TALBOT10036

Sir/

Understanding from my friend Bowles that he is preparing a History of Laycock Abbey,¹ I write a line to you to say that I shall most cheerfully contribute any thing in my power, and I have some sketches, engravings & MSS - I suppose you have a small pamphlet written & printed by a priest at Laycock - some years back - I have two engravings - a view of the Cloister - and a view of the whole building from the S.E angle - one published in Beauties of Britain & the other in Architectural Antiqs² - Which prints I presume you have seen copies of - the Sketches & Diary I have are views of the pot - the old Kitchen, with the large stone trough - or vat - the chapel - cloister - with Plan of the whole building - a view of the Church - a cross in the Village - &c -Should you wish for copies of any of them, they are at your Service. M^r Provis of Chippenham ³has a MS. Vol of mine containing large collections for the hundreds of Chippenham & N Damerham, which I propose to publish at no distant time, if I can obtain that patronage in the county to secure me against loss - It is my intention to vist N. Witt^re next Summer. In the mean time should you have occassion to visit this part of London I shall be glad to see you here, & show you some of my Wiltshire Collection.

I remain y^r Obed^t Ser^vt
J Britton

Feb^y 12 3-
17 Burton S^t

PS- You will see at the end of the preface to my Vol on N. Wilts^e an account of the work I prose on Chippenham &c Hundred

W H F Talbot Esq MP-