a ° Out eho = a int BN Hi} NG igh iy Hi) tes yy I} Vy 2300 24002500 Feet «4, 2100 4200 1999 2000 \ 7 H i Wh yyy) Ht > September 1879. PLAN AND SECTIONS HEREFORDSHIRE BEACON CAMP Seale of Plan 1290 SECTION ON THE LINE E.F.OF PLAN. ‘po 5 a cs o a o «2 Pas w ca raj wu ear = =z ° z =} = ° w w J DITCH cr CITADEL Surveyed and drawn by Major General Pitt Rivers, F.RS. 790 890 3001090 i } 1) @ Denotes the spots where Exxavations were made - Graut of'guter Rampart 6800 for Mile 500 yds. Greatest length from North wo South 900 yards. TRANSACTIONS OF THE WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS FIELD CLUB. [EsraBiisHEeD 1851 aI 1877—1878—1879—1880. ‘‘ HopE EVER.” «¢ Horr on” HEREFORD: PRINTED BY JAKEMAN AND CARVER, 4, NIGH TOWN. 1887 S\a% TRANSACTIONS FOR THE YEARS 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880. TABLE OF CONTENTS. (Figures refer to pages.) Contents, Officers, Members, Rules and Regulations - LST i. Notes on the First Field Meeting, appointed for May 17th, at Mordiford - - - - - Notes on the Second Field Meeting, on June 19th, in conjunction ‘with members of the Caradoc and Cotteswold Bagh hi at risk bush Pass, Midsummer Hill - : ‘*Monastic Buildings,” by Mr. Thomas Blashill, F.R.I.B.A.; read August 21st - - - The Spanish Chestnut as a substitute for Oak, by Mr. Thomas Blashill, F.R.I.B.A. ; read June 19th - Meeting at Mordiford, cies wa and the Scutterdine Gees Sept. 20th - - - - Geological Drifts of the N sighboudibed by the Rev. F. Merewether, B.C.L. ; read Sept. 20th : Probable existence of an extensive lake that had at some time filled up the valleys of the Wye, Lugg, and Frome ; read Sept. 20th “Old Herefordshire Customs,” by Rev. James ae M.A., Sep- tember 20th - - - The Difficulties of Estimating Geological Time, by Mr. James Rankin Annual Meeting for the Fungus Foray, 1877 - Exhibition of Apples and Pears - - - - Fungus Foray Meeting - - - - - - Hereford Pomology - - The Fungus Foray - - The Structure and Classification c of the Aaah tuhia A Fossil Fungus, by Mr. Worthington G. Smith, F.L.S. On a Singular Development of the Spores of the Puccinia Conii, by Rev. J. E. Vize, M.A., F.L.S., F.R. Met. Soe. - - PAGES. 1. to Xvi. 1 to 4 to 12 to 17 to 18 to 21 to 22 to 30 to 39 to 41 to 44 to 51 to 56 to 58 to iv. 1878. Address of the Retiring President, Mr. J. Griffith Morris, April 23rd, 1878 —t- - = = : u 3 Annual Meeting - : : = - ve First Field Meeting = - - - - - “The Wonder,” near Marcle, and the Geology and Historic Records of the Surrounding Districts, by Rev. Wm. S. Symonds, F.G.S. The Church of Kempley, Gloucestershire, by Mr. J. H. Middleton, Architect, of Cheltenham - - - - - Second Field Meeting—Symonds’ Yat and the Doward - General Description of the Natural History of the District, by Mr. H. Southall, F.R. Met. Soc. - - - - - Third Field Meeting—Forest of Dean (Ladies’ Day) - - Cursory Notes on the Forest of Dean and some of the Objects within it, by Mr. Edwin Lees, F.L.S., F.G.S. - - - Fourth Field Meeting—British Camp of Croft Ambery - - The Cedar Tree, by Rev. H. W. Phillott, M.A. - - - Remarkable Trees in the Neighbourhood of London, by Mr. W. A. Swinburne - - - - - - Annual Meeting for Fungus Foray - - - Another Account, by Mr. T. Howse, F.L.S. - - Fungus Forays, by Mr. Worthington G. Smith, F.L.S. - - The Mosses of Herefordshire and of the Adjacent Districts, by Rev. Augustin Ley, M.A. - - - : = List of Herefordshire Mosses, by Rev. Augustin Ley, M.A. 1879. Annual Meeting - - - - - - Address of the Retiring President, Rev. H. W. Phillott, M.A. - First Field Meeting - - - - - - Second Field Meeting—Buildwas Abbey and Wenlock - - The Hereford Roman Altar—Lost and Found - - - Sowerby’s Leptonia —- - - - - Heights of Hills - - - - - - Our English Winters—with special reference to the recent protracted period of cold weather, by Mr. H. Southall, F.R. Met. Soc. - The Priory of Wenlock, anciently called Wimnicas - - - Third Field Meeting—by Ludlow, Aston Church, and Hay Mill to Downton - - - - - Monastic Remains discovered at Ludlow in 1861, by Mr. T. Curley, C.E., F.G.S. - - - - - - Fourth Field Meeting—Hay, Clyro Hill, and Rhosgoch - - Painscastle-in-Elfael, Radnorshire, by Mr. Edmund H. Cheese - PAGES. 61 to 73 84 to 90 91 to 95 96 to 100 101 102 to 106 107 to 110 111 to 112 112 to 114 115 to 122 123 to 134 135 to 154 155 to 156 156 to 162 163 164 to 165 165 to 166 166 166 to 167 167 to 171 172 to 173 174 to 175 175 to 179 180 to 181 181 to 190 The Fungus Foray - - - The Influence of Season, Soil, ti Situation on the Growth of the Larger Fungi, by Mr. Cecil H. Sp. Perceval - - The Fungi of our Dwelling Houses, by Mr. Wm. Phillips, F.L.S. — - Of the Importance that should be attached to the Dehiscence of Asci in the Classification of the Discomycetes, by Mons. E. Boudier, translated by Mr. Wm. Phillips, F.L.S. - - - Asci in a Polyporus, by Rev. M. J. Berkeley -A New Genus of Discomycetes, by Dr. M. C. Cooke, LL.D., A.L. s. A Flint Flake and its Story, by Mr. Worthington G. Smith, F.L.S. - 1880. Annual Meeting - - - Herefordshire Beacon—Joint Meeting of Woolhope Naturalists’ Field Club and Malvern Naturalists’ Field Club - Camps on the Malvern Hills, by Mr. F. G. Hilton Price, F.G.S., &e. Herefordshire Beacon Camp, by Mr. F. G. Hilton Price, F.G.S., &e. Bronsil Castle, Eastnor, by Mr. G. H. Piper, F.G.S. - - Second Field Meeting—The Buildwas Drift Beds - - - Third Field Meeting—Tintern - - - - The River Wye—a few Notes by Dr. Yeats - - - Cistercians—a few Notes by Dr. Yeats - - - - Letter from Dr. Hogg to Herefordshire Pomona Committee Tintern Abbey—Paper by Mr. George Cowley Haddon - - Fourth Field Meeting—Church Stretton - - Extinct Animals and British Fossil Oxen CMOS: in Herefordshire, by Mr. T. Curley, C.E., F.G.S. — - : : The Fungus Foray - - - - - Coed Coch - - = - - - - Coed Coch and Colwyn Fungi - - - - On Spore diffusion in the larger Elvellacei, by Chas. B. Plowright On a singular form of Spirillum Jenneri (Hass ), i Rev. J. E. Vize, M.A., F.R.M.S. - - - - The Luminosity of Fungi, by Mr. Wm. Phillips, F.L.S. — - - New Sclerotium Disease in Potatoes - - - Monograph of the British Hypomyces, by Chas. B. :. Plowright; with illustrations by Dr. M. C. Cooke, M.A., LL.D., A.L.S. - Report on the Exhibition of Apples and Pears at Hereford - - Address of the Retiring President, Mr. J. H. Knight - - PAGES. 191 191 to 194 194 to 202 202 to 205 205 205 to 207 208 to 210 211 212 to 217 217 to 228 220 to 228 228 to 231 232 to 234 235 to 236 236 to 237 237 to 238 238 239 to 245 246 to 248 248 to 251 252 to 258 258 to 259 259 to 263 263 to 265 265 to 266 266 to 270 270 270 to 287 288 to 290 290 to 296 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Herefordshire Beacon Camp Ground Plan of Tintern Abbey Sections of Oak and Chestnut Trees Meénu, and Description of Ménu Puccinia Conii, Spores of The Newland Oak Elm Trees inside Ross Church A Flint Flake Bronsil Castle, Hastnor Spirillum J enneri (Hass ) British Hypomyces (Plates 1. to xii.) TO FACE PAGES Frontispiece 8 13 between 46 and 47 58 98 - - 1 - on page 208 229 265 - at end of book : WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. PRESIDENTS FROM ITS COMMENCEMENT IN 1851. 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 1868 1869 1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 Club formed in the Winter months Lingwood, Mr. R. M. Lewis, Rev. T. T. Symonds, Rev. W. 8S. Crouch, Rev. J. F. Wheatley, Mr. Hewitt Lingen, Mr. Charles Brown, Dr. G. P. Crouch, Rev. J. F. Banks, Mr. R. W. Lightbody, Mr. Robert Hoskyns, Mr. Chandos Wren Hoskyns, Mr. Chandos Wren Crouch, Rev. J. F. Steele, Mr. Elmes Y. Bull, Dr. H. G., M.D. Hoskyns, Mr. Chandos Wren McCullough, Dr. Rankin, Mr. James Cooper-Key, Rev. H. Cam, Mr. Thomas Steele, Mr. Elmes Y. Davies, Rev. James Davies, Rev. James Robinson, Rev. C. J. Chapman, Dr. T. A., M.D. Morris, Mr, J. Griffith Phillott, Rev. H. W. Armitage, Mr. Arthur Knight, Mr. J. H. LIST OF OFFICERS. 1877. PRESIDENT— Mr. J. Griffith Morris. Vick-PRESIDENTS— Dr. T. A. Chapman. Dr. D. M. McCullough. Rev. James Davies. Mr. Elmes Y. Steele. CENTRAL COMMITTEE— Mr. T. Curley, C.E., F.G.S. Mr. C. G. Martin. Mr. O. Shellard. EpitorRtaAL CoMMITTEE— Dr. T. A. Chapman Rey. H. W. Phillott Rey. Sir G. H. Cornewall, Bart. Rey. C. J. Robinson. Rev. James Davies. Mr. James Rankin. Rev. H. Cooper Key. Dr. McCullough. TREASURER— Mr. Thomas Cam. AUDITORS— Mr. James Davies Mr. J. T. Owen Fowler SECRETARY— Mr. Arthur Thompson. 1878. PRESIDENT— Rev. H. W. Phillott, Staunton-on-Wye. Vicr-PRESIDENTS—- Mr. J. G. Morris, St. Owen Street. Rey. R. H. Cobbold, Ross. Mr. George Cocking, Ludlow. Mr. Henry Southall, Ross. CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT— Mr. T. Curley, Broomy Hill. Mr. C. G. Martin, Broad Street. Mr. O. Shellard, Barton Manor House. Epiror1AL CoMMITTEE— Dr. T. A. Chapman. Rey. H. Cooper Key. Rey. Sir G. H. Cornewall, Bart. Mr. James Rankin. Rey. James Davies. Dr. McCullough. TREASURER— Mr. Thomas Cam. AUDITORS— Mr. James Davies. Mr. J. T. Owen Fowler. SECRETARY— Mr. Theophilus Lane. ee eer ix, 1879. PRESIDENT— Mr. A. Armitage, Dadnor, Ross. VickE-PRESIDENTS— Rev. H. W. Phillott, Staunton- Mr. W. A. Swinburne, Dfilas, Hay. on-Wye. Rev. G. M. Metcalfe, Pipe Rev. A. Ley, St. Weonards. and Lyde. CENTRAL COMMITTEE— Mr. T. Curley. Mr. J. Griffith Morris. Mr. C. G. Martin. Mr. O. Shellard. EpitToriaL CoMMITTEE— Dr. Bull. Mr. J. Griffith Morris. Dr. T. A. Chapman. The Secretary. TREASURER— Mr. Thomas Cam. AvDITORS— Mr. James Davies. Mr. J. T. Owen Fowler. SECRETARY— Mr. Theophilus Lane. 1880. PRESIDENT— Mr. J. H. Knight, Vaga House. Vick-PRESIDENTS— Mr. A. Armitage. Rev. A. G. Jones, Ballingham. Rev. R. H. Cobbold. Mr. J. Griffith Morris. CrntrRAL CoMMITTEE— Mr. T. Curley. Mr. J. Griffith Morris. Mr. C. G. Martin. Mr. O. Shellard. Epiror1aAL CoMMITTEE— Dr. Bull. Mr. J. Griffith Morris, Dr, T, A. Chapman, The Secretary. TREASURER— Mr. Thomas Cam. AUDITORS— , Mr. James Davies. Mr. J. T. Owen Fowler. SECRETARY— Mr. Theophilus Lane. HONORARY MEMBERS. Bentham, Mr. George, F.R.S., 25, Wilton Place, Knightsbridge, London, 8. W. Berkeley, Rev. Miles Joseph, Sibertoft, Market Harborough, Northampton. Bevan, Mr. G. Phillips. Bevan, Rev. W. Latham, Hay Castle, Brecon. Brodie, Rev. P. B., Rowington Vicarage, Warwick. Broome, Mr. E. C., Elmshurst, Bathwick, Bath. Cooke, Dr. M. C., LL.D., A.L.S., &c., 146, Junction Road, Upper Holloway, London, N. Cornu, Monsieur Maxime, Docteur és Sciences Aide Naturaliste aun Museum, Rue des Ecoles, Paris. Geinitz, Dr. H. B., Professor of Geology, Dresden. Hogg, Dr. Robert, F.H.S., 99, St. George Road, Pimlico, London, 8. W. Houghton, Rev. William, F.L.S., Preston-on-Wild-Moors, Wellington, Salop. Howse, Mr. T., F.L.8., Sydenham Hill, London. Lingwood, Mr. R. M., F.L.8., 6, Park Villas, The Park, Cheltenham. Melville, Professor W., Queen’s College, Galway, Ireland. Perceval, Mr. Cecil H. Sp., Henbury, near Clifton. Phillips, Mr. William, Canonbury, Shrewsbury. Plowright, Mr. C. B., King’s Lynn. Purchas, Rev. W. H., Astonfield, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Renny, Mr. James, 106, Warwick Street, London, 8. W. Smith, Mr. Worthington G., F.L.S., 15, Mildmay Grove, London, W. Symonds, Rev. Wm. S., F.G.S., Pendock Rectory, Tewkesbury. Vize, Rev. J. E., F.L.S., F.R. Met. Soc., Forden Vicarage, Welshpool. Webb, Rev. Thos. W., Hardwick, Hay. With, Mr. G. H., F.R.A.S., F.C.S., Widemarsh Street, Hereford. The President of the Cotswold Naturalists’ Field Club (Sir William V. Guise, Bart., F.L.S., F.G.S., Elmore Court, Gloucester). The Secretary of ditto (Dr. W. H. Paine, Stroud). The President of the Malvern Naturalists’ Field Club. Vice-Presidents of ditto (Rev. A. H. Faber, The College, Malvern; Mr. Edwin Lees, F.L.S., F.G.S., Green Hill