The Sun.
London, England, 1859-10-15 00:00:00

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WILLS AND

c. 14,1.4,

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The will and codicil of the R ig, le
Murray, Earl Cathcart, K.C.8., werazikiV7l
London Court of Probate on the lbthi,?-r—
-by Capt. H. W. Gordon, one of the e4ecu s, a 7
power being reserved to. K. M'Kerrel, Esq. His
lordship has left alllhis personal and moveable estate
to the Countess and his daughter, Lady Henrietta
Louisa Frances Cathcart, and bequeaths the family
pictures, plate, &c., subject to their , life-rent use
therein, to his eldest son and successor to his title
and estates. He had given to his eldest son, the
present Earl, heretofore Lord Greenock, certain
estates ; his youngest son, Lieut.-Colonel Augustus
Murray Cathcart, being already provided for, as
well as his two married daughters, Lady Elizabeth
Douglas and Lady Adelaide De Trafford. All pro-
perty which the Countess had acquired and that
which had come to her by the death of her mother
were considered and treated by his lordship as her
ladyship's exclusive right. His lordship's per-
sonality in the United Kingdom liable to probate
duty was sworn under £5,000. The will was dated
in 1854, and the codicil in 1857.

The will of the Hon. John George Fox Strang-
ways, late of Brickworth House, Wilts, was proved
in London on the Gth of October by the relict and
sole executrix, the personalty sworn underX2o,ooo.
He has bequeathed the whole of his estates, real
and personal, to his wife ; and, by virture of a power
under the will of his late brother, the Right Hon.
Henry Stephen Earl of Ilehester, dated the 10th of
November, 1857, has charged the estates in Wilt-
shire belonginc, to the late Earl with an annuity of
£6OO for the absolute use of his wife. The testa-
tor's will is dated the 2d of March, 1858.

The will of the Right Hon. Daniel Jacob van
Euyck, late of Utrecht, in Holland, was proved in
London by his eldest son, Johan Hendrik Floris van
Euyck, Esq., and Andreas Cornelis van Heusde,
Esq., his son-in-law, the joint executors. He has
left to his eldest son the manor of Ostbrock and de
Bilt, cum annexis, and it is his wish that he should
hold the same to distinguish the family branches;
also leaves him all the family portraits, pictures,
and curiosities, with all writings, private and pro-
fessional. He bequeaths to his cousin, who since
the death of his wife has superintended the educa-
tion of his children and the management of his
house, six certificates of £l,OOO each in the National
Debt TWO-and-a-Half per Cents. ; and to the Dutch
Bible Society 1,000 guildere,-and to each servant
as many_times ths guilders as they have been years
in firs service ; and to Ayte de Boer, a servant who
has been 20 years with him, 300 guilders; °and
leaves,the residue of his property to his six children,
equally amongst them.
The will of late Mr. I. K. Brunel, C.K., has
been administered to by the executors ; the personal
estate being sworn under £9o,ooo.—lllustrated
London News.

DISCOVERY OF A CRYPT IN CHRIST-
CHURCH, HANTS.

It may be of interest to our readers to be ac-
quainted with a curious discovery lately made at
Christchurch, Hants. The noble priory church at
that place ranks in size with the cathedrals of Glas-
gow and St. Patrick's, while it exceeds those of Wells
Oxford, Bristol, Manchester, Bath, Ripen, and Car-
lisle: The nave and transepts were built by the
architect of the.,nave of Durham, Bishop Flambard,
while. Dean of Twineham. A crypt has long been
known to exist under the south transept, but a
similar building under the north wing has only re-
cently been laid open during the progress of the
restoration set on foot ny the energetic curate, the
Rev. Z. Nash, and conducted under the superintend-
ence of the well-known architect, Mr. B. Ferrey, of
London. The crypt is apsidal,• measures 30rt. by
12ft., and is 9ft..7in. high. The vault is supported
by two broad arches, resting on pilasters with
rounded edges. At the east end the diagonal ribs
spring from short pillars with simple bases and
capitals. The walls are 7ft. thick, and pierced on
the south and west by loops ; the north-east splay
having a stair-like graduation. On the south side
are two ambries. In the east wall a door of a much
later date, once fitted with folding doors, opens
upon three steps, which are closed by a wall. It is
not certain whether they led up into the yard or
formed the approach to a secret lecher and recep-
tacle for sacred vessels. The apse in the story above
was shorn away to give place to two decorated
chapels built by the Montacutes, Earls of Salisbury.
But one remarkable circumstance is connected with
the opening of the crypt—the discovery of about
1,500 human bones laid with great regularity and
care. The crypt of the Lady Chapel at Hereford
was designed to be a carnary ; and there were char-
nel-houses at Worcester and Norwich serving as
similar repositories. Under the chancel of Hythe
Church, in Kent, there remains still a large collec-
tion of.bones. In Switzerland '° ossuaires" are found
in the canton of Appenzel, and at Stettin is a
bone-house attributed to the year 1,111, a date
contemporaneous with the probable period of the
construction of the crypt at Christchurch. The
Swiss bone-houses were the receptacles of skulls
and bones Which, after a certain period, were disin-
terred to make room for other burials. The priory
church has fallen, in the course of years, into a
state of dilapidation which requires immediate
attention. A committee Las kern formed to
effect the necessary repairs, and if supported by
the inhabitants of the county and those interested
in church architecture, to carry out a restoration
not inferior to the works accomplished in the neigh-
bouring minsters of Romsey, Sherborne, and Wim-
borne. The expenses are estimated at X 5,000 in
order to make drains, to repair the outer walls,
roofs, buttresses, and windows, and to restore the
carved stonework of the nave, aisles, transepts, and
north porch. Such works in France are under the
care of the Government; in this country they are
dependent on the voluntary offerings of the people.

ROYAL EN (iLISH OPERA,
COVENT-GARDEN.
Under the' management of Miss L. Fyne and Mr.W. Harrison.
THIS EVENING, DINO RA H. Messrs. Santley, H.
Corri, St. Albyn, and W. Harrison. Misses Pilling, Thirl-
wall, and Miss Louisa Pyne.
Conductor, Alfred Mellon.

DIVERTISSEMENT. ➢ldlles. Levine, Pasquale, Pier-
ron, and Mons. Vandris.
- - -

Commence at 8 o'clock.

THEATRE-ROYAL, HAYMARKET.
Lessee, Mr. J. B. Buckstone.
TUTS EVENING the performances will commence with
AN UNEQUAL MATCH. Miss Amy Sedgwick.
After which, a new Farce, entitled THE RIFLE, AND
110 W TO USE IT. Messrs. Buckstone, Compton, Rogers,
Mrs. B. White, Mrs. Wilkins, and Mrs. E. Fitzwilliam.
And HALLOWE'EN.