EXCAVATIONS AT LEOMINSTER PRIORY CHURCH.

IN a late number of the "Archæologia Cambrensis" I gave a full description of the state of the Priory Church of Leominster, as I found it at the visit of the Cambrian Archæological Association in August, 1852, and of the views as to its original extent to which I was led by the existing appearances. I have now the still more pleasing duty of recording the very important discoveries to which that visit has given rise,-discoveries which afford a most conclusive testimony to the value of societies such as the Cambrian Association and our own, and which reflect the highest honour on the inhabitants of Leominster and its neighbourhood.

2

It may perhaps, be desirable however to give some brief account of the building as it at present stands. It may be best described as consisting of two churches side by side; the northern one, now disused, consists of what has evidently been previously the nave and north aisle of a Norman conventual church; the south aisle of this has given way to a large structure of the Early English and Decorated periods, which forms the present parish church, the old Norman nave being locally known as "the back aisle." At the east end are palpable signs of the Norman building having extended further, and having possessed transepts and a central tower. This is in conformity with the statement of Leland, that "the church of the Priory stood at the east end of the parish church, and was but a small thing." By the "church of the Priory" he evidently means the monastic portion of the church, the choir, namely, and its adjuncts, as distinguished from the "parish church" or nave. eastern portions had clearly been destroyed between the Dissolution and the time of his visit. Their extent and form, which before could only be guessed at, have been pretty completely ascertained by the excavations which I have now to describe. They make it clear that the original building was

1 Archæologia Cambrensis, New Series, vol. iv., p. 9.

These

2 A good view of the western end of the church, the tower, and great west window, may be seen in Dugdale's Mon. Angl., edit. Caley, vol. iv., p. 51.

a Norman cross church, with both a central and a western tower, but its general outline must have been greatly altered by the large and magnificent addition on the south side.

In describing the actual process of discovery, I will avail myself to a great extent of the account furnished by the intelligent correspondent of the Hereford Times (Feb. 5th, 1853), following it up by a technical account of what those discoveries eventually brought to light. In the middle of December last the embankment of the Shrewsbury and Hereford railway began to make its appearance in the meadows a few hundred yards below the Workhouse premises, in which the site of the choir and transept is included. The question of the propriety of lowering and levelling the high ground of the Workhouse-garden having been discussed, it was thought probable that the railway contractors might at their own expense remove any surplus soil to their embankment below. By tacit consent, therefore, a square hole was sunk in the garden, in order to ascertain the nature of the sub-soil. After sinking to the depth of about 5 feet, the workmen came to some rough stone-work which crossed in a direction from east to west the centre of the hole they were sinking. The excavation was continued some 4 feet lower down the side of the stone-work, and the hole when finished was about 5 feet square and 9 or 10 deep. Rumours were soon afloat in the town that a "cell or covered tomb" had been discovered, and the workmen made an effort to penetrate the wall with a view of ascertaining its contents. At this stage of the proceedings I had the honour of being taken into council about the matter. I received a letter from Mr. Gamble, of Leominster (whose acquaintance I had made on my former visit, and who had rendered me some assistance on that occasion), describing what had been done up to that time. On this, I ventured to address a letter to Mr. Bennett, the chairman of the Board of Guardians, suggesting the great benefit that might accrue to antiquarian and architectural students, if the excavations could be continued, and requesting that the subject might be brought before the notice of the Board of Guardians. After some little delay, the Board passed a resolution, granting me permission, on behalf of the Cambrian Arc' eological Association, to pursue the investigation under certain restrictions. These last, indeed, amounted to nothing