Summit, Worcester; Rev. R. P. Hill, Broomsberrow, Ledbury). Hon. Secretary of ditto (Dr. F. Powell, Malvern). President of Caradoc Field Club (Rev. J. D. La Touche, Stokesay Vicarage, Craven Arms). Hon. Sec. of ditto (Rev. W. Elliot, Cardington Vicarage, Church Stretton). President of the Cardiff Naturalists’ Field Club. Hon. Sec. of ditto (Dr. C. T. Vachell, 51, Crockherbtown, Cardiff). President of the Dudley Midland Geological and Scientific Society and Field Club (Mr. Chas. Cochrane, The Grange, Stourbridge). ——— = ~~ * xi. Curator of ditto (Mr. E. Hollier, Market Place, Dudley). Hon. Sec. of ditto (Mr. E. B. Martin, Pedmore, Dudley). President of the Oswestry and Welshpool Naturalists’ Field Club. Hon. Secretary of ditto. President of the Severn Valley Field Club. Hon. Sec. of ditto (Mr. Ralph W. Rowland, Honington Grange, Newport, Salop). President of the Warkwickshire Naturalists’ Field Club. Hon. See. of ditto (Mr. Tom Burgess, 16, Salt Lane, Worcester). President of the Worcester Naturalists’ Field Club. Hon. Secretary of ditto. Hon Sec. of the Midland Counties Naturalists’ Society (Mr. E. W. Badger, Herald Office, Union Street, Birmingham). ORDINARY MEMBERS. Adams, Mr. Wm., F.G.S., Cambridge House, Park Place, Cardiff. Alexander, Mr. J. G., 12, Old Square, Lincolns Inn, London, W.C. Allen, Mr. B. Haigh, Clifford Priory, Hereford. Anthony, Mr. Charles, jun., The Elms, Aylstone Hill. Apperley, Mr. H. G., The Hawthorns, Aylstone Hill. Arkwright, Mr. J. H., Hampton Court, Leominster. Armitage, Mr. A., Dadnor, Ross. Bankes, Mr. G. V., Birch House, Ross. Banks, Mr. R. W., Ridgebourne, Kington. Ballard, Mr. Philip, Tupsley. Barker, Rev. Joseph, Hardisland. Bateman, The Right Honourable The Lord, Shobdon Court, Leominster. Beddoe, Mr. H. C., Castle Street. Beavan, Rev. T. M., Little Dewchurch. Berrington, Mr. A. D., Pant-y-goitre, Abergavenny. Blashill, Mr. Thomas, 10, Old Jewry Chambers, London, E.C. Bodenham, Mr. Chas de la Barre, Rotherwas. Bodenham, Mr. Frederick, Elmshurst, Aylstone Hill. Bosanquet, Mr. 8. R., Dingestow Court, Monmouth. Bowell, Rev. Wm., Chandos House. Booker, Mr. Josiah, Wessington Court, Ledbury. Bradney, Mr. J. A., Monmouth. Bull, Dr. H. G., M.D., St. John Street. Bulmer, Rev. C. H., Credenhill. Butler, Mr. Edward, Llangoed Castle, Llyswen, near Builth. Burlton, Mr. T. Davies, Eaton Hill, Leominster. Byrde, Colonel, Goytrey House, Pontypool. Caddick, Mr. Edward, Wellington Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham. Cam, Mr. Thomas, J.P., St. Owen Street. Capel, Rev. Bury, Abergavenny. Carless, Mr. Henry, Castle Street. Carless, Mr. Joseph, St. John Street. Chapman, Dr. T. A., M.D., Burghill. Cheese, Mr. E. H., Pont Vaen, Hay. Clay, Rev. G. H., Aston, Ludlow. Cleasby, Mr. Penrith Calvert, Barbourne, Worcester. Cleasby, Mr. John Henry, Offenham, Evesham. Clive, Mr. George, Perrystone, Ross. Clive, Colonel, Whitfield. Cobbold, Rev. R. H., Ross. Cocking, Mr. George, Ludlow. Cooke, His Honour Judge W. H., Q.C., 42, Wimpole Street, Cavendish Square, London, S.W. Cornewall, Rev. Sir George H., Bart., Moccas Court. Cresswell, Mr. O., Morney Cross, Fownhope. Crouch, Rev. J. F., Pembridge. Cruttwell, Mr. A. C., West Hill, Frome, Somerset. Curley, Mr. Timothy, C.E., F.G.S., Broomy Hill, Hereford. Davies, Mr. James, Broomy Hill. ’ Davies, Rev. James, Moor Court, Kington. Dixon, Rev. Robert, LL.D., High School, Nottingham. Doughty, Major, Hampton Park. Duncombe, Rev. W. D. V., The College. Evans, Mr. J. Bowle, 6, Down Villas, Cheltenham. Eyre, Rev. W. L. W., Swarraton Rectory, Alresford, Hants. Fortey, Mr. Charles, Ludlow. Fowle, Rev. W. C., Brinsop. Fowler, Mr. J. T. Owen, St. John Street. Games, Mr. George, Hay. Garrold, Mr. T. W., Widemarsh Street. Grasett, Rev. J. E., Allensmore. Greaves, Mr. Joseph, Lower Howsell, Malvern Link. Green, Rev. C. E. Maddison, Lyonshall, Kington. Greenly, Mr. Edward Howorth, Titley House, Titley, Hereford. Gretton, Rev. W. H., Alvanley, Torquay. Griffiths, Major, Newcourt. Haddon, Mr. G. C., Bridge Street. Hadfield, Mr. G. H., Moraston, Ross. Hall, Mr. H. S., Dormington Court. Havergal, Rev. F. T., Upton Bishop, Ross. Heap, Mr. Hargreaves, Barr’s Court. Herbert, Mr. F W., Credenhill Park. Herbert, Mr. J. M., Rocklands, Ross. Hereford, Mr. Richard, Sufton Court. Hill, Rev. W., Felton, Bromyard. Hincks, Dr. T. S. Hawkesford, Hay. Holmes, Mr. D., M.B., Leominster. Holloway, Rev. E. J., Clehonger. Hopton, Rev. Michael, Canon Frome. Horton, Rev. A. W., Dewsall. Humfrys, Mr. J. W., Bridge Street. Husbands, Mr. E. T., Dinedor Wood, Pontrilas. Hutchinson, Mr. A., Longworth. Hutchinson, Mr. Thomas, The Close, Hereford. Jenkins, Rev. J. Rees, Woodstock House, Abergavenny. Jones, Rev. A. G., Ballingham. Kempson, Mr. F. R., Singleton, Tupsley. Key, Rev. H. Cooper, Stretton Sugwas. Xiv. Knight, Mr. J. H., Vaga House. Lambe, Mr. John, Bridge Street. Lane, Mr. Theophilus, Broomy Hill. Llanwarne, Mr. Thomas, St. Martin Street. Lawrence, Mr. David, Llangibby Castle, Newport, Mon. Lee, Mr. J. Edward, Villa Syracusa, Torquay. Levason, Mr. A. G., Bridge Street. Ley, Rev. A., St. Weonards. Lighton, Sir C. R., Bart., Brockhampton. Lilwall, Mr. C. J., Llydyadyway, near Hay. Lomax, Rev. J. J., Breinton. Lloyd, Mr. J. W., Post Office, Kington. Lloyd, Mr. John, Huntington Court. Machen, Rev. Jones E., Llanthewy, Caerleon, Mon. Marshall, Rev. H. B. D., Norton Canon. Martin, Mr. C. G., High Street. Martin, Mr. W. E., Moorfields. McCullough, Dr. D, M., Larchfield, Abergavenny. Merewether, Rev. Francis, Woolhope. Merriman, Dr. J. Jones, 45, Kensington Square, London. Metcalfe, Rev. G. M., Pipe and Lyde. Middleton, Mr. J., Westholme, Cheltenham. Mogridge, Rev. H. T., Knill. Morris, Mr. J. Griffith, St. Owen Street. Moore, Mr. H. C., King Street. Nicholson, Mr. Thos., St. Peter Street. Norman, Mr. J., Ross. Norris, Mr. J. E., J.P., Castle Street. Owen, Rey. E. J., Tretire. Palin, Rev. E., Linton. Paris, Mr. T. C., Hampton Lodge. Pateshall, Mr. Evan, Allensmore Court. Peyton, Colonel, Colwall. Phillips, Mr. W., Bartonsham. Phillott, Rev. H. W., Staunton-on-Wye. Piper, Mr. G. H., Court House, Ledbury. Powell, Rev. T. Prosser, Peterchurch. Power, Captain, The Hill Court, Ross. Poole, Rev. W., Hentland. Prickard, Rev. W. E., Clyro Vicarage, Hay. Purchas, Mr. Alfred, Broad Street, Ross. Rankin, Mr. James, M.P., Bryngwyn. Rees, Captain, The Cedars, Pontrilas. Reid, Captain Mayne, Frogmore House, Ross. Ridley, Rev. O. M., Bishopstone. xv. Riley, Mr. J., Putley Court, Ledbury. Robinson, Mr. Stephen, Lynhales, Kington. Roche, Mr. F., Tregunter, Talgarth. Rootes, Mr. Charles, St. Owen Street. Salwey, Mr. Theophilus J., Ludlow. Scobell, Mr. E. C., Kynastone, Ross. Severn, Mr. J. P., Penybont Hall, Penybont. Shackleton, Rev. Thos., Broomy Hill. Shaw, Mr. A., Bridge Street. Shellard, Mr. Orlando, Barton Manor House. Shepherd, Rev. W. R., Broomy Hill. Smith, Mr. R. Vassar, Ashfield, Great Malvern. Smith, Rev. T. T., Thruxton. Southall, Mr. Henry, Ashfield, Ross. Stanhope, Rev. B. L. 8., Byford. Stanhope, Rev. W. P. S., Holme Lacy. Steele, Mr. Elines Y., Frogmore Street, Abergavenny. Stillingfleet, Rev. H. J. W., Hampton Bishop. Swinburne, Mr. W. A., Diilas, Hay. Symonds, Mr. J. F., Broomy Hill. Tatham, Rev. F. H., Cathedral School. Taylor, Dr. W., 21, Crockherbtown, Cardiff. Tedman, Rev. J., Much Birch, Ross. ‘ Thackwell, Rev. Stephen, Little Birch. Thomas, Rev. W. Jones, Llanthomas, Hay. Thomason, Mr. Richard, Drybridge House. Truscott, Mr. Chas., jun., Trevarrick, St. Austell, Cornwall. Turner, Mr. Thomas, St. Owen’s Street. Tweed, Rev. H. W., Bridstow. Vaughan, Rev. F. S. Stoke, Wellington Heath. Vevers, Mr. Henry, St. Owen’s Street. Waldron, Mr. Clement, Llandaff. Warner, Rev. J. H., Almeley. Wegg-Prosser, Mr. F. R., Belmont. Westropp, Rev. C. J., Wormbridge. Wheatley, Mr. T. E., West Bank, Ledbury. Williams, Mr. E. Colt, Gate House. Wood, Mr. H. H., White House, Vowchurch. Wood, Mr. J. H., M.B., Tarrington. Woodhouse, Mr. J. G., Burghill House. - Woollam, Rev. J., Yarkhill. Woollet., Mr. R. F., The Mount, Newport, Mon. Wyatt, Rev. W., Hope-under-Dinmore. Wynn, Mr. N. S., Broad Street. Young, Rev. A., Alresford, Hants. | ———<_ RULES OF THE WOOLHOPE NATURALISTS’ FIELD CLUB. T.—That a Society be formed under the name of the ‘‘ Wootr- Hope Narurauists’ Frerp Crus,” for the practical study, in all its branches, of the Natural History of Herefordshire and the dis- tricts immediately adjacent. II.—That the Club consist of Ordinary Members, with such Honorary Members as may be admitted from time to time; from whom a President, four Vice-Presidents, a Central Committee, Treasurer, and Honorary Secretary be appointed at the Annual Meeting to be held at Hereford in the early part of each year. The President and Vice-Presidents to change annually. TIl.—The Central Committee shall consist of three Members, resident in the city or in its immediate vicinity, with the President, Vice-Presidents, and Honorary Secretary, ew-officio. It shall be empowered to appoint an Assistant Secretary ; and its duties shall be to make all the necessary arrangements for the meetings of the year, and take the management of the Club during the intervals of the meetings. TV.—That the Members of the Club shall hold not less than three Field Meetings during the year, in the most interesting localities for investigating the Natural History of the district. That the days and places of such regular meetings be selected at the Annual Meeting, and that ten clear days’ notice of each be communicated to the Members by a circular from the Secretary ; but that the Central Committee be empowered, upon urgent occasions, to alter the days of such regular Field Meetings, and also to fix special or extra Field Meetings during the year. ee XVli. V.—That an Entrance Fee of Ten Shillings shall be paid by all Members on election, and that the Annual Subscription be Ten Shillings, payable on the Ist of January in each year to the Treasurer, or Assistant Secretary. Each Member may have the privilege of introducing a friend on any of the field days of the Club. VI.—That the Reports of the several meetings and the papers read to the Club during the year, be forwarded, at the discretion of the Central Committee, to the Hereford Times newspaper for publication as ordinary news, in preparation for the Transactions of the Club. VII.—That the cost of any lithographic or other illustrations be defrayed by the author of the paper for which they may be required, unless the subject has been taken up at the request of the Club, and in that case, the cost of such illustration to be paid for from the Club funds, must be specially sanctioned at one of the general meetings. VIII.—That the President for the year arrange for an address to be given in the field at each meeting, and for papers to be read after dinner; and that he be requested to favour the Club with an address at the Annual Meeting, on the proceedings of the year, together with such observations as he may deem conducive to the welfare of the Club and the promotion of its objects. IX.—That all candidates for Membership shall be proposed and seconded by existing Members, either verbally or in writing, at any meeting of the Club, and shall be eligible to be ballotted for at the next meeting, provided there be Frvz Members present; one black ball in THREE to exclude. X.—That Members finding rare or interesting specimens, or observing any remarkable phenomenon relating to any branch of Natural History, shall immediately forward a statement thereof to _ the Hon. Secretary, or to any member of the Central Committee. XI.—That the Club undertake the formation and publication of correct lists of the various natural productions of the County of Hereford, with such observations as their respective authors may deem necessary. XVill. XII.