Abstract of Proceedings 1905-1908

E\}t • ABSTEACT OF PROCEEDINGS, 1905—1908. September 14th, 1905.—The Council met at the Bridge Chamber, Rochester. Eleven members present, Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., in the chair. The Hon. Secretary reported that the accounts of the Gravesend meeting had not yet come to hand, but that he anticipated a small balance in favour of the Society. Votes of thanks were passed to Lord Darnley, the Mayor of Gravesend (Mr. G. M. Arnold), and to the clergy of the various churches visited during the annual meeting; also to the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, Messrs. King, and the New Thames Yacht Club. It was proposed that the next annual meeting should be held at Ashford, and that Canterbury should be visited in the following year, the Jubilee year of the Society. After some discussion it was resolved (by 5 votes to 4) that the next annual meeting should be held at Canterbury, on the ground that the excavations at St. Augustine's might be closed before 1907. The Hon. Secretary was instructed to write to the Eev. A. L. Beardmore and to Mr. T. B. Jobson asking them to undertake the duties of honorary local secretary of the Deal and "Walmer district and of the Cranbrook district respectively, vice Mr. "W. H. Burch Bosher, deceased, and Mr. S. Cresswell, resigned. Mr. Herbert Monckton was elected a member of the Council in place of Mr. W. H. Burch Bosher. It was decided that the subscription to the Ancient Monuments Society should be continued and the arrears paid. Lord Northbourne was appointed Trustee of the funds of the Society in place of the late Earl Stanhope. d2 lii PROCEEDINGS, 1905. The following were elected Ordinary Members of the Society: Henry G. E. Hinds, G. F. Guest, and George Winch. I t was agreed Mr. Belcher's Kent Brasses, vol. ii., and Mr. Jackson's Gold and Silver Plate, be purchased and placed in the Library. December 14th, 1905.—The Council met in the Treasury of Canterbury Cathedral. Eight members present, the President, Lord Northbourne, in the chair. In the absence of the Hon. Secretary Mr. H. M. Chapman reported that the Hon. Robert Marsham-Townshend, F.S.A., had resigned his place on the Council. It was resolved that the resignation be accepted with regret, and the vacancy filled at the next meeting of the Council. In reference to an application received from Mr. W. Page, Editor for the county of Kent of the Victorian JHistory of the Counties of England, it was resolved: "That Mr. W. Page be allowed to borrow of the Society a set as complete as may be found possible of Archceologia Cantiana, giving a bond of £10 for the use of the same, the bond to be returned to Mr. W. Page on receipt of the volumes in good condition." I t was resolved : "That the Eev. A. L. Beardmore of Eipple be elected Hon. Local Secretary for Deal and Walmer in the place of Mr. Burch Bosher, deceased." I t was resolved : "That Dr. T. Joyce of Cranbrook be elected Hon. Local Secretary for the Cranbrook district in the place of Mr. S. Cresswell, resigned." I t was agreed that the next annual meeting of the Society should be held at Canterbury. The Deau of Canterbury, the Archdeacon of Canterbury, the Mayor of Canterbury, Mr. H. Mapleton Chapman, and the Hon. Secretary were appointed a sub-committee to arrange the details of the meeting. A vote of thanks was accorded to the Eev. C. E. Woodruff for his editorship of Vol. XXVII. of Archceologia Cantiana, lately published. The following were elected Ordinary Members: the Bishop of Rochester (Dr. Harmer), the Dean of Canterbury (Dr. Wace), W. Bruce Bannerman, F.S.A., J. Watkinson, Henry S. Bell, Charles R. Hailes, Sir W, Martin Conway, and Evnest W- White. PROCEEDINGS, 1906. lill I t was resolved: " That instructions be given to the Local Secretaries that when paying money into the Banks to the account of the Society they hand in therewith a list of the names of the members whose subscriptions are then paid in, with a request that such names be entered in the pass-books." March Sth, 1906.—The Council met at the Society's rooms, Maidstone. Thirteen members present, Lord Northbourne in the chair. I t was resolved : " That the Society should become an annual subscriber to the Harleian Society." A letter from the British School at Eome was read, and it was resolved that the School should be invited to present its publications to the Society in return for a complete series of Archceologia Cantiana. I t was agreed that the Society should buy Mr. Cowper's last three books for the Library- On the motion of Lord Northbourne, seconded by Eev. G. M. Livett, the Eev. Canon Tancock, D.D., was unanimously elected a member of the Council, vice the Hon. E. Marsham-Townshend, resigned. A question of the day of the quarterly meetings, adjourned from the previous meeting, was discussed, and it was decided not to make any change. I t was moved, seconded, and carried: " That the Annual Meeting at Canterbury take place on July 3rd, 4th, and 5th." The Hon. Secretary presented a programme of the meeting, which was read and considered. On the proposal of the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, seconded by Mr. Cooke, Mr. S. W. Kershaw, Librarian at Lambeth, was unanimously elected an Honorary Member of the Society. The following were elected Ordinary Members: Charles Killick, T. A. Tait, Captain Fane Lambarde, William C. Lewis, Dr. Woodman, A. G. Murray, George Marsh am, Canon Maplesden, Herbert Nicholson, Messrs. Sherratt and Hughes, M. W. Watson, David Goudie Simpson, David Chisholm Simpson, the Eev. Dr. Springett, the Eev. J. S. ff. Chamberlaine. On the motion of Mr. E. Cooke, seconded by the Eev. A. .1. Pearman, Mr. George Marsham, as Chairman of the Kent County Council, was elected a Vice-President. liv PROCEEDINGS, 1906. May 10th, 1906.—A special meeting of the Council was held this day at the Society's rooms, Maidstone. Nine members present, Mr. G. M. Arnold in the chair. I t was reported that the date of the Canterbury meeting as fixed at the last meeting of the Council was the date of the Convocation of Canterbury ; and it was resolved : "That the date of the Annual Meeting be altered to July 17th and two following days." June 14th, 1906.—The Council met in London at the Coburg Hotel. Nineteen members present, Lord Northbourne in the chair. The programme of the Canterbury meeting was read and, with some alterations, approved. The Hon. Secretary read a draft of the report of the Council to be presented at the General Meeting. With additions referring to the possibility of holding an evening meeting in the winter months and the desirability of promoting the preservation of the excavated ruins of St. Augustine's Abbey, the report was approved. It was proposed and seconded: " That a sub-committee be appointed to consider the question of the Society's publications, and to report generally thereon to the Council." The Eev. C. E. Woodruff moved an amendment: "That the consideration of the question be deferred till the evening meeting on July 18th." The amendment was put and carried. Mr. George Marsham informed the Council that a ruined gateway connected with the College at Maidstone was in danger of collapse. Mr. Marsham and Mr. R. Cooke and the Revs. C. E. Woodruff and G. M. Livett were appointed a committee to inspect the gateway and report to the Council. The following were elected Ordinary Members: Cecil Stagg, J. B. Walton, Cyril Wintle, J. P. H. Wood, Henry V. Lushington, Alan Lambert, Gerald Wood-Woollaston, the Rev. John Prankerd, Capt. W. E. Darwell, R.N., and Capt. Stanley Page. After the meeting the members of the Council were entertained to luncheon by the President. The Annual General Meeting, 1906, was held at Canterbury on Tuesday, July 17th, and two following days. The President, Lord Northbourne, opened the meeting in the Chapter House of the Cathedral. The Annual Report was read and adopted. PROCEEDINGS, 1906. lv The six retiring members of the Council were re-elected. The retiring auditors were re-elected. The Rev. C. E. Woodruff proposed that the Council be empowered to frame rules for a general evening meeting to be held in the winter. This was seconded by the Eev. R. Swan, and carried unanimously. The President then addressed the Society on the subject of the excavatious of the foundations of St. Augustine's Abbey, premising that any suggestions as to their preservation would gladly be considered by the Society. His lordship said that the work was at a standstill for want of funds, and he hoped that some help might be forthcoming from the company present. The following were elected Ordinary Members: The Eight Eev. W. Walsh (Bishop of Dover), J. W. Whitley, H. Porter, Chas. E. Bosanquet, A. P. Hedges, M.P., Erastus Winder, the Eev. William Waite, Samuel Cutler, Miss Mary Neve, and — Drysdale. The noble President then called upon the Dean of Canterbury, who welcomed the Society to Canterbury and the Cathedral. A vote of thanks, moved by Lord Northbourne, was carried with acclamation. The company, numbering about ninety, then adjourned for luncheon. September 13th, 1906.