REPORTS FROM SECTIONS. 



17 



ARCHAEOLOGICAL SECTION. 



President 



T. H. K. Adkin. 

 J. M. Balfour. 

 G. Beach. 



A. S. Owen, Esq. 



Members : 

 A. M. H. Gray. 

 St. G. J. Heath. 



A. T. Houghton. 

 G. R. Murray. 



the 

 the 



N Thursday, June 4th 1896, a small party walked 

 to Southam de la Bere, which is at present tenant- 

 less, and went round that historic mansion, some 

 parts of which date from the time of the Plantagenets. 

 There is much to see, not only in the picturesque 

 architecture of the building, but in the fine pa-ntings 

 and treasures gathered from every land, with which 

 building is stored. When full justice had been done to 

 interest of the house, our geological friends went off to 

 investigate a neighbouring quarry, while the archaeologists pro- 

 ceeded to the adjoining village, and inspected the two ancient 

 farmhouses — one of which contains a phenomenally large stone 

 cider press — and the old Norman chapel, restored as a parish 

 church by the late Lord Ellenborough. After tea the party 

 returned to Cheltenham. 



In several of the general expeditions there were objects of 

 interest for those who cared for archaeology. At Birdlip the old 

 Roman bath with its hypocaust was viewed. In the expedition to 

 the Severn the day was too hot to induce many to cover the extra 

 three miles necessary to visit Deerhurst with its two old Saxon 

 churches dating from before the Conquest ; on a subsequent 

 expedition the scanty remains of the old camp on Crickley Hill 

 were examined. 



A prize will be given to members of the Archaeological Section 

 for the best set of photographs or sketches illustrating the Church 

 Architecture within seven miles of Cheltenham. They must be 

 arranged chronologically according to the different styles of archi- 

 tecture, and must reach the President of the Section by the last 

 day of the Summer Term. 