—That members whose subscriptions shall remain for three years in arrear after demand, be held to have withdrawn, and their names shall accordingly be omitted from the list of mem- bers at the ensuing Annual Meeting. XIII.—That the Assistant Secretary do send out circulars ten days at least before the annual Meeting, to all members who have not paid their subscription, and drawing their particular attention to Rule XII. XIV.—That these Rules be printed annually with the Tran- sactions, for general distribution to the members. ” eS Boolbope Naturalists’ Field Club. HE first field-meeting of the Woolhope Club, which should have taken place on May 17th, was altogether prevented by the rain, which began early in the morning and continued, more or less, throughout theday. Only a few of the members mustered, and they speedily decided to stop at home, and reserve themselves for the next occasion. They intended to have gone to Mordiford, where the Rev. F. Merewether had agreed to meet them and point out some beds of débris that had been drifted out of the Woolhope Valley. Mr. Merewether, with commendable punctuality, did not allow himself to shirk the appointment, and, in spite of the mud and rain, kept his tryst, and, with his bag and hammer, was ready to guide the Club into new paths, and direct their attention to those facts which his residence in the locality had enabled him to observe. Although the morning was unfavourable to the field pursuits of the Club, yet many assembled in the evening to listen to Dr. Bull’s paper on ‘‘ Mr. Knight and his work in the Apple Orchards.” On Tuesday, June 19th, thirty members and some visitors—for the most part members of the Caradoc and Cotteswold Clubs —assembled at the railway station (Barr’s Court), and thence, travelling through blooming orchards, new-mown grass, and occasional hop grounds, arrived, after a short and pleasurable drive, at the Ledbury Station, blocked up (as it happened to be market day) with butter and poultry borne in big baskets by bustling dames and damsels. At the station carriages were in readiness to take the party into Ledbury, through, and out again along the Tewkesbury road, skirting Eastnor Park and Castle, to a notch in the Malvern range, between the Midsummer and Ragged stone hills, called the Holly- bush Pass, which may have sometime deserved the name, but does not now. Here the members alighted, and had scarcely shaken the dust off their coats, when the Rev. W. 8. Symonds, of Pendock, was seen coming up the opposite side of the pass, accompanied by Sir Wm. Guise and the Rev. J. D. La Touche, Presidents of their respective Clubs. And now, after interchanging greetings and giving the final touch to the arrangements, the walk of the day began. It is easy to get to the top of the Midsummer hill by a winding path through the fern, in half-an-hour, and when there it is delightful to meet the cool breeze, and feast one’s eyes on the far distant and almost complete panorama; but as time was getting on, the members arranged themselves on a bank, sloping eastward, and overlooking the Eastnor Obelisk, while Mr. Symonds, standing above them A 2 on the ridge, commenced his address by pointing out, with his hammer reversed, and naming the principal hills and landmarks. He rapidly gave the geological history of the district, especially alluding to the denudation period. He mentioned some curious local traditions connected with Ragged stone hill, and concluded by giving an account of the formation of the ‘‘Red Earl’s Dyke,” which runs along the greater length of the Malvern Ridge. Then leading the way down by a steep and crumbling path to a quarry situated at the north of the pass, whose bare sides well displayed their geological structure, he escorted the Club to a field where, under shady elms, was spread an abundance of substantial fare well adapted to the occasion. After luncheon, Mr. Symonds made a few additional remarks, and said that it always afforded him pleasure to spend a day with the Woolhope Club, Sir Wm. GuisE took the opportunity of alluding to a very interesting expedition he had made to Auvergne, and advised those present having leisure to do the same. The Rev. J. D. La ToucHE observed that he was making some calculations concerning the thickness of aqueous deposits in reference to the formation of strata in by-gone periods, and invited anyone interested to co-operate with him. Re-invigorated and very thankful to their “‘ guide, philosopher, and friend,” for his hospitality and forethought, the Club proceeded to the Obelisk, noticing the damaging effects of wind and weather on the south face and angles, and then sauntering homewards in twos and threes through Hastnor Park, every now and then startling its four-footed occupants from their repose under the trees, the naturalists were not sorry to find the return carriages awaiting them at the Eastnor Arms Inn. Dinner over, the President called the attention of those present to a sug- gestion made that morning on the hill, by Mr. Symonds, ‘‘ That a portrait of the late Rev. T. T. Lewis, of Aymestrey, one of the first Presidents of this Club, be placed in the Club-room, with an inscription setting forth that to him were really due the honour and credit of arranging the succession of rocks now known as the Silurian system; and for this purpose he would lend a photograph for enlargement.” The suggestion seemed generally approved of, and would have been officially submitted to the Club for their sanction, but that proceeding became no longer necessary, for an enthusiastic member, charmed with the idea, had undertaken at his own cost, at once to carry out the proposal, on condition that his name should not be mentioned. Mr. BiasuIty was then called on to read a paper he had prepared on “The Spanish Chestnut asa substitute for Oak.” This paper was illustrated by a great variety of sections, showing the difference of arrangement of medullary rays in the timber of each tree. Dr. CHAPMAN sent for the inspection of the Club some specimens of larvee and perfect insects, male and female, of Zmphytus Serotinus, a species of sawfly 3 that has been for the last two seasons very destructive to the young leaves of the oak. He had noticed trees 30 or 40 feet high much denuded. It belongs to the same class as the gooseberry fly, and the eggs are laid on the buds or young branches. They hatch in the spring. The larve at once begin to feed on the young leaves, when full grown fall to the ground, and, hiding in the grass, after a short time emerge as flies, that may be seen at the end of summer in swarms under thetrees. The larve, coiled up, readily fall off the branches, and may be observed climbing up the trunk of the tree again, if they are so fortunate as to find it, and there is no doubt that multitudes are thus destroyed, especially on a windy day, if accompanied by rain. The President brought with him some specimens of a mildew that is at this time attacking the apple trees. It is found on the young leaves, and, from its white mealy appearance, is readily observed. The infected leaf withers, turns brown, hardens, and falls off, all the leaves on the same spray following. Under the microscope the peculiar whiteness is seen to be caused by an infinite number of oval cells, nearly transparent, quite or partially detached from each other, lying loose on both surfaces of the leaf. These are the characters of an Oidium, a very destructive form of fungus belonging to the family of ‘‘ Moulds.” Among its relatives are the Oidium Tuckeri, which has been so injurious to the vine, and the Peronospora to the potato. This fungus has appeared in several parts of the kingdom. On the medlar, it had already come under the notice of Dr. Cuoke, an expert whom the Club claims as one of its honorary members. He pronounced it to be Oidium Farinosum. Mr. Ritey, of Putley, exhibited some fine specimens of ‘‘ Platanthera Chlorantha” (the butterfly orchis), and ‘‘ Neottia Nidus avis” (the bird’s nest orchis). The members present were—Mr. J. G. Morris (president), Mr. T. Curley, C.E., Mr. T. Blashill, Rev. W. S. Symonds, Mr. W. Phillips, Rev. T. M. Beavan, Rey. W. C. Fowle, Rey. F. T. Havergal, Mr. R. Rees, Mr. J. R. Symonds, Mr. A. Thompson, Rey. C. J. Westropp, Rev. F. 8. Stooke-Vaughan, Rev. 8. Thack- well, Rev. John Tedman, Rey. J. E. Jones Machen, Mr. Jas. Lloyd, Rev. G. H. Clay, Mr. W. A. Swinburne, Rev. J. E. Grasett, Mr. J. T. O. Fowler, Mr. H. C. Moore, Mr. J. Davies, Rev. H. W. Tweed, Mr. J. E. Norris, Mr. Riley. The visitors were--Sir W. V. Guise, Mr. Stone, Rey. J. D. La Touche, Rey. Henry Day, Rev. Holland Sandford, Mr. H. Heap, Count Stenbok, Mr. N. A. Ball, &c. The Rey. F. H. Tatham and Rev. John Tedman were elected members, and the Rev. A. Ley (Sellack), and the Rey. W. D. V. Duncombe were proposed for future election. The next meeting of the Club will be at Tintern Abbey, on Tuesday, July 17th (the Ladies’ Day). @oolhope Naturalists’ Field Club. HE following paper on ‘‘ Monastic Buildings ” was read at Tintern by Mr. THOMAS BLASHILL, on the occasion of the visit of the above Club to Tintern Abbey, August 21st. Tintern Abbey was a house of that branch of the Benedictine Order known as Cistercians or White Monks, It was founded in 1131 by Walter de Clare, who, becoming possessed of a vast extent of country, including Monmouthshire, did like all the great nobles of his time, in settling a small part of his possessions to religious uses, The Cistercian Order had only been established in 1098, and confirmed by Pope Pascal in 1100. St. Bernard, to whom it owed its great cele- brity, joined it in 1112; its first house in England was founded at Waverley in 1128 ; Tintern was therefore one of the first evidences of the power to which the Order so suddenly attained. Of the monastic buildings then erected nothing remains. Whether or not these monks suffered the vicissitudes common to the earlier houses of their Order, we may be sure that rigid plainness characterize their buildings, as voluntary austerity marked their life. The existing building owes its foundation to Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, a descendant of this branch of the family of de Clare and owner of their lands, who, in 1269, caused this work to be begun. The church was finished in 1288, and it stood in its glory for two centuries and a half, till the dissolution of the mon- astery in 1537. It thus became one of the later examples of the Cistercian build- ings; for long before the dissolution monasteries had ceased to be newly con- structed, although in 1496, only 41 years before that catastrophe, the monks were partially rebuilding their cloister and the quarters of the Prior. They were thus but indifferent prophets of the future, and this last work, shows by its magnificence that they were then but indifferently austere. But these buildings of 1269 were undertaken in what most persons will think the happiest moment of the history of English architecture. It was the very year in which the new choir and transepts of Westminster Abbey, built by Henry III., were opened. It was just at the time when the graceful simplicity of the Ladye Chapel of Hereford Cathedral had developed into the richer style— especially as regards the windows—of the great north transept. The beauty of the mouldings, the elegance of the outlines of the 13th century, are preserved ; the purity of its carving not quite lost ; the glories of the 14th century tracery are anticipated; while there is a reserve of fancy, a grand uniformity which hardly any other building of its age can rival. As to its character as a ruin (pity 5 that it should be a ruin), I can point out nothing which every lover of the pictur- esque will not see for himself. In that quality it is