Messrs. W. Bemrose and J. B. Coulson were elected auditors, in 

 the place of Messrs. Lingard, deceased, and Pountain, resigned. 

 Eleven new members of the Society were elected. 



The Rev. Charles Kerry read a paper, illustrated by drawings, 

 upon the " Babington Tomb in Ashover Church." 



Mr. R. C. Hope, F.S.A., read a paper upon " Holy Wells." A 

 paper was announced to be read by the Rev. Dr. Cox, but he was 

 prevented at the last moment by domestic affliction from being 

 present. Diagrams of Dufneld Castle and specimens of the 

 various " finds " were exhibited in the room. 



During the past year there have been five meetings of the 

 Council, with a regular but not too numerous attendance of elected 

 members. The Council has had the pleasure of again welcoming at 

 one of its meetings a vice-president who has always been ready to 

 help in all work of the Society, the Hon. Fred. Strutt. 



The first expedition of the Society during the past year was 

 held on Wednesday, May 18th, to Ashby-de-la-Zouch. The party 

 left Derby in special saloon carriages attached to the 2.15 p.m. 

 train for Ashby. From the station the party at once proceeded to 

 the Church of S. Helen, where the Vicar, the Rev. John Denton, 

 received the visitors, and conducted them over the building, 

 pointing out and describing the various interesting details, calling 

 special attention to the fine series of monuments chiefly to mem- 

 bers of the Hastings family. From the church the party adjourned 

 to the Grammar School, where the Rev. Charles Kerry read the 

 following paper upon the history of Ashby-de-la-Zouch : — * 



THE MANOR. 



The earliest account of Ashby is in Domesday, in which record we find that 

 in the reign of Edward the Confessor, this lordship, consisting of 14 yardlands, 

 was valued at 10s., and that at the Survey it was worth 40s., and was 

 held by Ivo under Hugh Grantesmainell (ancestor of the Meynells of Langley, 

 Derbyshire). 



Shortly afterwards the manor of Ashby was held by Robert Beaumeis, a 

 Norman, of whose family was Richard Beaumeis, founder 0/ the Abbey of 



* The historical portions of this paper are mainly derived from Nichols' 

 Leicestershire, but the writer is responsible for the survey of the fabric. 



