186 PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF
- ' The Tower was rebuilt in the present century, and is a rude square
block of modern masonry. It contains five fine-toned bells. " The old Font -was found in the rectory garden. It is so much mutilated, that it is feared it cannot be sufficiently restored to be replaced in the church. Endeavours will, however, be made to accomplish so desirable an object, and restore this ancient font in lieu of a modern substitute of very unsuitable appearance." The Manor of Sampford Peverel, according to Risdons account, had belonged to the house of Somerset, and thus Henry VII., by hereditary right, held it : his mother, the Countess of Ptichmond, lived there some time, and, as it was said, built an aisle of the church, in one of the windows of which were seen the arms of England, and of the Earl of Derby, husband of the countess. The arms of Peverel were also to be seen in several of the windows. The effigy, now sadly defaced, was cross-legged ; his right hand rests on the pomel of his sword ; the poleyns were ridged, but the legs are lost.^ A representation of this interesting fragment is here given from a drawing Idndly sent by Mrs. Boulton. Mr. J. R. Walbran communicated a brief report of recent investiga- tions on the site of Fountain's Abbey, Yorkshire, and promised to report fully hereafter on the interesting vestiges there brought to light. The late excavations were occasioned by the accidental discovery of a plain tessellated pavement, made by some workmen engaged in repairing the ax'cli of a water-course that had fallen in by its side. Curiosity, aiid the necessity of obtaining rubbish to cover the new arches, occasioned the extension of the excavation, which led to further discoveries, and the noble proprietor, Earl de Grey, then directed that the entire site should be cleared out. Mr. Walbran had called the attention of the members of the Institute, during their visit to Yorkshire in 1840, to the erroneous designation of the " Abbot's House," as commonly pointed out, and suggested where the site would probably be found, if the spot were disencumbered of brush- wood. This supposition has been fully confirmed by recent examination, and the ground-plan, as he believed, would be completely traced, so as to shew this building with its subordinate offices. The pavements have been much broken, but several patterns may be still correctly traced. Mr. Nesbitt communicated a description and sketches of the curious coffin-slab, lately brought to light diu'ing repairs of Bishopstone Church, Sussex. A representation of this singular sculpture, with a memoir by Mr. Figg, of Lewes, will be given in the second part of the " Sussex Col- lections, published by the Sussex Archaeological Society." The slab is of small size, measuring 4 feet 4 inches, by 13 inches at the head, and 1 1 inches at the foot. It may have been placed on the tomb of a child. The sculpture is in half relief, and is arranged in three circular compartments, formed by a twisted band ; at the top are two birds, drinking from a vase, in the middle is seen the Holy Lamb, and the lower circle is filled by the head of a cross, the shaft and base of which occupy 7 On visiting this church in 1837, the haps, the rows of mail, which do not appear clerk informed me he had assisted in removing to have heen expressed by the sculj)tor. Tiie this effigy from the north wall, that no grave figure was, however, thickly coated with was found under it, and that it w.'is "])ainted whitewash. — Ed. all in stripes like an officer," meaning, per-
