arrangements practicable, and the expedition was reluctantly 

 abandoned. Another expedition, to consist of a day in Notting- 

 ham, in October, was postponed until this year, to suit the 

 convenience of our friends in Notts. 



Members will be interested to learn that the well-known Fitz 

 Herbert Brass at Norbury has recently been securely relaid by 

 Mr. Basil Fitz Herbert, the palimpsest reverses having been first 

 electrotyped, and these have been presented to the Church. 



In the autumn of this year your Council's attention was called, 

 by one of its members, to the very interesting disused font in the 

 parish church of Wirksworth. The vicar and churchwardens 

 were communicated with, and these gentlemen (would there were 

 many more like them !) entered con amnre into a scheme which 

 it seems they had themselves meditated, of restoring the old 

 font to usage. A gentleman in the neighbourhood was anxious 

 to do the requisite work, and as his line of action was " not to 

 touch the old stone with a chisel," your Council felt that the 

 restoration might safely be left in such loving hands. The font, 

 if not already in use, will very shortly be so, and will be an 

 example of what real restoration is. 



Your Council has also had under consideration a restoration at 

 Smisby Church. Here, fortunately, the Chancellor of the Diocese 

 refused a faculty which suggested the destruction of a specially 

 interesting east window. The oak of the old pews was also 

 ordered to be used " as far as possible." Interesting discoveries 

 were made, notably a " squint " of unusual dimensions, a low-side 

 window, incised alabaster slab from an altar tomb of the Kendall 

 family, and some fragments of carved alabaster. Drawings of 

 these last have been made for our Society by Mr. Geo. Bailey. 



Finally, there was brought before your Council the now 

 well-ventilated scheme of restoration and enlargement of St. Peter's 

 Church, Derby. This proposal, including as it does the pulling 

 down and removal of the old tower, the oldest historical landmark 

 of our town, has naturally been a matter for your Council's most 

 anxious consideration. All are agreed that nothing short of 

 absolute necessity can warrant the suggestion of the tower's 



