be ready to attend the members and visitors round the abbey, and point out the parts best worthy of their notice.

The Rev. CHARLES BOUTELL then proceeded to lecture on the monuments. The monuments, he said, formed a distinct feature of the abbey, differing from every other English ecclesiastical edifice. The abbey, in addition to its cathedral character, must be considered as being also a vast national monumental shrine. The monuments he would divide into two important classes-those which from their intrinsic character were suitable to such a place, and those which were introduced as works of art, but inconsistent with the character of the place, though not inconsistent as concerned the memory of illustrious individuals. He must guard himself, when speaking of monuments as inconsistent with the abbey, against being understood to detract from the memory of the persons commemorated. He only intended to speak of them as works of art, to make room for many of which the most beautiful details of architecture have been ruthlessly destroyed. As works of art, some of these monuments were worse than worthless, and room had been made for them by cutting away mouldings of the finest period of Gothic architecture. Many of the monuments combined interesting specimens of architecture, heraldry, wood-carving, and sculpture, together with all that was otherwise artistically admissible. He proceeded to notice the respective excellences of the tombs of Aymer de Valence, D'Aubigny, John of Eltham, Edward L., Henry III., and Queen Alianor, Queen Philippa, &c.

EVENING MEETING.

The REV. THOMAS HUGO, M.A. F.S.A. in the Chair.

In the evening a large proportion of the company re-assembled in the Architectural Museum; when

Dr. BELL read a paper on Regal Heraldic Badges.

The CHAIRMAN followed with a lecture on the structures which had preceded the present abbey, intended as an introduction to Mr. Scott's valuable and elaborate description of the existing edifice, to which reference has already been made.

Mr. Webb, Hon. Secretary, then read a letter from Mr. B. H. Cowper, upon the recent discovery of a Stone Coffin and Roman Pottery at Bow. (Printed at p. 193.)

Thanks were voted in conclusion to the Noble President, Lord Londesborough, for a liberal donation of £20 to the funds of the Society; to the Rev. Lord John Thynne, Sub-Dean of Westminster, for the courteous permission to visit the abbey, which his Lordship had kindly granted, and to the authors of the papers and lectures. We should here mention that a special mark of favour was shown to the Society upon this occasion. The great western doors were thrown open for the admission of the company, a cir

cumstance which has not occurred since the last coronation. The arrangements made by the authorities were excellent; and in conclusion the High Constable of Westminster (Mr. Owen), who was charged with the reception of the numerous party, performed his task with the utmost courtesy and to the satisfaction of all present.

The company did not separate till a late hour.

FIFTH GENERAL MEETING,

Held at the Gallery of British Artists, (in the occupation of the Architectural Exhibition,) Suffolk Street, Pall Mall East, on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1857,

The VERY REV. THE DEAN OF WESTMINSTER, Vice-President, in the Chair.

The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceedings, said that he appreciated most highly the studies which had brought them together that evening. It was his lot to be entrusted with the charge of one of the most interesting and venerable historical monuments of the middle ages in existence. He had joined the Society in order that he might have its advice and aid in his endeavours to bring to light and preserve the various relics of by-gone times with which the abbey abounded, and which others, in their well-meaning ignorance, had done their worst to obliterate and destroy. In arriving at these results, he knew that he should secure able and experienced counsel and assistance, and that he should thereby be enabled not only to do what ought to be done, but to know what was necessary and the mode in which it should be effected—a knowledge which was of primary importance in reference to such edifices. He concluded by observing that archæology, as now studied, tends to connect the present with the past, to foster a national and patriotic feeling, and to enable us to appreciate all that our ancestors had done for us and bequeathed to us. It was in this spirit that archæology was studied by this Society, and with these feelings he had gladly joined it.

The Rev. THOMAS HUGO, M.A., F.S.A., then read his paper, "Walks in the City. No. 1. Bishopsgate Ward," which will be found at page 149.

John Whichcord, Esq., F.S.A., in the absence of the author, EDWARD GRIFFITH, Esq., read a paper on "Middlesex at the time of the Domesday Survey," for which see page 175.

The Rev. C. BOUTELL, M.A., followed with some general remarks on the "Brasses in Westminster Abbey," which he illustrated by a very fine collection of rubbings which adorned the walls of the meeting-room.

The following resolutions were then passed :

Moved by the Chairman, and seconded by Captain Oakes, That the best thanks of the meeting be given to the authors of the papers.

By William Tayler, Esq. and Charles Baily, Esq., That the cordial

thanks of this meeting be offered to Lord Londesborough, and to other members, for their liberal donations to the Society.

By the Chairman and the Rev. Thomas Hugo, That the thanks of the meeting be tendered to G. B. Webb, Esq., Hon. Sec., for his valuable services as Honorary Secretary.

By the Rev. C. Boutell and Edward Richardson, Esq., That the best thanks of this meeting be given to the committee and officers of the Architectural Exhibition for the grant of the gallery now in their occupation.

A vote of thanks to the Very Rev. Chairman, for his able and courteous conduct of the business of the meeting, was moved by W. J. Thoms, Esq., F.S.A., and carried by acclamation.

The meeting then separated; the Chairman expressing a hope that the Society would soon pay a second visit to Westminster Abbey.

Objects and Works of Art exhibited.

By Mr. B. H. COWPER. Roman pottery from Bow.

