WELSH ARCHEOLOGY. CWYTTIAU'R GWYDDELOD.' WHILE the battle is still raging between the two parties of archæologists, whose views may be designated pre-Roman and post-Roman, as far as regards the recent work on "Rude Stone Monuments," by Mr. Ferguson, I would wish to direct the attention of the readers of the Antiquary to one branch of pre-historic archæology, fortunately not entered into by Mr. Ferguson in the work just mentioned: had he do e so, I should not feel any great surprise at finding him ready with an Arthurian hypothesis, which would be considered, probably, to embrace in its novel fashion the ancient dwellings of Anglesey. The clearing of the turf from the first hut took place in "ON THE ANCIENT DWELLINGS OF ANGLESEY, CALLED 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 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 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 Isiand, 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. Explanation.—A, door-post and entrance, width 3 feet; B, passage into the hut, width 6 feet; C C and D D, partitions of upright slabs; E, cooking chamber and fireplace; F, chamber, at the corner of which lay a grinding-stone, G, near a fireplace, as supposed, H; also a spindle-wheel, I; J, a second grinding-stone; K, supposed fireplace. From measurements by Mr. T. P. Elliott, of Penrhos. The hut circles, of which about fifty have been thoroughly explored, have no regular plan in their arrangement, but some are like the dog-kennels" of Kerry, otherwise called cloghauns stone castles,* which have at the sides smaller circular structures communicating with them in the inside, which probably served as additional rooms. The similarity between the Irish Cloghauns and the Welsh Cyttiau'r Gwyddelod is striking so far as both have their entrances facing the south-east, and large stones serving as door-posts. In some instances the door-posts are missing. The village, for such as it undoubtedly was, explored at Ty Mawr, is situate on a flat terrace, about 60 yards wide on the north-east, but double that width on the north-west, and is defended on the north side by a cliff about 25 feet high. The ground falls gradually towards the south, from which there is a grand view over Anglesey. The sea, with the Irish coast, and the Wicklow mountains, are frequently visible. B E The skill by which the alleged Irishmen, the inhabitants of this village, defended their position, is displayed in the manner they turned to advantage the natural unevenness of the slopes forming the foundation of the village. At the extremities of the slopes there are small rocky ridges, which have been strengthened by a double wall of rough stones; flat stones being fixed in the ground in two rows, and smaller stones built in between. In addition to this defence, there are two mounds, also FIG. 2.-GROUND PLAN OF A HUT CIRCLE AT TY Mawr, excavated IN strengthened by similar walls, and defending each flank of the village. There are two natural bastions on the east end, also strengthened by a wall, and between them a grassy slope leads to the lower terrace, apparently enabling the inhabitants, if forced from the upper slopes, to retreat under cover of these defences, into a main stronghold. † At Inys Benlas (ynys = island; Pen-head; las-blue).‡ | which is a detached rock on the shore, to the south-west of the huts, by Tyn y Nant, there has been discovered, by the Hon. W. Ó. Stanley, the remains of a line of defence, which was traced crossing the road above Ty Mawr farm, and proceeding along the mountain ridge to Meini Meilion, and on to the precipitous part of the mountain, with the stronghold on its summit. OCTOBER, 1862. 5 PROCEEDINGS OF SOCIETIES. 10 FEET [Secretaries of Archeological and Antiquarian Societies through. out the Kingdom will confer a favour by forwarding to the Editor of this Journal all Notices and Reports of Meetings, and also their Periodical Publications.] [LONDON.] SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES. A MEETING was held on Thursday, April 11, when C. S. Mr. T. Fry exhibited and presented a lithograph of a fresco at Kelston church, near Bath; and Mr. M. H. Bloxam, a lithograph of a megalithic monument in Warwickshire. Mr. M'Kenny Hughes laid before the society specimens of the crag fossils of sharks' teeth, in connection with which some very sensational paragraphs have recently appeared in the papers. Mr. Hughes maintained that the perforations in these teeth, which it had been alleged are due to human agency, are in reality due to natural causes. Mr. Hughes also exhibited a lodestone found after a flood in the course of a torrent near Corwen, North Wales, and a rushlightholder, which belonged