Talbot Photo 2(55)

Genre: Architectural Photography

One of three copies (prints 54-55 and 752) of this subject, taken from inside the cloister yard, it shows a view of the northern section of the ivy-covered cloister wall with a row of Perpendicular traceried arches and the entrance at left. Chemistry floated on paper 193 x 243 mm, watermarked 'J Whatman Turkey Mill 1841'. Original negative at Talbot Photo 1 (4).

Also published as plate 16 of 'The Pencil of Nature', issued 21 June 1845, where the accompanying text reads, 'The Abbey was founded by Ela, Countess of Salisbury, widow of William Longspee, son of King Henry II and Fair Rosamond. This event took place in the year of our Lord 1229, in the reign of Henry III. She was elected to be the first abbess, and ruled for many years with prudence and piety. She lies buried in the cloisters, and this inscription is read upon her tomb:

Infrà sunt defossa Elæ venerabilis ossa, Quæ dedit has sedes sacras monialibus ædes, Abbatissa quidem quæ sanctè vixit ibidem, Et comitissa Sarum virtutum plena bonarum:

The cloisters, however, in their present state, are believed to be of the time of Henry VI. They range round three sides of a quadrangle, and are the most perfect which remain in any private residence in England. By moonlight, especially, their effect is very picturesque and solemn. Here, I presume, the holy sisterhood often paced in silent meditation; though, in truth, they have left but few records to posterity to tell us how they lived and died. The "liber de Lacock" is supposed to have perished in the fire of the Cotonian library. What it contained I know not - perhaps their private memoirs. Some things, however, have been preserved by tradition, or discovered by the zeal of antiquaries, and from these materials the poet Bowles has composed an interesting work, the History of Lacock Abbey, which he published in 1835.'

[Schaaf 312.]