Friday, December 6th, 1895.

The monthly meeting was held in Chetham's Library, on December 6th, Mr. Charles W. Sutton presiding. The following new members were elected: Messrs. John Magson, Watling Street; James Naylor, Didsbury; Charles Mayer, architect, John Dalton Street; F. A. Bromwich, Crumpsall; and J. C. Taylor, Heaton Chapel.

Mr. George C. Yates exhibited a medal in lead of Felix IV., pope of Rome, A.D. 526. It was found over fifty years ago in the ruins of St. Mary's Abbey, York. Also three medallets. Obv., bust, "William IV., crowned Sep. 8, 1831." Rev., King on horseback fighting with two lions, "By trampling on liberty I lost the reins." Obv., Queen's head, "Victoria, Queen of Great Britain." Rev., the devil with Sir Robert Peel on his back, "No Income Tax, no Inquisition, no Peel & Co."

Mr. Alfred Wimpory, a flint arrow head from Patagonia.

Mr. Percy Mawson, C.E., a beautiful Roman fibula, found at Hucknall Torkard, Notts, on the Long Lane Road to Watnall, at about two feet from the surface, in garden land. A skeleton in halves was found at the same time, which crumbled into dust on being moved.

Dr. Renaud, a Byzantine bronze cross found at Foxwist.

Dr. Renaud, F.S.A., gave “A Short Biographical and Genealogical Account of the Family of Foxwist, of Foxwist, and of Duncalf, of Foxwist, in the Hundred of Macclesfield, embracing fourteen generations of the same. as manorial inheritors." (See page 43.)

Mr. Samuel Andrew read a paper on the "Seven Holy Crosses of Oldham." He said Oldham alone, among all the towns of Lancashire, had once the distinctive feature

of being surrounded by holy crosses. These crosses, seven in number, were sometimes known as St. John's Crosses, and served the purpose of metes and bounds of the original town. It was these crosses that gave Oldham its local habitation. Before they were erected, Oldham, as a town, was only an undefined space, surrounded for the most part on every hand by vast wastes and moors and common lands. There can be no question that Oldham had an existence previous to the erection of the crosses. Its local field-names and the general arrangement of its institutions show that it was a Saxon settlement, and its very name, Old-ham, was good evidence of its being a "ham" or village when the Saxons invaded this part of the country in the seventh century, after the battle of Deva, when the whole of south-east Lancashire was over-run by the victors and the map of England changed some of its former landmarks by removing some of its natural division lines. The holy crosses of Oldham, however, had nothing to do with this business. They were rather the outward sign of another conquest to which this country submitted when William the Conquerer came and divided the land among his followers. We know that all the land between the Ribble and the Mersey was tied up to one owner, whose successors held it in possession for some time. One of these successors was Ranulph Blundeville, the third Earl of Chester, son of Hugh. It was this Ranulph who granted a charter to Salford about the year 1224, and probably the same man beset Oldham with seven holy crosses.

Considerable discussion took place on the paper, in which Dr. Renaud, Richard Gill, Albert Nicholson, Robert Peel, William Harrison, and the Chairman took part.

Wednesday, December 11th, 1895.

CONVERSAZIONE.

The annual conversazione took place in the Gentlemen's Concert Hall, Peter Street. Although the weather was unfavourable, there was a large gathering of members and friends. The first hour was devoted to the inspection of various exhibits of antiquarian interest contributed by members of the Society. Selections of music, songs, and recitations were given at intervals, the vocalists being Miss Lilian Heywood, Mr. E. Heywood, and Mr. E. V. Megson, Mr. J. F. L. Crosland being the reciter. Mr. E. V. Megson presided at the piano. In the course of the evening Mr. W. E. A. Axon gave a short address "On a Bronze Coin of Aurelian." (See page 32.)

A list of the exhibits is given in the annual report.

Friday, January 10th, 1896.

The monthly meeting was held in Chetham's Library, Mr. J. Holme Nicholson, M.A., presiding.

