After the reign of Offa there is nothing in Anglo-Saxon history connected with Herefordshire until the time of Edward the Confessor, when, in consequence of a dispute between Edward and Algar the son of Leoffricke, Duke of Mercia, Algar entered into an alliance with Griffith, Prince of Wales, and entering Herefordshire laid waste the whole district. Having advanced towards the city they attacked the Cathedral, which the bishop and canons, supported by the citizens, attempted to defend; but the besiegers soon had possession, and after having pillaged the Cathedral, they set it on fire, together with the greater portion of the city. So complete was the destruction that, according to Doomsday Book, there were afterwards only one hundred and three men within the walls.

According to the Welsh Chronicles the British returned home in great triumph, having left the city in blood and ashes. Not long afterwards Harold fortified the city with strong walls and towers, with materials brought from the Roman station Magna Castra, in order to defend it from any further incursions on the part of the Welsh, and also commenced the erection of a castle; but his death in the year 1066 prevented his completion of it. Some of the sheriffs of Herefordshire afterwards caused his intentions to be carried out, and continued the work upon the site chosen by that king. I need not add that the death of Harold was the termination of the Anglo-Saxon power in this country, and the commencement of the Norman line of kings.

I have thus endeavoured, although I fear very imperfectly, to lay before you such places of note as are connected with the antiquity of Herefordshire during the British, Roman and AngloSaxon periods. It is true there are many persons who may feel little interest in such a subject, from a want of identity with this county; yet I trust its antiquities are of sufficient importance to entitle them to their proper position in the archæology of Wales and its Marches. If the last struggle for British liberty against Roman invasion occurred in this county, and if in a subsequent age it was associated with the residence of Saxon royalty, such facts ought not to be obliterated from the annals of old England, but every effort taken to preserve them from being lost to posterity, because not only do they serve to augment the topography of /erefordshire, but are equally illustrative of the national history of Britain.

JAMES DAVIES. Hereford, September, 1853.

LETTER FROM SIR JOHN PRYCE, BART., TO MRS.
BRIDGET BOSTOCK, NEAR WHITCHURCH,

SHROPSHIRE.

I have never seen the following letter in print, but I believe there is no doubt of its genuineness. The writer is the eccentric Sir John Pryce, Bart., of Newtown Hall, in Montgomeryshire, and Buckland, in Brecknockshire.

Z. Madam,

Being very well informed by very creditable people both private and public that you have done several wonderful cureseven when Physicians have failed-& that you do it by the force and efficacy of your prayers mostly, if not altogether—the outward means you use being generally supposed to be inadequate to the effects produced- I cannot but look upon such operations to be miraculous & if so—why may not an infinitely good & gracious God enable you to raise the Dead as well as to heal the Sick give sight to the Blind & hearing to the Deaf,—for since he is pleased to hear your prayers in some cases so beneficial to mankind, there's the same reason to expect it in others, & consequently in that I have particularly mentioned, namely raising up the Dead. Now as I have lost å Wife whom I most dearly loved, my Children one of the best of Stepmothers, all her near Relations a friend whom they greatly esteemed, and the Poor a charitable benefactress; I intreat you for God Almighty's sake that you wou'd be so good as to come here if your actual presence is absolutely requisite-or if not that you will offer up your prayers to the throne of Grace on my behalf that God wou'd graciously vouchsafe to raise up my dear wife Dame Eleanor Pryce from the Dead-this is one of the greatest acts of charity you can do-for my heart is ready to break with grief at the consideration of the great loss—this wou'd be doing myself & all her Relations & friends such an extraordinary kindness as wou'd necessarily engage our daily prayers for your preservation as the least gratuity I cou'd make you for so great a benefittho', were any other compatible with the nature of the thing—& durst we offer & you accept it, we shou'd think nothing too much to the utmost of our abilities, & I wish that the bare mention of it is not offensive both to God and you.

If your immediate presence is indispensably necessary, pray let me know by return of the Post-that I may send a Coach & Six & Servants to attend you here, with orders to defray your

expences in a manner most suitable to your own desires-If your praye's will be as effectual at the distance you’r from me, pray signify the same in a letter directed by way of London, to good Madam Your unfortunate afflicted petitioner & hble Serv

JOHN PRYCE. Buckland, 1st Dece'r 1748. P.S.--Pray direct your Letter to Sir John Pryce, Bar't. at

Buckland in Brecknocksh. South Wales. God almighty prosper this undertaking & others intended for the Benefit of mankind & may He long continue such a useful person upon Earth & afterwards crown you with Eternal Glory in the Kingdom of Heaven thro' Jesus ChristAmen.