to Twmornant, a Welsh poet of last century. Mr. T. Micklethwaite exhibited and presented two photographs of the shrine of St. Alban, recently discovered at St. Alban's Abbey; also, a copper church-candlestick, dug up in Somersetshire, and inscribed round the base with the words, "Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judæorum." Mr. E. Peacock exhibited an inventory of the goods of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, dated 26 Hen. VIII. in assisting the Rev W. C. Lukis in making plans and Sir J. Dryden, Bart., who for three summers had engaged drawings, to scale, of the megalithic remains of Brittany, his successor, and advanced some arguments to prove the exhibited a large collection of these drawings, and ex- generally accepted classification of these coins to be incorrect. plained the principles on which they had been executed, as well as the results at which he and Mr. Lukis had arrived with respect to some of the moot points connected with their history and construction. A MEETING was held on Thursday, April 18, when C. S. Mr. W. H. Hart exhibited a collection of twenty-six volumes, containing, in manuscript and in print, the Cartulary of St. Peter's Monastery, Gloucester. Mr. W. H. Bloxam exhibited miscellaneous antiquities, Roman, Saxon, and Mediæval, from Warwickshire. Mr. Nichols communicated notes on a very early armorial tile, lately found within the church of West Bromwich, Staffordshire. Mr. Coote read a paper "On a Test of certain Centural Stones," in the confirmation of the views which he had put forward on the subject on an earlier occasion. [PROVINCIAL.] BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND INSTITUTE. Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, Second Series, vol. iv. pp. 21-36. ARCHEOLOGICAL SECTION. - On Thursday, the 18th ultimo, a paper was read by Mr. J. R. Holliday, "On King's Norton Church." Mr. Holliday having referred to the fact that the church had recently been restored, said it was sup posed that the earliest part of the church was Early English, but a Norman window was discovered in the chancel. This window was brought to light by the removal of the vestry, which, he thought, was the only part of the restoration which was deserving of praise. He thought that, originally, there was a very small Norman church, which contained three or four such windows, and which did not extend beyond the chancel ground. The next remains were Early English, thirteenth century, but they were not very considerable. Stone foundations have been discovered, which he thought defined the limits of the Early English church, which was probably extended westward. The enlargement of the edifice thirteenth century, he believed, took place when William de ON Tuesday, April 23, the anniversary meeting was held, Furnell was the owner of the manor. The tower, south when Earl STANHOPE delivered his annual address, con- porch, and parapet were fifteenth century. In the north taining the usual obituary notices of Fellows deceased wall of the tower there was a recess, which he should like between April 5, 1871, and April 5, 1872. In connection to see explained. It was about 2 feet deep and 6 feet wide, with the death of the late Earl of Dunraven, Lord Stanhope and it was evidently of the same date as the tower. announced that, through the liberality of the present Earl, Having remarked that up to the fourteenth century there the work projected by his father on the Early Ecclesiastical were three ridged roofs, Mr. Holliday gave a description of Architecture of Ireland would not be abandoned. The task the monuments, and afterwards referred to the modern re ANNIVERSARY MEETING. of editing it had been intrusted to Miss Stokes. the His lord-storations of the church. It was unfortunate for a church to bear the marks of one modern architect, but King's Norton church unfortunately bore the marks of three. The most interesting discovery he could have made would have been that the restoration was an improvement; but he could not say that it was. The alterations in the interior were most to be deplored; but the tower, which was the chief feature of interest, had been left untouched. At the close of the ballot, the following were found to be unanimously elected as president, council, and officers of the society. Eleven members from the old council:-Earl Stanhope, president; Sir W. Tite, M.P., Very Rev. A.P. Stanley, and Col. A. H. Lane-Fox, vice-presidents; Mr. F. Ouvry, treasurer; Dr. C. S. Perceval, director; Lieut.