The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1858-07-27 00:00:00

Someratobirt.

ARCHIEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF GREAT

BRITAIN AND IRELAND.
-
MEETINU FOB 188 AT BATH._

BATH, July 20.

The annual meeting of the Archeological Institute of
Great Britain and Ireland commenced in this city to.
d.ty, under the presidency of the Lord Talbot de Male
-
hide, F.S.A., M.R.IA., and will extend till Tuesday
next. It promises to be one of time most successful
meetings yet held by the institute, both as regards time
influence and numbers of those attending it and the
objects of interest in the locality, Bath and its neigh.
hood being exceedingly rich in archaeological re
coal oh.
The local committee, of whom the Mayor, Dr. Wil
brahaiu Falconer, is chairman, conprises both the
members (Mr. W. Tite, and Sir A. Fl. Elton, Bart.), and •
large number of the most influential citizens; and their
arrangements are such as can scarcely fail to give COM-
pieta satisfaction. The patrons of the present meeting
are the Lord Portman, Lord Lieutenant of Somerset;
the Marquis of Lansdowne, Lord Lieutenant of Wilts;
the Earl of Ducie, Lord Lieutenant of Gloucester, the
Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Bishop of Gloucester and
Bristol, and the Mayor of Bath; whilst the noblemen
and gentlemen who have signified their deem to
give encouragement to the meeting are untemilly
numerous. .

The general programme of proceedings fills up the
week most completely. The several sections of history,
antiquities, and architecture meet at the Aseembly.
rooms, under their respective presidenta Sir J. P.
Boileau, But., Sir Walter Trevelyan, Bart., and Mr. A.
J. B. Beresford4lope, M.P. ; whilst the Guildhall and
the Royal Literary and Scientific Institution are devoted
to the other meetings of the institute. In addition to
the attractions supplied by the city and neighbourhood,
arrangements have lmen made for excursions to Gigaton.
bury, Castle Coombe, Maluiesbury, Englishcombe (once
the residence of the Saxon kings), Stanton Bury, Stan.
ton Drew, no., so that the visitors will have plenty to
occupy their time. The museum of the institute is
arranged at the Assembly-rooms, and oompriges • large
number of aintributions of antiquities, essimples of
eminent sit and manufactures, &a. The ardent records
of the corporation have also been laid open .for the in.
spection of the members of the Guildhall; they are ex.
oludinfili numerous and interesting. AniongM them is
a aide/1011y written charter of Queen Elisabeth, with a
beautftly •Illuminated border ; and a highly finished
full length portrait of Her Majesty within the initial
letter. The large bronze seal ii also a beautiful work of
art, and very interesting.
A not unimportant feature of the present meeting is
that the hotels and lodgings are numerous, and every
care has been taken by the load emiiimittee to ensure
moderate charges ; tariffs of charges being posted both
at the Guildhall and Asseuibly.ruotue.
The opening meeting of the session was held this
afternoon In the banqueting-room of the Guildhall.
Lord Talbot de Malithicle, who was introduced by Ids
worship, the Mayor, occupied the chair, and was sup•
ported by a large number of the most distlnguialted
members of the inidltuts and Influential citizens of Bath.
A large number of lathes were amongst the company In
the body of the room.

JULY 2!.

