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The Woolhope Raturalists Hield Club. 
MEETING AT SKENFRITH AND GROSMONT. 
Juty 18ru, 1875. 
The third field meeting of the Woolhope Naturalists’ Club was held on 
Tuesday last, in the Vale of the Monnow. The curious columbarium of the 
Knights Hospitallers at Garway was inspected, and a visit paid to the adjoining 
church, which contains among other features of interest a chancel arch, the outline 
of whose soffit is cut so as to form a series of projecting trefoils. It has a rather 
Saracenic look, and is probably unique in construction. A suggestion was made 
by the Rev. H. Cooper Key that the segments of the arch had once formed, or had 
been designed to form parts of a pillar, and that their unique appearance was due 
to their position. However this may be, it is tolerably evident that this peculiar 
arch has been attached to the Norman arch at alater period—possibly when the 
rood loft was added In the passage leading to the detached belfry, a stone cross 
of unusual character was found some years ago. In its centre is a lozenge within 
- which is carved a hand with three fingers uplifted, supposed to have been an 
emblem of the Knights Templars who preceded the Hospitallers in their occupa- 
tion of Garway. It is much to be hoped that this stone, which is now in the cus- 
tody of the Vicar of the parish, will be restored to the church without delay. 
The Club next proceeded to Skenfrith Castle and Church—the former a 
border fortress of trapezium shape with a circular keep, but too much shrouded 
with trees and ivy to admit of close examination ; the latter, an interesting build- 
ing witha very picturesque half timber tower. Among its features was noticed 
an incised slab to the memory of John Morgan, and Anne his. wife, (1557-1564) ; 
and in place of an altar cloth, a velvet cape beautifully embroidered in gold thread, 
with designs of angels, fleurs de lys and oriflammes. Skenfrith Castle was often’ 
visited by John and Henry III. and probably fell into ruin after Glyndwr’s 
rebellion. 
The same fate befell the neighbouring and more important fortress of Gros- 
mont, which was next visited by the Club. Within its walls was born the heroic 
Duke of Lancaster, known as Henry of Grismont, (still the local pronunciation 
of the name) ; and outside them Prince Henry (afterwards Henry V.,) defeated 
the insurgent Welsh in 1405. The history of the district was detailed in the fol- 
lowing paper by the President :— 
ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT, READ AT SKENFRITH. 
We hold our Meeting to-day in a district remarkable not only for the beauty 
of its natural features, but also for the historical interest which attaches to it, We 