-Col. J. F. Lennard and Mr. T. Lewin, M.A., auditors; Messrs. C. D. E. Fortnum, Rev. W. S. Simpson, M.A., and W. J. Thoms. Ten members of the new council:-Lord Henniker and Mr. J. W. Jones, auditors; Messrs. H. C. Coote, W. D. Cooper, J. Evans, P. C. Hardwick, C. K. Markham, O. Morgan, M.P., E. Oldfield, Capt. A. C. Tupper; and Mr. C. K. Watson, M.A., secretary. NUMISMATIC SOCIETY. ON Thursday, April 18, a meeting was held, when W. S. Mr. Sheriff Mackenzie sent for exhibition a rubbing of an unpublished penny of Edward III. of England, lately found in Sutherlandshire. Mr. Pearson exhibited a second brass coin of Augustus, of considerable rarity, with the type of Victory placing a laurelwreath upon the head of the emperor on the obverse. Speaking of the Grammar School building at King's Norton, Mr. Holliday said there could be no doubt it was fourteenth century work, and with a view to correcting an erroneous impression to the effect that this school and the Birmingham Free Grammar School were established at the same time, he quoted extracts from documents, from which he said it was pretty evident the school at King's Norton was founded before the reign of Edward VI., and certainly before the foundation of the school in Birmingham. OXFORD ARCHITECTURAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. THE Committee having decided to continue the series of Walks and Excursions in Oxford and the neighbourhood, they propose the following for Easter and Trinity Terms, 1872 Saturday, May 4.-The Roman Villa at Northleigh and the Churches of Northleigh and Handborough. 18.-All Souls Chapel. June 1.-Uffington Church, the White Horse Mr. C. Patrick communicated a paper, "On the Annals of the Coinage of Scotland," in which he stated that a native currency was much later in coming into use than among the neighbouring nations, and that there was no corresponding class of coins to those which are called Early British ever struck among the barbarous tribes of Caledonia, and that, though such coins have been found in Scotland, they appear to have been brought from other parts; that there were no Scottish imitations of the Roman coins, although these must have been plentiful in the country. Mr. Patrick was also of opinion that no coins could be satisfactorily ascribed to any king before the time of Alexander I., if even to him. He next considered the question of the approbation of A PRELIMINARY meeting was held in the Town-hall, Brecon, the short and long cross pennies of Alexander II., and on Monday, the 15th ult., the Mayor in the chair, to select THE CAMBRIAN ARCHEOLOGICAL ASSOCIA TION. a local committee to make arrangements for the meeting of the Cambrian Archæological Association, in Brecon, in the ensuing autumn. After the opening of the proceedingsThe Rev. Garnous Williams, one of the hon. secretaries for Breconshire, proposed that Sir Joseph Bailey be requested to act as president of the association at the autumn meeting. Such an appointment, he had authority to state, would be highly approved of by the association. A hearty desire was expressed that Sir Joseph Bailey would become president, an office which his grandfather filled at the last meeting of the association held at Brecon, nineteen years ago. An influential committee was appointed, and the Rev. Rees Price consented to act as local secretary. A subscription list was handed round to meet the local expenses. In the course of the proceedings, it was stated, on behalf of the railway companies, that every facility for travelling in their power at the time of the meeting would be accorded. He was also, at one time, rector of Fyllingham. Lealand describes him as Wiclif, and as Wigclif. II. His contemporary, in 1361, is described as Jolin Whyeclyve, vicar of Mayfield. In 1380 he exchanged it for Horsted-Kaynes; he was a prebendary of Chichester, and died in November, 1383; his will, made November 12, was proved November 21, 1383, as John Whytcliff. A little attention to the orthography will clearly discriminate these two personages. EPPING FOREST.-HARE HUNTING. SIR,-As the preservation of the rights, uses, and customs of the Forests of Epping and Hainault, in Essex, are engaging public attention, and also the history of the game laws of England, perhaps a copy of the original manuscript document, which I have in my Essex collections, may interest some of your readers. I would remark that, although executed more than two centuries ago, it is clearly written, the signature of Henry, Earl of Holland, being very distinct and perfect, although the seal, I am sorry to say, is gone. The document is dated April 27, 1640. You will perceive, also, that the only liberty granted is to hunt the hare. I have given the actual spelling on the deed. CHARLES GOLDING. 