99 



IJlcpovt of tlje OBxcaljattons in ISSO^^IOOO, 



By Robert Hamnett, Hon. Secretary to the Melandra 

 Excavation Fund. 



T the Annual Meeting of this Society in March, 1898, 

 I had the honour of reading a paper on Melandra 

 Castle, and in speaking of the proposed excavation of 

 the site said, " If this Society and the Lancashire and 

 Cheshire Antiquarian Society were to join hands in assisting a 

 local committee, I am sure funds could be raised for the carry- 

 ing cut of this project." The paper was printed in the local 

 newspapers and copies were sent to gentlemen interested in 

 antiquarian research \vith the result that an excursion was 

 arranged, and on the 9th of July, 1898, a representative number 

 of gentlemen \'isited the site. Professor Boyd Dawkins and 

 others expressed their opinion that an excavation would lead 

 to important discoveries, and suggested that a fund should be 

 raised for that purpose. The Lord of the Manor, the Right 

 Honourable Lord Howard of Glossop, having been asked, and 

 given his permission for the site to be thoroughly excavated, 

 circulars were sent out by both the Derbyshire and Lancashire 

 and Cheshire Societies to their members and to local gentlemen. 

 At the outset the response was tardy, but ultimately a con- 

 siderable amount in subscriptions was paid into the fund by the 

 two Societies and various gentlemen interested in our enterprise. 

 A local committee was formed, viz., S. H. Wood, Esq., J.P., 

 D.L., Mayor; Alderman J. Barnes, Deputy-Mayor; Rev. A. P. 

 Hamilton-Wilson; Rev. H. T. Dudley; Rev. E. C. Collier ; Rev. 



