Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 4.djvu/281

 ARCHAFOLOGICAL INTKI.LIGENX'E. 2G1 from Bath, formed a ])rtiuii of" the great manor of Bradford, given to the abbey of Shaftesbury by King Etheh'ed in 1001. Its church occupies a commanding site on the summit of a hill, and is now a mile from the village, which, for the convenience of its water power, was removed to the banks of the Avon, when the woollen manufacture was introduced into the west of England, in the fifteenth century. "This church is extremely interesting to the archaeologist, presenting much Norman work in its various details ; it consists of a tower, nave, and chancel. The tower is square with narrow lights, and has no external door; it is surmounted by a steeple of a conical form, rising from within the parapet; the roof of the nave has been removed, and a leaden one sub- stituted, much below the original weather-moulds. On the eastern gable of the nave there is a campanile, or bell tower ; the chancel inclines slightly to the west, but otherwise presents nothing remarkable. The south door, originally extremely narrow, has long been built up with rough ashlar work ; it has a plain circular arch without ornament of any descrip- tion. The interior contains a stone pulpit of the Perpendicular era, which though long unused, is in singularly good preservation ; it abuts from a flattened arch near the north door. " My principal object however is to direct the attention of the members to the ancient grave-stones which lie scattered in the church-yard, i-e- gretting at the same time that their present timeworn condition prevents the enclosed rubbings being so perfect as I could have wished. "These tombs range from the eleventh to the thirteenth centuries, and are thirteen in number; some of them have the plain long shafted budding cross, others the more florid and elaborate, as in fig. 1 ; two have florid crosses surmounted by a coifed female head, as in fig. 2 ; while one, fig. 3, has the bust, also of a female, with the arms joined above a florid cross. " The three latter are interesting, the curious form of fig. 2. is worthy of attention, and I think I am warranted in saying that they form the inter- vening link between the simple burial of the Normans under the emblem of their faith, and the more elaborate altar-tombs or effigied slabs of the cru- saders. " The neighbourhood of Bath is peculiarly rich in monumental antiquities. Bath Hampton has an efligy of an ecclesiastic much resembling the tomb of Abbot Islip ; the church of Norton a beautiful recumbent effigy of a lady, while the more modern tombs in the chapel of Farleigh Hungerford, shew the perfection of the seventeenth century. Upon these or others, it is not my intention to enlarge, I only desire that those immediately under con- sideration should occupy your attention. I have said they form a connect- ing link between two established styles, my reasons for believing this are derived from their mode of execution, they are evidently portraits, and are executed with much taste and judgment. I conceive that they were intended to represent inmates of the great abbey of Shaftesbury. How they came into their present position I have sought in vain to discover, but doubt not they were removed from the interior of the building. VOL. IV. M m