It may be here observed that the Demetæ were the inhabitants of the south-west parts of Wales, now known as Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and probably a portion of Cardiganshire, and the name is evidently a Latinised form of the ancient British "Dyfed," which sometimes meant South Wales generally. With respect to the origin and derivation of the word "Venta," various opinions are current. One speculation is that it may have been derived from the Veneti of Armorica, consequent upon the Armorican invasion of parts of Britain. The name of "Venta " was the origin of the English Winchester-the Venta Belgarum of the Romans-as also of the Welsh Caer Gwent, or Caer Went, and these two names were similar, the English "Ceaster" or Chester" being synonymous with the Welsh "Caer." The same similarity exists in the two names of Leicester and Caerleon, both signifying "Civitas Legionum."

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There is another theoretical speculation which has suggested itself. At the Congress at Manchester of the British Archæological Association in 1894, Dr. Phené, in a paper upon the roads of pre-Roman origin, endeavoured to show that the roads of Britain were of pre-Roman formation, and that the occupation of Britain was for commercial purposes, and that the pre-Roman roads of ancient Italy bore exactly the same peculiar features as the early roads of Britain. There was evidence, he stated, of two distinct Italian tribes-the Venones and the Senones-located in Britain long prior to the Roman Conquest, sufficient to prove Italian occupation at a very early date. These Italian colonists the Venones, had their meeting places for commerce at the intersection of the ancient roads, as at Winchester and other places.

One stronghold of the Venones was in the Forest of Arden, and that name followed the course of these people through the Continent to Rome. It was applied to vast woods near which they were located, and was the old Italian word "ardente" (burning), which showed their traffic by smelting, and near those places crucibles for such purpose have been found.

The prefix of "Venta " recollection of the Venones.

may have had its origin in the lingering

In the year 1885 the members of the Cambrian Archæological Association, during their annual meeting at Newport, visited Caerwent; and the company who attended had an opportunity of examining the remains of this ancient city, which consist principally of the walls which could be traced the whole way round the city. They formed a somewhat irregular parallelogram, the north and south walls being about 500 yards in length, and the east and west 390. There was a tradition that Caerwent was once a seaport, and that the Nedern, a small rivulet flowing in an adjoining field, was once a tidal river, and that vessels came up even to the walls of the city. Some of the old inhabitants had it on tradition that there were iron rings in the walls to which the ships were fastened, and some asserted that they had seen them, and described them as being about ten inches or a foot in diameter, but very much corroded.

It is recorded in the account of this visit in the Archæologia Cambrensis for 1885, Vol. 2 of 5th series, that in the year 1786 Sayer, the historian of Bristol, visited this place, and stayed some time making careful notes. He found in the

south-west angle remains of cross walls, which occupied considerable space, and that at that time lime kilns were in active work, and much of the walls were remaining. The cross walls were being taken down at the time he wrote, and being burnt for the sake of the lime. Many tesselated pavements had been found-three in 1689, another in 1777, in the south-east angle, and another in 1830.

In the month of September, 1893, a very interesting discovery was made of the foundations of a Roman villa, near Caerwent Church, and by the side of the road from Chepstow to Newport. It appears that whilst digging the foundations for some cottages about to be erected, the workmen came in contact with some mosaic pavement, which proved to be a portion of a Roman villa of considerable size. In reply to a letter by the editor of the Archæologia Cambrensis to the architect, Mr. Milverton Drake, that gentleman reported that the excavations were not on a large scale, but sufficient had been opened to show that they were on the foundations of a very extensive building, having a frontage of little short of 100 feet--that there were remains of a good mosaic floor, and that coins and pottery were plentiful in the vicinity.

The general arrangements, as indicated by Mr. Milverton Blake, were as follows:-The vestibule, with a mosaic floor, was approached by two steps, and was 88 feet 5 inches long. One one side was a flue, or drain, right against the wall, formed of freestone slabs at the bottom and side, away from the wall. The bottom of this drain was 3 feet 4 inches below the top of the wall, which was then standing. The walls of the rooms were of coursed masonry, foot 6 inches thick. On the other side of the vestibule three rooms and a passage had been uncovered. The first room, next the entrance to the vestibule, had a mosaic floor, and measured 20 feet by 20 feet; the second room measured 27 feet by 20 feet ; then came a passage 8 feet wide, and beyond, a small chamber only 10 feet 6 ins. wide.

