Cambrian Archæological Society.

After a brief speech , the noble chairman called upon the Secretary ( Mr . W . L . Banks ) , to read the report , Avhich was affcenvards received unanimously . Dr . Barhamthen crave an explanation of the intended proceedings of the week , after Avhich the Rev . H . LonguoA-illc Jones gave a sketch of Welsh antiquities , which ivas of a very interesting nature , and was Avell received .

On Tuesday , notwithstanding the unpropitious state of t \ ie weather , the excursionists mustered upAvards of one hundred at the Cornwall Railway station , and proceeded to Bodmin , Llanhyclroek , and LostAvithicl . The evening meeting did not commence until nearly half-past nine , the TOAVU Hall being croivded . Mr . Hussey Vivian , Jlf . P ., proceeded to read the

President's address , Avhich stated that , during the excursion , discussion Avould be im » ited , and if they could manage to find a good archajological fox and get on good terms ivith him , no doubt they would run into him , after an exciting burst , and pull him to pieces in true Cambrian Archasological Association style . ( Laughter . ) After speaking of the language and nomenclature of ConiAvallthe

Pre-, sident said , inscriptions on stone were ivanting , or Avere of such a meagre character as to offer no hope of their revealing to them any important facts of the early history of Britain . This was indeed remarkable , and would tend to prove that the first colonists from the east , ivho eventually reached and peopled these isles , must have separated from the parent stock before the arfc of

inscribing upon stone the deeds of their warriors , the genealogy of their kings , and the remarkable events of their reigns had become known and practised . Yet there was evidence to prove that many of thc inscriptions of Egypt and Africa dated thirty long centuries back . Nor had they remains of public buildings , temples , or cities ; ivhich could be ascribed to the ancient British

inhabitants ; they dwelt in rude . huts , of Avhich indeed there were traces , but they brought ivith them none of those refined tastes and high arts , abundant evidence of the existence of which recent archaeological research has brought to light , amidst' the long buried Avrecks of Assyrian and Egyptian cities . The arts of engraving upon stone , sculpture , and even the construction of solid

divellings appeared to have been unknoivn to the early Celtic inhabitants of these isles . In spite of this disadvantage , the programme which had been prepared for them by the kind assiduity of the committee of fche Royal Institution , contained a copious collection of archasological objects of the highest interest . They had ancient earfch-Avorks and hutsbarrowsstone circlescavescromlechs

, , , , , and castles in rich abundance . Nor , as Ave Avander along , Celts though Ave were , ivill ifc be denied to us to feast on those rich relics of early ecclesiastical architecture ivhich the churches of Cornivall display . Mr . T . Q . Couch then gave an account of the day ' s excursion . Concerning Bodmin Church , he said : This

chm-ch is the largest in Cornwall , consisting of a nave and tAvo aisles . A tower adjoins the north aisle , and tbe south has a large embattled porch . The general style of the building is perpendicular , defaced at the Avestern end by much debased ivork . The tower formerly' supported a spire , which ivas destroyed by lightning in 1699 , after Avhich Avere added the Avretched pinnacles Avhich noAv disfi

gure it . The choir is so spacious as to have led Dr . Oliver to suppose that the church was both conventual and parochial , the choir having been appropriated to the clergy , and the body of the church to tho parishioners . He says , however , that the registers of Bishops Stafford and Lacy are against such a supposition , and I observe that "William of Worcester gives separately the dimensions of

a monastic and of a parish church . Attached to the church ivas the chapel of Sfc . Mary , in which was St . Petrock ' s shrine , and in it the mortuary chapel of St . Andrew , Sfc . Martin , and King Harry , builfc and endoived by JohnWattys , about 1494 The fragments Avorked into "the furniture of the present church , and more lying in the upper story of the porch , show A'ei-y excellent

ivorkmanship . The tomb of Prior Vivian , the last but one of the priors , stands at present in the north side of tho choir and is built of grey catacleuse stone , from near Padstoiv . On it rest the effigies of the prior , in full pontificals , as nominal Bishop of Megara , mitred , and holding his pastoral staff , which is curiously SAvathed in bands crossing each other . Afc the corners are four ( mutilated ) angels ,

holding shields , charged ivith the priory and Vivian arms , which also occupy two of the panels in the sides , tho other six , containing the four evangelists , the arms of Henry VIII ., and a cross fleury surmounted by a crown . Round the ledge is an inscription . This tomb stood originally before the altar . A slate monumental slab of great age , and having some curious arborescent ornament ,

and an inscription difficult to decipher is also preserved here . The piscina , a remarkable one , is of pillared form , and octagonal in shape . The capital is ornamented with quatrefoils , and on its surface are eight radiating scooped depressions , opening by as many perforations into the central drain , Avhich runs through the shaft . The font , large and fineis of Norman shapesupported at the

cor-, , ners by four small pillars , ending in winged heads , and by a larger and shorter central one . It is square in form , and ornamented by boldly executed sculpture of wreathed foliage and twisted snakes above , below by four mailed heraldic monsters . We next went to tbe chapel of St . Thomas , at the eastern end of the churchyard , and ivhich is an interesting ivy-covered ruin of the time

of Henry VI : Ifc consists of a nave and a south porch near the Avestern end . It has graduated buttresses between ivhich are pointed windows , the mullions of which are gone . The most interesting feature is the prefcby decorated windoivs hi its eastern end . In the Avestern end is a triangular Avindow enclosing a trefoil light . Little is left of interest internally ,

except the sedilia , and a stoup on tbe south side of the altar . The chapel is built over a groined crypt . A Franciscan Convent ( of St . Nicholas ) formerly stood on the ground now occupied by the butter market . It was begun hy John Eitzralph , a London merchant , and completed in 1239 by Richard the Earl . Its remains are few and unimportantalthough until lately ifc served as

, very the assize hall of the coanty . A pillar , one of an arcade , has been removed to the churchyard for preservation . Llanhydrock Avas next visited . But I think I had better leave a description of this house to those ivho are better acquainted with domestic architecture than I am . I may state , however , that the house consists of three parts of a quadrangle . The fourth and south part Avas

removed some years ago by Thomas Hunt , Esq ., its owner . It has eight doors in the centre and wings , and large Avindoivs Avith heavy mullions and labels . The barbican or gateway , is a curious specimen of Tudor Gothic ; a description of Avhich is rendered unnecessary by Mr . May ' s excellent photographs . Resfcormel Castle was visited , after partaking of luncheon . This castle , said Mr . Couch , in its -present

ruinous condition , consisted of an outer and inner circle or Avail , divided into six compartments by radiating party walls , and enclosing an open area of 64 ft . diameter , a gateway on the Avest side , and on the eastern a chapel . The circular range of rooms were , of course , once roofed over , and it Avould appear from the plaster , and , in some places , paint—still remaining—thafc the first story

contained the state appartments , the ground floor being allotted to the various necessary offices of fche household . The chapel is , as Leland says , a newer Avork , tbe masonry not interlacing Avith that of the keep . Some recesses in the eastern end of the chapel may have been for certain arrangements connected Avith tbe altar . On the south wall of the chapel is a piscina with the conduit for the

consecrated Avater . The outer wall is battlemented , and the whole is surrounded by a deep moat , the water for Avhich Avas supplied from the hill above by leaden pipes , pieces of which have been occasionally dug up . Restormel has more the appearance of a fortified residence than