building, which is in Butcher's Row, dates from 1621, and it is supposed that the architect was John Abel. The ornament on the gable suggests that originally the house belonged to a butcher. A large hall is within the building, with a chimney-piece on which the arms of the Tanners', Fleshers', and Butchers' Guilds are carved.

Lieut. Conder has taken his surveying party back to Jerusalem for the winter, bringing with him the results of his first campaign across the Jordan. After the preliminary work of reconnoissance and measuring the base-line was accomplished, the survey was begun, and up to the present 500 square miles have been successfully completed. It was found that in the East more rapid progress can be made than in Western Palestine; while the cheapness of food and forage is some set-off to the heavy payments required by the Arabs for escort. Over 600 names have been collected; more than 200 ruins have been examined; some 400 cromlechs have been found; and plans, sketches, and photographs have been taken. In addition to the cromlechs, several menhirs or standing stones have been found, and ancient stone circles in connection with both classes of monuments. Among the sites explored are Heshbon, Elealah, Madeba, Baal-Meon, Nebo, and Pisgah, the hot springs of Callirrhoë, Rabboth Ammân, and the Jordan valley. Lieutenant Conder reports that he has found the place of the worship of Baal Peor, and the site of Bamoth Baal; that he has an important suggestion to make as to the "bedstead " of Og; and that he has discovered the method by which the enormous stones used at Arâk el Emir were brought up from the quarries. The party are now engaged in reducing their observations into shape at Jerusalem.

We are informed that the old church at Long Ditton will very soon be demolished, the materials having been sold for £60. Surely this cannot be. We should hardly have thought that, for the sake of so pitiful a sum, it was worth while to destroy the building. It occupies the site of the former church, which has stood there from time immemorial; contains its tombs and its traditions, and is in itself a most picturesque object.

Thackeray's house in Kensington Palace-gardens, has just been sold. This fine mansion possesses more than the interest which ordinarily attaches to the dwelling-places of distinguished men, for it was not only lived in, but built, by Thackeray. It is of red brick, and, as befitted the limner of Queen Anne manners, is built in the style which has been so generally named after that sovereign.

The Naples correspondent of the Daily News writes: Near the railway line at Reggo has been found a fine mosaic in the Greek style. It is rectangular, and in the middle is a circular border, within which is a beautifully designed youthful figure driving a chariot, holding the reins in the left hand, with a spear of a trident form in the right, in the act of striking. The mosaic is of little stones of glass paste, black and white. On further excavation another mosaic was found on the other side of a wall, better preserved than the first, and

seemingly still more beautifully worked. Only the corner of this pavement has been uncovered, but the border shows that the workmanship is exceedingly fine.

As some workmen were making repairs in the roof of a house belonging to Mr. John Stevens, of Broughton-Astley, near Lutterworth, Leicestershire, there was found under a rafter a bag containing twenty-six coins-crowns, half-crowns, shillings, and farthings. In date they range from 1670 to 1710. There are several crowns and half-crowns of the reigns of Charles II. and William III. The most recent is a coin of Queen Anne's, bearing date 1710. The coins are in a state of good preservation. The house was formerly the manor house of the parish, where the family of the Astleys, who have given the name to the parish, lived. It is now a farm-house and public-house.

The tower of the ancient church of Hendon having been in a dangerous condition for some time past, has now been thoroughly restored. The floors of the clock room, the bell room, and the belfry, have been relaid, and the windows well protected with new oak weather boards. The tower has a pierced parapet. The height of the tower to the summit of the pinnacles is 43 yds.; square of tower, taking in the walls, 47 ft. It may be noticed that the chimes were given to the town in 1662.

Adwick Church, Yorkshire, which is said to have been in a dilapidated condition for years, is about to be restored.

The anniversary meeting of the Society of Biblical Archæology will be held at 9, Conduit Street, Hanover Square, W., on Tuesday, January 10th, at eight p.m., when the council and officers of the Society for the ensuing year will be elected, and the usual business of the meeting transacted.