clearly unequalled amongst our monastic remains ; and whenever people talk of scenes which have afforded them the fulness of delight, this romantic valley, these graceful outlines and sweet tints of stone and foliage, yon broken eastern window—across whose solitary mullion the rising moon will, three nights hence, shine round and broad—are first and last remembered. Having been requested to describe this Abbey, I have thought that it would be most useful to give such an outline of the origin and usage of Monastic buildings as may enable persons who read of monks, canons, and friars, and who visit their houses, to form some clear notions of what they were and how they lived. I shall therefore give a short account of Monastic buildings in general, and point out in what respects those of the various religious orders differed from each other, and Tintern from those of its own kind. In the early ages of Christianity, the habit (common to different forms of worship) of retiring from the world for purposes of prayer and self-discipline was established in the Church. When the system of solitary retirement had become open to scandal, through its abuse by vicious persons, communities were formed whose members bound themselves to strict discipline as a means towards leading a religious life. St. Benedict, who lived in the sixth century, is credited with hav- ing first drawn up the rules which were, at a later period, firmly established as the regulations of the great Order of Benedictine Monks. During the darkest period of the Middle Ages the monasteries increased in number, and, although they suffered much from the troubles of the times, the monks persevered in the cultivation of learning and all the arts and crafts. There still exists at St. Gall, in Switzerland, the plan of a monastry, drawn early in the ninth century, which shows the church of the monks surrounded by a vast num- ber of buildings devoted to all the purposes of convenient existence. In addition to living and sleeping rooms, there are libraries, schools, guest-houses for rich and poor, store-houses, infirmaries, a surgery, workshops for all manner of trades, servants’ quarters, herb gardens, and a cemetery. Indeed it is like the plan of a small town, with the church and the offices of the governing body placed in the centre of the whole. In the more peaceful times of the 11th and 12th centuries, when the Benedictine Order had spread over civilised Europe, the best plan for a monastery was found to be simpler in arrangement than that just mentioned, and was never greatly departed from by any of the religious orders. The monastery as then arranged included these essential parts. There was first the Church, the other monastic buildings being grouped on one side of it, instead of surrounding it as in the earlier plan. The four covered walks of the cloister enclosed an open space which was the cloister-garth, the whole being attached to one side of the nave. The buildings on the eastern side of the cloister and adjoining the church, were such as the sacristy and chapter-house devoted to the service of the church and to discipline, those on the side of the cloisters 6 opposite to the church were residential—being living and sleeping-rooms, dining- rooms, and kitchen ; while the remaining side—that to the west—was given up to the lay brothers of the house, and in some cases also to guests. All these build- ings were generally on the south or sunny side of the Church, but quietness and good drainage were reckoned of prime importance. Accordingly they are found on that side of the church which is farthest from the town and nearest to a good stream of water—a branch of the river being often made to flow through the great sewer of the house. Thus the monastic buildings are sometimes found on the north side of the church, their plan being simply reversed, and of this Canter- bury, Gloucester, and Tintern are well-known examples. The older Benedictine monasteries, which had reached their extreme de- velopment in the 12th century, were chiefly built in the suburbs of towns, or in places so convenient for business that towns soon grew up by their side. Outside the cloister gate, to the west, these monks added vast ranges of buildings—barns, stables, separate guest-houses, and almshouses for distributing the daily dole of food to wandering poor. The infirmary was usually placed to the east, and out- side the cloister pale. The abbots, who originally had their apartments close to the living and sleeping rooms of the monks, built in later times grand lodges to the west of the monastic buildings, where they could live in state and receive visitors of distinction, as well as supervise the increasing out-door business of the house, while the daily supervision of the monks was left to the prior and sub- prior. The importance of these houses became enormous ; many of their abbots were, as such, peers of Parliament. The Abbeys of Westminster, Gloucester, Tewkesbury, Malvern, Evesham, and Pershore, are well-known examples of the older Benedictine monasteries. The Priory of Leominster was a cell of the Benedictine Abbey of Reading. Meanwhile the religious concerns of the monks were liable to be neglected, and discipline was often relaxed; reformation was needed, and in due course it came. About the end of the 11th century a small band of monks—one of whom was Stephen Harding, an Englishman—retired into a wild and desolate forest in Burgundy, and founded the Abbey of Citeaux, from which Tintern and Abbey Dore, Fountains, Kirkstall, Netley, Buildwas, Melrose, and the long list of Cistercian houses took their rise. An earlier reformation had been attempted at Cluny in Burgundy in 912, but the subsequent reformation of the Cistercians was far more thorough and successful. Disgusted with the laxity of the older Bene- dictines, they drew up new rules more in the spirit of St. Benedict, and an exam- ination of them will show that the words—poverty, celibacy, and obedience, convey but a faint notion of the discipline to which a Cistercian monk had to con- form, even in the minutest details of every-day life. Their abbeys were always built in retired places, usually the narrow part of some valley, a description which the site of Tintern precisely fits. The monks were thus secluded from the great world, freed from constant visitors and mendi- cants, and at liberty to devote themselves to their religious duties and the super- 7 vision of their lay-brothers, who as a rule did all the work of the farms. It was not even necessary for them to devote their time greatly to literature ; and in order to escape the reproach which in time grew out of this, they made endow- ments to the universities. Though the monk was vowed to poverty the mon- astery grew rich. The valley which they found savage and deserted they made safe and fruitful, and left in the condition which is now our highest idea of the picturesque. The older Benedictines wore a black habit. The habit of the Cistercian was white, consisting of a narrow tunic and a long robe with sleeves with a cord round the waist, and shoes and stockings. He must not wear a cowl, nor a shirt, gloves, or boots. He could not leave the cloister except on some special occasion ; he worked only occasionally, for discipline or in time of harvest ; but he must mend his own clothes, clean his shoes, and take his turn in supervising the kitchen. From Easter to September he had only one meal per day. He had no meat, and seldom even fish. If he departed in the smallest degree from strict rule, if he even forgot to tie his shoe, he had to confess and endure penance. As a rule, he had to keep silence, the times when he. might speak—and the places— were strictly limited. His times of washing, and shaving, and bleeding, were settled for him. He was neglectful of his person, even to the extent of harbouring vermin, not, we may be sure, from the love of dirt, but for the mortification of the flesh, and it is very possible that this form of austerity, like others, was not rigorously enforced at all times and in all monasteries. This general severity of rule extended to the monastic buildings, There must be no high tower, but only a wooden bell cot, and but one bell. No rich carving, no representation of the human figure, no picture except that of our Saviour was allowed, nor any stained glass, no gold or silver plate. There was no separate projecting Ladye Cbapel, such as existed in most large churches, for every one of the 1,200 churches of the Cistercian Order was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, and was thus itself a Ladye Chapel. Some of the strictest rules were relaxed in practice in later times in spite of the reproofs of the official visitors, but still the great characteristics by which a Cistercian abbey may now be known are the fewness of its parts and the simplicity and grace of its outline. THE CHURCH. The earlier churches of the Cistercians had frequently a low lean-to build- ing attached to the western end, forming a sort of porch or narthex, and in the description of Tintern, sold in the abbey, such a building is shown. There is, however, no reason whatever to think that it ever existed in the present church. It is important that we see things not as we may think they ought to be, but as they are. The church is, according to rule, cruciform, the original chancel would only have two bays, but this has four, and is exceedingly stately and handsome. The whole of the piers in the eastern part had detached shafts in their hollows, and these shafts would probably be of Purbeck marble. They have, however, been torn out, and wherever they were taken might possibly be traced even now. In conventual churches some provision was usually made for the attendance of 8 the lay brethren and for ordinary workmen, villagers, and travellers. This was sometimes in the west end of the nave, or in one or both aisles, but in the larger communities a separate church was often built, or even two, as at Evesham. The arrangement here is very interesting, the aisles being divided by solid stone screens from the nave, chancel, and transepts. I think the lay brothers had the western part of the nave, and the guests and parishioners the whole of the south aisles and transept. The place of the high altar is distinctly marked, a erypt, probably for burial, has been constructed under it at a later date. Like other Cistercian churches, this had two altars in each transept, there were also altars at the east end of each chancel aisle; in the South aisle the sedilia and- piscina still exist in a mutilated condition. In the north chancel aisle is a door- way, probably used by the monks in the infirmary for occasional access without passing through the cloister. In the north-west corner of the north transept may be seen remains of the staircase by which the monks descended from their dormi- tory to all the night services, which took place every four hours. They sat in the choir—not in what we commonly call the chancel (which was really the presby- tery) but in the space under the tower, and some part of the nave. A screen would probably divide this part from the western part of the nave, and one is shown in the plan sold in the abbey, but there is now no evidence of its existence. THE MONASTIC BUILDINGS. In the range of buildings that extends from the north transept there is first a pair of narrow rooms which adjoin the transept—the eastern room, which is vaulted, and is entered from the church was the Sacristy; but the western one, which opens direct from the cloister, is of very uncertain use. In one form or another, it exists in nearly every monastery. It is sometimes called the parlour, or the place where, in cloister time, any monk who had business with the abbot, or a brother, had to speak—for silence was enjoined in the cloister itself. It has been thought to be the place where the body of a deceased monk lay before the time of burial ; but we have a very minute account of every detail of that which was done from the death to the burial of a Cistercian monk, and this seems not to have been possible in their case. The only written record of this place that I have heard of would show it to be the place where the parchment, wax, and other articles used by the writers of manuscripts were bought of travelling merchants—but I own that this seems most unlikely, for it is in the very heart of the monastery, where strangers would be excluded. My friend, Mr. Edmund Sharpe, lately deceased (whose authority stood highest in these questions), thought this place was the penitentiary, or place where a monk had to do penance in sight of his brethren, or even to be confined for any of the offences—great or small—which they seem to have been always committing. Sometimes this cell has a door, sometimes not. At Llanthony it has a very handsome open archway, and is lighted by a window in the east end. In such a place penance might be done in public view, and yet without interfering with the ordinary use of the cloister. The next building is the Chapter House, the doorway and windows of which were always open to the cloister. In fact, here there are three open arch- A. Stairs from Dormitory 1. Sacristy g. Store for Refectory 5 enter a Cloister 2, A dark cell ro. Lavatory . Position of Choir Screen | = y ‘nm 3. Chapter house 1x. Kitchen hatch D. Se ae im 4. Parlour? 