# Archaeological Journal/Volume 11/Notices of Archaeological Publications: Sussex Archaeological Collections, Volume 6

Notices of Archaeological Publications.
It gives us pleasure to notice the sixth volume of the Sussex Archæological Society's Collections, which fully maintains the reputation acquired by the others. None of the local societies have shown greater activity or have more distinguished themselves. Some have devoted more money and space to illustrations, while this has rendered its publications attractive by the variety and discursive character of the letter-press, and its volumes really are, what they profess to be. Archæological Collections relating to the history and antiquities of the county. Matters of historical and archæological interest have been discussed in such a manner as to be at the same time useful and popular. Among the writers in the present volume we recognise most of those to whom the former volumes are chiefly indebted. It comprises seventeen papers. The principal meeting of the society for the year having been held at Battle, Mr. Hunter, of the Record Office, has contributed a paper on the so-called Roll of Rattle Abbey, in which, if he have dissipated somewhat of the charm that this Roll, in its various forms, has had for the general reader, and more especially for those who believe themselves descended from some of the fortunate adventurers in the Conqueror's army, because their ancestors' names there appear, he has done good service to the cause of historic truth, the proper object of archæology, by showing on what frail evidence the pretensions even of the least objectionable of the different editions of such Roll depend, and how little reason there is to believe that any authentic original of it ever existed. Mr. M. A. Lower, so well known to the readers of the former volumes, follows with a lively description of the Battle of Hastings, derived from the early authorities, and illustrated by an etching of the field. He has endeavoured to reconcile the narratives of those writers, and has compared them with the various features which the ground now presents. In this, as in most cases of great battles, it is hardly possible to unite the different accounts of the conflict into a consistent whole. Mr. Lower has also contributed some memoranda relating to the family of Borde, in Sussex, with a memoir of Dr. Andrew Borde, physician to King Henry VIII., who was a great traveller, and the author of some works on medicine, and also, according to some, the writer of the "Merry Tales of Gotham"; an eccentric character, whom Mr. Lower supposes to have been of the Sussex family. He has also furnished an interesting account of Pevensey Castle and the recent excavations there, with some illustrations; to which Mr. Figg has supplied a plan that adds not a little to the value of the paper. It will be found of great assistance to any one visiting the spot. Among the relics brought to light during the ​examination of the area of the castle are a font, discovered on the site of the chapel, the position of which has been ascertained, and a piscina, formed within the capital of a short column, apparently of transition-Norman date, an arrangement of rather uncommon occurrence. (See woodcut.)
Piscina found at east end of the chapel within the Castle of Pevensey.
Seal and counterseal of Michelham Priory, Sussex, appended to an indenture, dated 1376, in the Chapter-house, Westminster.
Double fire-place and mantle-tree with Angle brackets at each side, in the chamber over the crypt.
Crypt under the Refectory. Drawn by Mrs. Blaauw, from the representation preserved amongst Grimm's drawings in the Burrell collections, British Museum.
The Rev. F. Spurrell has furnished a description of the Architectural Reliques of Lewes Priory which are contained in the British Museum and the Museum at Lewes, with lithographs. One of the most remarkable is supposed to be part of a circular lavatory of black marble, ten or eleven feet in diameter, executed in the twelfth century. The same gentleman has contributed an Inventory of the goods of Cornelius Humphrey, a substantial yeoman of Newhaven, in 1697; which shows what were then the home comforts and accommodation of persons of that class. And from the Rev. E. Turner we have a brief notice of the programme of the funeral ceremony of Sir Anthony Browne, Standard-bearer of Henry VIII., by whom he was held in great esteem, and was appointed one of the executors of his will. He received from his sovereign a grant of Battle Abbey after the dissolution. He died in 1548, and was interred in Battle Church, where his tomb remains.