—The Council met at the Bridge House, Eochester. Eleven members present, Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., in the chair. The Society's Editor announced that he had material which was scarcely suitable for an ordinary volume of Archccologia Cantiana, but which ought not to be lost to the Society, consisting of notes of wills furnished by Mr. Leland Duncan, F.S.A., and Mr. Arthur Hussey. He proposed that it should be printed as an " extra volume," and. issued to members before Christinas. The volume would extend to about 400 pages, and the estimated cost was £4 16s. per sheet of sixteen pages. Mr. Woodruff's proposition was formally put and carried unanimously. Mr. Giraud proposed that each member of the Society wishing to receive the volume should be required to pay an extra subscription of 5s. for the same. The proposal, duly seconded, was discussed and finally withdrawn on the ground that the issue of an extra volume was experimental. lvi PROCEEDINGS, 1906. Mr. Livett read a lottor from Mr. Leland Duncan enumerating various directions in which he thought the scope of the Society's publications might bo extended; and by way of example said that Mr. Duncan had himself collected photographs of dated examples of architecture in Kent, the publication of which would bo valuable to students. lie proposed that a committee be formed to consider the possibility of extending the scope of the Socioty's publications. The proposnl received support from members present, but was withdrawn on the Editor's representation of the difficulty of carrying on his work under such conditions. The chairman proposed that a grant of £100 should be made to the trustees of the St. Augustine's Abbey Fund for the purposes of excavation. Mr. Chapman explained the position of the fund, and it was resolved: "That a grant of £100 be made to the St. Augustine's Abbey Excavation Fund, to be paid in two yearly instalments of £50 each, provided an additional sum of £600 be contributed by the recipients for completing the excavation of the infirmary, the dormitory, and the southern transept." The Hon. Secretary then read a minute of the meeting at Canterbury referring to the holding of evening meetings during the winter months, and Mr. Woodruff moved that a meeting be held at Maidstone in the coming winter, and a small committee be formed to carry out the arrangements. Mr. Monckton seconded. The difficulty of selecting a convenient centre was discussed, and London was suggested. It was finally resolved (by six votes to three) that the consideration of the matter be adjourned till the next meeting of the Council. It was resolved: " That Tonbridge be the place of the next Annual Meeting." It was agreed that Major-General White should be asked to act as Local Secretary for the Tonbridge district vice Mr. Wingate, resigned. The accounts of the Canterbury Annual Meeting were presented and passed, the Kev. C. E. Woodruff being authorized to pay £5 5s. in settlement of a bill presented by Mr. Iggulsden, the proprietor of the Ashford paper, for a transcript of his shorthand notes of the Canterbury meeting. A letter was read from Miss Austin asking for a subscription towards the repairs of Barfrestone Church. The Hon. Secretary was directed to place the subject of grants to churches on the agenda of the next meeting. PROCEEDINGS, 1906. lvii On the motion of the chairman a vote of thanks waH accorded to Mr. II. Mapleton Chapman for his services on tho occasion of the late Annual General Meeting at Canterbury, and for his kind hospitality to the members. Votes of thanks were also accorded to tho Dean of Canterbury, the Mayor of Canterbury, the clergy of the various churches visited, and Dr. Bailey for his gift of Paley's Gothic Moldings and Byzantine Architecture. Tho loan of the wood-block of the illustration on page 8 of Vol. XII. of Arch. Cant, was granted to the Editor of the Victorian County History. It was decided to place £200 at the Capital and Counties Bank on deposit. The following were elected Ordinary Members: A. E. Ward, Miss M. Waterfield, and the Woolwich Public Library. December 13th, 1906.—The Council met in the Treasury of Canterbury Cathedral. Eleven members present, Mr. F. F. Giraud in the chair. Mr. Eichard Cooke presented the report of the sub-committee appointed to consider the question of repairs to the archway adjoining the Old Palace at Maidstone. The report was adopted. With regard to the amount to be raised for completing the excavations at St. Augustine's Abbey, it was found that the estimate of £700 as given at the last Council meeting was too high, and as the amount was now estimated at from £350 to £400, it was resolved: " That £50 be granted to the Trustees of the St. Augustine's Excavation Fund, payable at the commencement of the work next spring." It was suggested that the Hon. Secretary, in writing to inform the trustees of this grant, should ask them to formulate some scheme of the work proposed to be carried out next year for the information of the Society. It was decided that the question of holding a general meeting in the evening in the course of the winter came within Eule 19 of the Society's Eules. The Council would be prepared to consider the calling of such a meeting should the necessity appear to arise. The following resolution was proposed and carried unanimously : " That it be a recommendation from the Council to the Local Secretaries that they organize local meetings for members lviii PROCEEDINGS, 1906. and their friends for furthering the objects of the Society." The Hon. Secretary was directed to inform the Local Secretaries that the Council would be prepared to defray reasonable expenses, an estimate of such expenses to be sent by the Local Secretaries to the Hon. Secretary, and submitted by him to the Council for consideration at the quarterly meetings. The question of grants to churches in general and to Barfrestone in particular evoked considerable difference of opinion, and it was agreed to continue the discussion at the next meeting, a motion for granting a sum to Barfrestone to be placed on the agenda paper. An opinion was expressed that, in view of the recent reception of the Society at Canterbury Cathedral, and the use of the Treasury by the Council for its meetings at Canterbury, it would be a gracious act if the Society made a special grant towards the repairs of the Bell Harry Tower, and on the motion of Mr. Chapman it was agreed that the proposal should be placed on the agenda paper of the next meeting. The Hon. Secretary reported the Eev. C. E. Woodruff's resignation of his position as Honorary Editor of the Society. The Council, realizing that Mr. Woodruff's resignation was final, accepted it with an expression of great regret; and the Chairman moved the following resolution, which was carried unanimously: "That the best thanks of the Society be accorded to Mr. Woodruff for the great service he has rendered." It is unanimously resolved: " That the Rev. C. E. Woodruff be asked to accept tho office of a Arice-President of the Society." I t was proposed and seconded that the Eev. G. M. Livett should be asked to accept the j)Ost of Honorary Editor. Mr. Livett expressed great regret that pursuance of other duties compelled him reluctantly to decline the honour. The names of Mr. A. M. Arnold and the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman were proposed, and those gentlemen also declining, the Hon. Secretary was instructed to communicate with two or three other members in reference to the vacancy. It was resolved that Mr. C. E. Bosanquet of Woodsgate, Pembury, be asked to undertake the duties of Local Secretary for the Tonbridge district. The Hon. Secretary was instructed to call on Dr. Tan cock in reference to the forthcoming annual meeting at Tonbridge, and was empowered to form a sub-committee to carry out the necessary arrangements for the meeting. PROCEEDINGS, 1907. lix The Hon. Secretary reported correspondence which had appeared in the Canterbury Paper with regard to Eichborough Castle, and was requested to write to the Trustees asking them to empower the Council of the K.A.S. to undertake researches there. I t was resolved that the Society should exchange publications with Harvard University. I t was resolved that Mr. Iggulsden's account for a full report of the Canterbury meeting should be paid in full. A. Houston Phillips was elected an Ordinary Member. March 14th, 1907.