12. Entrance to pulpit stair- I. Entrance for Lay Brethren 5- Passage ease Y J.K. Entrances for Guests 6. Lobby to Fratry 13. Entrance to Lay Brothers and Neighbours? 7. Stairs to Dormitory house L. Door to Cemetery 8. Calefactory 14. Latrines o---e- : PRESBYTER’ r proseseseey 1 1 ' ' i i °e ® TRANSEPT MONKS’ ee © © @e ee 6H DAY ROOM &---- 9 @---@ oO mm ° =x ° x V---9---e---e —-w---@---- m@---e- : C¢ F ¢ G CLOISTER 4 GARTH t I 4 t { 4 a se ee a 9 ways. The monks met in chapter daily, and the abbot sat against the east wall Confessions were heard there, and there the abbots were usually buried. The room, which was probably used as the parlour, comes next. It was not a room in which to sit and receive company, but simply for speech, and that under very strict supervision. There is next a passage which leads from the cloister to the eastern precinct; the Infirmary would be somewhere in that direction. The last room in the range was the Fratry or Day-room of the monks. It was without any fire-place, and some of its windows or arches at the north end were usually open to the weather. The sewer that ran under the buildings may be seen here. Over the fratry, the dormitory of the monks extended; the staircase adjoined the fratry. The space over some of the other rooms would be the library, with a passage from the dormitory, for access to the church by night. The next room was handsomely vaulted and plastered—as, indeed, were the church and all the more important parts of the monastery—there was a fireplace in the centre, round which the monks could stand. It was probably the calefactory, the only place where they were allowed to warm themselves. In the later times the monks altered this portion, and built over it what is called the prior’s lodging, and probably is so. The abbot, if he did not lodge here, would have a house in the precinct, but out of the cloister; he had a lodge at Tintern Parva, of which there are still some remains. We can trace here the staircase to the upper rooms, and also a fine large arched entrance opening upon the cloister walk. The refectory comes next—a long apartment, which had handsome windows. It runs north and south, which was the Cistercian rule ; in all other monasteries the refectory lay east and west. The monks sat on the sides of it, and dined at narrow tables, whilst one read from the pulpit, the entrance to which is on the western side, A narrow room on the east was used for the service of meals; on the west side is the hatch, by which the portions of food were passed from the kitchen, and near to it a curious shallow recess where a wooden ledge could be let down to hold dishes. On either side of the entrance to the refectory was a handsome recess that formed the lavatory, where the monks washed before meals, It is much broken, and is miscalled the almonry ; but the monks’ alms were given out near to the monastery gate, and were of a more substantial character than anything that would be left from their own frugal meals. I confess I do not know what the broken victuals of the vegetarian cuisine may be like. The kitchen comes next. There are remains of one or more fire-places; but it has been much defaced. The whole range of building adjoining the west side of the cloister was, in Cistercian houses, usually devoted to the “‘conversi,” or lay brothers. It is possible that at Tintern the northern part of this may have been the guest-house, as the guests might not have been so numerous as to require a separate lodging. The relations of the monks with their lay brothers are worth Consideration in reference to the business of a Cistercian monastery. Mr. B 10 Edmund Sharpe called this western building the domus conversorum, because the conversi used the lower story by day, and the upper story was their dormitory at night. The conversi were members of the Order, being devoted to prayer and labour ; but they were chiefly employed in the agricultural and artificer’s work of the community. They were about double the uumber of the monks, and were, in fact, their servants, having been taken from the poorest class—outcasts, from poverty or crime, who were glad to accept of shelter in the monastery, who could neither read nor write, nor could even be instructed by the monks in any of the higher arts, which the monks kept to themselves. They were dispensed from attending the night services, and had to attend only very few of the day services. Their entrance to the church was at the north-west corner. They appear to have been sleepy in church, for a preacher who observed this, once broke off his sermon, and said, ‘‘ Now, I will tell you a good story.” He watched the effect, and then taunted them with their miserable spiritual condition, saying, ‘‘ I speak to you of God, and you go to sleep—I make a jest, and you wake up and are all attention!” What other buildings there may have been at Tintern I know not. They would have such barns and stables and workshops as a large agricultural establish- ment needed for the supply of every want. All these, with the almonry, would be outside the cloister bounds where many small remains still exist. We know that the Abbey precinct enclosed 34 acres of ground, and would have a suitable gateway for entrance. The infirmary also was outside the cloister. It was not merely for the sick, but specially for the aged and infirm monks, who were no longer able to undergo the severities of the monastic rule. They were dispensed from all the regular services, and from all business in chapter and in cloister. They had a suitable diet, and were tended by young monks, who were enjoined to cheer them, and not trouble them with unpleasant news. The services were said for them in a chapel that opened out of the infirmary, so that they could join in them sitting or lying in bed. I have no doubt that the building, which at Llanthony Priory is used as the parish church, was formerly the infirmary with its chapel, now the chancel of the church. As to the cloister itself, not a stone of it remains in situ. It had a wooden roof, and it enclosed the cloister garth, which was the burial place of the monks. On the south side of it, exactly opposite the door of the refectory, is a broken part of the wall of the church which may have contained the seat of the abbot or prior in cloister-time. Having described the buildings at Tintern, I may now refer to the build- ings erected by the other monastic orders. The Cluniac Monks, already noticed as a branch of the Benedictines, built magnificent monasteries, generally similar in plan, but did not attain to very great popularity. They had about 30 establishments in this country, of which Wenlock Priory is one. The Cistercians numbered more than 100. The Augus- tinian Canons followed rules and erected monasteries, not materially different from those of the Benedictines. They differed in being, of necessity, clergy. ) >. pet a eee 11 They were chiefly settled in towns, and built long naves, into which they ad- mitted the people. Llanthony Priory was an exception as regards the site, and was never a successful establishment. The friars differed from the monks, in having no dignitaries amongst them, they were “‘ brethren,” as the name implies. They were vowed to strict poverty, even as a community ; but in later times became enriched by benefactions. They endeavoured to influence the people by preaching, and therefore settled in towns, where they built some of the finest of churches. Their residential buildings were very mean, and cooped up by the nature of the sites. They have mostly been destroyed through modern improvements. But the monastery of the Dominicans or Black Friars at Hereford is a very interesting example so far as it remains. The Carthusian Monks differed from others, in having no common living, eating, or sleeping rooms. Each had his private apartment, opening into a cloister, something like the cloister of the Vicars’ College at Hereford. They lived like hermits, meeting seldom in church or in chapter, their food being passed to them through a secret trap in the wall. At the dissolution, the buildings of the various orders met with widely different treatment. Those which had clung to the town were either preserved as parish churches, made into cathedrals, or turned to secular uses. Vast numbers of them were entirely destroyed. The most remarkable fate was reserved for the monasteries of this order. The Cistercians—and, we may almost say, they only— had selected the wilderness and the solitary place for their retreat. Their lands being at the dissolution granted to private persons, the buildings were found to be useless, whether for ecclesiastical or for agricultural purposes. They were hardly worth pulling down. Allowed to fall into decay, the leadwork, the timber, and more or less of the stone were taken for use in the buildings of the neighbour- hood. It is said that at Tintern, the lead roof remained until the time of the Commonwealth; but time, more than the hand of man, has made the ruin what itis. As the paleographer tries to decipher a blurred and tattered manu- script, written in a strange hand, and in a language that is dead—as the geologist studies in the débris of a quarry the conditions of things before the ages were reckoned, so we peer back through the dim medium of five centuries into this secret corner of the medieval world. 