cjS 
PROCEEDINGS COTTESWOLD CLUB 
1916 
vicissitudes of time have shorn it of many of its original features. One block 
only of the domestic buildings remains, consisting of the Refectory of the Lay 
Brothel's, about 65 feet long and 25 feet wide, and a great chamber above, 
known as the Abbot’s Room, now used as the Library. Here Sir Francis 
drew attention to a model of the house and indicated the exact position of 
those remains of the Abbey which still exist, and showed also their structural 
relationship to the other parts of the house. He said that the room in which 
they then were was probably used as the Lay Brothers’ dormitory; 
it was lighted by one large window on the western side, and for a long 
time this appeared to be the only means of obtaining light. After giving 
directions for some ivy to be cut away he was fortunate in discovering another 
large window and several smaller ones. In the fourteenth century Edward 
III. was in the habit of coming to Flaxley for the purpose of hunting in the 
Forest of Dean, perhaps, because St. Briavel’s Castle (the Constable’s) was 
too small. He made various grants to the Abbot, under whom, no doubt, 
this room was constructed. At the dissolution of the monasteries, Henry 
VIII. made over Flaxley to his favourite. Sir William Kingston, Constable 
of the Tower of London, and from his descendants it passed into the hands 
of William Boevey in 1647. There was no evidence that the Kingstons 
ever lived there, but at that period it was inhabited temporarily by yeoman 
farmers. These Kingstons chiefly resided at The Lodge, Painswick, (where 
Sir W. Kingston is buried) , and Wishanger, and some of their effigies are in 
Miserden Church. William Boevey was a wealthy Dutch merchant, who was in 
a position to carry out improvements. In his day the main entrance was from 
the west. There was a terrible fire in 1777, when a part of the main section 
was burned doAvn. To sum up, the architecture might be said to represent 
(i) monastic, (2) seventeenth century, (3) the Adam style. 
The President pointed out that after the dislocating visitations of the 
Black Death in the fourteenth century (1349 and 1365), monasteries were 
no longer served by Lay Brothers, but that the whole of the wing in which 
they were then assembled had been originally used by them. Monasteries 
had to use hired labour. After that time Abbots frequently appropriated 
the apartments of the Lay Brothers, and it was quite probable that the 
Abbot of Flaxley did convert certain apartments in anticipation of the visits 
of the King when hunting in the Forest of Dean. Sir Francis had mentioned 
that under the Abbot’s Room was a long chamber or passage. That was 
probably the necessarium. He then drew attention to a sculptured alabaster 
plaque of fifteenth century date, depicting the Crucifix, and suggested that 
it might have belonged to the monastery, but Mr G. IM. Rushforth pointed 
out that such work Avas more often of Italian origin than English, and that 
it suggested a central panel of a reredos, which had been made up Avith an 
architectural framcAvork. Some Dutch tapestry, some lacquered wood-Avork, 
and the portraits of the Boe\’’ey Family Avere afterwards examined Avith 
interest, and the Members then descended to the refectory, though before 
entering this a pause Avas made to admire a fine late twelfth century doorway 
which has been recentl}^ opened up by Sir Francis. The President spoke of 
the careful way in Avhich this had been done, pains having been taken that 
the surface of the stone should not be scraped as Avas so often the case, and 
Avith consequent irreparable damage to the Avork of the early masons. That 
doorAvay was the chief entrance to the Lay Brothers’ house from the cloisters, 
and it belonged to the very beginning of the Early English style . The re- 
fectory (noAV divided off for domestic purposes), is a fine example of its kind, 
the groining of the roof being a noticeable feature. From this the gardens 
were entered to see another important discovery made by Sir Francis: 
the principal doorway leading from the former south aisle of the Church 
into the cloisters. The President pointed out that through this passed 
the Saturday-processions, in which all the “ Religious ” of the ,\bbey 
took part. From the choir the procession passed, as a rule, round the whole 
of the domestic buildings, sprinkling each with holy AA^ater, and so reneAving 
