mutilation of the body, would find general favour among HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE BUTE mourning friends and relations. The reader is referred to Gough's splendid work on "Sepulchral Monuments" for a list and a further account of heart-shrines in general. It may be here observed, however, that the engraved hearts which sometimes occur on brass memorials do not always imply the deposition of the heart beneath; although in some cases all doubt is removed | by the recording testimony of an inscription-plate. I am not aware of any exact counterpart of the curious shrines at Leybourn. There is, however, a brief notice of a discovery made in Landbeach church, Cambridgeshire, more than a hundred years ago, inserted in Gough's work, just mentioned, that would seem to bear quotation. AND NORFOLK FAMILIES. THE DESCENT OF THE LORDSHIP OF GLAMORGAN, THE following account of the descent of the lordship of II. Mabel, eldest daughter and co-heiress, married Robert Consul, Earl of Gloucester, builder of Cardiff Castle, bastard son of Edward I., by Nest, daughter of Rhys ap Tewdwr. Died 1147, 12 Stephen, and is buried in St. James's Monas tery, Bristol, which he founded. Issue It appears that the rector, on repairing the chancel of his church, in 1759, "found in the cavity of a pillar a human heart, wrapped up in something fibrous, like hair or wool, perhaps spikenard, and enclosed between two dishes or bowls of sycamore, or some soft wood cemented together by linen. The cavity of the pillar was covered by a square stone, carved with a rose; behind which was another stone, four inches and a quarter by three inches three quarters, and one inch thick, cemented to the first with pitch." It was sup-afterwards king. He repudiated her, and gave up the posed that this heart belonged to some Crusader, or founder, or to Chamberlayn or Bray, lords of the manor at Landbeach. The reader will gather from this account, I think, that there must have been a similarity between this heart-shrine and that at Leybourn, so far as regards the actual shrines, although the external accessories evidently presented quite distinct peculiarities. Before bringing this paper to a close, I wish to draw attention to an important discovery that was made in Holbrook church, near Ipswich, about ten years since, during the restoration of the fabric. Beneath the breast of a diminutive effigy, about 18 inches in length, which occupied a small arched recess in the north wall of the chancel, a circular cavity was found in the substructure; and in this cavity was a covered vessel of brass, rather fragmentary, but originally 5 inches in diameter and 5 inches high. The cover to this vessel terminated in an acorn-shaped knob, and the vessel itself contained dust of an aromatic odour. "The cavity was carefully cut and neatly finished; the vase fitted precisely to it, so that the knob on its cover would almost touch the under surface of the slab upon which the figure is carved." The little effigy appears to have been much battered and defaced, but it retains "sufficient indications of its original condition to lead to the conclusion that it was one of those miniature effigies, mostly represented as cross-legged, which we meet with at that period," i.e., at the time of Edward I.* III. William, Earl of Gloucester, died 1173, buried at Keynsham Abbey, married Hawise, daughter of Robert (Bossu), Earl of Leicester. Issue-1, Robert, born and died at Cardiff, s.p.; 2, Mabel; 3, Amicia; 4, Isabella. IV. Isabella, daughter and co-heiress, married, first, John, honour of Gloucester, but kept Bristol Castle; second, Geoffrey de Magnaville, Earl of Essex; third, Hubert de Burgh, chief justice of England, leaving no children her estates passed to her sister. having married the Earl of Evreux in Normandy, and her V. Mabel, lady of the honour of Gloucester; she died, only son dying without issue, left as sole heir her sister. VI. Amicia, who married Richard de Clare; he died 1211, and is buried at Clare. Issue VII. Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford; died 1229 (14 H. III.), in Little Britain; buried in the choir at Tewkesbury; married Isabella, third daughter and co-heiress of William Marshall the elder, Earl of Pembroke. Issue VIII. Richard, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford; born 1221; died 14th July, 1261 (46 H. III.); buried at Tewkes bury; married Matilda, daughter of John de Law, Earl of Lincoln. Issue IX. Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, surnamed the "Red," born 1243, at Christ Church, Hants; died at Monmouth Castle, December, 1295 (24 Edward I.); buried at Tewkesbury; married (18 Edward I.) Joan of Arc, daughter of Edward I. (who re-married Ralph de Monthermer). Pier Gaveston, and afterwards Hugh de Audley; 4, ElizaIssue-1, Gilbert; 2, Eleanor; 3, Margaret, married first beth, foundress of Clare Hall, who married first, John de Burgh, son and heir to the Earl of Ulster; second, Theobald Vernon, and afterwards Roger d'Amory. X. Gilbert, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, slain at Tewkesbury. He married Matilda, daughter of John de Bannockburn, 1314, 7 Edward II., aged 23, buried at Burgh (died 1315), and had one son, John, who died before his father. Although we have no effigy at Leybourn, and no carved XI. Eleanor de Clare, eldest daughter and co-heiress, stone shrines at Holbrook, both of these heart memorials married (13 Edward II.), Hugh le Despencer, Earl of Glou occupy recesses which exhibit characteristics pointing to a Edward II. Hanged and quartered 1326; buried at Tewkescester, son of Hugh, Earl of Winchester, chamberlain to period of execution not very widely separated; and it is well, bury. Issue-1, Hugh; 2, Edward; 3, Gilbert. Eleanor therefore, perhaps, to consider them together, notwith-re-married William la Zouch, of Mortimer, who was buried standing that many of their other features have nothing in common, and that more than a general comparison is out of the question. E. H. W. DUNKIN. Kidbrooke Park Road, Blackheath, Archæological Journal, vol. xxi. p. 89. at Tewkesbury. Eleanor was prisoner with her family in the Tower until 5th February, 1-2 Edward III. XII. Hugh le Despencer, Baron le Despencer. He broke into the Scheldt in the naval battle of Sluys; died s. p. February, 1349; buried at Tewkesbury. He married Eliza beth, daughter of Hugh Montacute, Earl of Salisbury, and widow of Guy de Brian; she is buried at Tewkesbury. XIII. Edward le Despencer died before his brother, 16 Edward III.; married Anne, daughter of Henry, Lord Ferrars, of Groby. Issue XIV. Edward le Despencer, heir to his uncle, Lord of Glamorgan, 17 Edward III. Made his will at Llanblethian Castle, 1375, 49 Edward III., and shortly afterwards died at Cardiff Castle, seized of the Castle of Caerphilly; burried at Tewkesbury; married Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of Bartholomew Baron Burghersh, who died 1409, and is buried at Tewkesbury. She had, in dower, the castle and town of Caerphilly, and the territory of Senghennydd above and below Taff. Their eldest son, Edward, died at Cardiff, aged twelve years. XV. Thomas le Despencer, Earl of Gloucester, younger son and finally heir, obtained the reversal of the attainder of his great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather, 1397; created Earl of Gloucester 1397, attainted and beheaded at Bristol, 1. Henry IV., 1400; buried at Tewkesbury; married Constance, daughter of Edmund Langley, Duke of York, son of Edward III. Issue-1, Richard, died aged eighteen years, sp.; 2, Elizabeth, died young at Cardiff, buried at St. Mary's Church; 3 Isabella. XVI. Isabella, final heir; born at Cardiff; buried at Tewkesbury; married first, 1411, Richard Beauchamp, son and heir of William, Lord Abergavenny, Earl of Worcester; killed, buried at Tewkesbury. Issue-Elizabeth, born 16th September, 1415, married Edward, son of Rafe Nevil, Earl of Westmoreland, and had issue-George Nevill. Isabella married second, by dispensation, Richard Beauchamp, first cousin to her first husband, Earl of Warwick. He died at Rouen in 1344. Issue-1, Henry; 2, Anne. XVII. Henry Beauchamp, Lord le Despencer, Duke of Warwick, died 1446, aged twenty-two, buried at Tewkes bury; married Cecilia, daughter of Richard Nevill, Earl of Salisbury. She re-married Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester; died 1450, buried at Tewkesbury. Their daughter, Annie Beauchamp, died 1449, aged six years. XVIII. Annie, sister and heiress to Henry Beauchamp, died 1418, aged thirty-two; married Richard Nevill, Earl of Salisbury and Warwick, sixth son of Richard, Earl of Salisbury. Issue-three daughters; I, Isabel, married George, Duke of Clarence; 2, Mary; 3 Annie, who married first, Edward, Prince of Wales, and secondly, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, afterwards Richard III. Upon Richard's death the estates passed to Henry VII.. by whom the lordship of Glamorgan was granted to Jasper, Duke of Bedford, at whose death, in 1495, it escheated to the crown, where it remained until Edward VI. granted it in the fourth year of his reign to (1) William, Earl of Pembroke, Baron Herbert of Cardiff, who was the son of Sir Richard Herbert of Ewyas, the natural son of that earl who was beheaded in 1469. From Earl William the lordship of Glamorgan, including Caerphilly, came to his son (2) Henry, second earl; died 1601, having married for his third