YORKSHIRE PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY. 



REPORT OF THE COUNCIL 



ANNUAL MEETINO OF THE 80CIETT. ON THE 3md OF FEBBUABT, 1647. 



At the last Annual Meeting, the Council reported the comple- 

 tion of several important and long-desired improvements, which 

 Dr. Beckwith's munificent bequest had enabled the Society to 

 eflfect; including the extension and embellishment of the 

 Gardens, the repairs of St. Mary's Abbey, the erection of the 

 Sub-Curator's House, the purchase of the Swimming Bath, 

 and the warming of the Museum. It was also announced that 

 the Corporation of the City of York had consented to place in 

 the possession of the Society the remains of the Hospital of 

 St. Leonard, with so much of the area surrounding them, and 

 adjoining the Roman "Wall, as would allow of their being 

 freed from many incumbrances, and examined with conve- 

 nience and advantage. The Council have great satisfaction in 

 stating that those incumbrances have, to a considerable extent, 

 been removed, and thus the character of these interesting 

 remains more clearly displayed. The clearing out of what have 

 usually been called the "Cloisters" of St. Leonard's, and a partial 

 excavation of the ground immediately adjoining them, have 

 shown, that besides the passage to which the Archway belongs, 

 these supposed Cloisters consisted originally of five, or perhaps 

 six aisles, one of them furnished with a fire-place. The removal 

 of the modem erections above them has opened a large space 



