opening the church after the addition of the transepts in 1847, complained to the then Vicar (Ap Ithel, one of the founders of this Journal and Association) of its limited accommodation, and the apt retort was "that it was quite large enough for the living", Nerquis being one of the poorest incumbencies in the diocese.

The old oak Elizabethan Communion-Table, now placed in the vestry, is interesting as being a rare specimen of those made in obedience to the order of Queen Elizabeth, "that the Table should stand east and west." The legs of the end which would probably be placed west are square, and elaborately carved in relief; while those which would in this case look east are round, with less and plainer carving.

A portion of a stone jamb, which was found hidden in the old walls, with good ball-flower carving, forms the base of a new stone credence-table.

Some medieval stained glass has been incorporated with the new glass (by Burlison and Grylls) in the east window erected to the memory of the late Captain Wynne and Mr. F. Lloyd Fletcher by their brother, Mr. P. Lloyd Fletcher, the present Squire of Nerquis Hall, who with his sisters contributed largely to the restoration. Among other bits are the badges of King Richard III, viz., the yellow lion and white boar, and also a white rose in the rising sun. The old glass is very distinct from the new, being more transparent.

The restoration has been most conservative; the new work corresponds in character with the old; the distinctive features of the old work being jealously preserved, and all the disjecta membra which could not be incorporated in the structure being carefully preserved within the walls of the church.

Registers.-These are not complete. The earliest remaining entry is A.D. 1665, several pages in the oldest book having been evidently lost. They were formerly kept within an iron box placed in the vestry of the church, but are now preserved at the Vicarage. Not many years ago a forcible entry was made into the church, and the box was carried away into a neighbouring field, and there forced open by thieves, who hoped to find within it the Communion-plate, which is of sterling silver, of early eighteenth century workmanship. Fortunately the plate had been for some tine previous kept in the Vicarage. The thieves, however, were so disappointed that they made a heap of the Registers, and set fire to them; but a timely shower of rain, added to the fact of their being made of parchment, saved them.

The following extract from the Owston MSS. (Arch. Camb., Ser. IV, vol. ix, p. 145) will show some of the evils which followed the dissolution of monasteries (Nerquis and Mold being attached to Bisham Abbey), and, on the other hand, a cheering contrast between the present and the past, there being now three Sunday services in Nerquis Church, regularly performed, in addition to a Sunday School: "1632. The humble petition of the parishioners and 'inhabit

anntes of the scuerall parishes of Nerquis and Treythin to the reuerend father in God, John, by God's Providence Bushopp of Sainte Assaphen.' This undated paper (which appears from its contents and penmanship to have been drawn in some year of Charles the First's reign) exhibits a remarkable picture of spiritual destitution and clerical neglect. The services, it is alleged, being either neglected or performed at irregular and inconvenient times in the churches of the said parishes, the parishioners are compelled to waste their time on Sundays in waiting vainly for clerical offices, or are tempted to pass it in godless diversions, when they do not neglect to assemble themselves at their churches. That in regard thereof, runs the petition', 'most of the youthes and yonger sorte of people in either parishe doe commonly haunt the hare with greyhoundes and houndes vpon the Sundayes in the morninge, or doe vse to play at the foot boole, and boole, tenins, and bowles, within the severall churchyards of both parish churches, in regard they stay soe longe for service, when it is lastly redd in their church; and that th' elder sorte doe commonly fall to drinking or some vnlaw full games, and some of the elder sorte dryven to returne home, staieing to longe for meate.' No, or only few, sermons have been preached in the churches for sixteen years past, during which time also the catecizeinge of children' has been almost totally neglected. The date of this paper is shown by a subsequent paper dated 5 Dec. 1640."

6

EVENING MEETING, TUESDAY, AUG. 19TH.

The Committee of the Association met at 8.30 P.M., to receive the Reports of the various officers, and discuss business matters.

EXCURSION, WEDNESDAY, AUG. 20TH.

The carriage excursion on the third day, Wednesday, was in a westerly direction, starting, as before, at 9.30 A.M., from the King's Head at Holywell. The first point made for was Caerwys, four miles south-west of Holywell as the crow flies; but which has to be approached by a circuitous route, owing to intervening hills.

Caerwys is believed to occupy the site of a Roman station, and the rectangular arrangement of the streets seems to favour this view. Nothing beyond the plan of the town was seen that would confirm the theory of its Roman origin.

Caerwys Church.-The church was the only object of interest which claimed attention. The ecclesiastical buildings seen on the previous day near Mold were of an English type; the one at Caerwys is distinctly Welsh. The plan consists of a nave and chancel of nearly the same width, with a tower and aisle on the north side; together extending the whole length of the church. The tower,

which is at the north-west corner, is of a plain, massive, military pattern. The oldest portions, the pointed chancel-arch and a doublelight, cusped lancet-window, are of the Early English period; but most of the rest is of later date. There is a window with Decorated tracery in the south wall of the chancel, at the east end, and two with Perpendicular tracery at the east ends of the chancel and north aisle. There are some nice fragments of old stained

glass in these three windows; a small figure of an angel censing, coloured blue, yellow, and white, being particularly good. Between the nave and the north aisle there is a single, pointed arch quite devoid of mouldings, like the chancel-arch. The arcade (if it can be dignified by such a term) between the chancel and the north aisle is formed by two chamfered oak posts or pillars, with carved struts branching from the top to support a horizontal beam going across.