A photograph of the stone which a week or two ago was discovered built into the masonry of the west wall of St. Mary's Church, Monmouth (see ante iv. 274), and about which much difficulty was experienced in determining its original use, having been forwarded by Mr. Waugh, of Church Street, to the Rev. Thomas Lees, of Carlisle, Mr. Waugh has received the following reply :-"The object represented is a 'Holy Water Stock,' and, I think, of the twelfth century. At a church in Westmorland I know one of that date, but of a much more ornate character, and the drain passes down the stone as in a font. From the Rites of Durham, p. 32, I copy the following passage regarding the use:-There was two faire Hallewater Stones belonging to the Abey Church of Duresme, all of verie faire blewe marble. . . . being kept verie clene, and alwaies fresh water was provided against every Sonnday morning by two of the bell-ringers or servitors of the church, wherein one of the Monncks did hallow the said water, verie earlie in the morning before divine service.' The hole at the side was for conducting the water to a drain inside the pillar or wall against which the bénitier stood." Mr. Waugh has kindly sent us a photograph.

Nearly five years ago the Dean and Chapter of Lichfield issued an appeal for means to enable them to carry out an undertaking which had been long

contemplated, namely, the restoration of the noble west front of their Cathedral, which has never yet been properly and architecturally restored since it sustained such terrible damage during the siege of the Close. Under the guidance, however, of the late Sir Gilbert Scott, plans have been completed by which the remaining original features of architectural beauty may be permanently reproduced. The two western spires are now thoroughly restored and furnished with lightning conductors on approved principles. The whole of the south-west tower and the upper stage of the north-west tower, as well as the intervening gable, with the great western porch beneath it, are now completed, leaving yet unrestored the greater part of the north-west tower. This it is proposed to complete in three stages, for which three separate estimates have been prepared.

The ancient custom of making a present of fine cloth to certain high officers of State and gentlemen of Her Majesty's household, has just been observed by a committee of the Court of Aldermen of the City of London. The custom seems to have originated in a desire to encourage competition in the ancient woollen cloth work of the City by sending specimens of its finest produce to those best qualified to judge of its excellence. Blackwell Hall, the head-quarters of the trade in former days, covered the spot where the City Library now stands. The official order for the distribution, says the City Press, provides that pieces of cloth of four and a half yards each shall be sent to the first Secretary of State, the Lord Chancellor, the Chamberlain of the Household, the Vice Chamberlain of the Household, the Lord Steward, the Comptroller, the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, the Chief Baron of the Exchequer, the Master of the Rolls, the Recorder of London, the AttorneyGeneral, the Solicitor-General, and the Common Serjeant. The order further states that six yards of black cloth and six yards of green cloth shall be given to the Town Clerk, four yards of black and two yards of green cloth to the chief clerk in the Town Clerk's office, four yards to the Attorney in the Exchequer and four yards to the Attorney in Chancery, four yards to the Recorder's clerk, and four yards to the usher of the Court of Aldermen. The distribution is carried out by the hallkeeper,

An exhibition of heraldry, seals, and genealogical records will be held at Berlin from April I to May 31 next, under the patronage of H.R. H. Prince Charles of Prussia. The participation and support of all persons who are interested in heraldic art are invited on behalf of the above-named exhibition, to which the Royal Family of Prussia have promised to contribute an important and highly interesting collection of the genealogy, heraldry, and seals of the house of Hohenzollern. It is hoped that the numerous and valuable collections of objects of interest suitable for such an exhibition in the possession of the nobility and gentry, as well as of public and corporate institutions in Great Britain and Ireland, may be well represented in this forthcoming exhibition.

The head master of Westminster School published in the Times of November 28, some remarks upon Ashburnham House and a memorial to the governing body. These state that the Chapter themselves have in

past years greatly altered and disfigured Ashburnham House. It had originally two wings; one was destroyed and never restored. About 1848 the roof was taken off, a story added, and a dome in the ceiling of the drawing-room demolished, the external elevation being ruined. The house now has no beauty externally, and hardly any features of interest internally, except the staircase, which would in any case be preserved. We do not think, judging from subsequent letters in the Times, that all these statements are confirmed, and we hope that Ashburnham House in its present state may be preserved from the school authorities.