16, Blomfield Terrace, April 29, 1872. "A LYCENCE FOR MR. PENINGTON TO HUNT WITHIN THE FFOREST OF ESSEX. “Henry Earle of Holland, Baron of Kensington &c. Chiefe Justice and Justice in Eyre of all his matics fforeste chaers, parks, and warrens on this side Trent. To all and singular the officers and ministers of his maties fforest of Essex whome yt doth or may concerne Greetinge. Whereas suyte parish of Chigwell in the Countie of Essex esquier to grant hath bene made vnto mee by Thomas Penington of the vnto him lycense to hunt the hare within the said fforest. there and vse this liberty for his recreation onely and not to Fforasmuch as I presume he wilbe a preseruor of the game to will and require you to permitt and suffer the said Thomas the destruicon or spoyle of the game. These are therefore Penington for his recreation to hunt the hare with his beagles or hounds att seasonable tymes and in convenient places of the said fforest where heardes doe not lye, without any your lett or interruption, hee not abuseinge this my lycense, but comporting himselfe with that moderation in his said sports which is fittinge. And for soe doing this shalbe his and your sufficient warrant. Given vnder the Seal of my Office of Chiefe Justice and Justice in Eyre afore said att the Court att Whitehall the seaven-and-twentieth day of Aprill in the sixteenth yeare of the Raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles by the grace of God, King of England Scotland Ffrance and Ireland Defendor of the ffaith &c. Annog. Dm. 1640. 'HOLLAND." STONEHENGE LORE. SIR,-Meeting with an old woman in this part of the country, who is in her ninetieth year, I soon got into an interesting conversation with her, and learning that she has spent the greater part of her life in Wiltshire, I asked her what was the origin of Stonehenge. She said that many years ago, before her time, the Roman Catholics erected it, but, she continued, some say that the stones were brought there by the Witch of Endor, who dropped one in the stream at Amesbury, which stuck so fast in the ground, that when all the farmers around tried to remove it with all their strongest horses, they failed. They wanted it taken out, because it made the river flood their farms in cold weather. About two and a half miles from Wimborne are the Bad The great Reformer was named from the village and parish of Wycliffe, a township, with a rectory, occupying two bold cliffs on the south bank of the River Tees, in Westbury Rings, well known to all Dorsetshire antiquaries, and Gilling Wapentake, North-Riding of Yorkshire; it has an old seat, formerly belonging to a family named Wycliffe, now extinct; the church dates from Edward III., and the east cliff has an ancient encampment. The word Wycliffe, in full, should be spelled as Wick-cliffe, i.e., "the village, or the supposed by some to be the remains of a Roman encampment. My aged informant told me that a great battle was fought there by the Romans and Saxons, and underneath the rings are the houses and bones of those people. This battle, she said, took place more than a century ago. Among other curious bits of information, she told me that every town had at one time its own king and queen, and many of the royal habitations are haunted by the spirits of the departed royalty. One of the houses she had slept in, in Devonshire, was a most dreadful one; for three nights her bedroom was visited by the spirits of the king and queen, who were killed in a battle fought about 100 yards from the house; the noise they made she described as "most dreadful," the windows rattled, and footsteps were heard everywhere-nobody will now sleep in it. Giants, such as those exhibited in travelling shows, she believed were all antichrists. Dwarfs were probably descendants of fairies, the same as those who used to dance in the fairy rings in the grass. I send you these scraps for preservation, as folk-lore is fast dying out. Very likely some of your readers may be able to say whether similar lore is to be found at the present time out of Dorset and Wilts. JOHN JEREMIAH. Wimborne Minster, Dorset, April. A FRAGMENT OF AMERICAN HISTORY. THE following interesting item appeared in a recent number* of The Hoboken [New Jersey] Leader and Hudson County Registers "At the last meeting of the Historic Genealogical Society, in Boston, Mr. Samuel G. Drake read a paper upon Sir Samuel Cumming among the Cherokees, or Facts in the Early History of Georgia.' The paper he was about to present, said Mr. Drake, came into his possession by purchase in London, and was written by Sir Alexander Cumming, in the year 1763. Sir Alexander Cumming was one of an expedition sent by the English Government about the year. He seemed to have been an honest, though visionary man, inasmuch as he asserted that the pecuniary results of a