panels. This is continuous round the entire building, which has the appearance of having been all erected at one time. The pilasters clasp the angles and rise from a second plinth, some of them standing on stepped bases. Above the pilasters is a square string-course, upon which rests a slightly-recessed arcade with rounded arches; this runs round the entire Church, except that in the porch, the walls of which are lower, the round arches are omitted, the small pilasters stopping under a tabling. I want particularly to call your attention to the amount of forethought shown in this part of the building, an evidence of a practised hand and evincing a considerable amount of skill. Upon the square string is a narrow course forming the base, then a filling of large stones, and another narrow course forming the cap. These continue at the same level round the entire building. Between this base and cap are wall pilasters, and above are semicircular arches, but the wall appears to have been built flat, and the arcade to have been made by recessing the space between the pilasters and under the arches, yet the narrow cap and base stones referred to show that this arcade was part of the original intention of the designer. There is no haphazard or chance about it, but a preconceived design. If we regard the face of the pilaster as the main face of the wall the cap projects beyond it, and would when first built have the appearance of a second string of less projection. Further, the pilasters, though generally cut out of wider stones, are in some cases, on the east end of the chancel, for instance, of just the width required, the vertical joints do not come on the pilasters, showing that the position of the pilasters was thought out before erection, just as the cap and base courses were. Several of the vertical joints of the masonry,

it will be observed, are not upright, nor are the horizontal joints level. It is clear from the width of the stones and the positions of the joints that the enrichment of the wall surface by this arcade is coeval with the walls. The fact thus established has a bearing on the debated question of the date of the building. Some idea of the probable date of the arcading, and consequently of the entire building, may be gained by comparing it with the arcading on the interior of the central tower of Dunham Magna Church, Norfolk,

a late Saxon Church, The arcade is on a larger scale at Dunham Magna and not so well finished. While speaking of the enrichments I would point out the beading of the pilasters of the arcade on the east end of the nave, chancel, and on the north gable of porch. This beading is begun on the north-east corner pilaster of the chancel but is unfinished, showing that the decorating was done after the walls were built and was suddenly left off. There is no evidence as to how the pilasters in the gables were finished, as the copings and stones of the upper part of the gables have been renewed, but possibly they were finished by stilted arches. I would call your attention to the fineness of the mortar joints, some of the original may be seen on the south side of the chancel; where they are wider it is owing to the movement of the building eastward There is no long-and-short work in the building. This was in vogue at the date to which we attribute the building; its presence would have been conclusive evidence of late date, but its absence is no evidence of early date. Long-and-short work is more often found in buildings where the walling is of an inferior material to the wrought stone dressings or angles, and its use appears to be for bonding purposes, but here, where there is an abundance of excellent stone, and where there are pilasters clasping the angles, there is neither the use nor the opportunity for long-and-short work.1

Sir Henry Howorth also gave an address on the building. He thought it certain that no Church of this character could have been built in the South of England, which was then very much behind. the North in wealth and advancement, before the Danish invasions. St. Aldhelm no doubt built a small and modest Church here, which was probably rebuilt at the end of the 10th or beginning of the 11th century on the same site. Mr. H. Brakspear agreed as to the late date of the building. He maintained that the date was cir. 1001.

On leaving the Church the party made their way to Belcombe Court, where Mr. and Mrs. Burder most hospitably entertained them at tea in a tent pitched just outside the beautiful garden.

1 Mr. Burder's notes are printed in full in Archeologia Cambrensis, 6th Series, xiv., 188-194.

After tea a special train leaving Bradford at 6,5 brought the party back to Devizes at 6.35.