12 THE SPANISH CHESTNUT AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR OAK. [Read by Mr. Tos. BLASHILL, at the Midsummer Hill Meeting, June 19th, 1877.] Our transactions for the years 1866 and 1867 contain interesting discussions, growing out of a paper by the Rev. H. Coopmr Key, on the varieties of Oak, quercus pendunculata and Q. sessilijlora, in the course of which mention was made of the supposed occurrence of the timber of the Spanish chestnut, castanea vesca, in English medieval carpentry. This question is of sufficient importance to be the subject of independent consideration, for, besides the interest which it possesses in a practical point of view, it furnishes one of the most curious instances of popular delusion. Sir Christopher Wren, writing about the roof of Westminster Hall and Abbey, accounts for the unsatisfactory condition of some parts of them by the practice of medieval carpenters to work “their chestnuts from Normandy.” But Evelyn seems to have had a better opinion of the timber, for he says, ‘‘it is much sought after by carpenters and joiners.” White, of Selborne, from his own in- spection of some old trees, says, “‘the timber and bark are so very like oak as might easily deceive an indifferent observer,” and mentions that it has sometimes been passed off as oak in the Royal dockyard. But he observes, that the wood is ‘very shakey,” so that the inward parts are of no use—which we find to be true of old trees, About a century since, White’s correspondent, the Hon. Daines Barrington, was at great pains to examine into the question of the ancient use of chestnut, but could get nothing better than the loose statements of carpenters who had adopted the theory which was probably older than the time of Wren. Yet the popular idea remained so strong in its favour, that, in 1808, the Society of Arts offered prizes to those landowners who would plant the greatest number of chestnut trees on their estates. Since that time the chestnut has been much cultivated, and the wood of mature trees has now been available for several years, being frequently used in situations that are usually considered too trying for any timber but oak. This question has therefore assumed a practical interest, for carpenters and others engaged in building, are very generally of opinion that the best specimens of timber found in our old buildings are of chestnut, and will act upon that opinion whenever they have an opportunity of substituting chestnut for oak, Now, there is only one way of bringing this question to a satisfactory and conclusive test—it is to examine undoubted specimens, recently fallen, of chestnut Beam or Balter uvwhich the Silver gram will net be conspicuous, | CutF tC. | shewtng cross sections of . the Medullary plates so as to expose the Medullary plates and tornv the Silver grain” N to shew the Silver grain uv floorboards or panels 13 and oak, and to note their characteristics. We can then apply the knowledge so acquired to the examination of any old timber that may be asserted to be chest- nut, and decide confidently as to the fact. It happens that for many years I have been in the habit of using chestnut timber ; first seeing the trees fallen, and afterwards watching the process of converting the timber to various purposes. I exhibit specimens grown in Herefordshire and in Essex, together with specimens of oak, some being of recent growth, and others taken from buildings erected in the fifteenth century. From these it will be seen that the two kinds of wood are distinguished by very clear marks. The medullary rays, which form a very curious and interesting part of the anatomy of exogenous trees, are, in most kinds of wood, so faintly marked as not to be visible to the naked eye, although they are very distinct under the microscope. They are, however, very clearly visible without such aid in the cross-section of all the species of the oak that I have seen, and they are especially noticable in our English species, radiating in clear bright lines from the centre towards the bark. They vary a good deal in the closeness with which they are arranged and the thickness of each ray, they are, however, always perfectly distinct, although in old timber there are variations in colour that sometimes render it necessary to look closely at the cross-section in order to distinguish the ray from the intervening tissue. These variations are probably due to such causes as have determined the habit of growth of individual trees. Thus the timber of oak trees grown in hedgerows will be of coarser texture than that grown in moderately thick woods, and considerable variations are due to soil and climate. Generally, in quick growing timber, the rays are further apart, and in such as is of straight and clean growth, the vertical plates, of which the rays are composed, are of more even shape. In all the American oak timber that T have seen, the rays are very distinct and far apart, the timber being very straight and probably of rapid growth. The most conspicuous effect of the medullary plates, is, however, seen in the vertical sections of an oak tree, taken as nearly as possible through the centre, when the exposure of parts of each plate causes the beautiful pattern known as the silver grain, so much valued in wainscot, and particularly in gnarled specimens of English oak. The same effect may be seen in a very slight degree in the wood of the beech. But no such effect can be observed in any specimens of Spanish chestnut, whether we look at the cross- section or the vertical section. It is therefore impossible for anyone who really knows this distinction to mistake chestnut timber for oak whether it is old or of recent date. And yet there is scarcely an old roof of any importance, for size or beauty of design, that has not been reputed to be of chestnut timber. The halls at West- minster, Hampton Court, and Eltham Palace are the most familiar instances, the popular belief now being almost wholly in favour of the superior excellence of chestnut when compared with oak. It is very common to meet with old workmen who are confident that they can distinguish the two woods, and who will pro- nounce any very well-preserved specimen to be of chestnut. One sometimes finds a man who holds a contrary opinion, and one such, a country builder of great 14 practical experience, has kindly furnished me with a description of the timber which he finds in old buildings, and recognises as chestnut. He says :—‘“‘ It is of a dead chocolate colour; decay commences in the interior of the timber, accomp- anied by large quantities of powder, which is seldom found in oak; the wormholes are large, and the timber gives way by breaking straight across the fibres, instead of splintering as does oak. It is of a dead nature, and yields to the chisel uniformly in every direction. It does not ring when struck; there are no starlike rays in the knots; the sawdust is dark and of an unpleasant smell.” Most workmen will say that if a nail is driven into oak it will cause the wood to become black, while chestnut will remain unchanged in colour. Chestnut is also said to be proof against all attacks of the worm, but the specimens of Italian furniture at the South Kensington Museum, labelled ‘‘chestnut,” show wormholes pretty freely. But I am inclined to think that this is really walnut, which is the wood of which Italian furniture is usually made. But, although I have obtained many specimens of so-called chestnut from persons who fully believed that they were able to discriminate them, every one of them has turned out to be oak, varying in colour, or hardness, or degree of decay, as we might expect oak timber of great age to vary. And although I have enquired of the persons most likely to meet with chestnut in old buildings, I have always found such persons unable to give an instance of its occurrence. Sir Gilbert Scott has recently written to me in effect that he knows of no instance, nor yet of any medieval record of its use. The eminent French architect, Mons, Viollet le Duc, says, in his dictionary, that during the middle ages, at least, in France, oak was exclusively used for the joinery of buildings. I hear from a friend who has discussed this matter with him, that he knows nothing of the use of chestnut in roofs. Yet it is not uncommon to meet with a very positive state- ment that some roof of a French Church is of chestnut, and there is in Normandy a strong opinion that chestnut was anciently used there. Now, Normandy re- sembles England in the scarcity of the chestnut tree, both countries being further northwards than the districts in which it flourishes, but the theory by which its presence in old roofs is accounted for, makes England the source of the supply ! Beyond a very slight notice of the growth of chestnut, near London, about the time of Henry II., I know of no record that tends to show its existence here in any quantity, previously to the great efforts made to promote its cultivation early in the present century. There are, however, cases where it was planted, to a small extent, of which the magnificent avenues at Croft Castle, in Herefordshire, and Betchworth, in Surrey, are examples. The chestnut is said to have been introduced into Italy by the Romans, from Castanea, in Thessaly, and it would be strange if they had made no effort to introduce into this country a tree so beautiful and of such utility. But our climate forbids its flourishing, by natural increase from seed, to any great extent. It is not until we get so far south as the centre of France, that the chestnut —s = 15 becomes a marked feature in the landscape. It is said to flourish wherever the vine flourishes, and, as it is much used for casks, that is looked upon as a providential coincidence. But it is chiefly as a fruit-bearing tree that it is valued, and in an estimate made some years ago, it was reckoned that one hundredth part of the food of the French people was derived from this source. In Auvergne, the fruit is preserved in earth, and made into flour for bread. I have seen, on the quays at Bordeaux, chestnuts heaped up as plentifully as potatoes are with us. In Perigord and Limousin, whole parishes are covered with chestnut trees, and in that vicinity alone, there are a million and a quarter acres of chestnut woods, pro- ducing fruit of the value, in some cases, of 33s. per acre. In Italy, the chestnut abounds in all hilly districts. Virgil could boast of his ‘‘ ripe apples and soft chestnuts.” One cannot traverse the more picturesque parts of that country without being impressed by the luxuriance of its foliage, and the grand contortions of the spreading stems and branches. It is the tree of Salvator Rosa’s pictures. Milton, who had seen the immense forests that clothe the flanks of the Apennines, tells us, in his great epic, how the fallen angels lay— “‘Thick as autumnal leaves that strew the brooks In Vallambrosa, where the Etrurian shades High over-arched, imbower em As a planted tree, the chestnut, with us, shoots up straight and soon forms a good large trunk. After a growth of forty to sixty years, the tree begins to twist so decidedly that it becomes shaky and unsound in the interior, but while young it is a very clean and useful wood. It is remarkable for the very small amount of sap-wood it contains, consisting usually of not more than about three of the outer rings. Mr, Gladstone, speaking as a woodman, says ‘‘the pleasantest timber to cut is Spanish chestnut, because it comes away so freely, the grain breaking easily.” When freshly cut, the timber looks somewhat like oak, but the rings are much wider, and the wood is much lighter. Of two dry specimens that I weighed, the oak showed 433lbs. to the cubic foot, the chestnut only 33lbs. When the timber is seasoned, it is hardly more like oak than is the timber of the ash or elm, and could not possibly be mistaken for oak by any one who knew oak timber. As to durability, I have been unable to find any reliable evidence of its resistance to weather when exposed to the alterations of moisture and dryness to which we confidently expose oak. We have in this county a pretty good instance of its failure in this respect. The bridge over the Wye at Hoarwithy, built about nineteen years ago, was made of chestnut, in the belief that it would be as good as oak, but it decayed so seriously that it was for some years propped up, and is now being replaced by an iron bridge. The decay was chiefly at the joints, the remainder of the timber being very sound so far as I could see. Upon the whole I consider the wood of the Spanish chestnut of great value for ordinary purposes, but not to be brought into competition with oak. As to its use in medieval carpentry, we are, so far, without any reliable record of its discovery in any 16 ancient building, the oldest specimen that I am able to produce being, one from Old Shelsford Hall, Oxon, dating from about 200 years ago. Norr.