—The Council met at the Society's rooms, Maidstone. Seventeen members present, Lord Northbourne in the chair. The Hon. Secretary, in reply to a question arising out of the minutes of the previous meeting, reported that it was proposed that the work of excavating the foundations of St. Augustine's Abbey should re-commence at the east end of the Infirmary Chapel and proceed westwards, under the supervision of Mr. W. H. St. John Hope and himself. It was resolved that a cheque for the sum of £50 voted at the previous meeting should be drawn. Mr. Richard Cooke read a letter, in which Mr. Livett said that in view of the difficulty experienced in finding an editor he would withdraw his objection to act if the Council would appoint a small committee to assist him. Mr. Cooke moved: " That the Eev. G. M. Livett be appointed Honorary Editor." Seconded by Mr. G. M. Arnold, and carried. Mr. Arnold expressed an opinion that Council would do well to appoint a professional assistant at a small salary, say of £75. No action was taken. I t was agreed that a sum of 5 guineas should be allowed for the cost of indexing the volume. Mr. Leland Duncan, the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, and the Hon. Secretary were appointed a committee, with power to add to their number, to assist the Editor. Mr. A. A. Arnold moved : " That Messrs. W. J. King and Son, the accountants, be instructed to report (when they complete the balance sheet for 1906) as to the amount of subscriptions remaining due to the Society on the 31st December in that year, and also as to the amount received for life compositions since the last investment of such compositions was made, and that their report be laid before the next meeting of the Council." Seconded by Mr. G. M. Arnold, and carried.' Ix PROCEEDINGS, 1907. The draft programme of the Tonbridge meeting was read, and with some alterations was agreed to. Mr. James S. Burra of Ashford was elected a Member of the Council vice the Eev. Dr. Tancock resigned. I t was agreed that the publishers should be paid £200 on account of the cost of the extra volume, £100 from each bank. The sum of £1 Is. was voted to Mr. C. E. Woodruff for editorial expenses. The following were elected Ordinary Members : Philip Newbold, Glasgow University Library, W. E. Hughes, Eev. W. Woodruff, John Sutton, and Arthur Eeynolds Norman. June 13th, 1907.—The Council met at the Coburg Hotel, London, at the invitation of the President. Twelve members present, Lord Northbourne in the chair. The balance-sheet for the year 1906, prepared by the accountants, was presented and adopted, and it was agreed to invest £96 received on account of life compositions during the years 1905, 1906, 1907, in accordance with the Society's rules. The Hon. Secretary was requested to issue a circular to those members whose annual subscriptions were in arrear, and to call the attention of the Local Secretaries to the same. I t was resolved that Mr. Elgar should be asked to enter up and keep the register of members. A grant of £50 was unanimously voted to the repairs of the Beli Harry Tower, Canterbury Cathedral. The Tonbridge programme was read and approved, and the Hon. Secretary was authorized to print a short notice of Tonbridge Castle for the benefit of the members. Mr. J. S. Burra having declined a seat on the Council, it was decided to invite Mr. Arthur E. Hussey to fill the vacancy. With regard to an interchange of volumes with the St. Malo Society, the Hon. Secretary was requested to write for a copy of their publications. The Hon. Secretary was chosen as a delegate of the Society to the Congress of Archasological Societies. I t was decided not to subscribe to the Pedigree Eegister. I t was agreed to purchase a copy of Memorials of Old Kent, edited by Eev. P. H. Ditchfleld, F.S.A., and George Clinch. It was also agreed to subscribe for a copy of The Registers of the Archbishops, published by the Canterbury and York Society. PROCEEDINGS, 1907. lxi A sum of 19s. was voted for expenses of a local meeting organized by the Local Secretary of the Bromley district. On the proposition of the Eev. C. E. Woodruff it was resolved, " That the Library be closed from the first Monday in July for the purpose of allowing the Curator to take stock of the books, and that the Curator be instructed to notify this fact to borrowers of books, and that the Curator prepare a report of the condition of the Library, to be laid before the Council at the September meeting." The following were elected Ordinary Members: Albert Clout, Mrs. Beatrice Maconochie, Mrs. P. G. Selby, Arthur Neve, Cedrie Erland, John Woodruff, General Sir George B. Wolseley, K.C.B., Bromley Public Library, James Mander, C. CollingAvood Maughan, Charles Prentis, Eev. A. E. Simpson, M.A., Melbourne Public Library, Peabody Institute of Baltimore, Eev. C. F. Cartwright, M.A., and H. J. Cape. The Annual General Meeting, held at Tonbridge, was commenced on Tuesday, July 9th, 1907. The members assembled in the Public Hall for the dispatch of business, the President, Lord Northbourne, occupying the chair. The Hon. Secretary read the Annual Eeport, which was adopted on the motion of Mr. F. T. Cutbill, seconded by Mr. Sibert Saunders. On the proposition of Mr. H. M. Chapman, seconded by Dr. Cotton, the six retiring members of the Council were reelected. On the proposition of Mr. F. F. Giraud, seconded by the Hon. Secretary, the Auditors, Messrs. H. Hordern and Hooper, were re-elected. Mr. H. C. H. Oliver was elected Local Secretary for the Mailing district. The President referred to the sale of the land on which Kits Coty House stands, and a letter was read from Sir Norman Lockyer asking for information as to whether there was a tradition that the stones had been moved. Mr, W. T. Vincent, who spoke on the subject, was asked to communicate with Sir Norman Lockyer. The following were elected Ordinary Members: The Eev. J. L. Brack, Mrs. Madders, John Paul Cooper, and F. J. Bennett, F.G.S. September 12th, 1907. The Council met at the Bridge House, Rochester. Eleven members present, Canon Pearman in the chajr, lxii PROCEEDINGS, 1907. The Curator's report on the Library of the Society at Maidstone was presented and adopted. Mr. Bichard Cooke suggested that a report should be presented annually. Votes of thanks were accorded to Mr. A. D. B. Chapman for his kindness and hospitality on the occasion of the Society's late visit to Penshurst, to the Eev. A. L. Brack, Mr. E. W. Handcock, the Eev. G. Maberly Smith, Mr. A. H. Boissier, the Eev. Arthur Lucas, the Eev. H. C. Brooke, the Kev. A. Smith-Marriott, the Eev. H. La Trobe Foster, the Eev. W. Baskerville, and the Eev. Waterman Gardner-Waterman. The accounts of the late Tonbridge meeting were presented by the Hon. Secretary and passed. I t was resolved that the next Annual Meeting should be held at Ashford. I t was resolved that Mr. J. M. Cowper's Canterbury Registers, volume vi., should be purchased. On the 12th of December 1907 the Council met in the Library of the Cathedral, Canterbury. Twelve members present, Mr. F. F. Giraud in the chair. The Hon. Secretary read a communication from Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., stating his inability to attend the Council Meeting, as he was to be presented with the freedom of the Town of Gravesend on the same day. It was unanimously decided that a letter of congratulation should be sent to Mr. Arnold. The date of the Ashford Annual Meeting was fixed and the programme considered. In reference to a letter from the Eev. J. A. Boodle, read at the previous meeting of the Council, with regard to the hours of meeting, it was decided that proceedings should be commenced at 11 A.M. on the first day and at 10'30 A.M. on the second day. A letter was read from Mr. A. S. T. Griffith-Boscawen resigning his position as a Vice-President, owing to his leaving the county. The Hon. Secretary was requested to write informing Mr. Griffith Boscawen that his resignation was accepted with regret. Dr. Cotton gave notice of his resignation of the position of Local Secretary for the Ramsgate district, and proposed as his successor the Rev. William Waite of St. Mary's, Ramsgate. Mr. Waite was elected, and a vote of thanks to Dr. Cotton was unanimously passed. On the ground that the Council had no. power to assign its PROCEEDINGS, 1908. lxiii funds to purposes not connected with the county of Kent, a proposal that it should make a grant towards the purchase of Glastonbury Abbey was not entertained. Permission was granted to Mr. Emery Walker to publish photographic reproductions of the plates on pp. 152 and 153, Vol. VII., of Archaeologia Cantiana. A letter from Mr. J. H. Till with reference to the Keep of Eynsford Castle was read, and it was decided that the Society could not move in the matter. Permission to use the block of a map was granted to the Rev. C. E. Woodruff. The following were elected Ordinary Members : E. S. Boys Richardson, Henry Hills, and Frank C. Elliston Erwood. March 12th, 1908.