Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/453

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THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 299 Wednesday, July 25. This day was appropriated to the examination of Stonehenge and the remarkable remains in the district of Amesbury. The well-concerted arrangements made by the Excursion Committee ensured every facility of conveyance for the numerous visitors. The first object, after reachino- Amesbury, was presented by the British barrows, near Bulford, which the Institute had been, with much kindness, permitted to explore, by Dr. Southby, of Bulford House. Here, however, disappointment awaited the unwary excavators : so successfully had all traces of the previous rifling of the tombs been concealed, that, although every care had been taken to ensure the selection of an untouched tumulus, anil several adjacent baiTows previously opened, with very satisfactory results, the spade only brought to light evidence of prior excavation. The striking character of the scene, thickly strewed with traces of early occupants, was, however, sufficient compensation to many unacquainted with the district of Salisbury Plain ; and the party hastened to Stonehenge, the grand object of their pilgrimage, where the Deax of Westminster (President of the Section of Antiquities) delivered some remarks on the various theories relating to the spot, and the geological character of the component masses, evidently brought from the neighbouring vale of Pewsey. The Dean alluded to the proposal which had been advanced to raise the fallen trilithon. — Mr. Sidney Herbert made some remarks in support of the proposition. The stones, he observed, had fallen within memoiy ; the plan involved no incongruous change ; they might be erected precisely as they had stood, previously to their fall in Jan., ]797, in conse- quence of their having been carelessly undermined.' Sir John Aw dry assured the assembly that Sir Edmund Antrobus had yielded his assent, and liberally offered to raise the stones at his ouoi expense, if the proposition should meet with the approval of archaeologists on this occasion.^ After examination of the tumuli, the cursus, and other remains near Stonehenge, the next object was " Vespasian's camp," in the Pralorium of which the kind hospitality of Sir Edmund and Lady Antrobus awaited the Society, and, after a most gratif^ang entertainment at that striking spot, the party dispersed, many 'isiting Old Sarum on their route to Salisbury. A meeting of the Section of Architecture was held in the evening at the Council Chamber, Sir Stephen Gl^Tine, Bart. (President of the Section, in the Chair). A memoir was communicated by T. E. Walbran, Esq., on recent excavations and discoveries at Fountains Abbey, illustrated by a series of drawings, which had been kindly supplied for this occasion by the Earl de Grey. J. H. Markland, Esq., read a memoir on the architectural peculiarities of the Church of St. ^lary Ottery, Devon. At the close of the meeting, the Rev. Dr. Ingra:m begged to present, in token of esteem towards one of the earliest and the most zealous labourers ' See ]Mr. Maton's account, Archaeologia, of the Institute, bj' Mr. Browne, of Amesbun.-. vol. xiii., p. 103. He will gladly supply models, delivered free - An .accurate and beautiful model of Stone- of charge in London, price one guinea, hengc had been prepared, specially for the visit