settlement in the Cherokee country would pay the national debt of England in twenty years. Failing in several attempts to secure some royal appointment, on the accession of George III. he made a direct appeal to that monarch, and succeeded at last in obtaining the appointment of Ambassador to the Cherokees. "The exact year of his departure from England was not definitely known, but it was shortly before the breaking out of the troubles between the English and French, who were fighting hard to obtain a foothold in the new country, to the exclusion of the other: The document gave an account of the adventures of Sir Alexander and his company among the Cherokees, interspersed with explanations and remarks by the reader. As a fragment of American history from the direct hand of a prominent actor in the scenes described, the paper is a valuable acquisition." Perhaps some American friend will kindly oblige by furnishing further particulars of this document. J. PERRY. SIR-The "notes" here appended are taken from Harper's Weekly, March 23, 1872, and are of sufficient interest to merit preservation (as matter of future reference), in the columns of your valuable journal. J. P. vention has been applied with great success to the weaving of cloth of all kinds, performing much more work in the same time than is possible by the old process. This medal was awarded in 1869, but was not presented to Mr. Lyall until a short time ago. As the Great Medal of Honour is awarded only in recognition of such inventions as are calculated to work a revolution in the industries to which they are applied, the young inventor may justly prize this tribute to its worth." NEW YORK AND BROOKLYN FERRIES.-" Ferry travel between New York and Brooklyn was first established in 1642, by a hard-working Hollander. The business was commenced on a small scale, to be sure. A horn was hung on a tree near Peck Slip, and in response to its summons a small skiff took the few passengers across the river for a small sum, payable in wampum. In 1655, a more elaborate arrangement was made, a ferry ordinance having been passed by the officials of New Amsterdam. Ferry-houses were built, and rates established by law. After 1667, when the rights and privileges of a town were confirmed by patent upon Brooklyn, the establishment of ferries became a sort which served for both sides of the river to pick upon for of bone of contention between New York and Brooklyn, something like a hundred years. Just before the Revolu tionary war three regular ferries were established." QUERIES. HADLEIGH CASTLE. SIR,-Perhaps your Correspondent of the Eastern Counties will kindly inform me if Hadleigh Castle, near Southend, was dismantled by Cromwell, as this is the common opinion in the neighbourhood? R. E. W. April 27, 1872. ART RELICS IN WHITECROSS STREET. SIR,-Can any of your correspondents say who painted the pictures on the walls of the late prison? That they are copies of Morland is well known, and so well done as to have led some of the best judges in London to assert them to be the work of George Morland himself. G. E. REPLIES TO QUERIES. KENSINGTON (Antiquary, p. 86). IN the passage quoted by "A. O. K.," from Campbell's Chancellors, the reference to "the king's chamber at Kensington," should, no doubt, be understood as of Kennington, in Surrey, which is a Crown manor, held under the Duchy of Cornwall. Edward the Black Prince had a palace there, the site of which is indicated by the names of Park-place, Park-street, Kennington-road, Lambeth. Stow makes an allusion to it in his "Survey," in the chapter on Vintry Ward, at p. 197. the editio princeps. April 22, 1872. А. Н. AN ANCIENT SEAL (Antiquary, p. 96). SIR, Mr. Dunkin having invited" Suggestions as to the probable meaning of the legend," on the old seal, engraved in your last number, p. 96, I venture to send the following surmise (which can be taken for what it is worth): --That pr may be an abbreviation of the imperative form of the French verb prier, and dive may be the French noun, Dieu, with the two last vowels misplaced. The inscription would then read as an injunction, Pray (to) God (anglice). As for the other two letters, if s. m. MEDAL OF HONOUR. "The first Great Medal of (and the latter on the engraving being as much like mas Honour' ever awarded by the American Institute to an in-n) they may mean Sigillum, a word almost always found ventor of that association, was recently presented to Mr. James Lyall, inventor of the 'positive-motion loom.' This in * March 30, 1872. on ancient seals. If the objection be urged that it would be incongruous to have Latin and French on the same seal, I would remark that the two languages are to be found together on |