Framley church was distant from this just a quarter of a mile, and
stood immediately opposite to the chief entrance to Framley Court.
It was but a mean, ugly building, having been erected about a
hundred years since, when all churches then built were made to be
mean and ugly; nor was it large enough for the congregation, some
of whom were thus driven to the dissenting chapels, the Sions and
Ebenezers, which had got themselves established on each side of the
parish, in putting down which Lady Lufton thought that her parson
was hardly as energetic as he might be. It was, therefore, a
matter near to Lady Lufton's heart to see a new church built, and
she was urgent in her eloquence both with her son and with the
vicar, to have this good work commenced.

Beyond the church, but close to it, were the boy's school and
girl's school, two distinct buildings, which owed their erection to
Lady Lufton's energy; then came a neat little grocer's shop, the
neat grocer being the clerk and the sexton, and the neat grocer's
wife the pew-opener in the church. Podgens was their name, and
they were great favourites with her ladyship, both having been
servants up at the house. And here the road took a sudden turn to
the left, turning, as it were, away from Framley Court; and just
beyond the turn was the vicarage, so that there was a little garden
path running from the back of the vicarage grounds into the
churchyard, cutting the Podgens into an isolated corner of their
own;--from whence, to tell the truth, the vicar would have been
glad to banish them and their cabbages, could he have had the power
to do so. For has not the small vineyard of Naboth been always an
eyesore to neighbouring potentates?