CLASSIFIED LISTS OF LOCAL ANTIQUITIES.

At the Brecon Meeting I had the honour of suggesting that members of the Cambrian Archæological Association should give in annually lists of all matters and things savouring of the olden times which had come under their notice during the year in their different localities.

I now beg to remind the readers of your Journal of that suggestion, in the hope that many such lists may be sent in for the Ruthin Meeting, and that thereby we may see put upon record things of much antiquarian interest, which are fading away from the recollection, or being destroyed by the ruthless hand of man.

In order to simplify and introduce uniformity in the plan, I would venture to propose that attention should be specially directed to the following subjects, viz.:

1. Upright Stones. 7. British Paths. 2. Cairns.

8. Camps. 3. Barrows.

9. Roman Roads. 4. Cromlechs.

10. Castles. 5. Cistvaens.

11. Ecclesiastical Edifices. 6. Primitive Dwellings. 12. Traditions and Customs. And that the inquiry should comprise the following

ARCH. CAMB., NEW SERIES, VOL. V.

1

points, viz.—parish ; county; bearing by compass from two or three permanent objects, (mountains, churches, &c.); a concise description; whether figured or mentioned in any work; and the date of the observation.

; These suggestions are no doubt susceptible of improvement, and are merely thrown out as better than going on no fixed plan.

Your recent numbers have contained some able and
valuable papers upon the preservation of Welsh an-
tiquities, and it is likely that the object of the writers
would be much advanced, if we could obtain the lists
above suggested, pretty generally throughout the Prin-
cipality, as thereby a growing interest in antiquarian
pursuits would probably be fostered; and, at any rate,
whatever information was obtained, would be perpetuated
in the
pages

of
your
valuable Journal.

M. MOGGRIDGE.
The Willows, Swansea,

May 3, 1854.

[Mr. Moggridge will see that one of our most active members has commenced complete classified lists of the Primeval and Roman Remains in the Principality, arranged according to the counties. For accuracy of detail he is, in a great degree, dependent on the information of gentlemen to whom the several localities are familiar; and our members will therefore greatly forward our common object by transmitting brief notices of the remains in their respective neighbourhoods to the Editors.

Castles are not very likely to have escaped the observation of the antiquary; and the same may be said of the more important ecclesiastical edifices. We fear more for our humble village churches, which are daily losing their distinctive character from zealous but indiscreet restoration. It unfortunately requires a highly cultivated architectural taste fully to appreciate them ; so that the very persons who should preserve, are among the most likely to destroy them. There is one class of mediæval antiquities, which, as being in private hands, is even

a

more likely to suffer, and whose preservation it might in some instances be unreasonable to look for. We allude to domestic remains. The late Mr. Hudson Turner has shown what a valuable chapter of social history can be extracted from them. How little is known about them in Wales, may be inferred from the programme of the Brecon Meeting. All that we can suggest with regard to these is, that any member who knows of an oldfashioned house in his neighbourhood, should record the fact in our pages. A list having been once formed, it

A would be in the power of a competent antiquary to go over the ground and test its value.

We feel that the important department of Traditions and Ancient Customs cannot be in better hands than in those of Mr. Moggridge. If that gentleman, who is himself a diligent collector of these impalpable and therefore perishable remains, will allow us to recommend our readers to send him notes of local customs or traditions with which they are acquainted, he might be able in a few years' time to draw up a pretty complete list of them, and (what is of no small importance) to define with some degree of accuracy the area over which each extends.-EDD. ARCH. CAMB.]

DESCENT OF THE LORDSHIP OF ABERGAVENNY.

The following document is extracted from a MS. formerly in the Salisbury collection, and afterwards in the Sebright collection. Subsequently it became the property of the late Col. Johnes, of Havod, and was saved in the destructive fire which took place there in 1807. The MSS. which escaped conflagration are now in the possession of William Lawrence Banks, Esq. of Brecon; by whom this document has been communicated to the Editors :

This Genealogie is to be seene in Latin in an Old Book. Dru