Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 7.djvu/151

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ARCHAEOLOGICAL INTELLIGENCE. 107 to Chesterton. He also noticed several other ways, especially the supposed line of a British way preceding the Roman road from Verulam to Chesterton, after it has reached Sandy ; and a probable British way, leading out of Suffolk by Straddishall, Lidgate, Fordham and Soham, to Ely ; then nearly to St. Ives, and by the Sawtrey way to the Ermyn Street, beyond Hun- tingdon. He likewise described the remains of a small Roman fort at Grantchester. Society of Antiquaries of Newcastle-on-Tyne. — Feb. 4, 1850. The Annual Meeting was held in the Castle, now entirely appropriated to the purposes of the Society. The Chair was taken by the Hon. H. T. Liddell, V.P. The Report, read by John Adamson, Esq., adverted to the efforts made to carry out the requisite restorations of that venerable fabric, in which this, their thirty-seventh anniversary, was held ; the arrangements for secure exhibition of the valuable antiquities deposited in their museum being com- pleted. It detailed the efforts of the council to render these collections available for public instruction, especially by soirees, which, from time to time, had taken place with general gratification. But although the numerous residents in Newcastle and its neighbourhood, who availed them- selves of the facilities afforded, had shown the extended interest excited amongst all classes in historical and antiquarian information, the council regretted that the nobility and gentry of the northern counties had not evinced the liberal disposition to encourage this institution which had been anticipated ; and the resources were inadequate to carry out the useful purposes contemplated. The moderate amount of contribution was such as to debar none desirous of promoting public instruction, and the conservation of national monuments, from giving their support. The valuable accession of antiquities, recently presented, almost wholly of great local interest, in connexion with the Roman wall and other local vestiges, rendered an outlay for their secure custody indispensable. The council alluded to the interesting pilgrimage along the line of the Roman wall, which had been so successful under the guidance of the Rev. J. Bruce, and had aroused great interest amongst the inhabitants of the country. The hope was expressed that local proprietors would either present inscriptions and other remains dis- covered, or deposit them provisionally in the Castle, in order that the valuable historical information to be obtained from these memorials, collec- tively, might be rendered fully available at a moment when public interest in this remarkable work of Roman times had been much excited. It was proposed to draw up a catalogue of such collections, as might thus be com- bined, in addition to the extensive museum already formed. The pub- lications of the Society would in future be printed in octavo form, and the stock on hand offered to the public at half-price. Many donations of antiquities and antiquarian works were announced ; especially the entire collection of altars and Roman inscriptions found at Risiugham, presented by the proprietor of the station there, Mr. William Shanks, at the instance of the Noble Patron of the Society, the Duke of Northumberland. The subject of the desecrated and perilous condition of Tynemouth Priory was brought before the Society by the Hon. II. T. Liddell, who stated the propriety of addressing a memorial to the Lords of the Treasury, to set forth the disgraceful state of these remains, soliciting the removal of unsightly erections, especially the powder magazine now existing in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin, and that due measures might be taken for the preservation of so interesting an architectural monument, to which