In 1855 the Monmouthshire and Caerleon Antiquarian Society made some interesting discoveries, an account of which was contributed to the 36th Volume of the Archæologia. In addition to pavements, pottery and coins have been discovered, and a large number were exhibited in the temporary museum at Newport during the meeting of the Cambrian Archæological Association in 1885.

In the Archaeologia Cambrensis for 1851, Vol. II., new series, there is a record of a large discovery of Roman coins at Caerwent, near the churchyard, and between the roads leading to Newport and Usk. They were said to be of debased metal, and of the reigns of Gordian III. and Philip the Arabian, A.D. 240.

In the "Life of St. Beuno," by the Rev. W. J. Rees, there is a reference to Caerwent. Beuno lived in the sixth century, and was placed for education with St. Tangusius, who lived at Caerwent. Here he obtained a knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and of the Rules and Services of the Church; and Ynyr Gwent, who was king of that country, observing that he was humble, chaste, and generous, and keeping the commandments of God, became a disciple of Beuno, and granted him three estates in Ewyas, in Herefordshire, where Beuno erected a Church, which at the present day can be identified under the name of the parish of Llanveyno,"

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In the Archæologia Cambrensis for 1886 (Vol. III. of 5th series) there is a very interesting contribution to its pages, which gives a detailed account of the Roman coins found at Caerwent and Caerleon, which extend over almost the whole period of the Roman occupation of this island, and, as the author (Mrs. Bagnall-Oakeley) states, tend to prove that the Second Legion was not withdrawn from this district until the final departure of the conquerors took place. These coins include a considerable number of those of the usurper Carausius, who probably had his head-quarters at Caerleon, and knew that the Second Legion was to be relied upon for his protection. He usurped the Imperial power in this island A.D. 288, and after reigning about seven years was killed by his minister Allectus, who held the government of this island, as his successor, for three years. Coins of Allectus, as well as Carausius, have been found at Caerwent and Caerleon, and are included in Mrs. Bagnall-Oakeley's list. In the work entitled "Roman Britain," by the late Prebendary Scarth, the writer informs us that during the usurpation of Carausius and Allectus, gold, silver, and brass coins were struck in great numbers in Britain, and that they bear the mint mark of " 'M. L." denoting that they were coined at London. There were others coined at Rutupiæ and Clausentum, but the mint mark of London occurs most frequently.

In the neighbouring Forest of Dean the Romans worked mines of iron ore, as appears from the beds of scoriæ and cinders, as well as hand bloomeries and ore imperfectly smelted, which are said to have been found there, in addition to Roman coins and fragments of pottery. There is, likewise, evidence of a Roman road through the Forest, apparently connecting Venta Silurum either with Ariconium, near Ross, or Glevum, at Gloucester, which joined the Iter XIV. somewhere eastward of Chepstow.

These associations with our ancient Roman stations evince that there was a considerable trade with the Britons in connection with their ironworks; and their lead, copper, and tin works were commercially valuable. The trade in tin was known centuries before the arrival of the Romans. Pytheas the oldest geographer who wrote of the north and west of Europe lived 320-330 B.C. He travelled to the south of Britain, and his travels resulted in the commencement of a commerce with the merchants of France and Italy.

The study of the history of such an ancient locality as Caerwent, although it is now only a small village, affords a mental reverie which is both instructive and pleasurable. We come to the just conclusion that the history of our land is a truly wondrous record of the mysterious preparations of Providence for the benefit of futurity.

The Conquest of Britain by the Roman forces introduced an improved civilisation to our ancient British ancestors. It instructed them in the arts of war and peace. It led to the erection of cities, with buildings of a far superior character to the wattle and daub huts of the natives in their secluded hills, woods, and morasses. It established a system of laws, the remains of which may yet be seen, and taught a literature previously unknown in the national lore. Above all, in the combination of the divine arrangements it was the indirect

channel for the introduction of a revealed religious faith, so that we can well appreciate the words of one of the most eminent of Welsh historians, now deceased, when, in allusion to these combined circumstances, he exclaims in his own bold and racy language, " Meddyliaf gwelaf y llaw Rhagluniaeth yn agored y ffordd i efengylu Brydain " (I think I see the Hand of Providence opening the way to evangelise Britain).

The thanks of the Club are accorded to Mr. James Davies for his paper.