—The Council met at the Society's rooms, Maidstone. Fourteen members present, Lord Northbourne in the chair. The following were elected Ordinary Members: The Countess Stanhope, John Churchill, L. F. Salzmann, C. B. Harris, C. Viggers, Mrs. Straker, Francis H. Day, Eev. A. L. Coates, Mrs. Wrightson, and Miss K. White. The Hon. Secretary then read a draft of the Ashford programme which, with several alterations in the second day's proceedings, was confirmed. It was decided that no public luncheon should be provided on the second day, and that members should be asked to bring their own lunch. A list of members whose arrears dated back to 1904 was then read, and it was agreed that the Hon. Secretary should write to the various Local Secretaries, asking if payment might be expected. The Hon. Secretary was also requested to present the annual balance sheet, duly audited, to the next meeting of the Council. A letter from Mr. Salzmann asking the Society to subscribe a sum to the Pevensey excavations was read, and the request was refused on the ground that the object lay outside the county of Kent. A vote of thanks was accorded to the chairman, and also to Mr. E. Cooke and Mr. H. Monckton for their kind hospitality in entertaining the Council to luncheon. June 11th, 1908.—The Council met this day at the Coburg Hotel at the invitation of the noble President. Fifteen members present. Lord Northbourne in the chair. l x i v PROCEEDINGS, 1908. Letters of regret wore reported, and the minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed. Tho President alluded to the death of Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., an original member of the Council, and of Sir John Evans, F.E.S., and the Hon. Secretary was directed to communicate votes of sympathy to Miss Arnold and Lady Evans. The balance sheet for the year 1907, presented by the Hon. Secretary, shewed an excess of expenditure over income, and raised considerable discussion. Mr. A. A. Arnold, having reviewed the financial position of the Society, moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. C. W. Powell, Hon. Treasurer, and carried unanimously: " That the Finance Committee—to consist of Mr. C. W. Powell (Hon. Treasurer), Canon Pearman, Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, Mr. H. M. Chapman, Mr. H. Monckton, and Mr. A. A. Arnold—be re-appointed; that the balance sheet and report of the accountants be referred to them and they be asked to consider and report as to the best mode of collecting the subscriptions and as to the management of the finances generally." The programme of the Ashford meeting, prepared by the Hon. Secretary, was submitted, and was passed with the inclusion of a visit to Sellinge Church. The Hon. Secretary's draft of the annual report to be presented to the Ashford meeting was read and adopted. Mr. Arnold was asked to write the report on the financial position of the Society. Letters of protest against a proposed alteration of the Cawne window in the chancel of Ightham Church were read. A communication was also read from the Eev. G. M. Livett, in which he reported that he had received assurances from the Bishop of Rochester and from the Sector of Ightham that the project had been definitely abandoned, and a letter from the Chancellor of the Diocese defining the position of the Society in reference to proceedings for tho grant of a faculty in audi eases in the following terms : " The K.A.S. would have no locus standi in either supportin"- or opposing the grant of a faculty, but doubtless a delegate of the Society could be called in as a witness by the applicants or the opponents as representing a body of expert opinion." On the proposition of the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, it was resolved that Sir Martin Conway should be asked to fill the seat on the Council rendered vacant by the death of Mr. G. M. Arnold. The following were elected Ordinary Members: Levi Orwin, A. Joyce, Arthur Maas, Douglas Watson, W- J. Davis, W. CarPROCEEDINGS, 1908. lxv michael Steen, Capt. H. Wheatley Knocker, J. Hawthorn Mitchell, G. Beggs, L. G. Hodgson, Miss Eleanor C, Pearce, Archdeacon A. T. Scott, J. Tynhurst. A cordial vote of thanks to the noble President for his hospitality closed the proceedings. The Annual Meeting was held in the town of Ashford on Wednesday, July 8th, 1908. The Society were welcomed in a fine oak-panelled room in the Old Grammar School by the owner, Dr. George Wilks, who expressed the good wishes of the people of Ashford for the welfare of the Society. The President, Lord Northbourne, having returned thanks, the Hon. Secretary read the Annual Eeport for the year 1907, which was adopted on the motion of Mr. H. Boulter, seconded by Mr. H. M. Chapman. The six retiring members of the Council were unanimously re-elected. The auditors, Messrs. Hooper and Hordern, were also re-elected. The following were elected Ordinary Members: W. J. Lewis, Viscount Hill, F. H. Fairweather, and F. B. Connor. A suggestion made by the Eev. J. P. Faunthorpe that six copies of the current volume of Archceologia Cantiana should be offered to elementary schools as prizes for essays on the archaeology of the county was discussed and referred for further consideration to the Council. A vote of thanks to Lord Northbourne closed the business. September 10th, 1908.—The Council met at the Bridge House, Rochester. Eleven members present. On the motion of Mr. A. A. Arnold, the Rev. J. A. Boodle was voted to the chair. The minutes of the last meeting were confirmed, and letters of regret for non-attendance were reported. The Hon. Secretary read the Eeport of the Finance Committee as follows:— " Interim Eeport of the Finance Committee appointed June 1908.—It was understood when we were appointed that we should proceed with the enquiry referred to us after the General Meeting at Ashford, but it being found difficult to fix a day convenient to all the members we waited until the quarterly meeting in September when the Committee, or such few of them as were present, arranged for a further meeting to be held shortly. VOL, XXTJII. lxvi PROCEEDINGS, 1908. " The Committee have now to ask the sanction of the Council to add the President to the Committee, as they have reason to hope that his Lordship would be willing to give them the advantage of his assistance. " In the meantime they understand that the principal and immediate question which led to their apjwintment is the delay which occurs in the collection of the Annual Subscriptions and the loss and difficulties arising therefrom. At the end of the last year (1907) there was reported to be an arrear of £213, all of which was then twelve months overdue, and this arrear it will be remembered has accrued since the investigation into the accounts at the time of Mr. Payne's retirement from the Secretaryship in 1903-4, when, in addition to a considerable amount found to be in his hands and afterwards accounted for, no less than £254 10s. had to be written off as bad and irrecoverable. (See account in Vol. XXVII., p. xxxiv.) " In order to put matters on a better footing and to remedy the present system, which shews a reiy insufficient control over the collection of the subscriptions, there appears to be two courses open :—(1) to endeavour to enforce the present rules more strictly, and if considered desirable to strengthen them; or (2) to appoint a paid collector. " With regard to the first alternative, it is to be noted that under the rules as they stood prior to 1903 the regulations as to Annual Subscriptions were these: 'Eule 10.—(1) Each Ordinary Member shall pay an annual subscription of 10s. due in advance on the 1st January in each year; (2) Every member shall be entitled to a copy of the Society's transactions, but none will be issued to any subscriber whose subscription is in arrear; (3) The Council may remove from the list of subscribers the name of any member whose subscription is two years in arrear (subject to certain conditions).' " These provisions had not proved effectual, and in 1903 the following rule was added: ' Rule 4.