142 The Sixteenth General Meeting. 



Wilkinson, of Broughton Gifford, who sat nest to him) was a 

 great advocate for the carr3'ing out of the Bishop's scheme. He 

 (Canon Jackson) remembered saying that he hoped Mr. Wilkinson 

 would be the first to do what had been proposed. Mr. Wilkinson 

 took the hint, and in a short time produced one of the best 

 parochial histories he had ever read. The result of the Bishop's 

 recommendation was the production of several papers, among 

 which was one by Mr. Francis Goddard, v/hom he had now in his 

 eye, and who had managed to collect a very good history of the 

 village of Alderton. If all that had occurred during the last 

 hundred years had been jotted down as the events happened, what 

 a precious document they would form ; and if we now would take 

 the trouble to put down incidents in our parochial histories, they 

 would be invaluable in after time. 



The next toast was the Lord Lieutenant and the Magistrates of 

 the County, which was acknowledged by Mr. Merewether in his 

 happiest style. 



To the toast of the Mayor and Corporation of the Borough of 

 Chippenham, his Worship (Mr. C. J. Dowding) repeated the 

 cordial welcome he had given in the morning to the Society, and 

 eulogized the objects of the Society. 



In reply to the toast of the Representative of the Borough of 

 Chippenham in Parliament, Mr. Goldney, M.P., said he was very 

 glad to be able to join them as a member of the Society. A great 

 number of people asked what was the use of archscology ? It was 

 of great use. In the first place, a love of it had produced these 

 genial meetings : and it afibrded an opportunity of seeing houses 

 and of making excursions which might never occur if such a 

 Society as this did not exist. To-morrow, for instance, they were 

 going to see an old convent, much as it existed when it was broken 

 up. The next day they would see one in a dilapidated state, with 

 almost every part of it in the last stage of decay. Then they 

 would have an opportunity of seeing a house which had existed 

 in the time of Queen Elizabeth — he alluded to Corsham Court — 

 and of comparing the times in which it was built with the greater 

 comforts which had since been added ; and from thence they would 