By Mr. CLUTTERBUCK. A curious relic, which was purchased by him May 4, 1853, at a sale at St. Alban's, and which was asserted to have been taken from the ruins after the fire in the Tower of London. It is pronounced by the Rev. Dr. Rock to be "a Penitential Chain." An engraving of it will be found at the conclusion of the Proceedings, p. 210.

SIXTH GENERAL MEETING,

Held at the Tower of London, on Tuesday, July 21st, 1857.

The Right Hon. the LORD DE ROS, President for the day.

The noble Lord alluded, in the first instance, to the disastrous fire which occurred fifteen years previously, and stated that, in all the changes which had taken place since that date, it had been the most anxious desire of the authorities to preserve inviolate the original features of the edifices committed to their care,-an announcement which was most cordially received by the assembled Society.

The Rev. THOMAS HUGO then read a paper on the "History and Topography of the Tower," as an introduction to the examination of the various buildings.

Mr. Hugo divided his subject into two parts: a history of the fortress itself, and a survey of the ancient portions which yet remain. The former division commenced with an account of the erection of the White Tower, by Gundulf, Bishop of Rochester, under William the Conqueror, and included chronological notices of the various additions by subsequent

monarchs, together with a list of the more celebrated prisoners who have from time to time been immured within the walls. The latter placed before the company the actual disposition of the various towers, walls, bridges, moats, &c., and enabled it to understand the original arrrangement of the fortress, as well as the relative bearings of all the ancient portions which are still extant; a result which the vast masses of modern erections, for ordnance and other purposes, have on all sides availed to prevent. The great Keep, or White Tower, and the towers of the outer and inner ward, were then described in greater detail. The former consists, for the most part, of some lower apartments, now converted into armouries, and above these of the noble Council-chamber, and the interesting Chapel of St. John. The Council-chamber possesses a wooden roof, sustained by vast piers of the same material, but without mouldings or other ornament. The Chapel has a nave and aisles, separated from each other by an arcade of semicircular arches, without mouldings, which are supported by twelve columns and two half-columns. The form of the eastern extremity is apsidal; and it would appear that the otherwise rectangular outline of the building was purposely interfered with in order to give the Chapel this favourite peculiarity. Over the lower is an upper arcade, divided by a plainly chamfered string-course, which arcade opens into a gallery that occupies the space above the aisles. Among the smaller towers of the fortress, which the paper proceeded to notice, Mr. Hugo drew particular attention to the Bell Tower, the remains existing in which have never been figured, and appear to be unknown. Of this tower he promised a memoir, with accurate drawings, at the next Evening Meeting of the Society. He concluded with a cordial expression of thanks to the authorities, for the manner in which they had responded to the solicitations which the Council had commissioned him to offer in the Society's behalf.

The company, consisting of between seven and eight hundred, was then divided into ten parties, each of which, attended by a warder, proceeded by a different route to inspect the various points of interest. Each party was received, on arrival at the locality in question, by a member of the Council, stationed there for the purpose of furnishing the members with explanations of the several objects.

The duty, which was considerable, was divided as follows:White Tower.-In the Horse Armoury, was Mr. F. W. Fairholt. In the Chapel of St. John, Mr. Alfred White.

In the Council-chamber, the Rev. Thomas Hugo.

In the Beauchamp Tower, Mr. Charles Baily.

In the Wakefield Tower, Mr. Deputy Lott.

In the Jewel Tower, Professor Tennant and Mr. Garrard.

At Traitor's Gate, the Rev. Henry Christmas.

In the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, the Rev. Charles Boutell.

Each of these gentlemen had to tell his story ten times over before his labours were brought to a close!

A single visit was utterly insufficient for the multiplicity of interesting objects which had to be attended to and studied, and many of the members were unequal to the prolonged exertion. It was, nevertheless, a day of great enjoyment, and one which will be long remembered as full to overflowing of archæological interest.

The proceedings terminated with votes of the most cordial thanks to Lord Viscount Combermere, Lord de Ros, Lord Panmure, Colonel Whimper, Colonel Windham, Mr. Hardy, and Mr. Eaton, in acknowledgment of the courtesy with which they allowed the members of the Society and their friends access to the various departments of the Tower; and to the members of Council, together with Mr. Rammage and the warders, for carrying into effect the several arrangements.

SEVENTH GENERAL (SECOND ANNUAL) MEETING, Held in the House of the Society of Arts, Adelphi, on Thursday, July 23rd, 1857,

Mr. Deputy LOTT, F.S.A. in the Chair.

The proceedings of this Meeting were exclusively formal, and included the election of officers, and the adoption of the following

REPORT:

In this, their Second Annual Report, the Council of the London and Middlesex Archæological Society have to state that General Meetings of the Members and Friends of the Society have been held, during the past year, on July 24th, at Westminster Abbey; on February the 18th, in the evening, at the Gallery of the Architectural Exhibition in Suffolk Street; and on July 21st, at the Tower of London. These Meetings were all very numerously attended, and the proceedings on each occasion were evidently regarded with the utmost interest.

Reports of these gatherings, with the papers read at the Evening Meeting of February 18, will be printed in forthcoming Parts of the Transactions of the Society.

The first Part of the Transactions of the Society was published in October last, and copies have been supplied to the Members. There now remain on hand 276 copies.

Mr. G. B. Webb, the original Honorary Secretary, having intimated his wish to resign his office, and his resignation having been accepted with regret by the Council, the Rev. Charles Boutell, M.A. was appointed Honorary Secretary in his place, it having been decided that the financial condition of the Society would not at present authorise the appointment of a paid officer.

The Council have much pleasure in stating that the Society now numbers