—The Council shall appoint one of their members to be the Hon. Treasurer. His duty shall be to keep an account of all subscriptions and other receipts and payments for the Society, and on the 31st December in every year to prepare the Balance Sheet for the past year, and after it has been approved hy the Auditors to lay it before the next Quarterly Meeting of the Council, accompanied by a statement of all subscriptions, etc., in arrear and due to the Society, and of all money due from them.' " This new rule (4) was made a little before the termination of the late Hon. Secretary Mr. Payne's tenure of that office. Soon afterwards he retired, and our present Hon. Secretary was appointed. The new rule has not been acted upon, for, although an Hon. Treasurer has been appointed, it is believed that he has never been invited to act; it may possibly be that he might now be willing to undertake the duties imposed by this rule, and we have now to ascertain how this may be, PROCEEDINGS, 1908. lxvii " The Committee are disposed to believe that, if an appeal were made to the Hon. Local Secretaries, or to those of them who are habitually in arrear, urging them to make their collections and returns promptly at the beginning of each year (as some of them already do), the difficulties now experienced would disappear. Each of the local Hon. Secretaries when appointed should be furnished with a full list of the names and addresses of members resident in his district, and the names and addresses of members newly elected or coming to reside in his district should be communicated to him by the Hon. Secretary ; and each Local Secretary should be furnished with a convenient form of schedule or list, to be sent by him to the Hon. Treasurer or Hon. Secretary, shewing the amount of the subscriptions received, and transmitted by him to the Bankers. We are informed, however, that some of the local Hon. Secretaries do not use this form, and thus confusion is caused, for it is very difficult in default of such a list to keep up the register of payments satisfactorily. " If the present system under the Hon. Treasurer or Hon. Secretary is continued it is obvious that he must insist on the prompter return of the lists and transmission of the money, and must repeat his applications until he succeeds in getting the returns. It may be, however, as the Committee feel, expecting a little too much from an honorary officer to take all this work upon himself. " Another suggestion which the Committee would make is that in any case the condition that no copy of the Society's Transactions be issued to a member whose subscription is in arrear (Eule 10) should be strictly enforced. Unfortunately an order was made a few years ago directing that the volumes should be distributed by the Publishers in London. This should either be cancelled, or the Publishers should have definite instructions, and in good time, to prevent their delivering any volume to a subscriber whose subscription is in arrear. " An alternative system would be the appointment of a paid official or collector, whose duties might be defined somewhat as follows (see separate Paper C*). This would involve an expense of about £5 per cent, on the amount of the Annual Subscription and Entrance Fees, and as the number of ordinary members is taken to be a little over 600 the commission or salary would amount to about £18 18s. a year. # The following is a precis of "Paper C," entitled "The duties of the Collector of Subscriptions ":— 1—3. To keep the Register of Members, the Members' (Card) Register, and the Cash Book always up to date. 4. To send out annual subscription notices at the end of December by circular approved by the Finanoe Committee. 5, 6. To send second notices in February or Maroh to defaulters, and to repeat such notices when necessary. 7. To send' receipts for subscriptions received. Query, how to deal with members paying direct to Bankers or not living in any District. 8. "When receipts amount to £20 to remit the sum in hand to the Bankers (alternately), and to send to the Honorarv Secretary a list of such subsoribing e 2 l x v i i i PROCEEDINGS, 1908. " These are the alternative courses which the Council have to consider at their next meeting. " With regard to the finances of the Society generally, the accompanying analysis of the annual accounts has been made for three periods: (1) ten years from 1882 to 1891; (2) ten years, 1892 to 1901; and (3) five years, from 1902 to 1907. This will enable the Council to see clearly the average income and expenditure for each of these successive periods. It will then appear that the average annual amount of subscription, including entrance fees and life compositions (the accounts give no materials for separating these until 1903), and the total of all receipts for the three successive periods were :— Average Annual Total average Subscription. Annual Receipts. £ s. d. £ s. d. For the ten years to 1891 ... 423 18 0 ... 461 0 0 1901 ... 348 5 8 ... 392 0 0 „ five „ 1907 ... 342 19 0 ... 401 0 0 " In like manner with regard to the expenditure, which was :— On Arch. Cant., Total average average per year. Annual Expenditure. £ s. d. £ s. d. For the ten years to 1891 ... 267 10 0 ... 410 0 0 1901 ... 248 19 0 ... 400 0 0 „ five „ 1907 ... 207 16 0 ... 431 13 0 " This shews that the total average expenditure for the last five years has been £30 per annum above the average actual receipts for those years, notwithstanding that the outlay on the production of the volumes of Archceologia Cantiana was considerably less than in former years. Some of these matters may require further investigation, and will be duly considered by the Committee and dealt with in a future report so far as may be necessary. " Dated this 10th of September 1908. " Signed H. MAPLETON CHAPMAN. W. GARDNER-WATERMAN. A. A. ARNOLD." members, with notes of members deceased or having changed residence, and of circulars returned through Dead Letter Office. 9, 10. To send supplemental reports of similar character to Honorary Secretary in time for March and June Meetings of the Council. 11. To send list of defaulting members to Publishers before the issue of a new volume of Arch. Cant. 12, 13. General instructions as to duties under Honorary Secretary and as to preservation of papers and documents that come to hand. 14,15. Salary or Commissiou to be paid by Council's cheque. Appointment to be determined by one month's notice. 16. To give a Fidelity Guarantee Assurance for (say) £250, at the Society's cqst, for securing moneys and return of books, etp. PROCEEDINGS, 1908. lxiX The Eev. C. E. Woodruff remarked that the increase in expenditure in the last five years was partly accounted for by exceptional grants, e.g., to the excavations of St. Augustine's and the repairs of Canterbury Cathedral. The Eeport was adopted, and the Hon. Secretary was directed to write to the President, asking him to act on the Committee. A letter was read by the Chairman from Mr. Broad pointing out that the present mode of collecting subscriptions had the advantage of bringing the Hon. Local Secretaries into personal relations with members. In view of the fact that the balance sheets had been prepared by professional auditors, it was agreed that the Hon. Secretary should submit them to the Honorary Auditors for signature pro forma. The Eev. G. M. Livett asked that detailed accounts of the annual meetings for the last four years, with receipts for payments, be placed before the committee. Mr. Wilkie gave notice that he would propose at the next meeting that the finance committee be made a standing committee. The choice of the place of the next annual meeting was considered at length, and it was agreed that the Hon. Secretary should prepare and submit to the next Council meeting a programme with Farningham as centre. A letter from Mr. Abell, of Kennington, was read, criticising the programmes of the annual meetings, and suggesting that less attention be devoted to churches, and more to old houses, earthworks, and similar objects. The vacancy on the Council, caused by the appointment of Mr. Livett as Hon. Editor, was filled by the unanimous election of Mr. A. H. Gardner of Folkestone, on the motion of Mr. Chapman, seconded by the Eev. C. E. Woodruff. I t was resolved to invite Mr. J. H. King to act as Hon. Local Secretary for the Gravesend district, in the place of Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., deceased. Votes of thanks were passed to the following gentlemen on the occasion of the Society's late visit to Ashford: The Eev. Canon