An interesting antiquarian discovery has been made on the premises of Mr. H. Boxall, 19, Mary-le-Port Street, Bristol, during some alterations, a fine free. stone mantelpiece, ornately sculptured, and bearing a shield charged with the arms borne by George Harrington, Mayor of Bristol in 1617, having been exhumed from a thick covering of mortar. Harrington's residence, whilst mayor, was in Corn Street. Mr. J. F. Nichols, City Librarian, points out that this coat, which in the Mayor's Calendar is ascribed to the above Mayor, is there tinctured incorrectly, colour upon colour. The curious thing in connection with these arms is that they occur twice in the same street -viz on the fronts of Nos. 38 and 40, below the first-floor windows. This raises a question as to whether these were not the arms of the Brewers' company of Bristol, and were borne by Harrington with a difference for his own coat, he being a brewer, just as Robert Aldworth bore for his coat the arms of the Marchants Venturers with a difference.

The Cambridge Antiquarian Society visited Royston recently. The cave was seen under the guidance of Professor Hughes, who remarked upon its position at the junction of four parishes, and called attention to the rudely-cut figures and other carvings on the wall, which he attributed to the eleventh or twelfth centuries. The Rev. S. S. Lewis said the cave was at the junction of two Roman roads, the figures on the walls represented the High Altar, St. Katherine, St. Christopher, St. Lawrence, St. John, and St. Thomas of Canterbury. A hermit of Royston existed in Edward VI.'s time; but there was no intimation that he lived in this cave; the only bones found in it were those of domestic animals. The priory church was next visited, Mr. W. M. Fawcett, M.A., explaining its leading features, and expressing his regret that the fine chancel-screen, described in Cussans' History of Hertfordshire, had been removed in modern times. Mr. Bendall said the screen was cut up and reformed into the present pulpit and reading desk; the original font was turned out by the late vicar, and was bought from the stonemasons by a farmer, who used it as a trough under a pump. It eventually was purchased by a neighbour, Mr. Phillips, to place in his garden.

The chancel of Caynham Church, Shropshire, has been opened. It was found necessary some time since to take down the ancient Norman church on account of its dangerous condition. On the thatched rafters of the roof and some portion of the main walls being removed, the whole structure gave way, with the ex

ception of the curious triple arch dividing the nave from the chancel. The north, south, and west walls of the tower have also been preserved.

The parish church of Ebberston, Yorkshire, was reopened early in the month, after restoration, begun in 1869. The tower has been carefully restored, much of the walls of the nave and chancel rebuilt, the former rough roof of oak and fir, with lath-and-plaster ceiling, has been replaced by an open roof of pitchpine.

Sir Henry Cole wrote to the Times of Nov. 14, as follows:-"Some of the most valuable specimens of wall paintings, centuries older than the Reformation, are preserved in this country in the Chapter-house of Westminster Abbey, and they have been brought to public view by the judicious restoration of the Chapterhouse, freely open to the public daily. I have known these wall paintings for more than 50 years. In 1830 they were hidden behind the record presses, and were certainly in much better condition than they now are. Indeed, every time I see them they appear to be more and more decaying, and a week ago I observed little parts were about to peel off. The paintings are well worth looking to, and I recommend glass covering as necessary to preserve them, which should be placed before them without delay. I write this in hope that the proper authorities may be moved to do what is necessary to preserve these very rare remains of ancient pictures."

Mr. Joseph Anderson delivered early in November the fourth of the present course of Rhind Lectures in Archæology, at Edinburgh, when he dealt with "The Brochs, or Dry-Built Round Towers of Scotland."

Among the many fast disappearing objects of antiquity in the City of London, we understand the authorities propose removing that interesting piece of old London wall now standing in St. Martin's Court, Ludgate Hill, for the purpose of widening the entrance to Little Bridge Street, Blackfriars. We trust every care will be taken during the demolition to note anything of interest that may be brought to light.

A monument of considerable interest and importance has arrived at the British Museum. It comes from Jerabius, on the Euphrates, the supposed site of the ancient city of Carchemish. It is of basalt, standing nearly six feet in height, and having a figure sculptured on the one side, and an inscription of five lines in hieroglyphics on the other. It seems likely that the inscription is of a religious character, the sculptured figure-which is unfortunately mutilated by the absence of the head-being probably that of a priest in sacerdotal attire. The inscription belongs to

the class which has been termed "Hittite." A somewhat painful interest attaches to the new monument as having been examined and copied by the late Mr. George Smith on his last journey to Asia-a journey during which his valued life was lost to his country and to science. Mr. Smith drew up, at least tentatively, a Hittite alphabet, which together with his drawing of the monument, is preserved in the British Museum Library.