Caerwent Church stands upon the highest part of the village. The northern walls of the Churchyard are covered with a profusion of the Scale fern (Ceterach officinarum). On entering the churchyard an elegant monument in the north-west angle attracts the eye. It is a white marble column, around which are a moulded cable and anchor, to the memory of Thos. A. Walker, the indomitable contractor, who undertook, under Sir John Hawkshaw, the charge of the Severn Tunnel works in 1879, at the period when, after seven years' labour, the whole of the works were inundated, and who carried them to a successful completion until they were opened for goods traffic on September 1st, 1886, and for passenger traffic on December 1st. He died 25th November, 1889. On the north side of the Church is a large porch entrance to the nave; the massive and stronglybuilt tower at the west end suggests its use as a military tower of observation and of defence; the foundation stone at the south-west angle measures 7ft. 3in. in length, 3ft. 3in. in width, and the sexton gave the information that it had been found to be as much as a yard and a half in depth. About thirty-four years ago there were four bells in the tower, when the belfry was destroyed by fire. There is now only one bell. On the south side the most conspicuous object is the support of the nave walls by three massive buttresses. The sexton stated that, when digging graves on the south side of the churchyard, he frequently comes across foundations of old buildings. In 1893, at a depth of five feet, a Roman pavement was discovered which appeared to run under the south wall of the chancel.

In the Church is a carved oak pulpit bearing the date 1632; a rough representation upon its central panel of Llandaff Cathedral, the arms of Sir Charles Williams, of Llangibby, and an inscription from 1st Corinthians, ix, 16— "Woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel." The parish register dates from 1752. So soon as the party had assembled within the Church, they had the pleasure of hearing the following remarks on

ST. STEPHEN'S, CAERWENT.

BY MR. F. R. KEMPSON.

This Church is peculiar for its great length of chancel in proportion to the nave, the chancel being 37ft. 6in. long, and the nave 40ft. 6in. The chancel inclines considerably to the north.

In the south wall of the chancel there is an arcade of three arches which span about 9ft. each and are carried on piers which are more than 3ft square, the piers being built with dressed quoins with a very simple impost moulding. The first two stones of the arches are in dressed stone, forming skewbacks for segmental arches, which are built with thin rough masonry. This arcade has been frequently pronounced to be Roman. I see nothing whatever in the arches, or the piers, to confirm this view. I think the piers, which are some of them stop-chamfered, and the springing stones of the arches, which are also stopchamfered, are early medieval work which carried pointed arches, and that the upper portion of the wall, including the segmental arches, has been subsequently rebuilt.

The east wall of the chancel is 3ft. 6in. thick. It has good plain buttresses of thirteenth century character, and is lighted by two lancet windows with cusped heads, the lights of which are rather unusually wide, but very graceful, particularly so from within. The sill of one (the northern) of these lancets is higher than the other.

In the north wall there are three lancets somewhat similar to those in the east end, but they have been tampered with, and, I think, probably rebuilt, together with the whole of the north wall of the chancel, which is only two feet thick. These windows are not particularly graceful from within, and are ugly from without.

The chancel arch has a span of about 14 feet; it is beautifully moulded and is probably coeval with the eastern lancets.

In the nave we are struck with the great height as compared with the width and length. I think it was originally roofed at a lower level.

The south wall is the oldest part of the nave. It is about three feet six inches thick, and, I take it, of thirteenth century construction. In it there are two arches, each having a span of seven feet six inches, and separated from each other by a blank pier, or piece of wall twelve feet long. This interesting and peculiar construction I have never met with before. The arches must, I think, have served as entrances to chapels, or, perhaps, more probably to a narrow passage aisle. The ground should be carefully explored on the south side of the nave and chancel, by which means there is no doubt many doubtful points could be cleared up. I think the great buttresses on the south side of the nave are comparatively modern, and that they were rendered necessary in consequence of the effect of the thrust of the roof on the south wall.

The north wall of the nave seems to vary a little in thickness, and was, I think, entirely rebuilt in the fifteenth century. The base of this wall runs through from the quoins to the jambs of the doorway. The window westward of the porch is of simple but good design; the window eastward of the porch is beautifully moulded within and without; the tracery and all the details are remarkably good, and, although so dissimilar, I believe these two windows to be of the same date.

The stoup which is in the nave, on the east side of the entrance doorway, is an indication that the porch was not contemplated when the north wall was