Pearman, M.A., the Eev. Canon Tindall, M.A., Mr. J. F. Welldon, Mr. Strouts, the Eev. Alban Harrison, M.A., Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Dodd, Dr. Wilkes, the Eev. C. E. Woodruff, M.A., the Rev. G. M. Livett, F.S.A., and the Vicars of the various churches visited. A letter was read from the Rev. G. M. Livett asking for the 1XX PROCEEDINGS, 1908. Council's approval of his action in arranging, with the consent of the President and other Councillors, that Professor Baldwin Brown should have an opportunity, in the presence of Sir Martin Conway, of photographing certain hand-specimens of Saxon antiquities for the purpose of illustrating his professorial lectures, and reporting the presentation to the Society of the Professor's work on Saxon Antiquities, in two volumes, as a mark of the Professor's gratitude for the privilege. On the report of a letter received from Messrs. Brackett, with reference to their reproduction of one of the Society's illustrations, it was agreed that the publishers should be instructed to withhold the loan of the Society's wood-blocks except by the express sanction of the Council. The following were elected Ordinary Members: Bernard Arnold and H. Kennedy. A proposal made at the Annual Meeting, that volumes of Archceologia Cantiana should be offered as prizes to elementary schools for essays on Kentish archaeology, was considered, and it was decided that no action should be taken. Votes of thanks to the Rev. J. A. Boodle for presiding and to Mr. A. A. Arnold for entertaining the Council to luncheon closed the meeting. ANNUAL REPORTS, 1906—1908. Annual Eeport, 1906.—Tour Council have much pleasure in presenting their forty-ninth Annual Report in the old city of Canterbury after an interval of sixteen years. Since your last Annual Meeting here the ruins of the Abbey Church of St. Augustine and some of the adjacent monastic buildings have been excavated, and on this occasion you will be given the opportunity of visiting not only these but further excavations on the site of St. Pancras Chapel. Tour Society has contributed £55 towards the expenses of these researches, and your Council feel sure that the members will be much interested in the result. Since your last visit, also, the old Museum has been removed to the present building, the old collection has been very largely added to and entirely rearranged, and the city now possesses a fine collection of Roman pottery, flint implements, and other interesting relics, found for the greater part in the immediate neighbourhood. ANNUAL REPORTS, 1906—1908. lxxi The Society has to regret the loss by death of Mr. Burch Bosher, an energetic Member of the Council for many years and also Local Secretary for the Deal and Walmer district. Two old members, the Eev. A. G. Hellicar and the Eev. J. Tillard, have also passed away. The duties of Local Secretary for Deal and Walmer have been kindly undertaken by the Eev. H. L. Beardmore, M.A., of Bipple Eectory, and for the Cranbrook district by Dr. T. Joyce of Cranbrook, in the place of Mr. Sackville Cresswell, who has resigned. In the place of Mr. Burch Bosher, Mr. Herbert Monckton of Maidstone has been elected a Member of the Council. The Hon. Eobert Marsham Townshend, F.S.A., has resigned his seat on the Council, and in his place the Eev. Dr. Tancock, headmaster of Tonbridge School, has been unanimously elected. Mr. S. Wayland Kershaw, F.S.A., the Librarian at Lambeth Palace, has been elected an Honorary Member. Volume XXVII. of Archosologia Cantiana was published in October, and the Council have little doubt that it has been found fully equal to any of its predecessors. The Society has cause for congratulation iu the fact that the Eev. C. E. Woodruff, the Editor, who had intended to resign his office owing to ill-health, is now much better, and has consented to continue the supervision of our publications, which is so much appreciated. The strength of the Society is more than maintained, thirty-four new members having been elected during 1905. The total number now on the register is not far short of eight hundred, which is higher than it has been for some few years. The financial position of the Society continues to improve. The Balance Sheet has been prepared by the Society's Accountants, Messrs. W. J. King and Son of Gravesend, and shews the General Accumulated Fund of the Society to be £2787 2s., while the arrears owing to the Society have been reduced to quite small proportions. Volume XXVII. has been paid for, and there now stands to the credit of the Society at the Bankers a balance of £411 Is. 9d. Annual Eeport, 1907.—The Council have much pleasure in presenting their fiftieth Annual Eeport in the town of Tonbridge after an interval of twenty years. During that interval one of your members, Mr. J. F. Wadmore, a prominent inhabitant of the town, I x x i i ANNUAL REPORTS, 1906—1908. has passed away, and his son, also a well-known member and our Honorary Local Secretary, has left the town. The Society has to regret the resignation of our late Local Secretary for the Tonbridge district, Mr. Wingate. He was succeeded by Mr. Charles R. Bosanquet, who has used his best endeavour to make this year's Meeting successful. Dr. Tancock, late headmaster of the Tonbridge School, has also resigned his seat on the Council owing to ill-health. Miss Dudlow, the Honorary Local Secretary for the Mailing district, one of our earliest members, has lately passed away. Among others who have long been members of the Society, and whose loss we have to regret, may be mentioned Sir Frederick Wigan, Lieut.-General Dixon, and the Eev. Dr. J. G. Bailey. Since our last Annual Meeting an extra volume of the Society's publications, "Testamenta Cantiana" (for which we are chiefly indebted to Messrs. Leland L. Duncan and A. E. Hussey), has been published, and it is hoped that Volume XXVIII. will make its appearance in the autumn. It is with sincere regret that the Council has to report the resignation of the Honorary Editorship of the Society's publications by the Eev. C. E. Woodruff, who for some years with the co-operation of his late brother, but latterly by himself, has so ably carried out these duties. His place was found most difficult to supply, but the Council have now been able to secure the valuable services of the Eev. G. M. Livett, F.S.A., as chief Editor, with the following small Committee to assist him, consisting of Mr. Leland L. Duncan, F.S.A., the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman, M.A., and the Honorary Secretary. At the last General Meeting several members expressed a wish that an evening winter meeting should be held, but after due consideration by the Council it was not found feasible. It was agreed, however, to recommend the Honorary Local Secretaries to organize meetings in their own districts with a view to popularize the Society. Tour Council are pleased to say that a meeting was arranged by the Honorary Local Secretary for Bromley, Mr. L. M. Biden, and that it included a very successful visit to the old Palace at Eltham. The strength of the Society is maintained, there being a net increase of ten members since last year. The financial position continues satisfactory. The Balance Sheet for 1906, which has been prepared by the Society's Accountants, ANNUAL REPORTS, 1906—1908. lxxiii Messrs. W. J. King of Gravesend, Chartered Accountants, shews the general accumulated property of the Society to be £2974 2s. 2d. against £2787 2s. for the previous year. The sum of £96, which has been received for Life Compositions since the last investment, has been invested in Consols. The arrears of Subscriptions up to December 1905 amounted to £54 10s., of which a small portion has been paid. The balance at the Banks is £155 17s. 10c/., and there is £400 on deposit. Tour Council has made a grant of £50 towards the excavations now proceeding at St. Augustine's, Canterbury, which it is hoped may soon be completed. A grant of £50 has also been made towards the restoration of Bell Harry Tower, Canterbury Cathedral, it being felt that this was a national monument. Annual Report, 1908.—The Council has much pleasure in presenting their fifty-first Annual Report in the town of Ashford, which has not been made the headquarters for the meeting since the year 1883. During the past year we have lost several well known and valuable members. Mr. G. M. Arnold, F.S.A., one of the original members of the Society and also a member of the Council, has lately passed away, and his place will be difficult to fill, as the interests of the Society were ever near and dear to him. Within a few days, Sir John-Evans, F.R.S., F.S.A., another old member, to whom the Society is indebted for gifts of various Kentish tradesmen's tokens, has also died. We may also mention the loss of Lieut.