Correspondence.

ANGLO-SAXON ARCHITECTURE. Many of my friends are aware that I am endeavour. ing to collect all the information that I can on the subject of the buildings commonly called Anglo-Saxon; and, although Mr. E. A. Freeman objects to that name for them, it is the name by which they are generally known, and it is likely long to be so.

My object is to get together as far as possible all that is extant on the subject, with a view to a new, improved, and enlarged edition of what was, for about forty years, the Appendix to Rickman's work on Gothic architecture. His system begins with the Norman style, and his object was to instruct architects for practical work; whereas anything before the Norman style is evidently a matter of antiquarian interest only, and it is well known that the Appendix was originally an addition to the third edition of Rickman, from information supplied chiefly by Mr. William Twopeny. In the seventh edition of Rickman, published last year, I have omitted this Appendix, with the intention of making a separate work of it. During the last summer a good deal of fresh information on the subject has come under my observation. I have seen, perhaps, a dozen examples, wherein walls of the Anglo-Saxon period have been brought to light by scraping off the plaster in the restorations of the Victorian era.

During the recent visit of the Archæological Institute to Bedford I saw three instances of this, in addition to which I have heard or read of other cases, in which the surface of the walls, covered with shallow sculpture, in a sort of diaper work, has been found under Norman work. At Kirton-in-Lindsay. Lincolnshire, the priest's door on the south side of the chancel has the tympanum carved with such diaper work in good preservation, under bold Norman arch mouldings, clearly showing the use of older materials in the Norman period. The church is a curious and interesting one in many ways, and it was one of the three that were given by Bishop Remigius to the chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, of which Stow is another, where the transepts are also of the AngloSaxon type. In St. Leonard's Church, at Wallingford, in Berkshire, the piers of the chancel arch are carved with this sort of early and shallow diaper work, which was brought to light only by scraping off the plaster in the recent Victorian restoration. At Bampton, Oxfordshire, a very fine church of various periods, in the vault, under the central tower, there is some of this sort of early diaper work, evidently used as old materials by the builders of the thirteenth century. I have no doubt that many more similar instances are to be found if looked for, and I shall be glad to be informed of any not already in the list published in the Glossary. I have had a list made of all the stone churches that are mentioned in the Saxon Chronicle, and in Bede, and other early chronicles, and I hope to find more instances in which the records fit with the existing remains, which is always the difficulty.

The excellent lectures of Mr. Anderson on Scotlana in Early Christian Times, recently published at Edinburgh (see ante, iv. 248), throw a good deal of new light

on the architectural history, but show it came from Ireland and not from England, and, therefore, is only indirectly connected with the present subject; but no doubt the general characteristics of each century would be the same in both countries, though perhaps during one generation one country may have been rather in advance of the other. In part of Scotland there is a remarkable series of tomb-stones, eight feet high, with shallow sculpture, called by some Celtic and by others Runic. These seem to agree with two ancient stones in the Ashmolean Museum at Oxford, on which the sculpture has always been called Runic. This opens a wide field for examination and comparison, but without much reference to Anglo-Saxon work. A good deal more attention has been given to this subject recently than appears to have ever been given to it before. JOHN HENRY PARKER, C.B.

ARMS OF WOLVERHAMPTON,

I shall be glad if any of your readers or correspondents can inform me how it happens that the borough of Wolverhampton bears, besides its proper coat of arms, the arms of King Edward the Confessor, a cross patonce between five martlets; and also the arms of England and France quarterly. The former appear in a small escutcheon on the dexter side of the shield containing the arms of the borough, and the latter in a small escutcheon on the sinister side of it. I cannot understand it at all. The town of Wolverhampton existed, I believe, in Saxon times; but the existence of the borough dates only from the Reform Bill of 1832. I may mention, at the same time, that we read in Hone's Year Book (p. 772), of an escutcheon, on which were the arms of Edward the Confessor impaling those of England and France, surmounted by a crown set with crosses and fleurs-de-lys, and sup ported by angels in long robes and ermine tippets which appeared till the year 1830 on the east wall of the old archiepiscopal palace at Croydon. The palace was built in the reign of Henry VI. What had the Archbishops of Canterbury to do with the arms in question?