wife, Mary, daughter of Sir Henry Sidney, and leaving by her (3) I, William, third earl, 1630, married Mary, daughter of the Earl of Shrewsbury, and had issue, Henry, who died young (4); 2, Philip, brother and heir, fourth earl, and Earl of Montgomery, who left issue by Susan, daughter of Edward, Earl of Oxford (5); Philip, fifth earl, who married first, Penelope, daughter of Sir Richard Naunton, and had issue (6), William, sixth earl; and, secondly, Catherine, daughter of Sir William Villiers, and had issue (7); Philip, seventh earl, 1683, who married Henrietta de Querouaille; and (8) 2, Thomas, eighth earl. Philip, seventh earl, left issue (9), Charlotte, heiress of Usk Castle. who married first, John, Lord Jefferies, 1702, and left Henrietta, who married the Earl of Pomfret; and, secondly, Thomas, Viscount Windsor, Baron Mountjoy, 1738, and by him had issue (10), Herbert, Viscount Windsor, &c., who married Alice, daughter of Sir John Clavering, and had issue (11), I, Charlotte Jane, who married John, Marquis of Bute, "Giraldus Cambrensis," Sir R. C. Hoare, ii, 373. Baron Cardiff, &c.; and 2, Alice Elizabeth, who married the Marquis of Hertford. Charlotte Jane had issue (12), John, Lord Mountstuart, who married Elizabeth Penelope, daughter and heiress of Patrick, Earl of Dumfries, and left issue (13), the late Marquis of Bute and Lord James Stuart. The Marquis died 1848, leaving an only son and heir-John Patrick Crichton Stuart, third Marquis of Bute. THE HOUSE OF BUTE The history of the House of Bute in its earliest stages is that of the regal family of Stuart. Pinkerton, the historian of Scotland, speaking of the rise of this illustrious but unfortunate race, says that we have no certain evidence concerning it until the reign of David I., when Walter, the son of Alan, appears as Steward (Dapifer) of Scotland. He was succeeded in his high office by the second Walter. It does not seem as though either of these three were remarkable for the possession of any prominent qualities, but Alexander, the next in order, took a distinguished part in portion of the 13th century. the public affairs of the kingdom of Scotland in the earlier In the year 1258 he became one of the Regents of Scotland during the minority of Alexander III. In 1263, Haco, King of Norway, invaded the kingdom at the head of a powerful fleet and army, and landed near the village of Largs, where he was attacked and defeated by the Scottish troops. Pinkerton asserts that the Scots were led by the High Steward, who is said by some authorities to have been killed in the engagement. After the unhappy termination of the life of Alexander III. by a fall from his horse whilst riding in the dusk of the evening along the sea coast of Fife, at a spot which, after the lapse of 600 years, is still known by the name of the "King's Crag," Scotland was for many a long day the scene of anarchy and tumult. Wyntoun, in his " Cronikyl," thus describes the state of the country : Ouhen Alysandyr, our Kyng, was dede, Succour Scotland, and remede land into subjection to England, and met with temporary The English King, Edward I., attempted to reduce Scotsuccess, owing to the distracted state of the northern kingdom. His efforts were sturdily resisted by the champion of Scottish independence, Sir William Wallace, the Knight of Ellerslie, with whom was associated for a time James, the High Steward of Scotland, who had the honour of being specially excepted from the amnesty proclaimed by Edward Wallace suffered defeat, in consequence, as is alleged, of after the fatal battle of Falkirk, in which Sir William the treachery of some of the Scottish nobles. James does not appear to have taken any part in the struggles of Robert Bruce. He died in the year 1309, after a life of 66 years—a somewhat lengthened span of existence in those turbulent days. His son Walter was a faithful adherent of the Bruce, whose only daughter, Marjory, became his wife, and from who afterwards ascended the throne of Scotland under the this marriage sprung Robert, the first of the Royal Stuarts, title of Robert II. This king was the father of the founder of the illustrious house of Bute. The Stuarts of Bute occupied for many generations a position which would, perhaps, be more correctly described by the term "respectable" than by the more ambitious epithet applied to them above. It is curious," writes quaint old Pinkerton, "to reflect on a family.thus springing at a remote period from a regal origin sinking into the feudal lords of a barren island, where," as has been well expressed, 'they slept for ages in the silent shades of heraldry; " then, after emerging amongst the nobles of a dependent kingdom, rising in the third generation to the pinnacle of