Luckington

Malmesbury Abbey`s unique south porch, dating from the mid 12th century and built in the Romanesque style, is decorated with thirty-eight fine sculptures depicting detailed and elaborate images, some of which are based on Biblical scenes from both the Old and New Testaments. The images are divided by columns with decorative patterns.
An extract from from"Malmesbury Photographic Memories".

Taken from the abbey roof, this photograph shows the 15th-century market cross in the centre, situated at the north end of the High Street. There are no road markings on the road at this date. The undulating roofline of the houses in the High Street makes a very attractive scene.
An extract from from"Malmesbury Photographic Memories".

We are overlooking the Old Bell gardens and looking towards the river Avon and the Malmesbury Branch Railway. During the mid 19th century, proposals were put forward to build a railway line to connect the town with the south of England. The Wiltshire & Gloucestershire Railway Company put forward a bill to undertake the work, which was finally sanctioned on 21 June 1864. There were also negotiations between the W & GR, the GWR, and the Midland Railway. Progress was hindered by the hostile attitude between the GWR and the Midland Railway, but eventually a ceremony to cut the first sod of the W & GR was performed on 1 July 1865 by the Countess of Suffolk and Berkshire, using the silver-mounted ceremonial wheelbarrow which is now in the Athelstan Museum. Problems between the various railway companies were not resolved for a further few years, and the W & GR ceased to exist in 1871. Finally a branch line from the GWR line at Dauntsey to Malmesbury was opened in December 1877, linking the town to Paddington; the station was built east of the town. A spur was also built at Little Somerford, connecting the Malmesbury branch line to Bristol and South Wales. The railway was finally closed in November 1962 and dismantled in 1963.
An extract from from"Malmesbury Photographic Memories".

The photograph shows Abbey Row; we are looking down towards the Triangle and the parish of Westport. The greenhouse behind the wall (centre foreground) was owned by the Old Bell; it was demolished in 1977 to enable the Queen`s Jubilee Garden to be created, which was opened in 1978. By the garden is a flight of steps called Betty Geyser`s (Gaze`s) steps, which lead down to Burnivale. The west gate into the walled town is thought to have been situated near here. Damage is thought to have occurred to Abbey Row during the Civil War in 1643.
An extract from from"Malmesbury Photographic Memories".

The parvise above the south porch contains a small museum with various artefacts associated with the history of the abbey. Of particular interest are the four 15th-century beautifully illustrated and illuminated volumes of the Manuscript Bible. They were formerly at Cole Park, which had connections with the abbots of Malmesbury. They were purchased and presented to the abbey by the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire in 1914.
An extract from from"Malmesbury Photographic Memories".