MONTAGU Webster.

Hill Vicarage, Sutton Coldfield.

SLOPING NAVES.

(iv. 135, 228, 278.)

At Cockington Church, near Torquay, in the restoration of which I am now engaged, there are six steps from the tower at the west end down to the nave, and there is a slope in the nave pavement of six inches from west to east. The church consists of nave, aisles, and chancel, with chapels; the entire fabric, with the exception of a portion of the west wall of the north aisle, being Perpendicular work of one period. There is at present a single step up to the chancel, and another to the sacrarium; yet I found the piscina in the south wall less than eighteen inches above the pavement, and the blocked-up priest's doorway on the opposite side only about three feet high above the pavement. I arrived,

therefore, at the conclusion that, besides the present steps, leading down from the west doorway to the sloping floor of the nave, there must have been originally steps down to the chancel, and again further east to the altar. I am given to understand that Mr. Christian, architect to the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, has visited the church since my inspection, and generally coincides in this opinion. The church is situated in the park of Cockington Court, and the ground outside rises westward very considerably. The unusual levels of the church, therefore, would appear to have been suggested by the peculiarities of the site. The effect from the western entrance must, I think, have been impressive. As is generally known, the altar, in Devon and Cornwall churches, was seldom raised high, and the sill of the east window is usually low. It was the screen-as at Cockington, where it remains-which conveyed the idea of sanctity and mystery. JAMES HINE, F.R.I.B.A.

Plymouth.

Tawstock Church, North Devon, has the floor lower towards the east end. At the first piers from the west end of the nave there are two or three steps extending across the nave and aisles, the floor slopes thence to the chancel-arch at which there is a descent of four or five steps into the chancel. The fall of the ground is from west to east. Halifax parish church has five or six steps descending from the western tower (which is open to the church) into the nave. Between these and the cross passage from the porch doors, the floor is at two levels extending across the whole circle of nave and aisle, with steps down from each level. From the cross-passage there is a slight fall to the chancel screen, from whence the floor eastward is raised by steps in the usual manner, a vestry being formed under the chancel. The ground here falls from west to east.

St. David's Cathedral has not only the nave floor inclined upwards from west to east, as mentioned by your former correspondent, but the whole of the floors follow the same inclination. Towards the east end of the nave is a flight of steps to the platform in front of the vaulted choir screen. This platform slopes, and so do the floors under the screen, the choir floor, the several grades of the Presbytery floor, and the altar pace. By the several slopes and steps the altar-pacis raised to the height of about 13ft. above the floor at the west end of the nave. The transept floors, like those of other parts, fall from east to west. There is no crypt, but the inclination of the floors is a following of the declivity of the site.

In a new church now about to be built on a hillside near Croydon, it is proposed to slope the nave floor. CHARLES R. B. KING.

SOME EARLY BREACH OF PROMISE CASES.

(iv. 185.)

Mr. Bird will be glad to hear that the result of Master Walter Lempster's action on behalf of Lucy

Brampston-or rather on his own behalf-may be gathered from the will of the said Lempster, which was proved in the Prerog. Court of Canterbury, in 1487 (fo. 3 "Milles.") In that will occur these be quests :

dilecte servienti et filie mee in lege Lucie Brampston filie Katerine uxoris mee ducentas marcas

Item cum quedam accio per me mota extitit et adhuc pendet in Curia d'ni Regis de Scaccario suo apud Westm' adversus Johannem Tate et Johannem Swan nuper vicecomites Civitatis Londoniensis pro recuperacione tricentarum marcarum in quibus quidam Ricardus Narburgh michi legitime condempnatus extitit et ea de causa in prisona de Ludgate, London' ut prisonarius detentus et extra eandem prisonam ob defectum bone custodie evasus voluntas mea inde est Si dicte tricente marce adversus dictos nuper vicecomites ad usum meum imposterum recuperate fuerint tunc volo quod dicta Katerina uxor mea habeat centum marcas ad inde inveniendum unum Capellanum idoneum Divina pro anima mea ac animabus parentum fratrum sororum et benefactorum meorum ac omnium fidelium

defunctorum....celebraturum. .:. Et volo quod dicta Lucia habeat inde alias centum marcas ad inde faciendam suam liberam voluntatem.

