October. Its value consists in its being an addition to the small number of monuments of the early period of the sway of the Lagidæ in Egypt. Mr. Birch fixes its date as between B.C. 323—306. No monument of the reign of Arrhidæus exists in the British Museum. This curious relic had been recently found amongst the antiquarian collections of the late Ambrose Glover, the Surrey Antiquary, at Reigate, and it was brought before the Institute by Thomas Hart, Esq., of that town, its present possessor.[1]
Dr. Thurnham gave a report of the recent examination of tumuli in Yorkshire, some of which have been assigned to the Danish period. See this Notice at a previous part of this Journal, p. 33.
The Rev. J. L. Petit communicated a memoir on the remarkable features of Gillingham Church, accompanied by numerous beautiful illustrations, reserved for publication in a future number.
Major Davis, 52nd Regt., gave an account of churches in Brecknockshire, illustrated by many interesting drawings. It will be found at a previous page. He exhibited also several drawings of choice enamelled objects, views of architectural remains in Ireland, and other subjects.
The Rev. Edmund Venables, referring to the early examples of the use of Arabic numerals, cited in the last volume of the Journal,[2] and that existing at Heathfield Church, Sussex, 1445, stated to be the earliest observed on any architectural work, expressed the wish that further investigation of this curious subject might be encouraged, and that the members of the Institute should be invited to send notices of any other dates of the fifteenth century, in other parts of the country. He sent two dates, one (only three years later than that noticed at Heathfield) from the Lych-gate at Bray, Berkshire, the other from a quarry in the window of a passage leading from the kitchen to the hall, at St. Cross, Hants. The first is the date 1448, carved on one of the wooden posts supporting the Lych-gate, on the left hand on entering the church-yard; the wood is much weathered by exposure, and the surface too rough to admit of a very precise facsimile being taken.
The annexed representation, however, gives an accurate notion of the forms of the numerals. The originals measure about 112 inch in height. The Lych-gate itself is a structure of considerable interest, having two ancient chambers over it, connected with some charitable bequest.[3] It has been partly modernised, the plaster panel-work having given place to brick. An account of Bray and of this building has been given by the Rev. G. Gorham. in the "Collectanea Topographica."
The date at St. Cross (see wood-cut, next page) occurs with the motto—"Dilexi sapientiam." being that of Robert Shirborne, Master of the Hospital, collated to the see of St. David's in 1505. The singular appearance of the numerals had perplexed many visitors, but the difficulty was solved by Mr. Gunner, who ascertained that the window having been re-leaded, the quarry was reversed, the coloured side being now the external one. The date proves accordingly to be 1497.[4] These numerals measure about 114 inches in height.
The Rev. W. Gunner sent also rubbings from two other dates at St. Cross,
- ↑ This sculpture has been drawn by Mr. Bonomi, and will be given with Mr. Birch's Memoir, in the next Journal.
- ↑ Archaeol. Journal, vol. vi., p. 291.
- ↑ They are occupied by poor almswomen. The access to these rooms is by a picturesque open staircase on the east side of the building.
- ↑ It has been engraved by Gough, in his Sepulchral Monuments.