The members of the Institute having oomile-t-eil thur
inspection of the chief objects of interest in the city, in
which they were ably misted by Mr. C. IL Davis, one
of the honorary local suretaries, who uiade a rout
intelligent and interesting clurons, an evening meeting or
eofteersasione was held at the Royal Literary and Bolan.
0150 Institution, Dr. J. H. Markland, D.C.L., presided,
and was supported by Lord Talbot de Malaitide and
many of the most dfatingulahed members of the instil.
tote. A large number of ladles were also preeent.
A very elaborate and elegantly written paper upon
Ralph Allan anti Prior Park waa read by the Rev, F.
Kilvert, M.A., at ths aloe, of which a vote of thanks
was given to the author upon the motion of Lord Talbot
de Malahids, seconded by Mr. Joseph Hunter. Both
these gentlemen also took part In the diacuseioci which
followed upon ths paper, la did oleo Hr. Tit', M.P.,
(who intimated that Allen we. the originator of rail.
ways by the construction of a tramway for the convey.
ante of the freoehma front his onrriss on Coombs
Down to the Avon at Bath), Mr. Edward Hawkins, of
the Brltiali Museum, and others. Mr. Karen, in refer.
*nos to a remark of Lord Talbot de Malehide upon the
generally received opinion that Ralph Allen was the
original of Squire Allwortlty, in Fielding's "Tom
Jones," observed that he believed the oliareatsr wu a
oompound one drawn front three of Fielditig'm patrons
John Duke of Bedford, George Lord Lyttelton, and
ROA Allen.
This morning the businsu oommanold with the meet.
Inge of seotione at this Aassinhly rooms. In the histo•
Acid eutlon, Mr. Joseph Hunter, V. P. S. A., presided
In the absence of the tiresidetat of the section, Sir J. P.
Boileau Bart. There was a very large attendance,
both oelsches and gentlemen, Including Lord Talbot he
Mainitide and the Bishop of Bath 111111 Welk A very
interesting paper was read by Dr. J. H. Markland,
" On an A nglu•naion guild formerly existing In Bath,"
and oonneoted with the Abbey of this city, and to which
Dr. Markland's attention was called by hie friend the
Archdeacon of Cleveland, who had discovered • MIL
relating to it In the library of Corpus Chrieti College,
Cambridge. The record is about the date of 1075, and
allowed the religious and charitable porpoises for which
the guild wu formed; In referent), to which Dr. Mark.
land- remarked, in conclusion, that " we are too apt to
ascribe to the age in which we live all that Is ' wisest,
diaoreetest, beat,' and to speak with little indulgence,
sometimes with little truth, of what we are pleased to
call the dark ages."
The Chairman In 'manning his eatisfution at the
paper read, remarked that the information it afforded
was very valuable, Mamma as few persons were aware
that guilie were connected with inonastio institutions.
The Abbey of Bath, though note parish church, at the
j time spoken of extended down nearly to the water, and
' all the professional ioen of the place seemed to have
lived within its precincts. It must therefore have ex.
cried an immense influence over the community. The
1 Abbey of Bath has also hotter registers connected with it
1 than any other except Glastonbury, fdalmosbury, and
Abingdon. There is in the library of Lincoln'a•inii a
register of the proonedings of the Abbey for a miriod of
' a century and a half, beginning about the year 1200.
The master of the Claus College, Cambridge, Edwin
Guest, D.C.L., delivered a very elaborate lecture " On
the boundary lines which separated the Welsh and
English races in the neighbourhood of Both during the
75 years that followed the capture of that city, A. D.
577 ; with speculations as to the Welsh princes who,
during that period, were reigning over Soinersetshire."
The paper, which was listened to with great interest
iind attention, excited • discuasion in which Mr. Free-
man, Admiral Baumarez, Sir John Awdry, Mr. Jame.
Yates, the Rev. F. Wane, Mr. F. D. Dickenson, and
Mr. Beresford•Hope, M.P., took part, and width was
closed with • Ithallitllollll and cordial vote of thanks to
the learned lecturer. . _ .

In the section of Antiquities, in which Mr. Ohavious Mor-
gan, M.P., presided, able and oomprehensive papers
were read,—by Mr. Jeffery on" Lansdown," embrac-
ing historical notices and desoriptiona of the two
Roman camps, the ancient British camp, Waller's in-
trenaliments, and Sir B. Granville's monument, and tho
remains of St. Lawrence's chapel (now a farm house),
said to have been for the use of pilgrims on their way to
Glastonbury; and by the Rev. J. Austin on "Tumuli
opened in the Isle of Purbeck." Thanks were voted to
both gentlemen.
This afternoon • large party visited Prior Park, the
subjeot of Mr. Kilvert's paper last night. The Mansion
(now void), and especially the magnificent prospect
from its noble portico, were the theme of universal
admiration. Prior Park was built in 1734 by Wood, for
Ralph Allen, and here it wee Blithe dispensed his munili-
oent hospitality and entertained on terms of friendship
Fielding, Pope, Sterne, Warburton, and other intellec-
tual celebrities of the age.
Hampton Down was also visited, the Rev. H. M.
Scarth, M.A., rector of Barthwick, acting as the Moe- '
rone. He directed the attention of the company to
Wansdyke, the greet Belgic boundry, a portion of
which is here very distinct. They were now, he ob-
served, on entering on the down, upon the site of an
ancient Belgic settlement, which no doubt existed before
the Christian era and continued till alter the Roman
, occupation, the Romans living in the valley and the
' natives upon the hill. The party then walked over the
trackway through the camp or settlement, which in very
distinctly marked ; and the divisions of the settlement,
supposed to have teen occupied by the different tribes,
are also very observable. Mr. Soartli also pointed out
the situation of the several other camps, including that
on the opposite hill of Sulsbury, where the Goddess Sul
woo worshipped, and from which, or the neighbouring
hill of Biumerdown, the Saxons invaded Beth. Re-
mains of hut circles were clearly traceable on Hampton
Down. Skeletons had also been found in the side a the
bill in a sitting posture, at a spot that wee probably used
as • burial-place in the settlement. The roadway, or
stone avenue, from the camp to the ancient temple for
worship or place of judicial assemblies, was also clearly
shown, as were the remains of the Druidical circle
itself, which excited great interest amongst the com-
pany. This circle was formerly much more complete ;
but it is to be regretted that many of the stones have
been carried away to form ornamental rock-work in the
. .

Ba-th Park and private garden..
The visitors returned to Beth highly satisfied with their
ratable.