The font is octagonal, poor in design, and dated 1661. In an arched recess with Decorated cusping, beneath a window on the south side of the chancel, is an effigy of a lady with the hands folded in prayer over the breast, carved in low relief, and much mutilated. On the exterior of the chancel, on the south side, is a remarkably well cut inscription, in Roman capitals, to Robert Evans of Cairwis (i.e, Caerwys), who died in 1582. The oak Communion-Table has wellturned legs, and is dated 1620.

Two curious old relics were exhibited in the church,—(1), a small hand-bell used at funerals; and (2), a pewter flagon, also used for drinking out of on similar occasions. Both with the initials R. F., W. T.; and one dated 1703, and the other 1702. The chalice is inscribed "The Communion cup of Caerwys, Peter Thomas, Robert ap Robt., 1685"; and the paten, "The gift of Colonell Edward Jones, of Wexford in Irland, to the Church of Cayrwys, 1717."

The "Mulier Bona Nobili" inscribed stone, seen on a subsequent day at Downing, was found in a field near Caerwys.

The Commission of the Eisteddfod held here in 1567 is now at Mostyn Hall. (See Arch. Camb., vol. iv, p. 143.) Another Eisteddfod was held here in 1798.

Gop Hill Tumulus.-From Caerwys the party proceeded to Newmarket, six miles to the north-west. Here the members left the carriages to climb on foot to the summit of Gop Hill, which is 820 ft. above sea-level. A great archeological treat was in store for every one, in the shape of an address by Prof. Boyd Dawkins upon the tumulus and bone-cave on Gop Hill. On reaching the top a magnificent view of the surrounding country was to be seen, and of the sea-coast from the Great Orme's Head on the west, to Hilbre Island, at the mouth of the Dee, on the east; and even further, to Liverpool, in the extreme distance. The district immediately surrounding Gop Hill is an undulating upland of limestone formation, bounding the Vale of Clwyd on the east side, and overlying the Coal Measures which run along the coast at a lower level. Gop Hill is not more than six or seven miles from Rhyl, and any one who may be staying at this fashionable sea-side resort may be strongly recommended to make an expedition to this interesting spot. The Tumulus is a huge mound of limestone rubble, and is a very prominent feature in the view for miles round. It reminded many of the members of the cairns they had seen in Brittany the previous year.

Professor Boyd Dawkins having collected the party round him on the top of the mound proceeded to deliver the following address as well as the rather high wind in the exposed position would allow him :

"Mr. President, Ladies, and Gentlemen,-The cairn on which we are now standing is one of the largest, if not the largest, pile of stones in the whole of Wales. I commenced its exploration in the year 1886, the owner, Mr. Pochin, having very generously defrayed all expense. We first sank a vertical shaft from the top, as near the middle as we could guess, and then drove a horizontal drift, 30 ft.

long, from the bottom of the pit. Every portion of the work had to be heavily timbered to prevent the sides falling in, which rendered the work both costly and tedious. The results obtained were few, as might have been expected from the small area we were able to explore by the method described. We were unlikely to have struck the true centre of the mound. It was extremely easy to miss it. At any rate we found nothing to reward our efforts beyond a few bones of the horse and other animals. With this meagre list of objects we were obliged to be content, and our work then came to an end; but I look forward to completing the thorough exploration of this most interesting Tumulus in the near future.

"Perhaps some of you will ask why I have called it a cairn? that is to say, an artificial heap of stones in contradistinction to a natural one. Well, I have referred to it as a cairn because any competent judge would at once see that it belongs to a type of ancient remains known to be sepulchral. I may mention a very similar tumulus, perhaps not of such large dimensions as the one now beneath our feet, which on being opened was found to contain a burial associated with a necklace of amber beads and the wonderfully beautiful golden corselet now amongst the most highly prized treasures of the British Museum.

"The Tumulus on Gop Hill is sometimes called 'Queen Boadicea's Tomb'; but there is no evidence with which I am acquainted that this celebrated ruler of the ancient Britons was ever in Wales. Nevertheless I believe that the tradition is true to the extent of indicating that the Tumulus is the burial-place of some famous chieftain; but whether of the Age of Stone, or of Bronze, or of Iron, I am not now prepared to say. I hope, however, that the question may shortly be finally settled. The diameter of the mound is 350 ft., and the height 46 ft. Although its exploration has furnished such insignificant results up to the present, I must remind you of the sporting phrase, that 'very often in aiming at a crow you may shoot a pigeon.' It was so in this instance, as we shall shortly see."

Gop Hill Bone-Cave.-Prof. Boyd Dawkins at this point in his address requested his audience to accompany him a short way down the hill-side, below the cairn, to a spot in front of the entrance to a cave in the limestone rock. A ledge of limestone projects over, forming a rock-shelter on the left side of the Cave. The learned Professor having pinned up a plan and section of the Cave against a vertical rock continued his discourse. He said:

"At the time that we were opening the Tumulus, Mr. Pochin dug out a fox-run on the hill-side, and in doing so unearthed the entrance to the Cave you now see in front of you. This we determined to examine. You will notice a large heap of débris in front of the Cave. Through this we drove two horizontal passages or adits. We discovered large quantities of charcoal, bones and teeth of domestic animals, and pieces of rude pottery adorned with chevrons. against the rock, below the overhanging ledge of limestone, we found a large slab of limestone covering the bones of several human

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