73 
camps, fortifications and entrenchments in the neighbourhood 
were most interesting. They had also in the district a number 
of crosses. These referred to the early Christian missions, and 
the fact that baptisms took place here shewed that the people 
must have been brought under the good influence of those 
missions. They claimed—although it had not been entirely 
proved—that in this district was fought the celebrated Battle of 
Brunnenburgh, at the end of the 10th century, in which 
Athelstan fought against the Danes, the Scots and others, whilst 
at Hurstwood, a short distance from Burnley, they also 
maintained that there lived for a time at least Edmund Spenser, 
the poet. Taking these things altogether, along with an array 
of medieval antiquities and monastical remains close by, 
especially at Whalley, they claimed to be the centre of a most 
interesting field of research. If they had Mr. Ford Madox 
Brown employed in decorating their municipal palace, they could 
find him some very good subjects, e.y., A burial scene in pre- 
historic times on the hill-sides near Mereclough; erection of 
Roman camps along that range of hills; baptisms on the Brun ; 
butter sales at the Market Cross; Edmund Spenser meandering 
in the glades round Hurstwood, preparing for the evolution of 
the Shepherd’s Calendar. In fact they could invest those tall 
chimneys of theirs with so substantial a foundation of profound 
antiquity, and weave them with historic and _ picturesque 
accessories of which they might all feel proud. 
Mr. J. Langfield Ward, M.A., furnished the company with a 
short history of the Burnley Grammar School, which dates from 
about the beginning of the reign of Queen Hlizabeth. The first 
donation was made to the school in 1558 or 1559, and in their 
early history they had a gift from Dean Nowell, of 8. Paul’s, of 
13 Scholarships to Brasenose College, which they ought to hold 
in conjunction with Middleton Grammar School, but which, 
unfortunately, had been allowed to lapse. The earliest building 
was put up soon after the chantry lands were assigned to 
Grammar Schools in the present Churchyard. In 1698, the 
school was transferred to the other side of the river, and in 1874 
the new building was erected. The library was given to them in 
1728, partly by the Rev. Henry Halstead, a Governing Canon of 
§. Paul’s, and the Rev. Henry Towneley, one of their greatest 
benefactors. (This was not the same family as that residing at 
Towneley Hall). The school claimed to have, amongst those 
who had been its pupils, the present Bishop of Carlisle 
(Dr. Bardsley) and Philip Gilbert Hammerton, editor of the 
Portfolio. 
Mr. Alfred Strange gave a description of some of the 
Towneley MSS., more particularly of those which were 
prepared by the careful transcription of Christopher Towneley 
in the middle of the 17th century. From the roof of Gawthorpe 
