Forest. It must be borne in mind that the Buckstone and the woods, previously traversed to day by the members, although they are Crown property, embracing both the Doward Hills on the opposite side of the River, are not considered within the limits of Dean Forest. The four High Beeches (there used to be five until within the last three years), a prominent landmark in the Forest, stand out conspicuously, towering above their neighbours. The Adam's Rocks on Backbury Hill, the solitary oak on the hill above Mordiford, Caplar, and the Ladylift are prominent. The outline of May Hill, obscured by intervening heights of the Forest, is not visible, but the clump of fir trees upon its summit can be discerned. In the remote distance are seen the Malvern Hills, Titterstone Clee (1749 feet high), and its higher neighbour seven miles north of it, the Brown Clee (the greatest elevation in Shropshire, 1792 feet). In vain did we look for the Breconshire Beacons, although the extreme northern limit of the Black Mountains was very clearly defined. An observation was heard that the Wrekin was discerned, but we very much doubt the fact, considering the intervention of the high hills of the Radnorshire Forest, over 2,000 feet high, and the range of the Caradoc, Lawley, and Longmynds (which latter were positively distinguished) all approaching 2,000 feet high. Coming nearer again, Garway in Herefordshire, 1,203 feet high, and its neighbour The Graig, in Monmouthshire, 1,389 feet high were visible. The whole range of the Black Mountains, rising in Herefordshire, upon its west boundary line to a height of 2,306 feet, is very distinct (with the Pen y Gadr Vawr beyond in Breconshire, 2,630 feet high), terminating in the following heights: The Sugar Loaf, 1,954 feet; the rounded Blorenge, 1,908 feet; and the Holy Mountain, the Scyrrid, 1,601 feet high. Herefordians had difficulty in recognising the Scyrrid, with the Sugar Loaf visible over its centre, being accustomed to the aspect of this hill displaying the landslip which is not visible from the Buckstone.

The Buckstone was a Logan or rocking stone, 19 feet in its greatest length, 13 feet in extreme breadth, and with a circumference of 55 feet, resting on a base only 2 feet in diameter, and capable of being slightly oscillated by one strong man applying force at the north-east extremity of the lever, until, unhappily, it was overturned by a party of about half a dozen persons on June 10th, 1885. It was broken in its overthrow. The fragments have been restored as nearly as possible to their original position, where they have been so securely pinned, that it no longer is a rocking stone. Some have supposed it may have been an object of reverence by the Silurian or Celtic people, and have pointed out a hollow in a neighbouring rock as a probable place for sacrificial rites. However, the rocking of the stone is a natural phenomenon easily explained by geological facts. lower portion of the huge block being formed of a stratum of sandstone of a softer character, has been acted on by exposure to atmospheric changes, consequently great erosion has there taken place, so that the massive block had a very small base upon which it rested, as it were, upon a pivot. It is a detached mass of Old Red Sandstone conglomerate, a formation which can be traced as a pear-shaped mass around the greater part of the Forest of Dean. The course of its out-crop can be traced from the hills north of Tintern to the Buckstone, thence by the masses at

The

the bottom of the hill in Staunton village, the Suck-stone, the near and the far Hearkening-stones, thence round the Dowards, and after crossing the river at the Whitchurch Ferry it forms, at the base of the hill below Symond's Yat, lofty vertical escarpments resembling an artificial military work of defence. Onwards

it is seen along the west of Coppet Wood Hill and round its northern end, the Chase Hill, where its direction is discerned from a distance by a line of yew trees, round Penyard Hill, thence turning south so far as Mitcheldean. It overlays the higher beds of the Upper Old Red Sandstone, and is succeeded by the Carboniferous Limestone belt of the coal field of Dean Forest. Some scattered fragments are visible in the fields below the Buckstone on both sides of the road leading to Monmouth. One of these stones is called the Broadstone.

The distance by road from Staunton to Monmouth is three miles, principally down hill. The pedestrian, however, is advised to shorten the route considerably by turning up the hill past the Duke of York" on the road to Monmouth, along a path which enters the wood, and proceed along the Kymin Hill over the old Roman or British road, here very distinct. Mr. Robert Clarke, leaving the party, took this route to Monmouth for the purpose of comparing the designs of the 14th century heraldic tiles recently discovered in Hereford Cathedral and All Saints' Church, Hereford, with the old tiles now built into the interior walls under the tower of St. Mary's Church, Monmouth.