Which for the convenience of some of your readers I will thus translate :

"I leave to my beloved servant and daughter-inlaw, Lucy Brampston, daughter of Katherine my wife, two hundred marks. Also, whereas a certain suit, promoted by me has been proceeding and still is depending in the Court of Exchequer of our lord the King at Westminster against John Tate and John Swan, late Sheriffs of the City of London, for recovery of three hundred marks in which a certain Richard Narburgh stands lawfully condemned to me, and was on that ac count detained as a prisoner in the prison of Ludgate, London, and by default of good custody has escaped from the same prison, my will as to the same is that if the said three hundred marks shall be hereafter recovered to my use against the said late sheriffs, then I will that the said Katherine my wife shall have one hundred marks to find therewith a convenient chaplain to celebrate mass for my soul, and for the souls of my parents, brothers, sisters, and benefactors, and all the faithful deceased. And I will that the said Lucy shall have thereof another hundred marks to do her free will therewith."

Perhaps Mr. Bird will be able to pursue the story still further in the Exchequer Rolls.

Walter Lempster was buried at St. Antonine's Church, London, and Weever gives a copy of his epitaph in which he is described as physician to King Henry VII.

J. CHALLENOR SMITH.

90, Church Road, Richmond.

THE BIDDENDEN MAIDS.

In the parish of Biddenden, near Staplehurst, Kent, there exists a curious custom. It consists in giving to all applicants, after service on Easter Sunday, curious little cakes, bearing the effigy of two maiden ladies, who were joined together at birth and throughout

their lives, in much the same way as the late Siamese twins.

Being curious to know whether the custom is still kept up-after the lapse of more than seven centuries -in strict accordance with the terms of the bequest, I wrote to Mr. Bourne, the parish clerk at Biddenden, and have received from him a very courteous reply, in which he says:-"The custom of giving away to applicants a quantity of cakes, bearing the impression representing them, is still kept up on Easter Sunday after the afternoon service; and in addition, a number of loaves of bread, with a proportionate quantity of cheese, is dispensed to all applicants, being bona-fide residents of the parish. The weight of the loaves varies from year to year, according to the price of flour, generally about a 4 lb. or 5 lb. loáf.”

Mr. Bourne has kindly sent me two of the cakes, but unfortunately they have arrived broken; they would measure entire about 4 in. by 2 in. thick, and are moulded to represent the original donors. E. OAKELEY NEWMAN, F.R.H.S. cakes in a perfect condition.-ED.] [Mr. Newman has since kindly sent us one of the

A RAPIER.

(iv. 231, 277.)

The weapon which "R. B. W." calls "a rapier" is an old Scottish claymore. I have a similar one in my possession.

They were manufactured at Solingen, and imported in large numbers into Scotland.

I was in correspondence with the late Mr. BorlandSmith, at the time of his lamented death, about this question, but we had not arrived at any certain conclusion as to the date.

Like "R.B.W.," I should be glad to learn the date. Mine has a part of the old figured leather scabbard, with steel mountings.

HERALDIC. (iv. 277.)

E. K.

Mr. Parker's query is easily answered. D is "eventual heiress" in his first case, and "heiress in her issue" in his second. So much misconception prevails as to the heraldic term "heiress," that it may not be out of place to attempt a comprehensive definition.

An "heiress" is a daughter who has no brothers, or whose brothers' issue is extinct. If these conditions are only fulfilled after her death (and she has left children) she is then an "heiress in her issue."* No woman, of course, can be an heraldic heiress unless her father is entitled to bear arms.

J. H. ROUND.

*This would comprise all cases except the occasional ones where (through re-marriages) a daughter is heiress to her mother, but not to her father, or vice verså. In such cases the term brothers must be qualified by the proviso ex parte de quâ hæres est,