-Gen. Forbes, Col. Sir E. W. Knocker of Dover, and Major Best of Boxley, who has been a member for over forty years. The Council is pleased to report that Vol. XXVIII. of Archceologia Cantiana is now in the press, and it is hoped will be issued in the autumn. With regard to the finances, the Balance Sheets for the three years ending on December 31st, 1907, prepared by Messrs. W. J. King and Son, Chartered Accountants of Gravesend, and their statements of the Income and Expenditure for the same years, will be printed in our next volume. The account for the last year, 1907, shews a deficit of about £213. This is accounted for partly by the cost of the volume l x x i v ANNUAL REPORTS, 1906—1908. Testamenta Cantiana, £263 9s. 6d., partly from the grants made by the Council of £50 for the work of the restoration of Bell Harry Tower of Canterbury Cathedral, and a like sum towards the costs of excavations being carried on at St. Augustine's (of both of which grants the Council hope the Society will approve), and partly from the fall in the value of Consols held by the Society. On the other hand, there was an arrear of subscription due to the Society at the end of 1907 of upwards of £200, which would if collected have met the above deficit. The Council regret to say that there is still an unfortunate tendency to delay the payment of these yearly subscriptions, and they have appointed a Committee to consider and report on the best steps to be taken to remedy this in future. The amount of Consols now standing in the names of the trustees of the Society is £1626 7s. 8d. The excavations at St. Augustine's, to which the Society made a grant of £50, were last year nearly completed, and plans have been made by Mr. St. John Hope. During February of last year some alterations in the road from Folkestone to Dover revealed the site of a Saxon cemetery, and under the care of the Borough Engineer for Folkestone, Mr. Nicholls, some thirty-eight graves were carefully excavated, and numerous Saxon swords, knives, brooches, etc., were found, which have been pilaced in the Folkestone Museum. The Council is pleased to report that under the direction of Mr. L. M. Biden, the energetic Local Secretary for the Bromley district, and Mr. D. Chisholm Simpson, a visit of the local members was paid to St. Bartholomew's the Great, West Smithfield, which proved a great success. ANNUAL MEETINGS, 1906—1908. The forty-ninth Annual Meeting of the Society was held at Canterbury on the 17th, 18th, and 19th of July 1906. The following gentlemen formed a Local Committee : the Worshipful the Mayor of Canterbury (Mr. F. Benuett Goldney, F.S.A.), the Bishop of Dover (Et. Eev. William Walsh, D.D.), the Dean of Canterbury (Very Eev. Henry Wace, D.D.), the Archdeacon of Maidstone (Veu. W. Maxwell Spooner, M.A.), the Warden of St. Augustine's College (Eev. J. O. F. Murray, D.D.), the Eevs. Canon Nisbet, M.A, J. M. Fox, B.A., Edward Austin, MA., Hubert Knight, ANNUAL MEETINGS, 1906—1908. lxXV M.A., E. Eidge, M.A., and J. Le Mare Shallis, M.A., and Mr. H. Mapleton Chapman (Hon. Local Secretary). The members were received by the Dean in the Chapter-house of the Cathedral, where the Annual General Meeting was held, the Lord Northbourne, F.S.A., President, in the Chair. Luncheon was served in the Public Hall. After Evensong, at 2'30 P.M., the members were conducted over the Cathedral by Mr. W. H. St. John Hope, M.A. The members were entertained to tea in the Deanery Garden. After dinner, in the Public Hall, a reception in honour of the Society was held by the Mayor of Canterbury in St. Margaret's Hall. The morning of the second day was occupied by visits to the chief public buildings of the city. The members formed two parties, and while one party visited the Westgate Tower and the Churches of St. Dunstan and St. Nicholas, the other party inspected the Eoyal Museum, Eastbridge Hospital, the Grey Friars, and St. Mildred's Church. After luncheon the members proceeded to St. Augustine's College, where they were received by the Warden, Dr. Murray, and conducted over the existing buildings and the monastic remains in the college grounds. The ruined Chapel of St. Pancras and the excavations of the Abbey were explained by Mr. St. John Hope. Before the company left the Abbey Grounds, the President, in proposing a vote of thanks to Dr. Murray, which was seconded by the Dean of Canterbury, made an appeal for support of the excavation fund. The members then proceeded to St. Martin's Church, which was described by the Eev. G. M. Livett, F.S.A., who explained the views which different authorities had entertained of its architectural history. After dinner an evening meeting for general discussion was held in St. Margaret's Hall. On the third day an excursion was made to Ickham, Wingham, Barfrestone, and Patrixbourne. At Ickham Church a descriptive Paper was read by the Eector, Canon Nisbet; Wingham Church was described by the Eev. J. M. Fox, Vicar; and the Churches of Barfrestone and Patrixbourne by Mr. Livett. The members were entertained to tea in the Vicarage Garden by the Eev. and Mrs. Hubert Knight. Luncheon and dinner were served at the County Hotel. lxxvi ANNUAL MEETINGS, 1906—1908. Mr. H. B. Curling kindly undertook the issue of tickets for the meeting, and the carriages on the second day were under the direction of Mr. Anderson and the Hon. Secretary, and on the third day of the Rev. W. Gardner-Waterman and Mr. Anderson. The fiftieth Annual Meeting of the Society was held at Tonbridge on the 9th and 10th of July 1907. The Local Committee consisted of the following gentlemen: Mr. A. P. Hedges, M.P., Mr. J. F. Deacon, J. P., the Revs. Canon G. Maberley Smith, M.A., Arthur Lucas, M.A., H. Sinclair Brooke, M.A., C. G. Baskerville, M.A., and Messrs. A. N. Neve, A. D. B. Chapman, H. Snowden Ward, Frank East, E. W. Handcock, B.Sc, F.G.S., and C. R. Bosanquet (Hon. Local Secretary). The members were received by Dr. Andrews in the Public Hall, where the General Meeting was held, the President, Lord Northbourne, F.S.A., in the Chair. Before luncheon the members inspected the Parish Church, which, in the absence of the Vicar, was described by the Churchwarden, Mr. J. le Fleming, and the Castle. After luncheon carriages conveyed the members to Penshurst Church, where Canon Maberley Smith read a descriptive Paper. Penshurst Place, the seat of Lord de ITsle and Dudley, was then visited and described by Mr. A. H. Boissier. The members were entertained to tea by Mr. and Mrs. A. D. B. Chapman at the Birches. After dinner, served in the Public Hall, the Eev. Arthur Lucas, M.A., acting headmaster of Tonbridge School, and Mrs. Lucas, held a Eeception and Conversazione in " Big School," when the membei's were treated to a lecture on Old Tonbridge, given by Mr. E. C. Goldberg, M.A., and to some music by the boys. On the second day an excursion was made to Pembury, where, after a visit to the old Church, luncheon was served at the Camden Hotel; and thence to Bayham, Horsmonden, and Brenchley. Pembury Church was described by Mr. W. T. Storrs; the ruins of Bayham Abbey by the Eev. A. L. Brack, M.A., Chaplain to the Marquess Camden ; Horsmonden Church by the Eev. H. F. Smith- Marriott, J.P.; and Brenchley Church by the Bev. F. la Trobe Foster, M.A., who kindly invited the members to tea in the Vicarage Garden. ANNUAL MEETINGS, 1906—1908. lxxvii Mr. H. Elgar issued the tickets for the meeting, and the carriages were under the direction of the Eev. W. Gardner-Waterman and the Hon. Secretary. The fifty-first Annual Meeting was held at Ashford on the 8th and 9th of July 1908. Local Committee: Eevs. A. H. Collins, M.A., A. H. Harrison, M.A., and Canon P. F. Tindall, M.A. ; Messrs. H. F. Abell, E. Ballard, H. Hamilton, George Harper, C. Igglesden, C. Stokes, H. Thompson, J. T. Welldon, George Wilks, B.A., J.P., and John Broad (Hon. Local Secretary). After the preliminary meeting, held in the Old Grammar School by the invitation of Dr. Wilks, Lord Northbourne presiding, the members were received by Canon Tindall at the Parish Church, where Canon A. J. Pearman read a descriptive and historical Paper, printed in this Volume. After luncheon the members drove to Singleton Manor, where they were received by Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Strouts, who shewed their beautiful house. Thence the members proceeded to Great Chart Church, which was described by the Bev. G. M. Livett, F.S.A. On their return journey to Ashford the members were received at