power, and COUNTIES. [FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT.] UNDOUBTEDLY this is the age for church restoration, at all events, in this part of the country. Last year saw many ruined temples raised into places fitted for the high purpose for which they are dedicated; and this year's spring has scarcely begun before we hear of another of those interesting and suggestive ceremonies which go to prove that the spirit of pious munifi cence to which we owe the fine old parish churches of our land -those "spires of merrie England," that form the central died out from among us. Ruins, interesting as they are, and doubly so in an antiquarian point of view, yet are objects decay and change; therefore, I cannot but hail with satis giving rise to sadness or regret, and carry their lessons of faction the restoration from the hand of Time of any edifice which may be of use to mankind, although I can quite believe that some ruin-hunters might look on the restoration as no better than a work of desecrating Vandalism. attaining the ministry of a great empire of whose splendour ANTIQUARIAN GOSSIP OF THE EASTERN and extent their regal ancestors never in their proudest moments could dream. Everything which relates to the family is at the present moment of general interest; but it would not be within the scope of the sketch we are giving to enter minutely into the details of the Bute pedigree in those ages during which the energies of the race were comparatively dormant. It will be enough to say that the Stuarts of Bute form an unbroken line in male descent from the time of John, the son of Robert II., to that of Queen Anne, upon whose accession to the throne Sir James Stuart of Bute was named a Privy Councellor, and appointed one of the commissioners on the part of Scotland to treat of a nearer union with Eng-figure of so many charming rural scenes has not wholly land, A D. 1702, which did not at this time take effect. In the year 1703 Sir James was raised to the peerage. He was created Earl of Bute, Viscount Kingarth, Lord Mount Stuart, Cumra, and Inchmarnock. In 1706 his lordship opposed the Union with all his might, and finding that a majority of Parliament was in favour of it, he witndrew from the House, and retired to his country seat, and dying in the year 1710, was succeeded by his eldest son, James, the second Earl, who married Anne, daughter of Archibald, first Duke of Argyll, and had two sons, John (his successor), and James who succeeded to his great-grandfather's (Sir George Mackenzie) extensive estates, and assumed the additional surname of Mackenzie. This gentleman, the representative of different Scottish shires in Parliament from 1742 to 1784, was constituted Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, in 1763, and sworn of the Privy Council. He married his cousin, Lady Elizabeth Campbell, 4th daughter of John, 2nd Duke of Argyll, immortalized by Pope in the following couplet : Argyll, the State's whole thunder borne to weild, Prittlewell, one of the pleasantest of old-fashioned vil lages in Essex, possesses a most beautiful and venerable parish church, for centuries past used as a landmark (being largest and fairest in the hundred," which appears to be a near Southend), and described in the ancient records as "the fact, it being no less than 170 ft. in length. The church consists of nave and chancel, with south aisle running almost the whole length, a fine west tower, and south porch. At first view little is seen of earlier date than the 15th century, a great part of the church, including the whole of the south aisle, south side of the chancel and the tower, having been entirely rebuilt at that period. Internally, the three westernmost arches, dividing the nave from the aisle, date from the Her ladyship died without surviving issue in 1799, and 13th century, and the recent restoration has disclosed the Mr. Stuart Mackenzie died within nine months afterwards interesting fact that these arches are cut through a wall of of grief. Leaving no male issue, the succession to the ex-windows, erected, probably, not later than the first years of much greater age, and containing remains of early Norman tensive estates of the right hon. gentleman in Scotland fell to be regulated by an entail, executed by Sir George Mac- the 12th century. The north wall of the chancel also conkenzie in 1689. Notwithstanding that he was the first tains traces of early work outside, where there is the reliev lawyer of the age, Sir George's settlements were so ambiguing arch of a doorway (now blocked up), formed partly of ously worded that his estates were claimed by the Hon. Roman tiles. The tower is a fine one, terminating at the James Archibald Stuart Wortley, next