Descending from the Buckstone, again traversing Staunton village, the party made for the Church overlooking the village, situated at an elevation of 725 4 feet, and close to the Double View. Here they were met by the Rev. Canon and Rector Christopher Jay Jones. Mrs. Jones and the ladies of the Rectory welcomed the overwhelming party in their charmingly situated Rectory grounds, and surprised them with a treat of refreshments tastefully laid out on their lawn, for which the members were sincerely grateful. The scrupulously neat and well cared for appearance of the churchyard could not fail to attract much commendation; and when the members had assembled within the Church, our member, Mr. F. R. Kempson, explained the principal architectural features. Mr. Robert Clarke has taken notes, and staying behind in order to make himself more familiar with the details of the architecture, has furnished the following particulars :

Staunton Church is an interesting structure, and consists of a nave, north and south aisles, a central tower, chancel, and south porch. The nave has five arches on each side, and originally had narrow aisles. During the 14th and 15th centuries the aisles were taken down, and broader aisles added. On the north the aisle was shortened from the west end by three bays, of which the early Norman and Transitional arches remain blocked up. The eastern ends of both aisles terminate in flat transept ends against the central tower. The nave arches on the north side are interesting as showing the transition from the semi-circular Norman arches to the pointed, although retaining the same details. The nave arches on the south are all pointed with Norman and Early English details in the capitals. A curious feature about the capitals of the pillars is that they are on different levels, thus forming unequal bows to the arches. Under the tower arch

on the south side is an Early English moulded arch with its piers considerably stilted inwards at their bases. The settlement has occurred so uniformly as to lead some observers to the error of considering it the original design of the builder. The chancel contains 14th and 15th century windows. A very interesting feature is the stone pulpit projecting out of the tower staircase. This appears to have been built after the staircase was up, and also an entrance above to a rood-loft, probably about the 14th or 15th century, judging by the details of the doorways. On page 252 of Records of the Rocks, the Rev. W. S. Symonds informs us that this curious stone pulpit was for many years built up and hidden in a buttress to save it from being destroyed by the Puritans. At the end of the north aisle two projecting altar corbels remain, and a good piscina and credence on the right. There is a credence at the east end of the south aisle. The Late Saxon or Early Norman font, situated in the transept end of the south aisle-it is represented on page 100 of H. G. Nicholls' "Forest of Dean" published by Murray in 1858-is worked out of a coarse Sandstone block, square in plan, 2 feet 5 inches high by 1 foot 11 inches wide. The details, simple flat sinkings with a band of flat circular balls and an incised line around the upper part, are very roughly worked, and follow the uneven sides of the block. The interior is hollowed out square, tapering down about twelve inches deep and twelve inches wide at the bottom, with a hole for the drain. On the top edges are the remains of the holes used for the lock and hinges of the old covers. Seeing that font covers with locks were not introduced until the 14th century, it is probable that this font was in use at the period of the rebuilding of the aisles, and then superseded by the present octagonal font, a good Early Perpendicular structure, with tracery panels in the shaft and around the bowl, coeval with the work in the aisles. The idea that the old font was probably worked out of a Roman altar ought to be allowed to perish out of recollection. It contains none of the details or features of a Roman altar. Previously to the restoration of the Church, twenty-five years ago, the position of this ancient Font was outside the Church, at the east corner of the entrance porch.

The tower belfry windows are Norman on two sides, and Early English on the other two sides. An Early corbel course runs round about ten feet from the top. At the angles are four figures for gargoyles; one holds a shield apparently charged with three conies or rabbits, another holds a water bottle, a third holds an instrument like a violin, and the fourth is simply a figure without any emblems.

The village Cross is situated in a bold position just outside the churchyard on the south. It consists of four octagonal steps, with a large square base with angle stops, chamfered edge working into an octagon; on this stands another octagonal block; in the latter a short piece of the shaft remains, about one foot five inches high, 11 inches square at the bottom, square with angle stops up to the octagonal part. The whole is eight feet in height.

At 1-30 p.m. the members and visitors took their seats in carriages for the Speech House, their destination for lunch. The length of the caravan conveying the large party extended at times for more than half a mile from van to rear. An opportunity was afforded of obtaining a list of the company.

The President, the Rev. M. G. Watkins; ex-Presidents: Rev. Sir George Cornewall, Sir Herbert Croft, Rev. Augustin Ley and Mr. H. Southall; Revs. H. A. Barker, J. Barker, J. E. Grasett, C. S. Hagreen, C. Harington, R. Harington, E. J. Holloway, A. G. Jones, M. Marshall, W. R. Shepherd, H. C. Sturges, and R. Wood; His Honour Judge Ingham; Major J. E. R. Campbell, Colonel J. C. Little, Deputy Surgeon-General W. R. Perry ; Messrs. C. D. Andrews, Ernest Ballard, Philip Baylis, H. C. Beddoe, W. E. Britten, J. Carless, R. Clarke, Dr. A. Cutfield, Luther Davies, G. H. Hadfield, H. Scott Hall, C. Hardwick, T. Llanwarne, H. J. Marshall, John Probert, G. R. Sinclair, H. G. Sugden, H. A. Wadworth, and G. W. Wheeler; Hon. Secretary, H. Cecil Moore; Assistant Secretary, James B. Pilley. Amongst the visitors were :Mrs. Baylis, Britten, Campbell, Cutfield, Edwards, W. B. Giles, Grasett, Hagreen, Hardwick, Hall, Ingham, Ley, Little, M. Marshall, Moore, North, Perry, H. G. Sugden, J. P. Sugden, Shepherd, Wheeler; Misses H. E. Baker, A. Ballard, C. Baylis, Beddoe, Britten, E. Bull, Carless, Croft (two), Davis, De Quincey, Feilden (two), Giles, Goss, M. Holloway, Johnston, Kempson, Perry, M. Reynolds, E. Shaw, Sturges, Wadworth, and Williams: Gentlemen: A. Boulton, D. Campbell, M. C. Campbell, Connor, T. T. Galliers, Dr. Harrison, Lacon Lambe, Rev. F. Gurney Little, Marshall, Dr. McNicholl, from Southport, - Perry, from Wickham, and — Taylor, from Birmingham, with others whose names could not be ascertained.