—1886. Soon after this paper was written, I found in the museum at Kew a piece of oak labelled, ‘“‘Spanish chestnut, from an old beam in Windsor Castle.” The Curator was very easily convinced of the error and had it corrected. More recently, and in consequence of some ex- tensive enquiries which I set on foot, Mr. Harry Hems, wood carver, of Exeter, sent me a piece from the 15th century rood screen of Rod- mersham Church, Kent, which I have no doubt is Spanish chestnut, and is the only instance of its use that is publicly known at the present time. Waoolkope Naturalists’ Field Club. _—_—_______—— N Thursday, September 20th, the members made an excursion to that special @) district from whence the Club takes its name. Starting at 10 o’clock from Broad-street, Hereford, in a carriage drawn by three greys, they drove to Mordiford, and at the bridge over the Lugg, found the Rev. F. Mere- wether and two visitors awaiting them. Alighting opposite a public-house bear- ing for its sign a full moon with a particularly jovial aspect, they walked up the road leading to Haughwood, till they came to a cutting about 9ft. deep, on the left-hand side. Here the party, increased by the arrival of two former presidents, James Rankin, Esq., and the Rev. James Davies, arranged themselves to listen to an address on the “‘ Geological Drifts of the Neighbourhood.” Mr. Merewether, after pointing out that the road itself was on the drift, shown by the worn banks of the brook, called the Pentelow,” on the one side, and the cutting on the other, proceeded to say where it came from—the Woolhope Valley ; how it came—by aqueous action, and described it as a mass of friable loose earthy matter, containing rounded and angular fragments, principally of Wenlock limestone, intermixed with fossils, shells, and corals, generally too abraded to specify ; as differing much in thickness, from one or two feet to fifty or more ; as being always found in largest quantity opposite any break in the edge of the Woolhope basin, especially on the south-west side; as extending to Fownhope, and to be seen exposed in places on the roadside, to which he would presently conduct the club, and concluded by saying that up to the present time the great mass of the drift had never been recognised or described. A few questions were now asked and answered. A search for fossils was made by those who came provided with hammers, and the party were just about to follow up and trace the drift, when Mr. Merewether pleasantly surprised them all, by producing and reading a second paper on the “‘ Probable existence of an extensive lake that had at some time filled up the valleys of the Wye, Lugg, and Frome.” The naturalists were then led to the places on the road to Fownhope, spoken of in the first paper. The best exposure is close to the river-side, beyond the old mill. It is rather difficult of access, but well worth the trouble. On passing the Green Man, at Fownhope, it was remarked that Sir Roderick Murchison had stayed three days in that house without noticing the drift, although it was facing him. At Fownhope, the church was visited, and the tympanum inserted under Cc 18 the east window was duly inspected. It was noticed that a stocks, or as Johnson explains it, ‘‘a prison for the legs,” still was to be seen, close to the churchyard gate. A pleasant stroll through the fields, past the dried up salmon pool, brought the party to the Scutterdine Quarries, and into the road where the address was given in the morning, thus making a circuit of the Westwood and Cherry Hills, which form the south east edge of the Woolhope basin. The carriages were in attendance at Mordiford, to bring the members of the Club back to dinner at the Green Dragon, after which the first thing done was to pass a vote of thanks to Mr. Merewether for his kindness in preparing and reading the papers. The Rev, James Davins, read an account of some customs, almost, if not quite, obsolete, which he considered peculiar to this county. Many of the usages that he spoke of were curious and very interesting; sin-eating at funerals, for instance, was a practice that nobody present had seen, though many had heard of it. Mr. RANKIN then read a very elaborate and carefully drawn-up paper on the ‘‘ Difficulties of estimating geological time.” Both these papers were listend to with great pleasure, and the cordial thanks of the meeting were unanimously voted to the gentlemen who had written them, THE REV. F. MEREWETHER’S PAPERS. Tue following papers were read by the Rev. F. Merewether, at the meeting of this club, on the 20th September. As we have stated, a large party drove to Mordiford; and the papers were read at a deep cutting on the left-hand side of the road leading to Haughwood, the party having by that time received several additions since its departure from Hereford. ‘*GEOLOGICAL DRIFTS OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD.” It is a source of great satisfaction to me that the Club has made its meeting here, because it gives me an opportunity of pointing out to the members the different beds of drift which I described in the paper I had the honour of reading some years ago on Backbury Hill; and the more so, as the facts I then stated were not only unsupported by any other authority, but are entirely opposed to the positive assertion of a statement which appears in the volume recording the transactions of the Club in 1866. In an article entitled “‘ Definitions of Districts with Notes on their Geology,” in describing the district of Woolhope, in the very first sentence are these words: ‘‘ Mordiford, at the north of this district, is well worthy of the attention of Geologists, as it is the only locality where any amount of débris is collected of the immense masses of rock that have been de- nuded.” This you will, to-day, have an opportunity of proving to be incorrect. But not only this writer, but even Sir R. Murchison must have been labouring 19 under the same delusion, or he never could have written the following. In allu- ding to Woolhope, he says: ‘‘One of the most striking features for the consider- ation of the Geologist is, that neither the central dome, nor the surrounding ridges, including the outer encircling ring of Ludlow rocks, offer a trace of drifted matter, or gravel, or even any remains of the various strata which must, in the process of elevation, have been demolished. All the débris resulting from the destruction of this once great solid mass has therefore been swept away, the tract being one of clean denudation.” And again, speaking of the great erosive power of water, he says: ‘‘ What other agency will account for so complete a denuda- tion, the broken materials having only found issue by one lateral gorge?” Seeing is believing, and to-day you will have the opportunity of disproving these assert- ions. In proceeding from this place I shall first call your attention to a develop- ment of drift, on the other side of the little stream of water running below us, called Pentelow, at the back of the Bell public-house, now, however, nearly hid by a faggot pile, though sufficient is still visible to justify the opinion that previous to the formation of the road, and the erection of the mill, it was part of the main body of drift, and was continuous. The road for some distance towards Serpent’s Lane on the left, about 200 yards from this spot, is cut through this drift. There is a curious tradition about this Serpent’s Lane; namely, that a large and fierce serpent, which lived in Haughwood, used to come down this lane every night to drink in the Wye. And I was often told when I came into this neighbourhood (now five and thirty years ago) that many persons recollected the effigy of a serpent or dragon painted on the wall inside the church at Mordi- ford. I have read in some old book that in the reign of Richard II. (I think it was) the road between Mordiford and Fownhope was rendered unsafe for travel- lers from the depredations of a noted robber who lived in the adjoining woods, and I strongly suspect this was the origin of the serpent. After passing this lane at the bottom of the hill just before coming to the bridge, there is on the left hand side a bank of drift upwards of 100 yards in length, and certainly 50 feet above the river, which runs immediately beneath the road on the right. This drift continues all the way to the Anchor public-house. About 300 yards further on, on the left hand side of the road, is another considerable section of drift, which has been cut through by the road. About the same distance, at the Brewery, now called the Rock House, there is a fine section of the Upper Ludlow rock. A little way further on, on the right, close to the river, is a large mass of drift. This will call for your especial attention, and, in my opinion, is the finest section of drift to be seen anywhere. It must, when first formed, have been of enormous dimensions. Even now, at the distance of 300 yards from the opening in the outer | ridge of the upheaval, it is at least 30 feet high, and from the contonr of the adjoining land, must have been of great extent. It cannot be supposed that when the drift was washed through that opening it assumed the scarped appearance now presented, but must have flowed onwards, and terminated in a talus. Judging from a quantity of drift which is now visible at a distance of at least 100 yards, from a bank of drift in the village of Fownhope (though the intermediate 20 part is gone), it is, I think, fair to assume that this immense bank of drift, which is so incalculably larger, must have extended, certainly, beyond the course of the present river, and in all probability for a considerable distance into the opposite meadow. All this, however, is now washed away. An inspection of this bank of drift will convince any beholder, as it has me, that there must have been more than one ontflowing of débiis, because we see the large and heavier pieces of stone resting on a layer of sand; whereas had both been deposited simultaneously, the stones, from their gravity, would have been at the bottom, and the lighter sand resting upon them, whereas the reverse of this is the case. In the village of Fownhope, about a quarter of a mile from this spot, is a bed of drift on the left hand side of the road, extending from the bridge opposite the Post-office to a draper’s shop nearly opposite the Green Man Inn. Those members who are fond of archeology will be well repaid for walking as far as the church, where, on the outside of the west end, is a curious sculptured Tympanum, similar to those at Stretton and Brinsop. I may here repeat what I stated in my former address, that wherever there is a notch or gorge in the outside edge of the valley of eleva- tion, there is sure to be a bed of drift opposite it—at least this holds good for the S.W. side. The only places where I have been able to discover drifts, are along the road leading from Mordiford to Fownhope, and the outflow appears to be confined entirely to this side of the valley of elevation; at least, thanks to the road, this is the only place where it is at present visible; for, from the gorge at Mordiford, where the Pentelow brook now runs, which is somewhere about N. W. from the village of Woolhope, proceeding round the valley of elevation, to the S.E., there is not, as far as I am aware, a single break or notch in the outside formation, through which it is at all likely that drift was ever washed. The road