brother of the first angles in octagonal pinnacales-features not common in this Marquis of Bute, and father of the first Lord Wharncliffe, county and opens to the church by a very lofty and bold and also by Lord Herbert Windsor Stuart, second son of arch. The body of the church is somewhat low in its prothe Marquis. The judgment of the Court of Session in portions, being destitute of clerestories, except at the east Scotland, in favour of Mr. Wortley, was appealed to, and end of the nave, where two bays were carried up apparently affirmed by the House of Lords in 1803. to give more height and space for the rood loft. The battlemented parapets are handsomely executed in alternate squares or chequers of flint and stone. Before the restoration was commenced, the building had fallen into a very THE new Antiquarian Reprinting Society, or Hunterian unseemly and dilapidated condition, much decayed extern Club, at Glasgow, is fast filling up its list of 200 members, ally by the weather, and internally blocked up by miserable to which number it is limited; and it now has printed, and high pews and disfigured by flat ceilings. The tower was nearly ready for its first issue, the following four rare works shut off and its arch hidden by a gallery. The east window of the satirist, Samuel Rowlands, namely, "Greenes of the chancel was blocked up, and the east end of the south Ghost-Haunting Conicatchers," 1602; Humors Looking aisle enclosed to form a vestry. A scheme for thorough Glasse," 1608; "The Knaue of Clubbes," 1609, and “A restoration was prepared by the architect, but the work was Payre of Spy Knaues," 1613 (?); and two most scarce little not actually begun until the spring of last year, when the volumes of the Scoto-Briton Alexander Craig, his "Amorose vicar had raised funds for those portions of the work most Songes, Sonets and Elegies," 1606, and his "Poetical Re-pressingly needed to render this once noble church again a creations," 1609. Besides a complete collection of Row-fitting place for divine worship. The work of restoration, lands s works-a collection never yet made, and which no which is in admirable keeping with the original architectural one library in the world possesses, the Hunterian Club in- details, has been carried out under the suprintendence of Mr. tends to print the whole of the famous Bannatyne MS. Evan Christian, architect, of Whitehall-place. Permission has been granted, and the Club hopes to have ready this year the first of the three volumes of which the work will consist.-Athenæum. M. EUGENE HUCHER, director of the Archæological Museum at Le Mans, has just ready for publication the second part of his "L'Art Gaulois," consisting of careful drawings of Gaulish coins, with descriptive letterpress and comments. MR. M'LEAN has formed a collection of English and foreign oil-paintings, which were exhibited at his gallery, in the Haymarket, last Monday. AT the Burlington Club, friends of members may view a fine collection of proofs and prints of Turner's "Liber Studiorum," and many remarkable Limoges enamels. THE EARLY USE OF GUNPOWDER, OR horror. Then all on a sudden a strong light darted in upon PULVIS FULMINANS. them. This quickly disappeared, and was followed with a terrible noise like thunder. Fire again fell down like light THE exact period when the art of manufacturing gun-ning, which, by its continual flashes, struck terror into the powder was first brought into existence in this country does not appear easy to determine. The general belief is, that Roger Bacon, a monk of the Franciscan order, who flourished in the middle of the 13th century, first clothed in unintelligible language the name of gunpowder, which he said was formed with sulphur, nitre, and charcoal, as if he anticipated the devastations which its discovery was to bring upon posterity. In all probability, the attention of Roger had been arrested by the explosive nature of the aurum or pulvis fulminans, which, when ignited, produced a terrible shock attended by a loud report. The pulvis fulminans and the aurum, "produce their effect principally downwards, in which they differ from gunpowder, which acts in orbem; but principally upwards.' It is very evident that the discoveries and the more accurate experiments of many of the present day, pay tributes of gratitude and reverence to this father of philosophy. Bacon was well acquainted with the structure of an air-pump, and with the laws of optics as well as the power of glasses, and the preparation of phosphorus. This friar mentions the composition of gunpowder in express terms in his treatise "de Nullitate Magia," published at Oxford, circa 1216, eg., "You may raise thunder and lightning at pleasure, by only taking sulphur, nitre, and