204 
from Thursday, July 20th, to Monday, July 17th, the former day having been 
fixed by Captain Rankin for his Bow Meeting at Bryngwyn, subject to the ap- 
proval of the Caradoc Field Club which the Secretary undertook to obtain at their 
meeting the next day. 
On the arrival of the party at Llanthony Abbey, some members, &e., that 
preferred it, ascended the Black Mountain and had a delightful view into Here- 
fordshire, including Longtown Castle and Church Clodock Church and the surround- 
ing district, whilst others proceeded up the valley to view the ancient yew trees in 
the churchyard at Capel-y-finn, &e. 
On the return of the party to the Abbey about 3°30, they partook of 
luncheon. 
After luncheon Dr. Mc Cullough delivered an address on the Geology of the 
district, which was illustrated by fossils. 
Mr. Blashill (London) immediately after gave a very interesting description 
of the Abbey, which unfortunately had to be curtailed by the Secretary announc- 
ing that the time had arrived for their departure to Llanvihangel in time for the 
last train to Hereford. 
LLANTHONY PRIORY. 
At the close of the proceedings Mr. Blashill conducted the party over the 
ruins of the conventual buildings, giving a short description of their chief features. 
The Priory was founded early in the 12th century by one William, a retainer of 
Hugh de Lacy, who, while hunting found himself in this secluded spot where was 
a little chapel, said to have been built by St. David. He was joined in his under- 
taking by Ernesi, chaplain to Maud, the Queen of Henry I., and, having been himself 
afterwards ordained, it was but natural that these two priests should make it a house 
of Canons regular of St. Augustine, an order consisting of clergy only, rather than 
a house of Monks. ‘The great Cistercian order, whose houses may be said to 
monopolise such lonely sites as this, was not introduced into England till 1128 
(its third house, Tintern, was founded in 1131), and whatever might have been 
the success of this order had it been here established, it is certain that the 
Augustinian Canons failed, as they might have been expected to fail, to secure 
property in this spot. Their first church was dedicated in 1108, but the buildings 
now remaining belong to the latter half of that century ; for although most writers 
upon the history of this building have been led to attribute it to the earlier date, 
it is quite clear from the style of its architecture, which is transitional between the 
Norman and Early English periods, that this is not the original structure. The 
Canons who formed its first inhabitants were brought from the first Augustinian 
house in England, that of St. John the Baptist at Colchester, and this establish- 
ment received the same dedication. This community suffered greatly from the 
inhospitable character of the site and: from the attacks of the Welsh. They after- 
wards received a grant of land at Gloucester, where they built another monastery, 