Godington by Mr. and Mrs. Ashley Dodd, where they were kindly entertained to tea, after listening to an interesting Paper on the house, written and read by Mrs. Ashley Dodd. Dinner was served at the Saracen's Head. The President, in proposing " Success to the Society," gave an interesting review of the pursuit of archaeology by our forefathers ; and Canon Pearman in reply remarked on the value of the Society in preventing vandalism. Mr. George Harper responded to the toast of " Prosperity to the town of Ashford," proposed by Lord Northbourne ; and Mr. J. Broad replied for " The Local Committee," proposed by Mr. W. Essington Hughes. Mr. Livett proposed the health of the Chairman, which was received with acclamation. On the second day, which was fortunately fine, the company started at 10.30 A.M. in carriages for a round of churches to the west of Ashford, visiting Sevington, Mersham, Smeeth, Sellinge, Brabourne and Brook in the order named. For the most part the architecture was described by Mr. Livett, while Mr. Woodruff dealt with the glass and other features, Sevington Church was lxXVlii ANNUAL MEETINGS, 1906—1908. illustrated by a ground-plan specially prepared by Mr. Alfred J. Burrows, F.S.I. Smeeth was lucidly described by the Bector, the Bev. F. C. Timins, M.A. At Sellinge, Brabourne, and Brook the Incumbents, the Eevs. H. Stevens, M.A., T. S. Stack, M.A., and J. N. Ark el I, M.A., delivered introductory addresses of interesting character. At Mersham Sir Martin Conway discoursed at sight upon the design of the mutilated glass of the west window, and Mr. Aymer Vallance, at Brabourne, Brook, and elsewhere, gave the Society the benefit of his expert knowledge of roods and rood-screens. The Vicar of Sellinge and Mrs. Stevens entertained the company to tea. The carriages were under the direction of the Eev. W. Gardner- Waterman, and the issue of tickets for the meeting was undertaken by Mr. H. Thompson of Ashford. ASHFOED CHUECH. PAPER BEAD BY CANON A. J. PEARMA-N AT THE ASHFORB MEETING. IT is, you will readily believe, with mingled feelings that I appear to-day for the third time before the President and Members of the Kent Archffiological Society for the purpose of describing Ashford Church. I performed the task to the best of my ability at the meeting of 1866; again at the meeting of 1883 ; and I am about to perform it once more in 1908 with, it may be, a truer insight into the history of the fabric—the result in great measure of a conversation with our worthy Editor, Eev. G. M. Livett. For the sake of clearness I shall arrange what I have to say under two heads. I will speak first of the building itself, trying to shew how it became what it is; and then I will, secondly, call attention to the more interesting objects it contains. Tou will agree with me that, whether viewed from without or from within, this is one of the more noticeable churches in the county. Externally, its situation on rising ground and its lofty tower render it a conspicuous feature in the landscape. Internally, no one who takes his stand at the western entrance and slowly advances towards the east can fail to be impressed by the prospect before him, as arch after arch comes gradually into view. The church, you see, is cruciform, consisting of a nave with north and ASHFORD CHURCH. lxxix south aisles, transepts (each with an eastern aisle), a chancel with an aisle of equal length on either side, and rising from the point of intersection a central tower, supported by massive columns, and containing a clock, ten bells, and a set of musical chimes. In length it measures 136 feet, and in breadth at the widest 100 feet. The height of the tower is 120 feet. When seen from the outside the building appears to be a Perpendicular edifice, somewhat late in the style, but no sooner do we enter it than we perceive how inadequate such a description would be, though true in a general way. Let us try to make out the facts. There are two possible references to Ashford in Anglo-Saxon documents—one in 835 and the other in 858—but no mention of a church until 1086, when Domesday records the existence of a church and a priest. How much farther back that would carry us than the time of Edward the Confessor we do not know. Nor do we know what that church was like, whether of wood or of stone— a material of which there was an abundant supply in the neighbourhood. The next fact we know is that in the former half of the twelfth century, as appears by a charter of King Stephen, who reigned from 1135 to 1154, the church of Ashford was part of the possessions of Horton Priory, by the gift of Norman of Ashford. We may, therefore, conclude that, whether as the successor of a Saxon, or as the original, there was here a small Norman church, of which the side walls of the nave stood upon the lines of the present arcades. The vestiges of such a building, the only vestiges that now remain, may perhaps be seen in a few (Caen) stones, shewing the characteristic Norman diagonal facing, in the quoin adjoining the north transept and the nave aisle, and on the south also. The same quoins contain also a few stones (Firestone) of Early English date. In the south transept the superior order of the three arches of the eastern aisle seems to be made up of Early English material, and may be the remains of Early English arches in situ, indicating some enlargement of the building in the thirteenth century. If this be so, we must imagine in place of the Norman an Early English church, well developed but of no great size, consisting of a nave with narrow aisles, a central tower, transepts with eastern aisles, and an eastern arm of unknown plan. There was evidently a considerable amount of reconstruction in either the fourteenth or the earlier part of the fifteenth century. The remains of this, the Pecorated, work are to be seen in the existing choir and nave lxxx ASHFORD CHURCH. arcades and in the arcade of the south transept, the earliest portion of it being apparently the columns of the arcade on the south side of the chancel, the arches themselves having been built at a later time. Accidents were continually happening to churches in the Middle Ages, frequently from fires, and it is not unlikely that fire was the cause of some of the peculiarities to be noticed here. It would seem that old materials were re-used, as far as good and uninjured; but much new stone was required, the newer stones being of larger size, especially in the arches. This reconstruction of the arcades took place before the building of the present central tower. Had it been done at the same time, the arches which abut on the tower piers would not have been left irregular. Lastly, the whole church was renovated in the fifteenth century (c. 1475), when Sir John Fogge raised the height of the aisles, inserted new windows, added battlements, and rebuilt the tower—not, however, altogether " from the foundation," as is stated in the inscription on his tomb. For when in 1868-9 a new roof was placed on the chancel by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners, their architect, Mr. Christian, on a close examination, came to the conclusion that the older piers had been left and carefully cased round. This is shewn to have been the fact by the capitals of the tower piers which support these arches being at a higher level than the original caps of the pillars which take the other side of the arches. The upper part of the tower was, no doubt, entirely rebuilt. We have, then, in the fabric as we see it to-day traces of all the stages through which it has passed—Norman, Early English, Decorated, Perpendicular. So the building remained until 1827. In that year, in order to provide accommodation for the growing population, the aisles of the nave were widened. This, of course, involved the destruction of the outer walls and the obliteration of traces of windows which Warren, writing about 1712, seems to say had survived Sir John Fogge's alterations, and brought the belfry staircase within the building instead of leaving it without, as it appears in Neale's view, published in 1826. It had also the effect of making the nave almost square. In 1860, however, an additional bay in Kentish ragstone was thrown out to the westward, whereby 230 new sittings were obtained and the former proportions restored, while the acoustic properties of the edifice were improved. Since then a vestry has been built on the north side of the chancel on a spot where indications were found of a small chamber haying formerly ASHEORD CHURCH. lxxx existed—perhaps the "new vestry," toward the making of which William Pembill gave 12d. in 1521, and Stephen Bull 3s. 4