28 
The peculiarity here presented and the dip of the margin of the great limestone 
cliffs through which the river takes such a winding course is well worthy the 
attention of the geologist. 
iH, \C. kany, 
Mr. John Luoyp, jun., of Huntington Court, handed in a very interesting 
account of the discovery of a gigantic skeleton in King Arthur’s Hall, about a 
century ago, which was taken as read, it being necessary that the company should 
at once proceed to the station to catch the return trains, We give Mr. Lloyd’s 
communication as under. 
THE SKELETON FOUND IN KING ARTHUR'S HALL. 
A copy of a scarce book, entitled “The Excursion Down the Wye from 
Ross to Monmouth,” compiled by Mr. Heath, printer, Monmouth, was handed in 
by Mr. John Lloyd, jun., of Huntington Court. The book was published in 1799. 
Tt is interesting, as containing an account of the discovery of what is described as 
the skeleton of a man of gigantic stature, which was said to have been found in 
‘a natural tomb, under an arch,” in the cave called King Arthur’s Hall. Just 
such a natural cave, formed by two large pieces of rock, at the extremity of the 
left hand passage in the cave, was visited by the party on this occasion, the 
passage leading to it being, like the other recesses of the cave, lighted with candles 
for the convenience of the visitors. The hollow enclosed under the natural arch 
did not suggest the idea of its having been the grave of any man of gigantic 
stature ; but then it was possible that the skeleton lay with the head only under 
the arch, and the limbs extended towards the mouth of the cave. The description 
of the discovery of the skeleton seems to have been drawn up somewhat carelessly, 
the site of the cave being incorrectly stated as at the N.E. edge of the camp on 
Little Doward Hill, whereas it is on the 8. W. slope of Great Doward Hill, and is 
separated by a deep valley from Little Doward. The cave is correctly stated to be 
on the side overlooking the town of Monmouth, but as the town lies to the south- 
ward of the Little Doward camp, it is obviously impossible that the description 
could apply to any cave on the N.E. side of the latter hill. 
The finding of the skeleton is mentioned briefly by Camden in his 
‘‘ Britannia,” but in Heath’s work it is given on the authority of a letter by a 
Mr. George White, of new Wear (an ancestor of Mr. Lloyd). Itis admitted by 
the writer to have been ‘‘ varyously told,” but it is added that ‘‘ what follows may 
probably be nearest the truth.” The discovery is stated to have taken place in the 
year 1700. The incident is thus told by Mr. White : 
‘A poor woman being in search of a goat that annually brought her two 
young kids, meeting with some woodcutters near the camp, inquired if they had 
seen her goat, and received information it had been observed going into such a hole 
near the mouth of the camp, which being somewhat small, the woman desired her 
informers to break down part to let in more light. I don’t know whether the goat 
was found, but in return something more surprising (by the additional light thrown 
