Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 6.djvu/457

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THE ARCHAEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. 303

was offered to the numerous visitors (between two and three hundred) in the library, and at the conclusion an expression of hearty acknowledgment to the noble President and Mrs. Herbert was proposed by Lord Northampton, and received with enthusiastic gratification. A vote of thanks to Mr. Newton was proposed by Mr. Sidney Herbert, and the assembly took their leave, to examine the architectural compositions of Holbein and Inigo Jones, and visit the picturesque sites surrounding the mansion, and especially to avail themselves of the gratifying occasion for the inspection of that beautiful example of church architecture, raised by the taste and munificence of the President, at Wilton, in which examples of mediaeval art, of the highest interest, are combined with unique and imposing effect.

Saturday, July 28.

An excursion to Wimborne Minster, and various churches attainable by aid of a special train, had originally been proposed; as, however, various valuable communications remained to be read, and the unexpected attraction of a visit to Stourhead had been presented, this arrangement was deferred, and the proceedings of the day commenced at half-past 10 with a Meeting of the Section of Architecture, at which Sir Stephen Glynne presided. A valuable memoir on the churches of Sherborne and Wimborne Minster was communicated by the Rev. J. L. Petit, illustrated by beautiful sketches by the author, and drawings by Mr. Philip Delamotte.

A notice of the Custumal of Bleadon Manor, in the thirteenth century, was contributed by Mr. Edward Smirke; it comprised a mass of curious information on agricultural matters and local usages at the period, extracted from the original MS., kindly lent for this occasion by the Dean and Chapter of Winchester, in whose muniment room the Custumal is preserved.

A memoir on the portion of Domesday relating to Wiltshire was contributed by Mr. H. Moody, Curator of the Winchester Museum, who gave an useful analysis of that record.

Mr. Markland made announcement of the proposed illustration of the tombs and early sculptures in Iona and the Western Islands of Scotland, of which only a few examples had been published by Pennant; and a complete series is now in preparation, of which some specimen plates were exhibited.[1]

The meeting then adjourned, and the members proceeded to the Cathedral, accompanied by the Rev. C. Boutell, who delivered an instructive address in explanation of the costume, armour, and sculpture, displayed by the monumental effigies and brasses. At two o'clock, the members of the Institute re-assembled to attend the general meeting of the Society, originally fixed for Tuesday, but now held, by anticipation, in accordance with the wish of a numerous body of members, anxious to be enabled to visit the excavation at Silbury Hill on that day. The proceedings having been opened by the Right Hon. President, the Treasurer's and Auditors' Reports were read by Charles Tucker, Esq., and a general statement of the proceedings of the previous year, with an interesting summary of the advance of Archaeological research. A large accession of members, consisting of nearly two hundred, had

  1. Persons who might be interested in this undertaking are requested to send their names to Mr. J. Graham, Clapham Common, who proposes shortly to publish this work.