The following interesting exhibits were made by Messrs. Albert Nicholson (picture of the Standing Stones at Tullibardine, Perthshire), Nathan Heywood (a collection of silver tokens, 1810 and 1811), G. C. Yates (Ralston's views of old Manchester); William Harrison exhibited on behalf of Mr. Slinger views of old Lancaster, and Thomas Letherbrow exhibited and presented to the Society an engraving of the north-east view of St. Peter's Church, Manchester, by Fothergill.

Mr. George C. Yates read a short communication on

"Bronze Implements found in Lancashire and Cheshire." (See page 124.)

Mr. C. H. Bellamy read some notes on "St. Eilian's Chapel, Llaneilian, Anglesea," and illustrated the same with a number of photographs. This chapel is attached to the parish church of Llaneilian, which has been described as in several respects the most perfect in Anglesey, the present building being of fifteenth century work, although the tower is Norman. In the south porch is a fine example of a holy water stoup. The nave is only about thirty feet by twenty-four feet, and separating it from the chancel there is what is for so small a church a remarkably massive screen and rood-loft, in an excellent state of preservation. A fine specimen of the old dogfork or tongs is shown in the church. The chapel is reached by an oblique passage at the south side of the chancel. The walls are three feet thick. Its excellent roof is its finest architectural feature, but the most interesting article of furniture is a table or altar under the east window. A superstition still exists that anyone creeping in through one of the panels and turning round before coming out (a somewhat difficult feat) will be cured of whatever disease he may have. The question as to the use of this article, and also the purpose of the building was discussed; the general character of both leading to the conclusion that the building was probably used as a chantry chapel on an earlier site, possibly of the ancient parish church.

Mr. William Harrison read a paper on 'Ancient Fords, Ferries, and Bridges in North Lancashire." (See page 74.)

In the discussion which followed Mr. Albert Nicholson and the Rev. E. F. Letts took part. The latter suggested "Draughtford" as the origin of Trafford.

APPENDIX I.

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE ANTIQUITIES AND BIOGRAPHY, 1895.

BY JOHN HIBBERT SWANN,

OF THE FREE REFERENCE LIBRARY, MANCHESTER.

Allen (Rev. George, M.A.). Shaw Chapel. Roch. Lit. and Scien. Soc., iv., PP. 70-80.

Allen (J. Romilly, F.S.A. Scot.).

The Early Christian Monuments of

Cheshire and Lancashire. Journal of Archit. Archæol. and Hist. Soc. for Cheshire, vol. v., parts ii. and iii., pp. 133-174. Illustrated.

Allnutt (W. H.). English Provincial Presses, part iii. Bibliographica, part vii., pp. 276-308.

Contains various Lancashire and Cheshire references.

Andrew (Samuel). British Footprints: The Oldham Master-Key. Journal of British Archæoi. Assoc., n.s., vol. i., part i., pp. 11-20. With map.

The study of ancient local history, place names, etc., exemplified in a district having Oldham as its centre.

Andrews (William), editor. Bygone Cheshire. Hull: W. Andrews and Co., 1895. 8vo, pp. [viii] 253. Illustrated.

CONTENTS: Historic Cheshire, by Thomas Frost; King Edgar on the Dee, by Edward Lamplough; Chester Castle and Walls, by Geo. C. Yates; Chester Cathedral, by J. A. Clapham; Festival-Time in Old Chester, by the Rev. Geo. S. Tyack; Chester Fair, by Mrs. G. Linnæus Banks; The Origin of the Rows of Chester, by W. Stevenson; Old Chester Houses, by William Harrison; The Dee Mills and the "Miller of the Dee," by T. Cann Hughes; Hugh Lupus, First Earl of Chester, by James L. Thornely; The Plague in Cheshire, by William E. A. Axon; Ancient Eddisbury, by Mrs. G. Linnæus Banks; St. Peter's Chains : An old Congleton Custom, by Robert Head; Was Mary Fitton Shakspere's "Dark Lady"? by William E. A. Axon; Sandbach Over Sixty Years Ago, by Mrs. G Linnæus Banks; Ancient Bridges, Fords, and Ferries, by W. Harrison; Cheshire Proverbial Phrases, by J. Potter Briscoe; A-Souling Song; President Bradshaw, by Thomas Cooper; Thomas Parnell, poet; Bishop Heber, by John T. Page; Punishing Scolding Women.

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