to Woolhope, from Fownhope, where we are now supposed to be, passes through a very distinct gorge, and down this, at the time of the elevation of the valley, supposing it to have taken place when covered by a sea, of which there is little doubt, an immense body of water must have rushed, scouring out the pass, and leaving no signs of drift, till the waters had room to expand themselves, as was the case under Mr. Lechmere’s house, where they have left the bank of drift last alluded to. Thus, gentlemen, I have brought you to Fownhope, and to the con- clusion of the remarks on what I have undertaken to point out to you; and I think, from the occular demonstration you have had, you will be disposed to admit that so large a body of drift as you have seen, is more extensive than any written description of this district would have led you to believe existed. But, besides these beds of drift which are visible, there is a tract of land close to the Court Farm, almost in the very centre of the valley of Woolhope, through which an open drain has been cut, and an opportunity has thus been given of proving that an area of two or three acres has been covered by drift. This, however, is not visible now, but during the dry weather in the summer is easily perceptible. To summarise the different drifts, we have, first, that at Mordiford, by the side of the road leading to Woolhope, through Haughwood; then the high and long bank of drift opposite the bridge leading to Holme Lacy; the drift at the turn of the road, 21 about 300 yards further on; the great mass of drift on the right hand side, where the river approaches close to the road; and the drift on the left hand side of the road, in the village of Fownhope, between a bridge over a small stream of water and a draper’s shop nearly opposite the Green Man Inn. ‘PROBABLE EXISTENCE OF AN EXTENSIVE LAKE THAT HAD AT SOME TIME FILLED UP THE VALLEYS OF THE WYE, LUGG, AND FROME.” There is another subject on which I wish to offer a few remarks, and if this were not in all probability the only opportunity I shall ever have of pointing out some of the features which tend to the formation of my belief, I should certainly abstain from doing so, It is my firm conviction that at some very distant period, long ago, the whole of the flat land extending from beyond Weston Beggard, under Longworth, Moreton, as far as Dinmore, part of Hampton and Rotherwas, the whole of Lugg Meadows, the land between Holme Lacy and the road we have travelled over to-day, extending to Capley (where, I conjecture, the dam was), the whole of this land, I repeat, was at one time covered with water and formed a large lake. My reasons for such an opinion are, that at the present time, in many places, the supposed banks, if I may so term them, show the abrupt appearance of having been water-washed. This is the case at Lugwardine, under Newcourt and Sir Herbert Croft’s house; at Tidnor, under Sufton on the bank between the road and the river Lugg, at Mordiford, Evenpit, thence under the road nearly to Fownhope, distinctly just above the Lea Brink, still more so bet- ween that place and the rock cottage; and again at and near Capley. These are allo the left bank of my supposed lake. On the right, under Dinmore hill, between it and the river Lugg, on the bank about half way between Moreton Station and Hereford, on both sides of the road leading from Hereford to Lug- wardine at the Lower House (Tupsley), just beyond Dinedor Court, on the red bank, both above and below it, under Holme Lacy Park, under a hop-ground belonging to a farm called Hollanton, and under Ballingham Wood to Capley. All these places have steep abrupt banks, and it is impossible to account for so level a surface as the intermediate land presents, except by the subsidence of mud held . in suspension in water, which by gravitation, would fall to the bottom, and thus form such a dead level. This could only take place in still water, which, when drained off, would leave a large soft muddy bottom, through which the rivers Wye, Lugg, and Frome would experience no difficulty in making a passage. The oppo- nents to this lake theory will say that the river is the cause of the accumulation of all this alluvial deposit, and that the abrupt and steep appearance of the bank at different places is caused by the river having changed its course, and run at different times over every part of the low ground. The same “‘running powers” must be conceded to the Lugg and Frome; and it is not consistent with proba- bility that these two small rivers should have taken such erratic courses, and have left an alluvial deposit 1000 times greater than that of the river Wye, which is five times as large as both of them put together. Rivers, in my opinion, do not alter the course to any great extent; they get deeper, that is, the bottom of the river 22 gets deeper from the level of the banks and whenever they encroach on the ad- joining land on either side, they leave on the opposite convex side of the bank a deposit of gravel or shingle, which in time is silted over and becomes meadow land, but there is always a visible mark left to show what has taken place, Granted, that a succession of floods might have accounted for the great amount of alluvial deposit ; this does not account for the abrupt appearance of the bank at different places ; the deposit brought down by floods would unquestionably have had a tendency to fill up the intermediate land, but not to scoop out the banks on either side, which bear evident appearance of having been water-washed, and at a level far higher than any floods have been known to extend. Such an event as I have endeavoured to demonstrate is not at all unlikely to have occurred. Just above the town of Kington, in this county, there is a farm called ‘‘ The Lake,” through which a little stream of water called the ‘‘ Back Brook” runs, with low flat ground on either side of it ; and close to the town there is a place called ‘‘ The Broken Bank.” These facts speak for themselves. The river Shannon runs, I believe, through a succession of lakes, and my firm belief is that the river Wye once did the same. There are evident marks of a lake below Glasbury, which, I think, extended nearly to the Hay. Again at Letton, on both sides of the river as seen from the railway bridge at Strangwood, extendimg under Caple wood and Lynedown to the Hole in the Wall, at Backney, Ross, Goodrich, and at Huntsham, which latter place is the limit tomy knowledge. But with respect to the subject of these observations, I think we may rest assured that God, in His own good time, saw fit by some operation of nature, as we call it, to drain off the water and ‘‘ bid the dry land appear,” and thus convert what was useless and barren into some of the best and richest land in this beautiful county. THE REV. JAMES DAVIES’S PAPER. Tue following is the full text of the Rev. James Davies’s paper, which was read at the meeting of the Woolhope Club, on the 20th September :— ‘OLD HEREFORDSHIRE CUSTOMS.” Although the overspread of railways has wrought such a change in the speed of the march of intellect, that probably not even the most old-fashioned English county can plead ignorance of the meaning of the word “ obsolescense,”— that is, the gradual dying out of old customs—I consider that Herefordshire, owing to its bad roads, absence of manufactures on a large scale, and purely agricultural population, must have had as good a field, both for possessing and retaining such, as most. If ‘‘trade’s unfeeling train,” which in a non-natural sense may for the nonce be taken to mean ‘‘the iron horse,” has now “ dispossessed the swain” of not a few of these, it is of less practical use to lament and regret them, than to en- deavour to gather the remembrance of them into a pious record, and to discrimi- nate between the good, bad, and indifferent, to the end that those which are capable—as some certainly are—of being utilised and applied, may revive, at any rate in the memory, whilst the others may either, where harmless, though vulgar, give food for our educated complacency, or, where simply superstitious, minister, 23 by their desuetude, to our practical growth of common sense and cultivation. Ido not doubt that many of the customs I am about to refer to, may have their counterparts in other counties, but it will not be supposed that Herefordshire’s title to them is unreal or shadowy, if in each case I can cite a locus in quo within the limits or on the frontier and border of the county in which we are met. In preparing a paper on the subject, it may be premised that I have been much beholden to Duncumb, the historian of the county; to Brand’s Popular Anti- quities ; The Book of Days; and last, not least, to Wotes and Queries. To begin then with Christmas, and not to dwell on the “ waits,” whose gatherings at that season, in other counties, are very graphically described in Mr. Hardy’s amusing novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, and who seem to have given place, in many parts, to the carollers, who more considerately allow their well-to- do neighbours to sleep till six o’clock in the morning, there are one or two special Herefordshire customs about that season, which still, to our knowledge, survive. On good St. Thomas’s Day (December 21), the old wives still go ‘‘a-Thomasing,” or, as Worcestershire folks would say, ‘‘a-corning,” in allusion to the custom both in that county and this, of their carrying a bag in which to receive in kind from the farmers and landowners, the contribution of corn, which is, we suspect, now generally commuted for a money dole. It was in my recollection, in the neigh- bourhood of Kington, on this day that some of the old women who went *4-Thomasing ” used to bring the good lady of the court the yarn which they had spun, and thereout to earn an honest penny in addition to the customary gratuity. I doubt whether mumming is really at all indigenous to Herefordshire; and of course, the yule log, Christmas carol, and like Christmas customs are too universal to demand special notice. Perhaps we ought to say, that though Herefordshire yields to no county in its customary decking its churches with ivy and holly at Christmas-tide, we have never heard of such a solecism and unseasonable addition as the poet Gay associated with them in his Zrivia (ii. 487). The mistle- toe, though that is quite a special growth and almost weed of the county, and not only furnishes truck loads to London, but finds its place in the kitchen, servants’ hall, and nursery of most of us, certainly does not help to deck our churches. Duncumb affirms that on Christmas Day it was reckoned bad luck if a female was the first to enter the house in the morning, and the same custom, with variations, is found to have existed in the North and elsewhere. His explanation, that “all thrifty housewives should be at their own household affairs,” seems scarcely a reason why the sterner sex should enjoy the monopoly of gadding about on that day especially. Upon the feast of Stephen, it was, and is still in old-fashioned farms, a Herefordshire rule to bleed the cattle; as it was in the days of John Aubrey, the 17th century chronicler, who, with his sire and kinsfolk, had property in Burghill and elsewhere in this county, to bleed also the cart horses. The true reason for this, is one which in these days we are sorry to find lost sight of. “With St. Stephen’s Day, are three days of rest,” says a writer of the middle of last century, ‘‘or at least two.” Are our modern tenants generally learned enough and sufficiently observant in the calendar to see the point of this? A more curious 24 custom was to be noticed in our boyhood, in several parts of this county, on the eve of Twelfth Day, I mean ‘‘ Burning the Bush.”