37 



immediately surrounding Mr. Southall's residence, " Graig " House, so called 

 because the Graig-hill in Monmouthshire, near Grosmont, is a conspicuous object 

 on the horizon, as seen from the grounds. After a rapid survey of the lawn, 

 terrace, and "the cutting "—a sunken lower terrace— the members partook of 

 refreshments, hospitably provided by the ladies of this carefully tended and 

 delectable tenement, and, thus fortified, again went on their way. 



The Rev. E. H. Cobbold and Mr. Arthur Arraitage were members of the 

 party now, but were unable to proceed further with it. At the Ross railway 

 station a few others joined, and journeying onwards Raglan was reached at one 

 o'clock. A short and pleasant walk through meadows, presenting occasionally 

 a peep of Raglan village and church tower, and over what appeared to be the dry 

 bed of a brook, but which really was the remnant of the outlying moat of the 

 fortress, conducted to Raglan castle. The five stiles in the meadows offered no 

 obstacle, for so comfortably and conveniently had they been constructed for the 

 use of pedestrians that the highest of them presented no more than a height of 

 twenty-three inches to step over. The day was charming ; the noble ruin looked 

 at its best. The visitors seemed impelled to halt and linger over the imposing 

 dignity of the exterior, and the immediate proximity of a well-kept lawn presented 

 an inviting locality whence to obtain a favourable view of the ruined citadel or 

 keep, embracing at the same time the towers, one on each side of the main 

 entrance gate, surmounted with their Machiacoulis -or overhanging parapets for 

 defence— whilst under the shade of trees, and seated upon rustic forms, the 

 party commenced the operation of unloading their luncheon baskets. 



An excellent handbook to Raglan Castle— purchased upon the premises for 

 the sum of sixpence, and published by Waugh, of Monmouth-was being simul- 

 taneously studied, when we discovered that we were eating our lunch upon the 

 Grand Terrace. At one extremity of this was a fine hollow bole of an elm tree 

 (Ulmus campestris)— which upon measurement at five feet from the ground was 

 found to be twenty feet in circumference. It had rustic seats fixed within it, 

 capable of accommodating five of our luncheon party, whilst seats exteriorly 

 would give accommodation to ten more ; an ingeniously constructed roof, thatched 

 and covered with waterproof tarpaulin gave protection from the sun or rain. The 

 roof presented at the distance the appearance of an enormous umbrella or mush- 

 room, and was at once designated Agaricus ulmanus, and on inspecting within the 

 cavity we found the veritable mushroom Algaricus ulmarius itself. The huge 

 limbs of this tree, seven in number, fell during Divine Service on July 30th, 1876. 

 This tree had a large arm in vigorous and healthy condition, but history gives 

 record of a neighbouring elm tree of much larger dimensions, being 26 feet in 

 circumference, having bowed its head to " stern ruin's ploughshare " in the hurri- 

 cane of December 5th, 1822, a hurricane which left its marks in many parts of the 

 united kingdom. Comparing the measurements of these trees with others of which 

 the Woolhope Club has the record in its transactions, it is most probable that one 

 or perhaps both gave its shade or covering to His Majesty King Charles I., when, 

 after his discomfiture at Naseby in 1645, he sought and obtained protection from 

 the grand old noble owner, the first Marquis of Worcester. After lunch, in 