At 8 p.m. an Evening Meeting was held in the Town Hall, when the Rev. H. G. O. Kendall read a paper on "The Flint Implements of Wiltshire" and exhibited many flints in illustration of it, dwelling especially on the possibility of classifying the Paleolithic flints according to the ideas of the French archaeologists, and other evidence of age afforded by different degrees of patination. Sir Henry Howorth, in criticising the paper, felt that a protest should be made against the course on which prehistoric archæology seemed to be entering under the leadership of Dr. Sturge, Mr. Reginald Smith, and others. Mr. Kendall allowed a million years for the Plateau flints, and 240,000 years for the river drift implements. He did not believe there was the slightest evidence for these apalling periods. He objected, also, to the classification of the age of Paleolithic flints merely by the difference in their forms. The President, Professor Boyd Dawkins, did not believe that it was possible in dealing with the Paleolithic implements from the river drifts of Wiltshire, or elsewhere in England, to do more than group them into one great period of human culture. He could not regard colour and patination as evidence of age; in his view such evidence was of no value at all. As to the glacial deposits, he knew of no trace of such south of a line between Bristol and London. As to beds of gravel at very high levels, such as that at Knowle Farm Pit, it did not follow that such beds must have been laid down at the bottom of valleys. The gravel at Knowle might have been left behind on the slope when the percolation of water had carried away the softer debris to the lower lands. Mr. Kendall replied, defending his reliance on patination as a proof of age, and maintaining that the Knowle flints can be classified according to the French system and that the different classes do represent different ages, in spite of their being often found together.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 16th.

This was an extra day's excursion, as the majority of members of both Societies had to leave for home. About fifty members,

however, left the Market Place at 9 a.m. in three brakes for OLIVER'S CAMP, which was visited under the guidance of Mrs. Cunnington, who explained the results of the excavations carried out by Mr Cunnington and herself.

Mr. Albany Major thought the ditch must have been filled up in order to facilitate the storming of the rampart during an attack on the Camp, but Mrs. Cunnington pointed out the unreasonableness of this supposition and contended that it was more likely to have been done deliberately in later times for some agricultural

purpose.

From the Camp the brakes took the party to BISHOPS CANNINGS CHURCH, where the Rev. H. G. O. Kendall acted as guide and brought them back to Devizes by 1 o'clock, and so one of the most memorable Archæological Meetings ever held in the County came to an end. The total numbers attending at some point of the programme were 110 Cambrians and 71 Wiltshire members, and though on several of the excursions considerably less than this total were present, at Old Sarum on the other hand, counting local people who assembled to meet the Societies, probably not less than 250 were present, a larger number probably than has ever attended any Archæological excursion in the county before. In spite, however, of the difficulty of conveying such a large number from place to place, time was kept to the minute throughout the proceedings, and Mr. B. H. Cunnington, upon whom the whole weight of the arrangements for the meeting fell, well deserved the praises which he received both from members of our own Society and from the Welshmen upon his admirable organisation, in the carrying out of which he was greatly aided by Mr. Sandell, who acted as his lieutenant throughout this highly successful meeting. The profits of the meeting were shared in due proportion between the two Societies, our own share amounting to £6 8s. 4d.

MALMESBURY ABBEY,1

By HAROLD BRAKSPEAR, F.S.A.

The once rich and mitred abbey of Malmesbury has provided a subject for many writers, and the remains of its church a model for artists and draughtsmen, but no one seems to have combined description and drawing to explain the history of this building. The writer, having been engaged professionally for many years upon the repairs of the church, has had exceptional opportunities for the study of the structure, and although much of necessity has been said before, some little fresh matter has been brought to light.

HISTORY OF THE MONASTERY,

Malmesbury stands on a steep hill surrounded by the waters of Avon and Newnton brook, save for a narrow neck to the north-west. In ancient days it must have been wellnigh impregnable, for the low-lying ground on all sides would have been impassable swamp. This natural stronghold was doubtless from the earliest time occupied for human habitation, though no direct evidence of such occupation has been found. In Roman days it seems to have been neglected, though the great north road from Bath passed within two miles of it, and there was a small station at Brockenburgh and a villa at Easton Grey.

About the year 640 an Irish teacher named Maeldubh settled here and founded a school and small church. He gained great repute, and Ina, king of Wessex, sent his nephew Aldhelm to study under him. Aldhelm became head of the school in 676, and from his time the importance of Malmesbury began.

Aldhelm converted the school into an Abbey under regular rule. He enlarged the old church of Maeldubh and hallowed it in honour

1 Reprinted from Archeologia, Ixiv., 399, by permission of the Society of Antiquaries, by whom the blocks illustrating the paper are lent. The author has made certain additions to the paper which did not appear in Archæologia.