2 The Twenty-third General Meeting. 
John Lubbock; who at once called on Rev. A. C. Sura, one of 
the Secretaries, to read 
THE REPORT FOR 1876. 
“The Committee of the Wiltshire Archzological and Natural 
History Society desires to report to the Members the continued 
prosperity of the Society, which, during the last twelvemonths, has 
certainly suffered no diminution ; rather, it may be said, that in one 
important particular, viz., in the literary department, it has achieved 
a work of more than ordinary value, on which it has for a long time . 
had its eye, as shall be more particularly mentioned presently. 
“This has been a very heavy year of losses of old and valued 
Members of the Society. On the 6th of January, of this year, 
died Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, a name honoured in every household in 
Wilts, and which will long continue to be cherished as that of one 
who made himself beloved by all classes in the county, and not less 
esteemed by this Society, whose third president he was, from the 
year 1859 to 1862, and in which he took a keen and active interest 
to the time of his decease, and to which he was frequently a liberal 
donor. Perhaps it will not be out. of place if it is here recorded 
what may be unknown to many, but should be made known to every 
Member of the Society, that when part of the famous circle of 
Avebury was threatened with profanation by the building of villas 
within the area, and the destruction of some of the stones ; and when — 
it was rescued from such threatened injury by the public spirit of 
our now president—Sir John Lubbock—who came forward at the 
right moment and purchased the land in question (as we mentioned 
in the report for 1871), Mr. Sotheron Estcourt, who had heard 
tidings of the intended desecration, but had not heard of the rescue, 
hastened to write to your Secretary and give him full authority to 
draw upon him for any sum he (the Secretary) might require in 
order to purchase the land so threatened, and avert the injury con- 
templated. This, however, is not the proper place for a memoir of 
Mr. Estcourt, which will appear in its proper place in the forthcoming 
number of the Magazine.! On the 19th of January (the same 
 1The memoir of Mr. Sotheron Estcourt and Mr, Poulett Scrope appeared in 
the last No. of the Magazine, vol. xvi. p. 340. 
