The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1859-10-11 00:00:00

SOUTHAMPTON.

Tax New MILITARY HOSVITAL AT NRTLWIN—It
is just three and a half years since Her Majesty laid
the foundation-stone of this noble building, which,
as regards size. is the finest in the Kingdom, and in
probably nnsurpamed by any other of the Game kind
in Europe. 'Three years of constant labour have
already been expended an the erection, and, in round
numbers, nearly four years more are likely to elapse
before it can be completed. The building is situated
about four miles or eo south of Southampton, and a
very short distance from the spot where the ivy
grown ruins of Batley Abbey rise in melancholy
beauty amid the trees. A short distance from them
ruins the road turns suddenly down to the edge of
the sea, and emerges upon a scene of activity of such
magnitude and extent, as to rival even the great
works connected with the '5l edifice in Hyde Park.
The building occupies 10 acres of ground, and some
idea of its massiveness and extent may be formed
from the fact that it will require upwards of 30,000,0(10
bricks, and between 2,000,000 and 3,000,000 cubic
feet of stone to complete it. The extent of ground
around it, all of which. we believe, will be converted
into terrace gardens, is no loss than 193 acres. But
a considerable time must claim before the rare will
bloom in this wilderness, now fruitful in sawdust,
splinters, stone, and bricks- Before the garden can
be made, too, the drainage of the building must be
perfected. All the drains are to meet in one main
sewer, which carries it into the Solent beyond low
water mark. As Car as regards the erection of the
building, it is mere justice to the eminent contractor,
Mr. Myers, to state that every portion of the work
is of the very best and most durable kind. All the
bricks are made and compressed on the works, and
those used on the arches, are formed entirely in
wedge-shape lengths. The stone is, of course, of the
best kind; the windows, after many alterations,
arc to be of plate glass, and the window frames and
'lathes of mahogany. Altogether the whole edifice is
of the most expensive and substantial description,
the only fault about it being that it is where it I;
and, as this is exactly the fault which never mobs
remedied or improved, the country must submit to
it with the best grace they can.
PORTISMOUTIL—The following vessels are being
fitted out at Portsmouth to reinforce our squadron in
the China ease :—Odin, 16, paddle, Cate=l.cdi
Lord
John Hay, C.B. ; Sphinx, paddle,
G. F. Day, V.C. • Beagle, 4, screw, Commander P.
M'Dougal ; Ringtiove, 6, screw, Commander Craigie ;
and Hardy, HAVOC, Grasshopper, and Flamer, MIT
gunboats. At Spithead—Pearl, 20, screw,
Bedew, C.B. ; and Clio, 20, screw, Captain Wilier.
In addition to the above are the Urgent, screw
troopship, Commander Hire; Perseverance, screw
troopship, Commander Power; and Simoon, screw
troopship, Commander Cooke.
CHRISTCHURCH. —ll6l(re-sting Dircoeery.—Within
the last fortnight there has been discovered beneath
the northern transept of the Priory Church, a very
remarkable crypt, which seems to be either of Anglo-
Saxon or very early Norman construction. On first
bringing it to light, it was more than half filled with
about two thousand skeletons closely packed together,
the skulls and bones being for the most part in ex-
cellent preservation. They were probably
there about the time of the Reformation. Tect.
mensions of the crypt are about thirty feet in length
and twelve in breadth,—and from the character of
the architecture it is thought that it must have
existed previous to the construction of the present
church, and from the remains of cupboard-like
spaces in the walls, most probably served for. a
depository of the relics and other valuables b
to the monaatery, as well as for a place of :r127
Every effort is made to restore this most beautiful
and interesting church. The Rev. Z. Nash, curate
of the church, says :—" I think that from 1,000 to
1,600 is a very moderate estimate of the number of
bodies of which these bones were the remising. Upon
only two sculls were there marks which might have
been marks of violence ; one, a out into lan moll
like a sword cut, the other mock a mark as Mas cut-
ting end of a tiler's hammer might hays made. In
both eases the marks were on the kit side of the
, head. I saw no other make of violas*. mza/
' sculls. A part of a skeleton anatomically
together by wenn. Was also found; but I did not see
It. It seems to use, that at some iinse,--eislier when
new buildings were added to the Pricey, or when
ground there was levelled,—eome ancient burial
ground must have been disturbed, and the placieg
the remains in an crypt was thought to be tbe best
way of disposing of them. It was centenary in such
zlitts houses as the Priory here, for the prior, and
the sub-prior, to be buried in the church. A
tolerably complete series of tombs of priors is still to
be seen in our church, but I do not remembera sub-
prior's tomb. The monks were buried in the cloister
gartb —the plot of ground which the cloisters en•
closed—and the lay members of the establishment
who were very numerous, would have their burial
ground near the Priory. Moat likely this cloister
girth for the lay burial ground was unwitting!,
invaded, and, an ancient graves were very Mallow.
a levelling of three or fear feet would disclose then,
remains. They are now as reverently buried as wo
possible under the circumstance, and a most int
resting and very =dent part of the church
view. The original church is said,—no deebt_ff
good testimony,—to have been built upon
tion of bones, but whether they were Mm0,..._21,gu.-
mu i bones it is not stated, nor anything tom"
(Local News continwd in the First

Printed sad published ler the Proprisiertill
Jimmy"? Arms, II F
Printer, M Use Ofike of The ru Cipagi.dor"—,....
Cbaroh-streel, Doesimmisr.—Tussity, Wilms m--
1889.