European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 06, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                B k 1 � a i n two Young people Wade across bide Brook left. A Row of slate rooftops line the Back of Church Street. For is Richard mover Ley for is Richard mover Ley by Richard mover Ley a quaint old English Village on the River Avon with the Best preserved Abbey in the country a pack horse Bridge tiled cottages thatched roofs half timbered buildings ancient hostelries and an inn with log fires Oak panelling and Low beams. This is what Lacock in Wiltshire has to offer. Remarkably the whole Village with buildings dating to the 13th Century is under a preservation order and belongs to the National Trust an organization which preserves old buildings and Sites. Nevertheless Lacock is inhabited this is no museum. The Village is only10 Miles from Bath but offers utter Tranquillity at least it does when the afternoon tourist buses Are not there. Most visitors Are Day trippers but Lacock s location near Bath and the charming villages of the cotswolds Means that it provides a excellent base for touring and a relaxing picturesque setting for a weekend away from it All. Moreover an overnight stay Means it s possible to explore the attractions of Lacock in peace. Walk along the narrow streets and experience the historic atmosphere visit the Parish Church of St. Cyriac dedicated to a child Martyr from Silicia or wander by the pack horse Bridge where children play with ducks. Lacock was first settled in Saxon times and the name probably comes from the Saxon Lauc or Little Stream. The Abbey was founded in 1232, and the Village began to grow. In the late Middle Ages it became a thriving Wool town with a weekly Market which lasted until 1750.after the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry Viii when the country s abbeys were demolished or sold off Lacock Abbey was bought by William sharing ton for 738 pounds. He pensioned off the nuns and converted the building into a House. In the process the Church was destroyed and the stables octagonal Tower and brewery were added. Today the Abbey shows signs of its Check ered past. The oldest remaining part is the 13th-Century cloister court the rest being mainly 16th Century. Nevertheless the original arrangement of an Abbey into refectory kitchens cells and Hospital is still recognizable. From the front the Abbey presents a fairly homogeneous picture but from the rear near the River Avon there is a jumbled confusion of chimneys and towers that seems to represent every possible style. Inside the Abbey rooms Are decorated with a plethora of paintings and furniture. During the summer music festival concerts take place in these rooms either the dining room or the great Hall every Day. One of the later owners of Lacock Abbey was William Henry Fox Talbot. He produced the first photographic prints Here in 1835, and a Large museum near the Abbey Entrance displays his work. Despite these attractions it is the Village itself that is of most interest Matilda Talbot a descendant of the photographer gave the Village to the National Trust in the 1944. Four streets High Street West Street East Street and Church Street form the nucleus of what is basically a medieval town preserved intact. Details matter in Lacock so it s important to walk around slowly Alert for any unusual ornamentation perhaps a particularly decorative wooden doorway a continued on Page 4 for is Richard mover Ley Flowers and a warm Welcome Greet visitors to the sign of the Angel a traditional English inn. British town a iving museum january 6, 1994 stripes Magazine 3 m