At the distance of a little more than half a mile from Staunton, on the road to Coleford, there stands upon the left hand, a few feet within the hedge, a rough, unhewn, upright stone, “a maenhir," eight feet high, called the Long Stone, in a situation nearly due east from the Buckstone. In the opinion of Mr. J. F. Nicholls, F.S.A., "it was a Roman centurial mark, and, judging from its size, it was probably one of the prosignes" (British and Gloucestershire Archæological Transactions, vol. vi., page 357). For those who entertain a delight and some faith in traditions, we give the local tradition in connection with this stone, which is, that "it bleeds if punctured with a pin exactly at midnight." This stone is similar to the three stones at Trelleck, 41⁄2 miles south of Monmouth, all of conglomerate, respectively 14, 10, and 8 feet high.

From Staunton to Coleford the distance is a little over two miles, and thence turning easterly to the left for Speech House, after proceeding about one mile from Coleford, the expansive rolling sea of timber to right, to left, and in front, indicates the approach to the large acreage of Crown property covered by timber. From this position the road makes a continuous descent for two miles, from an elevation of 720'5 feet to 252 feet near the Speech House Road Railway Station. About mid-way down this decline there is an extensive stone quarry whence the pedestrian may ramble in the numerous rides of the forest for more than two miles either north or south before he reaches a road for vehicular traffic, whilst in front of him on the east extend four miles of timbered country, before he reaches the wedge of civilization splitting off the eastern border of the forest from north to south in Cinderford and its suburbs. From the Speech House Road Station the road ascends to the Speech House Hotel, 1,210 yards distant, on the north-west angle of which there is a bench mark of 578'7 feet.

Reports connected with the Forest of Dean have been frequently published in the Transactions of the Woolhope Club; for instance, in Transactions, 1866, page 196, appears Rev. P. B. Brodie's paper on the Geological and Economical History of Coal; in Transactions for the year 1868, on pages 255 and 256, reference is made to the Forges and Furnaces in Herefordshire (detailed more fully in Appendix No. 1, on page 270 of the same volume) to which the iron ore was brought from the Forest, to be smelted with charcoal, as testified by the nature of the cinder heaps there discovered. In Transactions, 1870, page 48, is a reference in a paper by Dr. Thomas Wright, F.G.S., F.R.S. E., "On the Geological features of the Landscape," to the thickness of thirty-two beds of coal in the Forest. In Transactions, 1871, page 9, there is a short account of the visit of the Club on August 9th, 1871. Pages 91 to 100 of Transactions, 1878, contain a long account including cursory notes by Edwin Lees, F.G.S., and a drawing of the Newland Oak Tree. Dimensions, localities, and other particulars respecting various Oak, Beech, and Holly Trees, and notices of the old Roman roads are given in Transactions, 1887, page 175, &c. Reports are given of Fungus Forays in the Forest in the years 1887, page 175, and 1888, page 269, with a list of the funguses met with on pages 193 and 272. Particulars in detail respecting the Newland Oak tree are to be found in Transactions, 1889, page 338. A list of the Roman coins found in the Forest is recorded on page 356 of 1889. To the geologist we should recommend the perusal of "Geological Notes upon the Forest of Dean," by H. D. Hoskold, accompanied by numerous sections and two diagrams, occupying from pages 123 to 177 of Proceedings of the Cotteswold Naturalists' Field Club for 1890-1891, Vol. x., part 2. The most comprehensive book, now getting scarce, treating of the antiquarian, historical, political, and commercial aspects of the Forest is "The Forest of Dean," by H. G. Nicholls, published in 1858 by John Murray. With such a plethora of interesting and varied material the student of the Forest cannot fail to derive many an hour of occupation and instruction. The visitor to the Forest will not, however, be considered properly equipped without "A Week's Holiday in the Forest of Dean," by John Bellows, Gloucester, a little book abounding with illustrations, and containing a map on the scale of one mile to half an inch. The edition marked 243,350 on its title page is brought nearly up to the present date.

The presence of, and assistance rendered by, Her Majesty's Deputy Surveyor of the Royal Forest, Mr. Philip Baylis, contributed highly to the success of the Ladies' Day. By his instructions, three Crown keepers and four Crown woodmen were deputed to show the visitors the way through the Forest and its inclosures. He had also caused to be collected on the greensward facing the west front of the Speech House Hotel, various remarkable natural history growths in forestry, which were all explained to the visitors by himself, and by the head forester, Mr. James Johnson. These productions varied from masses of ferns, dating from the age of the coal measures, to specimens of timber of the present period, modified by various incidental attacks to which timber is liable from the attacks of insects, disease, and from careless or unskilled pruning. A section of a tree displayed the cunning of the insect which had eaten its way