, with fifteenth century tower — the latter showing 

 now to the uninitiated, few if any traces of the fact that under 

 Mr. Ponting's careful hands it was taken completely down, its 

 condition rendering this imperatively necessary, and was built up 

 again, stone by stone, upon new foundations, only a few years ago. 

 It is to be hoped that Mr. Ponting may soon be enabled to do as 

 good a work for the nave, which sadly needs it, as he has already 

 done for the tower. 



Charlton was the next place on the programme, and here again 

 the Church seemed the only object of interest — indeed, through the 

 whole of this part of the Pewsey Vale, through which the route of 

 this day's excursion lay, there is not a single specimen of domestic 

 architecture or other object of interest to vary the succession of 

 Churches. These latter, however, were, on the whole, a very 

 interesting series, giving examples of an unusually wide range of 

 date and style. Of Charlton Church itself, which presents a very 

 picturesque interior, the nave is entirely modern. The chapel on 



