A N. T I Q^U I T I E S 
we find that a {"ann-houfe and two barns were built to the fouth 
of the Pr'ior)^ and undoubtedly out of it's materials. Avarice 
again has much contributed to the overthrow of this ftately pile, as 
long as the tenants could make money of it's ftones or timbers. 
Wantonnefs, no doubt, has had a Oiare in the demolition ; for 
boys love to deftroy what men venerate and admire. A remark- 
able inftance of this propenfity the writer can give from his own 
knowledge. When a fchoolboy, more than fifty years ago, he 
was eye-v/itnefs, perhaps a party concerned, in the undermining a 
portion of that fine old ruin at the north end of BaJingJIoke town, 
well known by the nameof Ghoji Chapel. Very providentially 
the vaft fragment, which thefe thoughtlefs little engineers endea- 
voured to fap, did not give way fo foon as might have been ex- 
pelled ; but it fell the night following, and with fuch violence 
that it fliook the very ground, and, awakening the inhabit- 
ants of the neighbouring cottages, made them flart up in their 
beds as if they had felt an earthquake. The motive for this dan- 
gerous attempt does not fo readily appear : perhaps the more 
danger the more honour, thought the boys ; and the notion of 
doing fome mifchief gave a zed to the enterprize. As Dryden fays 
upon an other occafion, 
*' It look'd fo like a fin it pleas'd the more." 
Had the Priory been only levelled to the furface of the ground, 
the difcerning eye of an antiquary might have afcertained it's 
ichmgraphyy and fome judicious hand migbt have developed it's 
dimenfions. But, befides other ravages, the very foundations have 
been torn up for the repair of the highways : fo that the fite of 
.this convent is now become a rough, rugged pafture-field, full of 
hillocks 