charcoal, which, in a close place, cause a noise and explosion greater than that of a clap of thunder." Polydore Virgil ascribed the invention of gunpowder to a monk of Fribourgh, named Constantine Alenzen; but Bellesoret and other authors hold it to be Bartholdus Schwartz (or the black); at least, it is affirmed that he taught the use of it to the Venetians, in the year 1380, during the war with the Genoese; and that it was first employed in a place called Fossa Clodia, against Laurence de Medicis. Peter Mexia rather clashes against this statement in his various readings. He affirms that the Moors being besieged in 1343 by Alphonsus XI., king of Castile, discharged a sort of iron mortars upon them, which made a noise like thunder. Don Pedro mentions the people of Tunis as having in use at a very early period a sort of iron tuns or barrels, "wherewith they threw thunder-bolts of fire." Du Cange adds that there is mention made of gunpowder in the registers of the chambers of account in France as early as the year 1338. In the inventory of munitions of war, provided by the City of London, temp. Edward III. 1339 the following entry occurs:-" Also in the chamber of Guildhall there are six instruments of latone, usually called ' Gonnes,' | and five rolers to the same. Also, pellets of lead for the same instruments, which weigh four-hundredweight and a half; also thirty-two pounds of powder for the said instrument." Among the arcana of nature which our Druids were acquainted with, there are many presumptive, if not positive proofs, for placing the art of making gunpowder, or artificial thunder and lightning: though, like all their other mysteries, they kept the invention of it a secret. Some learned men allow that the priests of Delphos were in possession of this art; though, for the service of their god and the interest of their own order, they kept it a mystery; The storm of thunder and lightning, which, in three several attempts made to rob their temple, kindled in the face of their invaders as they approached it, and drove back with loss and terror, both Xerxes and Brennus, cannot be imagined any other than this. Providence cannot be sup. posed to have taken such concern in the preservation of that idolatrous edifice as to work a series of miracles so seasonably in its favour. It is, however, very obvious that it was this secret which constituted the most wonderful part of them. The probationers who were to be initiated, were led into a part of the temple that was full of darkness and #14 'Mems. of London," by H. T. Riley, M.A. p. 205. + Vide Temple's "Miscell." trembling spectators.* The cause of this artificial lightning and thunder is plain. And if the priests of Delphos or the lazy monks of later times could find out such an art, which the old Chinese philosophers are said to have been acquainted with, and which seems to have made a part in the mystery of the Egyptain Isis, why may not those great searchers into nature, the Druids, be entitled to a hearing on the subject? Lucan, in his satirical description of the Druidical grove, near Marseilles, observes that, "there is a report that the grove is often shaken and strangely moved, and dreadful sounds are heard from its caverns; and that it is sometimes in a blaze without being consumed." In the poem of Dargo, the son of the Druid of Bel, phenomena of a similar nature are mentioned. No ordinary meteor would have been so much noticed by the poet, nor so much dreaded by the people. In a wellknown fragment of Ossian, in which he speaks of some arms fabricated by Luno, the Scandinavian Vulcan, the sword of Oscar is distinguished by this epithet, and compared to the flame of the Druids, which shows that there was such a flame.† Mr. Maurice states that, in his opinion, the Hindoos had the knowledge of gunpowder even from the most remote antiquity. In this he is supported by Mr. Crawford.‡ To say no more, it appears that our Roger knew of gunpowder a century and a half before Schwartz was born. It also appears, from the preface to the "Code of Gentso Laws," 1776, that gunpowder was known to the inhabitants of Hindostan (supra) far beyond all periods of investigation. Captain F. Smith, R.A (formerly of Waltham Abbey), has compiled a very excellent "Handbook on the Manufacture and Proof of Gunpowder, as carried on at the Royal Gunpowder Factory, Waltham Abbey." This work, of course, does not enter into the probabilities attending discovery of the art, but exhibits every feature connected with the practical (modus operandi) working of each ingredient in a very concise and interesting manner. Churchyard, Waltham Abbey. RESTORATIONS. W. WINTERS. ALVESCOTT.