The Sun. — 1859-09-15 (London, England)

ASSO LI 4 TION.  NEWBURY, WEDNESDAY.  The members of this association, joined by a number of the local gentry having a taste for archaeology, began yesterday morning the series of excursions which had been arranged for the week. The neighbourhood abounds with objects of historic interest, and it will require from six to seven hours each, day to get through the programme before the assembling of the congress in the hall in the even-1 ing. Archaeology has found many votaries in the ladies, and some of them have evinced a considerable acquaintance with localities and events which occupy a conspicuous position in the histcry of the town and its environs. The excursionists were ready by 10 o'cloCk, and the cavalcade of open and close carriages, char-abancs. and other vehicles, quite astonished the quiet inhabitants of Newbury, many of whom could scarcely imagine that their town and neighbourhood would ever have been visited by such a number of celebrated antiquaries and archaeologists as are now temporarily sojourning here. T.; e first place visited was Wash-common, about a mile from the town, where two battles were fought during the civil wars of Charles I. More than two centuries ago, this month, the first engagement took place, the King commanding the Royalists in. person, an the Earl of Essex the Parliamentary forces. The excursionists next proceeded to the park of the Countess of Craven, at Henstead, where are some mounds of interest in relation to former struggles. Avignon, a parish about six miles southwest of the town, was afterwards reached, and the church and vicarage were greatly admired. The former, in the interior, is a very curious specimen of Saxon architecture. As the weather changed to rain and hail, with a bitterly cold wind, the cavalcade made for Shaw-house, the residence of Mr. Henry Richard Eyre, who gave all a cordial welcome, and invited them to partake of his hospitality. The encampment at Speen and Speen Church could not be reached, as the weather would not admit of the parts' travelling any longer. In the evening the Congress was again held under•the presidency of the Earl of Carnarvon. A paper on the legends of Wayland Smith, prepared by that celebrated antiquary Mr. Thomas Wright, NA as read. This was succeeded by one from Mr. Pettigrew•on the• death of Lady Amy Robsart, at Cuinnor, in 1560. Mr. Pettigrew sought to show that most of what had hitherto been written in reference to this subject bore more the character of fiction and romance than real historical truth, and that Ashmole had so far imbibed the prejudices of the people that he asserted all as facts without being careful to test their accuracy. He read the letters whica passed between Lord Robert Dudley and his cousin Blount, with other extracts from ancient documents, and argued from them all that the death of Lady Dudley was an accident, and that Lord Robert had not incited any person to poison her, nor, in fact, was poison administered to her. A careful review of the whole facts, he stated, had led him to the belief that no murder had been perpetrated, and he rejoiced in taking a step to rescue the character of Dudley from the stigma of having been connected with the commission of so foul a crime. Mr. Blundell did not sympathise in the views of Mr. Pettigrew, and regarded the letters which passed between Dudley and Blount as being what, in his profession, was. technically called showable," and made too much of a case. They proved more of the guilt than the innocence of Dudley. The sentiments expressed by Mr. Blundell were warmly approved by the visitors, while a small portion only were in favour of the views enunciated by Mr. Pettigrew. This morning the excursionists started off to visit the once famous Roman city .of Silchester. .The Congress will assemble again in the evening, when other papers will be read.  [