-During the restoration of the parish church the following remains were discovered, and have been preserved :—An altar slab, reredos, Easter sepulchre and aumbrey, double sanctus bell nitch, leper's window with two book ledges in thickness of the wall adjoining, two squints from north and south chantries, piscina, reliquary, and three consecration crosses. The old 15th century panels in the south transept, alternate red and blue, with gilded stars and bosses, were too rotten, owing to past neglect, for present restoration; but the new roof of the transept has been so arranged that at any time the panels may be reproduced and set on the inner face, so as to restore the old appearance. been restored. The church is a fine specimen of the Late CATTERICK.-The parish church at Catterick, Yorks, has Perpendicular style, and a remarkable circumstance connected with it is, that the original contract for building it has been preserved, bearing the date of 1412, being the earliest building contract written in the English language. The old clerestory, which was in a decayed state, has been removed, and a new clerestory substituted, in which are has been relieved of coats of paint, and turns out to be of ranged windows consisting of double quatrefoils. The font fine marble, bearing the arms of the founders of the church. * Diod. Sicul. & Plut., Hist. Athens. WELSH ARCHEOLOGY. "ON THE ANCIENT DWELLINGS OF ANGLESEY, CALLED WHILE the battle is still raging between the two parties of done so, As the subject is of extreme interest, and rather extensive, I will proceed at once to a description of the remains and their contents, and finally attempt to arrive at some definite conclusions as to their age and use. In Holyhead Island there are to be seen numerous low circular mounds, covered with turf and gorse, which generally The clearing of the turf from the first hut took place in the autumn of 1862, when Mr. Albert Way and the Hon. W. O. Stanley superintended the operation. "On clearing out one of the most perfect of those circular mounds, which stood by itself apart from the other clusters of huts, they found that the interior had been divided across the centre by a line of flat stones, placed upright in the ground on the floor of the hut. They were about 2 feet high, 2 inches thick; there was a passage left in the middle and to the right; on entering the space inside this division, there was a square fireplace, formed on two sides by flat stones or jambs, placed at right angles to the division before mentioned, and forming the back of the fireplace. It was about 18 inches wide, and 2 feet deep, open in front. When first discovered, it was half filled with round stones and flat pebbles about the size of the hand, which had been collected from the sea-shore; all these had the undoubted marks of having been heated in the fire. There was, too, the appearance of great heat having been applied to the sides and back slab of the fireplace, but we noticed FIG. 1.-HUT CIRCLE, ONE OF THE CYTTIAU'R GWYDDELOD, AT TY MAWR, ON HOLYHEAD MOUNTAIN, ON THE enclose a space of from 15 to 20 feet in diameter, with an The position in which these remains are found is invariably sheltered by rising ground from the north east winds, and have a protection from hostile attacks by rude walls of dry masonry or by precipitous rocks.† Memoirs on Remains of Ancient Dwellings, in Holyhead Island, mostly of circular form, called Cyttiau'r Gwyddelod, explored in 1862 and 1868. London: Printed for the author, and published by J. Bain, 1, Haymarket; and by Minchull & Hughes, Chester. 1871. +1. c. 1st Memoir, p. 1. no remains of charcoal or ashes mixed with the stones. On the right of the fireplace, in a niche made in the outer wall of the hut, we found some handfuls of limpet and periwinkle shells, no doubt relics of the food of the inmates. A saddle-shaped quern of coarse grit, and two rubbing. stones or grinders of the same gritstone, were found on the floor of the hut: also a small perforated circular stone, about one inch in diameter, of the kind usually supposed to have been wheels for spinning. A core of hard trap had the appearance of having been chipped to obtain flakes for arrow-heads: here and there other stones had indications on them, as having been used as hones for sharpening celts or other instruments for pounding substances used as food, or breaking bones to extract the marrow." also, the division in the centre noticed has not been disIn this hut remain no trace of pottery or iron was found; covered in the other huts explored. Through the kindness of the Hon. W. O. Stanley, I am enabled to give the also the illustrations of other discoveries, to which I shall elevation and ground plan of the hut circles explored, and have occasion to refer. 1. c. pp. 3, 4. |